Reese

 

Trying to shake off my conversation with Syd, I threw myself into work when I got to the training room. Gus had called me earlier that afternoon to say he was sick with the flu and wouldn’t be able to make it to the game. So, I was going to be all alone tonight. Great.

A knock sounded on the adjoining locker room door before I could even gather myself.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open softly and Boyd stuck his head through. “Hey, Reese. You got a minute?”

“Sure.” I waved him toward the exam table. “Have a seat. What’s up?”

He held out his left hand and gingerly rotated his wrist in both directions. “I don’t know for sure, but I might have a slight sprain in my wrist. It’s a little uncomfortable, but it’s not unmanageable pain, either.”

I carefully turned it in a side-to-side and up and down motion, asking him to rate the level of pain he was experiencing. I determined he was probably right. It seemed to be a mild sprain, which should heal within a week or two if he didn’t further injure it.

“I’ll wrap it for the next several days, but if the pain gets worse you need to let me know immediately.”

He nodded as I started to wrap and tape up his wrist. “How did you do this, anyway?” I asked. “I don’t remember you doing anything to it in practice yesterday.”

He grunted. “No, the damn bull got loose yesterday. Had to help my dad wrangle the bastard in. I had ahold of the rope at one point, and all it took was one good tug and then my wrist felt funny.”

My hands paused. I looked at him, perplexed. “So, you sprained your wrist…by wrangling a bull.”

He grinned sheepishly. “Don’t hear that one every day, do ya?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “You’re a unique one, I’ll say.”

He joined in my laughter, though it slowly faded as I felt his attitude take on a more serious note. “How’s your friend Sydney doin’, by the way?”

My heart sank at the reminder of how despondent she’d acted earlier. “She’s doing all right.”

He cleared his throat. “Any chance you think she’ll make it to the game tonight?”

My chest tightened at his hopefulness. He was like an adorable teddy bear that I wanted to wrap my arms around. But he was seriously hot at the same time, so it was a weird dynamic.

“I don’t think so,” I said regretfully. He showed no reaction other than his eyes losing some of their luster. “You remember she has a boyfriend, right?”

He nodded, refusing to meet my eyes. “Yeah, you told me.”

“Well, what I didn’t tell you last time was that I don’t like him.”

His head jerked up, his eyes now full of renewed hope with questions lurking behind them.

“In fact, none of her friends do. He’s all wrong for her, but her parents sort of forced them together a couple of years ago.”

His forehead creased. “What are you sayin’ exactly?”

“I’m saying there isn’t any love there. If you actually want a chance with Syd, I’d advise you not waste too much time in making your move. Because that girl needs a good boot up her ass. And I think she’s become immune to my lectures. Maybe she needs to hear it from someone with fresh eyes.”

A smile slowly spread across his golden-tanned face. “Copy that, darlin’.”

I secured the wrap and made sure it was tight. “Okay. You’re all set.”

He moved it around, testing his range of motion. Having approved the job, he hopped off the table. His hand was on the doorknob when he turned back to me.

“Thanks, Reese. I owe you one.”

I knew that was intended more for the information on Syd than the wrapping job. “Don’t wrangle any more bulls and we’ll be square. We kind of need you for the rest of the season, you know.”

He laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

Just when I thought I couldn’t love these guys any more, they decided to be all cute like that.

What happened to those walls I used to have up around my heart?

Oh, right. They’d been demolished the second I walked into the men’s locker room and saw Cam Donovan naked.

 

***

The game was close.

A loss would bring an end to NCU’s undefeated season, so everyone in that arena was on pins and needles.

I’d been busy and on my feet all game, dashing back and forth between players. But even when I didn’t have someone to tend to, I was still pacing erratically. I couldn’t handle the suspense.

It was a four-point game in the middle of the fourth quarter when it happened.

Cam and one of the players from the other team both chased a loose ball. They sprinted, scurrying after it before it crossed the baseline. My eyes were glued to Cam, so I knew the second he fell to the floor that something was wrong. The referee whistled and the other player stood up.

But Cam was still on the ground, holding his knee.

Oh, shit. His knee.

His right knee.

My heart in my throat, I practically ran to where he lay on the floor, my dad right on my heels. The entire arena had gone silent, everyone clearly scared for our star player. I knelt over him and saw his face contorted in anguish. Not good.

“Cam, where does it hurt?” I asked softly.

We didn’t yet know what this was, and I had to remain calm.

“My knee,” he choked out.

He was taking deep breaths as he white knuckled that knee.

“Let me take a look, okay?”

My hands replaced his on his knee, and I slowly straightened it out, rotating slightly. “What did it feel like when you landed?”

“Not a pop,” he rushed to say. He knew what a pop meant, and it was obvious he didn’t want it to be that. “It was more like a sharp twinge.”

