Page 42 of The Wounded Warrior

“That would make things easier, huh?”

“Walking sure would.” They made it up the little rise, and he got his wheels moving on his own again. “Therapist says months, not years, so I just have to keep working.”

“Months. Damn, that’s pretty fucking cool.”

“I hope so. I keep trying not get my hopes up.” He would be devastated if he thought too much on it and it didn’t happen.

“Yeah. I can’t imagine. I mean, I can imagine, but I’d probably get it wrong.”

“Probably.” Luke laughed when Rory pinched his arm.

“Butthead. Aren’t you supposed to be stroking my ego?”

“Nah. I am fixing to stroke other things,” Luke murmured.

“Oh, listen to you. I like it, cowboy. I like it a lot.”

“Yeah?” Luke liked a little dirty talk now and again. This was the best part of dating someone new, wasn’t it? Learning what each other liked.

“Indeed. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’m not a shy man.”

“No!” They made it to the parking area, the Mustang gleaming in the sun. “Nice ride.”

“She is, isn’t she? I bought her in law school and restored her.”

“You did?” Now that was unexpected. Somehow, he didn’t see this man in his pressed and starched jeans, Luccheses, jacket and tie working on a car, covered in oil.

The vision didn’t turn him off one single bit.

In fact, it kinda revved his engine. Luke liked a man who was good with his hands.

“I did. Keeps me out of trouble. How do we do this?” Rory asked.

Luke turned his chair back around and wheeled up to where the door would open. “Okay, you open up, and I’ll get my chair in the right place.”

“I’m on it.”

Somehow, they managed. It took some finagling, a near disaster, and some up close and personalness, but they managed.

They were both sweating and panting by the time they got him in the car.

“Ta-da! Easy as pie.” Rory grabbed his chair and took it to the trunk, leaving him feeling vulnerable as fuck. He was hiding in his chair these days, wasn’t he? Weird. It wasn’t like Rory was going to leave him here, deserted.

He just… It was like a shield now. A part of him, and he hated that in a way.

“Okay, you want to let your brother know that I didn’t kidnap you?”

“Oh! Sure.” Luke pulled out his phone to text Matty.

Going to Mcconnells

What? Why??

To make out, of course

You’re not serious. You dog! Do I need to stay in town to fetch u?

Nah I’ll holler.

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