Page 22 of Twisted Ruck

They all filed out, leaving me to follow Doctor Stuart, to stand beside him on the sidelines.

The crowd in Auckland was loud tonight, excited for the game. The stadium was packed and the night was clear if not warm. In a handful of weeks, it would be cold out, but for now it was pleasant. The perfect night for a game of football.

"This is my favourite part," Doctor Stuart said. "Getting to watch a game up close."

A shiver of excitement passed through me. "I've been looking forward to this. And hoping like hell they don't need us." I wouldn't be a very good doctor if Iwantedthem to get hurt.

"That's always the hope," he agreed. "You know who to keep an eye on, to make sure they don't exacerbate any past injuries."

I held up my board with my notes on it. "Yes I do. Including Atlas' nose." A broken nose wouldn't stop him from playing, but if anything connected with it, it would hurt like a bitch. A fact, no doubt, he was well aware of, and trying his best to avoid.

"Wouldn't want to do further damage to his good looks," Doctor Stuart said with a hint of sarcasm.

If he was anyone else, I might have thought he was trying to insult Atlas, but it was just his dry humour. He was definitely not trying to get a rise out of me.

What would he think if he knew what Atlas did to Bruce? I had a feeling he'd have no choice but to contact the police. Given my brother already conducted the autopsy on the dead GM, Doctor Stuart would have no proof to offer them. He might end up looking like he was out of his mind.

Still, he'd do what he was obligated to do.

So would Atlas. Bruce might not be the only one the team lost.

No, we'd all be better off if Doctor Stuart never knew the truth. I liked working with him and I had a lot to learn. I much preferred it if no one murdered him.

I realised I hadn't responded to him. "Definitely not. We wouldn't want to ruin any of the guys' good looks. Just think what that would do to all those endorsements."

"They might get more of them," Doctor Stuart joked. "Don't women love a damaged hero?"

"I suppose we do," I agreed. I loved them in my romance novels, and judging by the guys I was involved with, apparently I loved them in person too. As long as they were only damaged, not broken.

The crowd roared as the home team trotted out onto the field and started to warm up.

Some of those boys were huge. Taller and broader than ours. Each one looked more fierce than the last.

They warmed up quickly before forming a line to do the Haka, the ancient Maori war dance, designed to intimidate the enemy. The shouts, growls and stamping would have intimidated the hell out of me if I was their enemy too.

In this context, it was always entertaining. I could watch them perform all day. There was something hot about the performance. Something incredibly masculine and powerful.

The crowd cheered as the players finished and moved into place.

A light breeze picked up, ruffling my hair and clothes.

Everything about this moment was perfect. I was finallyhere, right where I was supposed to be. Watching my guys and the rest of the team taking on the tough New Zealand team. I could almost not get my head around it.

Me, Doctor Chelsea Miller, washere, in New Zealand, in a professional capacity. An actual member of the team, not just a hopeful anymore.

"It never gets old," Doctor Stuart said. "Any of this. If it ever does, then you need to find another job."

"I can't imagine ever getting bored of this," I said with a contented sigh.

"I never will," Doctor Otis Skinner stepped over to join us. He'd been deep in conversation with the opposition's team doctor.

I'd caught the words 'water' and 'promising' as he spoke, as animated as I'd seen him in our brief interactions together. He was generally composed, always calm and in control. This was a man who wouldn't take a swing at anyone. The sort of man you didn't turn your back on, if you knew what was good for you.

Where other people were closed books, Otis Skinner was one with the shrink wrap still in place.

"Settling in well?" Doctor Stuart asked him.

"Well enough," Skinner said. His dark eyes regarded me before turning back to Doctor Stuart. "This team is an interesting one."

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