I needed to get him back to the training room to really see what we were dealing with. “Do you think you can walk?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

Assistant Coach Tippins and Jesse helped get Cam to his feet. I turned to my dad and said, “He’s out for the rest of the game.”

His jaw hardened as he gave a curt nod. I knew if the guys couldn’t pull this game off without Cam and they lost their undefeated record it would be a huge blow to all of them, including my dad. But Cam’s health was more important right now. I took over for Jesse, and we walked into the team tunnel to the sounds of soft applause from the stands. Everyone knew that Cam Donovan being carried off the court was beyond worrisome.

When we got Cam onto my exam table, I told Coach Tippins he could return to the game. As soon as the door closed behind him, sealing Cam and I in that room, the air immediately changed, thickening. It didn’t matter that he was probably in pain and mostly likely upset, that chemistry between us was still there.

“It’s not torn, Reese,” he said adamantly. “I’m not dealing with this again.”

My face softened. “You don’t really have a choice in the matter.”

He shook his head. “It didn’t feel like it did four years ago. I could put weight on it just now. With the first time, it was so painful I couldn’t even put weight on my toes. Tonight I felt a brief sharp pain and I think it just freaked me out.”

Maintaining my calm façade, I stepped forward and gently pushed him back to lay on the table. “Just let me see. It’ll make me feel better.”

He snorted. “Groping me makes you feel better, huh? Well, then, by all means.” He rested his hands behind his head. “Grope away.”

I let out an exasperated huff. “Only you would make dirty comments at a time like this.”

“Sweetheart, there are very few situations where I wouldn’t make dirty comments.”

For several minutes, I used different stretching techniques on his knee, gauging his pain level. I was surprised when he didn’t react to most of the stretches, even when I bent it up into his chest.

“Nothing in this position?” I asked.

“There’s mild discomfort, but it’s been that way since I tore it,” he answered. “I told you, Reese, I’m fine. I just came down on it wrong.”

The angle I was at brought our faces closer together. I think we both realized how close at the same moment. His eyes flared, as if his body instantly recognized mine. The fact that I could feel his hot breath on my cheek conjured up so many images of the last time we were this close. Memories of the night at the party assaulted my mind and a wave of heat washed over me. He searched my face, and I was worried what he’d find there. Could he tell I was turned on? Was he waiting for me to make a move? Because that was not going to happen. If ever there was a wrong time and place for that, it was here and now.

Pulling myself out of the spell, I let go of his leg and stepped back. “I would still feel better if we took you to the doctor.”

He dropped his head back on the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut. Was he waging the same inner battle I was? Instead of addressing it, though, he sat up and untucked his jersey from his shorts.

“I’m not going to the doctor. There’s nothing wrong.”

I placed both hands on my hips, my expression brooking no arguments. “Yes, you are going. I’ll annoy the hell out of you until you do, so don’t push me.”

He looked amused. “How would you annoy the hell out of me?”

“I’ll sing ‘I Will Always Love You’ over and over again.”

He shrugged. “That’s a good song. Why would that bother me?”

My lip curled up. “I’m completely tone deaf. Dogs have been known to run away at the sound of my voice.”

And I was unashamed. I couldn’t carry a tune, but did that stop me from singing my heart out in the shower? No sir-ee.

He appeared nonplussed. “Do your worst.”

You asked for it.

I sucked in a deep breath and belted at the top of my lungs, “And IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-eee-IIIIIIII…will aaallllwaaayyys loooove yyoooouuuu…”

He covered his ears and yelled, “Ah! Okay, stop! Stop!” before I could get another line out. He glared. “You’ve made your point. You can’t sing for shit.”

I mentally patted myself on the back. “I thought you’d see it my way.”

His eyes suddenly took on some sort of emotion I couldn’t name. And didn’t really want to. I had to stay professional—mostly—or my own emotions might get the better of me.

“You’re evil, woman.”

I packed up my bag and grabbed my purse. “I use the tools I have.”

“Yeah, I’ve got a tool you could use,” he muttered.

Ignoring that, I continued, “Plus, my dad would have made you go if I didn’t. The program has certain policies and with a pre-existing injury like yours, they would have forced you to go get it checked out.”

He waved his arm at the door. “Lead the way, then, sweetheart.”

I glanced down at his knee in concern. “Will you be okay to walk?”

He rolled his eyes and basically shoved me out the door. “Move your ass, Reese, or I’ll be happy to do it for you.”

Despite his bravado, he still walked with caution down the tunnel. Not like he was in pain, but more like he was waiting for the pain. Preparing for it. I wasn’t sure what that meant.

Please let him be okay.

Because as crazy as he drove me, I couldn’t stand to see his dreams disappear in an instant.