When my physical therapist shows up after lunch, I bust my ass, pushing as hard as I can on every exercise I’m given. I can’t believe how weak I got in such a short period of time, and I hate it. It’s been worse than the pain and worse than not being able to sleep in my bed.
Maybe even worse than not being able to service my fiancée the way I want.
By the time we’re closing in on the end of the session, I’m breathing hard and sweating. When the physical therapist suggests we finish up in the pool, I don’t hesitate to put on my trunks and get in.
I put it in for Brooke, never once expecting I would get use out of it too. Especially not this kind of use. But ever since all my incisions were healed enough, I’ve been spending at least an hour a day walking from one side to the other, the buoyancy ofthe water making it possible for me to move in a way I can’t on solid ground. Not only does it help me physically, it helps me mentally. Gives me at least a little taste of normalcy, even if it’s not entirely accurate.
That’s why, once the appointment is over, I decide to linger in the water, enjoying just a little more time feeling almost like myself.
I’m still pacing through the water when Brooke arrives, coming in through the garage after Trevor drops her off. She knows exactly where I am—it’s where she usually finds me when she gets home—and drops her bags off in the kitchen before coming my way. I watch as she kicks off her shoes and begins peeling away her work clothes, tossing them over whatever chair or table is in the vicinity as she passes. By the time she reaches the edge of the water, there’s nothing keeping my eyes from her skin.
This is by far the best part of my day. Makes me consider working from home once a week even after my body is back in shape, just so I can continue to experience this moment.
She slides straight into the water, swimming across the pool to join me on the other side. Wrapping her arms around my neck, Brooke plants a kiss on my lips. “How was your day?”
“Same as all the others.” I drag her closer, hauling her body up against mine as I support most of the weight the water isn’t on my good leg. “Boring without you here.”
“Don’t let Copper and Bruno hear you call them boring.” She hooks both legs around my waist. “You’ll hurt their feelings.”
“I think Copper could stand to have her feelings hurt a little. I can’t tell her shit now that you're back.” Any illusions I had about Copper being my dog went straight out the windowonce Brooke became an option. “After all I’ve done for her, you would think I’d get a little respect.”
Brooke’s smile is easy and wide. “She respects you when you have treats.”
I laugh. “No she doesn’t. Shepretendsto respect me. The minute she gets what she wants, the façade is gone.” I adjust Brooke’s positioning, using my grip on her ass to align our bodies in a more intimate way, letting her feel that while my leg might not be up to standard, certain parts of me are definitely going strong. “Speaking of getting what she wants, is there anything I can do for you, Brooklyn Marie?”
“There’s always something you can do for me.” Brooke wiggles a little in my arms, rubbing the heat of her pussy against my dick through the fabric of my swim trunks. “I didn’t realize how spoiled I was having you available to me anytime I wanted throughout the day.”
Yet another reason I need to get my shit together. I like Brooke being spoiled. I like being there whenever she needs me, for whatever she needs me for. If I dirty a few pairs of pants in the process, so be it.
I’ve got one arm across her back, supporting her weight, my other hand going for the waistband of my shorts, when my cell phone begins to ring from the ledge beside us.
Brooke leans to peer at the screen.
“Ignore it. It’s not important.” Nowhere near as important as reminding my fiancée why she picked me.
Brooke’s brows pinch, her smile turning into a frown. “It’s Pierce.”
Is he fucking kidding? Now? He needs to call meright now?
With a sigh, I leave my pants where they are, shaking most of the water off my hand before picking up my celland connecting the call, putting it on speaker. “This better be important.”
“It is.” Normally Pierce would give me shit back, so the fact that he doesn’t has me standing a little straighter.
My eyes meet Brooke’s as I ask, “What’s going on?”
“You told me to call you if I found anything connecting Brooke’s ex to the man who caused the accident you were in.” Pierce says the words slowly. Carefully.
Cautiously.
I don’t know what that means, but I’m pretty sure I’m not gonna like it. “What did you find?”
“Nothing. Nothing connects the two men together outside of that rental car. I’ve looked everywhere, and feel confident saying they’d never even met.”
“Fuck.” I was really hoping Pierce would come through. That I could make sure Matt suffered, not only for what he did to me, but for what he did to Brooke. “You’re kidding.”
“No. I’m not.” Pierce pauses before continuing. “However, I did discover something interesting.”
“Interesting good, or interesting bad?” I don’t know which of the two to hope for, honestly.
