Page 21 of Breakaway to You

“I mean, yes, I was looking you up online, but I wasn’t trying to look for photos of you likethat.” I gestured to my phone in her hand. “I was looking atallthe photos.”

Okay, that didn’t sound any better.

“Well, notallthe photos,” I amended, tripping over my words. “I had just started before you got here. I was curious to know if you were on social media. I only stumbled across that photo right before you walked in.”

She let out a smile, handing me my phone. “I didn’t take you for the fumbling type. If I wasn’t your physical therapist, I’d think it was cute.”

My shoulders relaxed, glad she wasn’t upset with me.

“My account is public, so anyone can look at my pictures. Including ones of me in a swimsuit.” She knelt down by my leg, already turning her focus to my knee.

What she said was true, but for some reason I hated the idea of any guy being able to see that picture of her in a bikini. The possessive feeling going through me at the thought was new to me. I’d never been a possessive person. Not even when I’d been engaged to Anna. But the primal urge to pull her to my chest and say she was mine was potent.

Her hands softly pressed around my swollen knee, a swift reminder to why she was here and that any thoughts of her being mine were to be wiped out of my mind.

“Has the pain subsided at all?” she asked.

“Not really. It’s about the same.”

“With the level of pain and how it’s not as swollen as I was anticipating, I’m assuming it’s a grade one sprain.” Her eyes kept bouncing from my left knee to my right knee. “It should be healed within a week or two.”

That had me switching gears. No more thoughts about Piper and that sexy bikini.

My eyes widened. “A week or two? I can’t be out that long. I’ll miss two games.”

She gave me an exasperated look. “You’re lucky it’s only a grade one sprain or you’d be out a lot longer than that. You can’t play until it’s healed. Unless you want to risk being out for the rest of the season.”

I held the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

“I know not being able to play is not what you wanted to hear,” she said gently. “But you can’t risk playing on a sprain and possibly tearing your ACL. If you take two weeks off and continue with physical therapy, you should be ready to get back on the ice and finish out the season.”

I gritted my teeth. I didn’t like having to miss games, but two games was definitely better than missing the rest of the games in the season. I needed to just be grateful that it was a mild sprain. It could have been a lot worse. Unfortunately, that didn’t make me feel much better.

She patted my leg softly. “I can do some exercises with you today and then show you some exercises you can do on your own for tomorrow until I can see you at the arena on Monday.”

I nodded.

I didn’t exactly have a choice. My knee was sprained, and I’d have to do what was required to make sure the next time I got on the ice I was stronger than before. I was going to physical therapy the crap out of my knee.

Over the next thirty minutes, she took me through several exercises, and by the end, I was glad to be done. Except I wasn’t done with Piper. When she gathered her things to leave, I found I was scrambling to think of a reason for her to stay longer.

“Text or call me if you need anything,” she said.

I held up one finger, telling her to wait a minute. I picked up my phone.

Zeke

I need something.

I smiled up at her as I heard her phone make a beeping sound.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and saw my text.

She gave me a deadpan look. “Very funny.”

“What?” I asked innocently. “You said I could text you if I needed anything.”

“Okay.” She crossed her arms and looked at me in amusement. “Let’s hear it. What do you need?”

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