got this bad. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to do it. The cramp was draining her dry. She moved to her side, looking for a way to stand without it hurting more.
Rob lifted her by her armpits and she cried out a little, but he got her upright. “Try and put your weight on it.”
He put an arm around her waist and she did the same to him, his hard muscles against her body. She did as he suggested and her leg relaxed. Finally. Her breathing returned to normal as he walked with her around the small living room. Well, she limped while he walked. She sat a couple of times, but each time the cramp resurfaced. Tired and weary, she wanted to sleep, like, forever.
After the fourth attempt at sitting, her leg quieted down. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her achy muscles relaxed.
Rob went to the kitchen and brought her back a glass of water. “You feeling better?”
Nodding, she took the water and downed it. She couldn’t look him in the face. Embarrassment heated her cheeks. That he’d witnessed one of her cramping episodes was humiliating to say the least. But, oh, how he had helped her. Offering gentle suggestions instead of barking orders, like her physical therapist always had, did the trick for her. Maybe he should take some lessons from Rob.
A sound of wood hitting wood caught her attention. He had gone back into the kitchen, searching through her cabinets.
“Don’t you have any food in the house?” he asked.
“I have some frozen dinners.” One, but then maybe he wouldn’t…look. Crap.
He opened the freezer, reached in and pulled out the box of Lean Cuisine Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. “This is all you have?”
“I planned on doing some shopping this weekend.” As if it was any of his business.
“But it’s Wednesday. There’s not enough here to last the week.” He tossed the box back into the freezer and shut the door. “Do you need me to get you something?”
“Nooo. I’m perfectly capable of getting my own groceries, thank you.” Tentatively she stood, being careful with the weight on her left leg. Having a cramp was like pulling a muscle, and she had pulled a major one.
“Sit down.”
Okay, now he was beginning to sound bossy.
“I don’t want to sit down.” She took two steps, limping. Damn, she wanted to sit. “Thank you for your help, but you can go now. I can manage by myself.”
He appeared in her face faster than she anticipated and she teetered backward. Quickly, he grabbed her waist. “I’m sure you can, but I’ll feel better knowing you ate a semidecent meal. I’m gonna get a pizza. What kind do you like?”
His scent engulfed her. Damn. Her physical therapist never smelled this good.
“Pizza is a decent meal?” Her question came out breathless. What had he done to her?
“I said semidecent.” He smiled and her resolve melted.
One pizza wouldn’t kill her and she hadn’t eaten any in over a year. Of course, she was in a coma during most of that time. And would it really be that bad spending time with him? He was going to be working there anyway. Might as well get used to him. “Fine. Surprise me.”
His smile turned into a grin. “Can I leave Barnaby with you? I don’t trust him with food in the truck.”
She chuckled. “Sure, why not?”
He was so close—she was so weak—he could kiss her now and she wouldn’t stop him. Instead, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her onto the couch.
Rob fetched Barnaby, who bounced in toward her. He placed his head on her lap.
“Anything else you’d like me to get?” Rob asked.
“How about some beers?” Beer and pizza. Couldn’t get any better than that.
He placed his hand on the doorjamb. “Surprise you?”
She nodded, petting the top of Barnaby’s head. His fur was soft and comforting against her fingers. How the hell had Rob finagled his way to having dinner with her? And why was she thrilled at the idea?
He wasn’t gone a minute when pain slashed through her temples.
* * *
Rob lifted her by her armpits and she cried out a little, but he got her upright. “Try and put your weight on it.”
He put an arm around her waist and she did the same to him, his hard muscles against her body. She did as he suggested and her leg relaxed. Finally. Her breathing returned to normal as he walked with her around the small living room. Well, she limped while he walked. She sat a couple of times, but each time the cramp resurfaced. Tired and weary, she wanted to sleep, like, forever.
After the fourth attempt at sitting, her leg quieted down. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her achy muscles relaxed.
Rob went to the kitchen and brought her back a glass of water. “You feeling better?”
Nodding, she took the water and downed it. She couldn’t look him in the face. Embarrassment heated her cheeks. That he’d witnessed one of her cramping episodes was humiliating to say the least. But, oh, how he had helped her. Offering gentle suggestions instead of barking orders, like her physical therapist always had, did the trick for her. Maybe he should take some lessons from Rob.
A sound of wood hitting wood caught her attention. He had gone back into the kitchen, searching through her cabinets.
“Don’t you have any food in the house?” he asked.
“I have some frozen dinners.” One, but then maybe he wouldn’t…look. Crap.
He opened the freezer, reached in and pulled out the box of Lean Cuisine Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. “This is all you have?”
“I planned on doing some shopping this weekend.” As if it was any of his business.
“But it’s Wednesday. There’s not enough here to last the week.” He tossed the box back into the freezer and shut the door. “Do you need me to get you something?”
“Nooo. I’m perfectly capable of getting my own groceries, thank you.” Tentatively she stood, being careful with the weight on her left leg. Having a cramp was like pulling a muscle, and she had pulled a major one.
“Sit down.”
Okay, now he was beginning to sound bossy.
“I don’t want to sit down.” She took two steps, limping. Damn, she wanted to sit. “Thank you for your help, but you can go now. I can manage by myself.”
He appeared in her face faster than she anticipated and she teetered backward. Quickly, he grabbed her waist. “I’m sure you can, but I’ll feel better knowing you ate a semidecent meal. I’m gonna get a pizza. What kind do you like?”
His scent engulfed her. Damn. Her physical therapist never smelled this good.
“Pizza is a decent meal?” Her question came out breathless. What had he done to her?
“I said semidecent.” He smiled and her resolve melted.
One pizza wouldn’t kill her and she hadn’t eaten any in over a year. Of course, she was in a coma during most of that time. And would it really be that bad spending time with him? He was going to be working there anyway. Might as well get used to him. “Fine. Surprise me.”
His smile turned into a grin. “Can I leave Barnaby with you? I don’t trust him with food in the truck.”
She chuckled. “Sure, why not?”
He was so close—she was so weak—he could kiss her now and she wouldn’t stop him. Instead, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her onto the couch.
Rob fetched Barnaby, who bounced in toward her. He placed his head on her lap.
“Anything else you’d like me to get?” Rob asked.
“How about some beers?” Beer and pizza. Couldn’t get any better than that.
He placed his hand on the doorjamb. “Surprise you?”
She nodded, petting the top of Barnaby’s head. His fur was soft and comforting against her fingers. How the hell had Rob finagled his way to having dinner with her? And why was she thrilled at the idea?
He wasn’t gone a minute when pain slashed through her temples.
* * *
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