degree, or because I’m a woman?”
He shuts his eyes, the muscles in his jaw tight. “Lani, I do care about yo u— and not just because you saved my life.” He looks up at me. “And I am attracted to you too, perhaps more than you realize, but I’m not ready to jump back into a relationship.”
“Yeah? Who s-says I am?”
Chapter 13
Diego: Over My Head
E xcept for the two of us, the Rec Center is deserted. Considering how cramped the Bub is since people had to move out of sector four, it’s unnerving.
Like it’ll be when the biodome fails…
Lani leaves me alone in the men’s locker-room, and I spend five uncomfortable minutes impersonating a crippled snake attempting to get back into last year’s too-small skin. When it’s as good as it’s going to get, I wheel myself back into the lobby, hoping the important parts will remain covered.
Lani, who’s wearing a man’s button-down shirt over her one-piece bathing suit, holds the pool door open and then pushes me through. “I hope you don’t mind sandwiches for supper,” she says. “I didn’t want too many spectators, so I figured now would be a good time.”
“Ah. Good idea,” I say, still trying to shake off my embarrassment at the pasty white skin and flabby muscles where the casts used to be.
She rolls me backwards down a long ramp and straight into the pool.
“Shit!” I lift my arms over my head, trying to keep them dry.
“Don’t be a weenie. It’s not cold. It’s refreshing.”
“Refreshing, my ass.”
She laughs and steps around in front of me. She’s not wearing the shirt anymore, and for the first time, I can see the extent of the burn scars that cover the right side of her body.
Who or what did that to her?
I sit there like a bank teller facing Billy the Kid.
A door opens behind me, and I belatedly lower my arms into the water. A minute later, Lucy joins us in the pool. With Lani walking backwards, Lucy pushes the wheelchair forward until the water is up to my armpits, and then Lani lifts me out of the chair.
“Whoa!” I say. “I haven’t used my legs in months!”
“Believe it or not,” Lani says, “I’m aware of that.”
I glare at her, and she stifles a grin.
“Trust me?” she says and gestures with her head. “And Lucy is right behind you.”
Lucy steps around, a life jacket under her arm, and gives a parade wave. “Never lost one on my watch,” she says and starts putting my arm through the vest.
I shake my head and pull away, not wanting the cold, wet fabric against my skin.
Lucy frowns. “But you could be the first.”
“I bet you say that to all your men.”
She clicks her tongue and then looks pointedly at Lani. “If we drown him now, we could still get to supper in time for apples.”
Lani laughs. “Just set the lifejacket on the deck, please.”
“Pride goeth before drowning,” Lucy says, tossing the wet heap up on the side.
Lani motions with her head, and my chair disappears.
“Ay yai yai!” I say, flapping my arms and accidentally splashing Lani in the face. “Whoops, sorry!”
The lithe doctor suppresses a smile, easily supporting me in the buoyant water. “Relax, Diego. I’ve got you.” She pins me with her doctor gaze. “But your legs are going to be weaker than you remember, so take it easy. This is not the Olympics.”
“Right,” I say. “But I’ll have you know, I was once an Olympic tap dancer… until I fell in the sink.”
I hear Lucy’s groan, and Lani steps backwards into deeper water. “Try extending your legs. No weight just yet. See if you can touch bottom.”
It takes a bit of work, but I manage to get my feet to the bottom. Despite the painful tightness in my legs, the freedom to move is absolutely wonderful.
“Woohoo!” I say. “This is awesome!”
Lani’s expression softens, and she slides her palms across my body to my waist, holding on to me. It’s been a while since a woman touched me like that, and I feel myself getting hard. “Rest
He shuts his eyes, the muscles in his jaw tight. “Lani, I do care about yo u— and not just because you saved my life.” He looks up at me. “And I am attracted to you too, perhaps more than you realize, but I’m not ready to jump back into a relationship.”
“Yeah? Who s-says I am?”
Chapter 13
Diego: Over My Head
E xcept for the two of us, the Rec Center is deserted. Considering how cramped the Bub is since people had to move out of sector four, it’s unnerving.
Like it’ll be when the biodome fails…
Lani leaves me alone in the men’s locker-room, and I spend five uncomfortable minutes impersonating a crippled snake attempting to get back into last year’s too-small skin. When it’s as good as it’s going to get, I wheel myself back into the lobby, hoping the important parts will remain covered.
Lani, who’s wearing a man’s button-down shirt over her one-piece bathing suit, holds the pool door open and then pushes me through. “I hope you don’t mind sandwiches for supper,” she says. “I didn’t want too many spectators, so I figured now would be a good time.”
“Ah. Good idea,” I say, still trying to shake off my embarrassment at the pasty white skin and flabby muscles where the casts used to be.
She rolls me backwards down a long ramp and straight into the pool.
“Shit!” I lift my arms over my head, trying to keep them dry.
“Don’t be a weenie. It’s not cold. It’s refreshing.”
“Refreshing, my ass.”
She laughs and steps around in front of me. She’s not wearing the shirt anymore, and for the first time, I can see the extent of the burn scars that cover the right side of her body.
Who or what did that to her?
I sit there like a bank teller facing Billy the Kid.
A door opens behind me, and I belatedly lower my arms into the water. A minute later, Lucy joins us in the pool. With Lani walking backwards, Lucy pushes the wheelchair forward until the water is up to my armpits, and then Lani lifts me out of the chair.
“Whoa!” I say. “I haven’t used my legs in months!”
“Believe it or not,” Lani says, “I’m aware of that.”
I glare at her, and she stifles a grin.
“Trust me?” she says and gestures with her head. “And Lucy is right behind you.”
Lucy steps around, a life jacket under her arm, and gives a parade wave. “Never lost one on my watch,” she says and starts putting my arm through the vest.
I shake my head and pull away, not wanting the cold, wet fabric against my skin.
Lucy frowns. “But you could be the first.”
“I bet you say that to all your men.”
She clicks her tongue and then looks pointedly at Lani. “If we drown him now, we could still get to supper in time for apples.”
Lani laughs. “Just set the lifejacket on the deck, please.”
“Pride goeth before drowning,” Lucy says, tossing the wet heap up on the side.
Lani motions with her head, and my chair disappears.
“Ay yai yai!” I say, flapping my arms and accidentally splashing Lani in the face. “Whoops, sorry!”
The lithe doctor suppresses a smile, easily supporting me in the buoyant water. “Relax, Diego. I’ve got you.” She pins me with her doctor gaze. “But your legs are going to be weaker than you remember, so take it easy. This is not the Olympics.”
“Right,” I say. “But I’ll have you know, I was once an Olympic tap dancer… until I fell in the sink.”
I hear Lucy’s groan, and Lani steps backwards into deeper water. “Try extending your legs. No weight just yet. See if you can touch bottom.”
It takes a bit of work, but I manage to get my feet to the bottom. Despite the painful tightness in my legs, the freedom to move is absolutely wonderful.
“Woohoo!” I say. “This is awesome!”
Lani’s expression softens, and she slides her palms across my body to my waist, holding on to me. It’s been a while since a woman touched me like that, and I feel myself getting hard. “Rest
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