More laughter. “I’m sorry if I was difficult.” The laughter faded. “I’m not normally like this. It’s hard. Being away from my unit. Not being able to do the thing I love.”
I understood that sentiment. “We can talk about it at your next session.”
“Do we have to have another session?” he asked. “I promise that I’m fine. I don’t need therapy, and I don’t trust you on a basketball court.”
“What does that mean?” I questioned.
“I looked you up.” He answered. “You might want to tell people that you were on a state championship basketball team your sophomore year of college before you challenge them to a game of horse.”
“That was a long time ago.” I shook my head. A really long time ago. “And where would the fun be in that?”
“They would know they were on the court with a ringer for one thing.”
“Nope. It’s better to keep that information to myself.”
“That also explains the football banner in your office,” he said. “I take it you are a sporty girl at heart.”
“Something like that.” I leaned back into the couch.
“Why the Storming Cobras?” We’d moved way past him checking up on me. “Not that they aren’t good, but why not Kansas City or Philadelphia? Or even a basketball team?”
I shouldn’t have answered. We were getting really close to that line I never crossed.
“I used to go to the games with my dad.” I glanced over at the flag on my shelf.
“That’s sweet. My dad, my brother, and I were more into baseball.” He told me. “We went to quite a few games back in Georgia.”
“Is that where you’re from?”
“Yep. Born and raised.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “I thought I would stay there and work in my father’s office until I finished med school.”
“What changed?” Now that I had him talking I didn’t want him to stop.
“I don’t really know.” He paused. “I’d always been involved in the service in some way or another. I was in the reserves at that time. I went away for my weekend and when I came back I knew this was where I wanted to apply my medical degree.” Another pause. “Did you always want to work with soldiers?”
“I should let you go,” I said instead of answering.
“Why?”
“You know why.” He was a doctor.
“Yeah, I do.” I heard him take a breath. “But if it’s so wrong, why does it feel so comfortable?”
“I don’t know, but you can’t call me like this again.” I had to set some boundaries.
“Not even to make sure you are taking care of that injury?”
I bit my lip to keep from smiling. “Not even for that.”
“What about the next time the Cobras have a game and I need someone to talk about the highlights with?”
“Stop.” I let my head fall back on the top of the couch. My eyes closed. It had been so long since I’d had this. I’d been alone so long I’d forgotten how good it felt to have someone flirt with me.
“You know if you sign my paperwork, you wouldn’t be my therapist.” He threw out there. “Then this wouldn’t be wrong.”
“That wouldn’t change the fact that I was your therapist.”
“I don’t think one game of horse and a few questions should really count.” He argued.
