Page 22 of Breakaway to You

“Well, my very smart and strict physical therapist wants me to rest my knee as much as possible,” I started with a straight face. “So it might be good to have someone here with me to help out.”

It was a stretch. I could hobble around fine and keep weight off my knee, but I really wanted her to stay. I shouldn’t have wanted her to stay, it wasn’t a good idea for her to stay, but with her standing in front of me in my living room, I couldn’t seem to care.

Her eyes narrowed, like she was trying to figure me out. “You want me to take care of you? I don’t think that’s in my job description.”

“I don’t think Coach Hill and Raymond would hate the idea.”

She rolled her eyes at me, but her smile proved she wasn’t really annoyed. “Fine.” She pointed at me with her famous no-nonsense look. “But only because I am willing to go above and beyond for my job and my players.”

My victory had me grinning wide. She was staying. Piper would be spending the next several hours with me. I hadn’t been this excited since I got drafted to the NHL.

Chapter9

Piper

Not sure how coming over to do a home visit therapy session for Zeke had ended up with me popping us popcorn and the two of us watching a movie together. But here I was, cuddled up on his couch with a cozy blanket that smelled just like him.

Earlier I had pushed the ottoman closer so he could extend his leg, which had created space for me to join him on the couch. It was a large enough couch that we should have been able to sit with plenty of space between us, but he had situated himself almost exactly in the middle. That had left me to hug the armrest in order not to sit too close to him. I had thought that adding a blanket would act like an extra barrier between us, keeping things strictly in the therapist-client zone. I hadn’t counted on the blanket surrounding me with Zeke’s heady scent, which I enjoyed every single time I inhaled. I was pretty sure that didn’t fit within the bounds of an appropriate therapist-client relationship.

“Are you still cold?” Zeke’s deep voice said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“No, I’m good now.” I gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, not seeming convinced. “You keep bringing the blanket up high enough to cover your face.”

Annndnow I wanted to use the blanket to cover my face out of embarrassment. There was no way my cheeks weren’t bright red.

“You’re supposed to be watching the movie, not me,” I threw at him, hoping to draw attention away from me not so subtly sniffing his blanket on repeat.

He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I’ve seen this movie before.”

I gave him a pointed look. “You’ve also seen me before.”

“Yeah, but I never get tired of looking at you.” He said it so simply, like he was only speaking the truth, not trying to flirt with me.

My eyes widened at his statement. “Zeke…” I admonished.

He let out a heavy sigh. “I know I shouldn’t have said that. Sorry.”

“Maybe it’s time for me to head home.” I began unwrapping the blanket around me.

“No, don’t go,” he rushed to say, causing me to pause. “I’ll keep things more professional between us.”

I quirked a brow at him. “Do you know how to do that?” I teased.

He let out a low chuckle. “I’m not sure, but I’m willing to try.”

I continued to sit there, wondering if I should stay or go. I was starting to get used to overly flirty Zeke. It was the vulnerable Zeke, the side he’d let me see a little of that night in the hotel lobby, that I wasn’t sure I could resist. Even just his honest comment about never getting tired of seeing me had put a small crack in the wall I’d put up between us. It wasn’t uncommon for him to flirt with me in an over-the-top way, but having him say something that he believed so truthfully… that put us in dangerous territory.

The bigger problem than the enticing Zeke Man—oh my gosh, had I really just called him that?—was that I wanted to spend time with him too. My body and heart didn’t seem to care that my brain was screaming that this was a bad idea. They wanted me to stay right where I was, with him.

“I’ll stay a little longer, but no more flirting,” I warned with no real heat in my voice. I was a lost cause. I wanted to shake myself for being so foolish, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that when I was happy about spending more time with Zeke.

“No more flirting.” He held up three fingers. “Scouts honor.”

I eyed him doubtfully. “Were you even a scout?”

He shook his head. “No, never.”

---