Page 52 of Pirate

The pressure of his body weight on the cap that was surgically attached to his leg could cause irritation, swelling,and pain if he wasn’t careful. He knew it had not been Steel’s intention to cause pain to his leg, but that was the result. Technically, Pirate could have removed his leg after Fletcher had left the night before, but he hadn’t had his crutch with him.

He saw Sophia’s red Beetle in the apartment’s parking lot and felt an immediate sense of relief. It wasn’t the first time he’d gotten home to find her in his apartment nor was it the first time that the sight of her cage had had this effect on him.

But it was the first time he understood why.

Wow. Carlos was right. He was a dumbass. It was a bit embarrassing really.

Maybe it was the sleep deprivation or the need to keep himself awake, but Pirate had done a little research on the subject of love while at work. And then deleted his history and would never admit, even under pain of torture, that he had looked up such a topic.

Some blogs had some more personal ways to tell, but the most common ways to tell if you’re in love revolved around having compassion for them, the desire to connect with them, passion, and a desire to know everything about them and be known by them in return.

Pirate could definitely check off all those boxes in regard to Sophia. Another page had mentioned how your partner should never ask you to change, accepting you as you are, but the two partners should change together as they grow closer. It was an interesting concept and one he wasn’t sure yet applied to him and Sophia.

As Pirate hobbled his way up the stairs to their apartment on the fourth floor, he was really loathing the fact that his apartment building did not have an elevator. He wanted to stop partway up but knew he’d never get going again if he did. He fought through the pain and eventually had to resort to a two-foot per step ascent, using his left leg to do all the heavy lifting.

He’d never seen a happier sight than his apartment door as he finally reached the landing.

It was only made better by walking in to see Sophia sitting crossed legged on his couch with his tablet on her lap. He couldn’t recall if he’d ever given her the password and honestly didn’t care.

Her brilliant smile at seeing him warmed his insides. That smile dimmed almost immediately when she saw him struggling to walk.

“What the fuck?” she demanded. Tossing the tablet onto the cushion, she rushed over to him. “What’s wrong?”

“My leg,” he gritted out with regret. This was not how he wanted to start their conversation about their future this afternoon.

Sophia looped his right arm around her shoulders, encouraging him to lean on her. “Couch or bed?” she asked. Kicking the door closed behind them, she locked the door and the deadbolt.

“Is Jumper or Jazz home yet?” He didn’t see their cage or sled in the parking lot but he also hadn’t been looking for it the way he had Sophia’s.

“No. She’s got a late surgery tonight so they’re going to be a while.”

That was good at least. Gave them some privacy to talk some things out. If he didn’t pass out first.

“Couch,” he answered her original question. It was closer and wouldn’t be as much of a struggle for her to get him there.

It was slow going and thankfully Kidd and Pooch stayed on their bed and out of his way. Last thing he needed was to trip over a damn overzealous puppy.

“Where’s Enola?” he asked Sophia.

“With my mom. My dad’s away for the week and so she’s keeping her company.” There was something in her tone that made Pirate think she wasn’t happy about that.

Like contenders in a three-legged race, they managed to get him to the couch. Pirate let out a long sigh of relief when his ass hit the cushion.

Sophia stood over him, her face full of concern. “What do you need? Should I call Bear?”

Pirate shook his head. “There’s an ice pack in the freezer. Can you grab that for me?”

She nodded, immediately leaving to go get it. Pirate gritted his teeth as he twisted enough to lift his right leg onto the couch beside him. It was a stretch and uncomfortable to reach the laces of his boot.

He’d been concentrating so hard on undoing the laces that he hadn’t heard Sophia return to his side. She batted his hand away from his boot.

“Stubborn man,” she rebuked. Then got to work getting his boot off his fake foot.

He watched her closely as the prosthetic came into view. She’d never been this close to it before. It was a subject they rarely brought up. But there was no disgust on her face or morbid fascination. Her expression was almost clinical, though laced with concern.

Pirate sat back as she worked his pants up his leg. She stopped just before the cap was revealed.

“This is stupid,” she announced. Pirate’s eyebrows drew down, not sure what she was referring to. Then she reached up higher towards his belt. “I assume we’re removing the leg and icing it, right?” Pirate nodded. “Then it just makes more sense to remove your pants.”

---