Page 76 of Sweet Harmony

He nodded andshe sat down on the side of the bed as he stared moodily at theceiling. She waited a beat and then said, “I’ll bring you an icepack for your knee and then I’ll start dinner. I’ve got a lap traythat I can bring in for you to eat dinner.”

“You don’t haveto wait on me hand and foot,” he said. “I can eat dinner at thetable.”

“Not for a fewdays,” she said. “It’s better to keep it raised as much aspossible, which means bed rest. You heard Jack. You only get out ofbed to use the bathroom.”

He gruntedirritably and, still looking at the ceiling, said, “I don’t want tobe a pain in your ass.”

“You aren’t,”she said.

Another bitterlaugh. “You didn’t sign up for this and you’re not required to helpme. Our relationship is fake, so -”

“I want tohelp,” Kira said.

“Or you feelobligated because people in this town think we’re dating, andyou’ll look like a bad girlfriend if you don’t.”

“I don’t carewhat people think. I’m doing this because I’m a nice person and myfriend is hurt and needs my help.” Now she was the one who soundedirritable.

“Is that whatwe are? Friends?”

She paused,feeling weirdly hurt. “You don’t think we’re friends?”

He blew hisbreath out with a loud puff of air. “Sorry. Yeah, we’re friends.And I appreciate what you’re doing even if I’m acting like adick.”

She patted histhigh. “It’s okay. You’re in pain and upset about your knee. I getit. But, stop feeling bad about asking me for help because I don’tfeel obligated and I want to help you. All right?”

“Thanks,Kira.”

“You’rewelcome. I’ll be right back with the ice pack and then I’ll getstarted on dinner.”

* * *

“Are you sureyou had enough to eat?” Kira returned from the kitchen and took thelap tray off the bed. Connor stared at her perfect ass in her yogapants as she bent and tucked the tray between the nightstand andthe wall.

“Positive.Thank you again, you’re a really good cook.”

She laughed.“I’m so not a good cook, but even I can’t screw up chicken andrice.”

“I think you’rea good cook.” He tried not to stare at her tits as she sat down onthe side of the bed.

“Only becauseyou think popcorn is an acceptable dinner,” Kira said with anotherlaugh.

He studied herface, itching to reach out and snag a strand of that amazingly softblonde hair between his fingers. His urge to touch her got strongerwith every passing day. The part of him that was worried about whatthat meant, was almost buried under the part of him thatdesperately wanted her soft body tucked under him while he slid hisdick into her wet, tight pussy.

Kind of hardto have sex with Kira when your knee is totally fucked.

He massagedjust above the brace on his right knee. There was an ice pack onhis knee, and he wasn’t even the least bit tempted to lift it andstudy the swollen mess. He didn’t want to see the bruising thatwould be starting or the way the flesh strained as the swellingworsened. It reminded him too much of what it looked like after theaccident.

You know youfucked it again, right? Everything’s torn to shit in there and thistime they won’t be able to fix it. You’ll never walk right again,let alone jog or run or play baseball.

He tried toblock out his inner voice, afraid that if he started to listen toit too long, he’d lose his fucking shit. The thought that his kneemight be jacked for good sent terror through him. It didn’t helpthat inner Connor wouldn’t shut the fuck up about how he was facinga long road of surgery and physical therapy, and what Grant wouldsay when Connor was off work for six goddamn months or more, and–

“Connor?”

Kira’s softvoice pulled him out of his spiral. He stared at her, knowing hisanxiety was written all over his damn face, but utterly helpless tohide it.

When she tookhis hand, he linked their fingers together, fighting back his urgeto ask her to lie on the bed beside him, to wrap her arms aroundhim and tell him that everything would be fine.

“Everythingwill be fine,” Kira said.

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