He nodded. “The doctors say it will be another couple of months before everything settles and I can get a permanent one.”
That reminded her. She retrieved a piece of paper from her backpack and handed it to him. “I wrote down some exercises for you, but you should check with your OT before you do them. I don’t know enough about your case, and I’m not qualified. They’re mostly to get mobility back into your knee.”
“Thanks.” He read it. “I don’t want people seeing me without the prosthesis.”
She understood. “I know, but going from not having one, to wearing it all day is not helpful. The area is sensitive and healing. It’s not like the sole of your foot that has toughened skin. It has to get used to the contact.”
He looked away. “I feel as if everyone is staring at me.”
“It’s just you and me now.” She placed a hand on his knee. “Do you want to take it off?”
He glanced towards the shed.
“They’re all asleep, and if someone comes out, I’ll head them off.”
He pulled up his tracksuit pants so they came over his knee. With a little finesse, he pulled his sock down and, with a grimace, pulled off his leg. The scar was still red and raised, and around the stump was a light rash.
“That’s got to be uncomfortable.”
“Yeah.” He straddled the log they sat on so she could examine it in the firelight.
“Have you got cream for it?”
He shook his head.
“Then go to the doctor and get some,” she ordered. “You need to take better care of yourself.” She glanced at him. “Did your therapist massage it when you were in hospital?”
“Yeah.”
“May I touch it?”
He inhaled, but nodded.
She brushed the scar. “Does that hurt?”
“No.”
She pressed more firmly, massaging the area. “What about now?”
He winced. “It’s tender.”
“OK, that’s fine.” She continued to massage the scar and the surrounding area. She glanced at him to evaluate how much pain he was in and found him staring at her, his expression intense. Her fingers stilled. “Am I hurting you?”
He blinked at her question and pulled his leg away. “No. It’s fine. Thanks.” He began putting his leg back on.
She touched his arm. “Arthur?” Something wasn’t right.
He paused, looked at her hand, and then up at her. Desire.
It hit her in the gut, and she inhaled. She had meant nothing sexual by her massage, but it had clearly been an intimate moment for him.
She bit her lip. If she was honest, she didn’t mind the intimacy. He was an attractive man, and he wasn’t her patient. If Kurt hadn’t been in town hounding her, she’d be interested in exploring this attraction. But she couldn’t while Kurt had demanded she do so. She shifted away. “It’s time I went to bed, too.”
She found her sleeping bag in the shed and lay down. It was a long time later before Arthur joined them.
***
Arthur was pleased when Gretchen went on the early morning trail ride with the kids instead of him. It had been a late night. Not that the kids had stayed up late talking. Most of them had crashed long before midnight despite their attempts to stay awake.
