“Well, um, thanks for checking,” I said, forcing a smile that I hoped looked pain-free. “That’s very kind of you.” She was cute, this Amanda girl, and as shitty as this injury was, I felt moderately better being checked on by a pretty woman. Not that anything would happen, of course—I was single for life.
“Hi,” Hansen said, stepping forward to offer his hand to Amanda. “You were at the fire.”
“Yes,” she said softly. “What a tragedy. I’m sorry.”
“Right,” Hansen said, cupping the back of his neck. “Nice to meet you.”
Amanda smiled politely and turned her attention back to me. “Are you going to be all right?” she asked. “I’m so sorry you got hurt. Thank God nobody died, huh?”
“It’s not your fault,” I said with a slight shrug, enjoying the attention. “But I’m fine, thanks. Headed into surgery soon.”
“Do you mind—” she trailed off, her tone dipping quietly. “Do you mind if I stick around to make sure you’re doing okay? I don’t mean to be a weirdo, but it would certainly make me feel better.”
I shrugged, ignoring the pointed look from Hansen. “No problem. I appreciate it, thanks.”
“Anytime,” said Amanda softly, backing out of the room. “I’ll see you on the flip side, Korbin Butler.”
As soon as she was gone, Hansen started in on me, his eyes narrowing in my direction. “The girl obviously likes you,” he said. “What are you going to do, break her heart?”
“Hey now, what kind of monster do you think I am?”
“One who swears he’s sworn off girls,” said Hansen. “Just be careful, okay? Be careful that you don’t get too deep into this before you realize it’s not what you want.”
“Thanks for the heart-to-heart, pop,” I teased. “Now, let’s get this surgery done, shall we? I’m ready to go back to work.”
Chapter2
Peyton
“Pssst! Peyton, check out the man-candy who just walked through the front door.” My best friend Remington elbowed me in the arm, wagging his eyebrows up and down dramatically. I glanced from my friend and at the door, where one of my patients was coming through—and not just any patient, theman-candypatient, according to Rem. He spotted me behind the desk and waved, then checked himself in to wait for his session, taking a seat in the waiting room directly across from Remington and me. Every once in a while, he’d glance up from the magazine he was pretending to leaf through to look at me.
Feeling the heat flush my neck and cheeks, I lowered my eyes back to the paperwork I’d been doing before Rem’s interruption, knowing that if I continued to sneak glances at the guy, he would still be staring. He always was. And I was flattered by it, but at the same time, I wasn’t ready for a relationship. The flirting was fun, but that’s probably all it would be.
“He might as well be fucking you against the wall,” said Rem, resting his chin in his hands as he stared, fantasizing, at the man in the chair.
“Someone is going to nail you for sexual harassment one of these days,” I told him, but my voice choked with amusement. Always the drama queen, my best friend.
“Eh, better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” he said with a wink, turning in his chair as the office phone rang, and he directed his attention to pick it up.
“Peyton,” someone said behind us, and Dr. Lucia tapped my shoulder, handing me a patient chart. “Mr. Collins is here for his appointment; can you please take him today? Someone—” he looked pointedly at Remington when he said this, who was still chattering away animatedly on the phone. “—double booked me today.”
I laughed. “No problem, doc.”
“Thanks.”
Remington turned to wink at me as I rose from the chair to takeMr. Collinsto a PT room in the back. The handsome man stood when he saw me, and a charming smile appeared. I almost had to turn back and hand the patient to someone else.
“Mr. Collins,” I said, hoping the smile I returned to him was professional. “Dr. Lucia assigned me your case. We can get started if you follow me to the PT room.”
“Gladly,” said Collins, and that grin only broadened. I turned away before he could see the hot flush rising to my cheeks, leading the patient to my open PT room. I shut the door behind us, and Collins removed his jacket, draping it over a chair, and then he sat down on the exam bed.
“So, Mr. Collins,” I said, sitting on the stool across from him. “How was the session on your last visit? Did you notice a difference? Has there been any new pain?”
“Please,” he said, blue eyes twinkling. “Call me Jake.”
“Jake,” I said. “Has there been any new pain?”
“No,” he said with another grin. “No pain since I last saw you, Peyton.”
