Page 26 of Necessary Roughness

“You’ll enjoy it,” she said, and he heard footsteps in the hallway outside the bathroom. If it was DP, hopefully she’d hear him.

“I’m not interested. Please leave.”

“You don’t really mean that,” Nurse Barb said. “Let’s have some fun.”

“No,” he said again. He pushed off the bathroom counter and limped to the door leading to the hallway.

***

JORDAN HAD WAITED in the gym for almost twenty minutes and decided to come upstairs to see if something was wrong or Tanner needed her help. Seconds later, he limped out of the bathroom, holding onto the wall for support. His face was flushed. If it was possible to breathe fire, Jordan was sure he would have incinerated the bathroom. He wore nothing but a plush white bath towel around his waist and some type of waterproof covering on his knee. If she’d heard correctly, Nurse Barb had come on to him and he’d told her no. Multiple times.

Any woman would be hard-pressed not to stare. Jordan’s mouth went dry. He hadn’t been able to perform the full range of workouts that kept any NFL player in stellar condition for the past eight months, but his muscles still had muscles. His shoulders were well developed and broad, his hips were narrow, his abdomen was flat, and he still had a six-pack. His chest was covered in dark curls, complete with the vertical line that ran from mid-belly to below his towel. He shook his head once, sharply, shaking droplets of water out of his hair.

“I need a favor,” he said to Jordan. “Would you go in the bathroom and grab my crutches?”

“Yes,” she said. Before she could take a step, Nurse Barb was in the hallway with them.

“I don’t know what you think you heard in there,” the nurse said to Jordan, “but nothing happened.”

Tanner braced himself against the hallway wall with both hands. “It doesn’t matter. Barb, I’d like you to get your things and leave. You’re fired.”

“I said nothing happened.” Barb stared into his face. “Star warned me about this. She warned me about you. You want me as much as I want you. Why fight it?” She moved closer to him, and Jordan reached out to brace Tanner’s arm as he backed away from her.

Tanner’s mouth dropped open. “Get out of here. If you won’t leave on your own, I’m calling the cops. Leave. Now.”

“The agency won’t send another nurse.”

“I’ll deal with that later,” he said. “Leave.”

Barb went into the room she’d been staying in. They heard her slam the door.

“I’ll get your stuff,” Jordan said. “I’ll be right back.”

She grabbed the remaining clean clothing he’d left on the countertop and his Ziploc-covered cell phone. He was standing in front of the elevator when she came out of the bathroom again. He hit Door Open, and they stepped inside. He wasn’t going to be able to carry the clothes and maneuver his crutches. The elevator ride took less than thirty seconds.

“I’ll put this stuff in your room for you. Do you need any more help?” she said.

“I’ve got it.” He moved to the doorway as she laid the items on his bed. He was still waiting when she emerged.

“I don’t have to leave for work for another hour or so. Let me know if you need anything.”

He extended his hand to shake hers. “Thank you.” It was a bit formal, but she got the impression he didn’t know what to say. She put her hand inside his.

“I’m sorry that happened,” she said.

“All I could think of was how I could get away from her if she tried to put her hands on me. She was between me and the crutches. I’m steadier on my feet now than I was a couple of months ago, but . . . ” His voice trailed off.

“I was in the gym for a while. I came upstairs because I thought something might be wrong and you needed help,” she said. “I heard it all.”

His shoulders slumped.

“You told her no. Several times,” she said. “I heard it.”

His voice lowered. “Could I ask you for one more favor?”

“Yes.”

“I gotta get some clothes on. Will you sit in the living room and watch that she leaves?”

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