Page 12 of Break Line

Kini Akana was a tough therapist. He had no clue how a one-hundred-pound woman could inflict so much pain on a two-hundred-pound former Marine. She was tough, relentless, and pushed him harder than his drill sergeant ever had. She shut down his excuses as fast as he threw them out. And, the near scent of her was driving him wild with desire.

Nate despised her during therapy. He dreaded seeing her at two o’clock, but at the same time, he looked forward to it.

He winced as her long black hair brushed his thigh. It wasn’t for the pain in his leg, it was for another pain causing him to stiffen. Her gentle touch sent sparks straight to his groin. Her firm touches sent ripples of excitement through him. He found himself focusing on her full lips, imagining his own pressed against them.

“Nathan, you need to focus.” Her lips formed into a sexy little pout as she urged him through the exercises.

Oh, he was focusing all right, focusing on the curve of her breast, her tiny waist, and her firm round ass. The way she swiped a loose strand of hair behind her ear had him wanting to pull her close and test those lips for endurance and pliability. He was certain they would fit his like a matching puzzle piece.

“Nathan. You’re not listening.” She stood upright, her hands crossed over her chest. Damn! Why did she have to be so damn sexy?

“Sorry, what?” He blinked away his fantasy visions as he adjusted in the chair.

“I said, stand on your right leg, using the crutch to put your full weight on so that your gate is even.”

“Do you work at the main hospital sometimes? I think I saw you before I was discharged.” He was doing his best to do as she said. He wondered if he stood a chance with her with his missing limb. She seemed to like his company, but was it just part of the job or was it more?

“Just for training. We just finished a PT class to get recertified. Now focus.”

He groaned as he focused on making an even gait. Was it even called a gait when you only had one leg? He figured she wouldn't appreciate him joking after telling him to focus. His muscles ached after being confined to that blasted wheelchair for so long. His arms ached, his hip screamed. Who would have thought walking could be so painful?

“Yay! You did it. See? I told you when you stop making excuses, you could do it. OK, so for a reward, I promised to bring you a shave ice. I’ll bring it to your room when I’m done with Mr. Chauncey.”

The smile she flashed made him feel ten feet tall and just as much of a man as anyone with both legs. Being around her was the only bright spot in the whole schedule of therapists and counselors.

He watched as she walked away, imagining how her ass would look in a bikini, or better yet, with nothing at all instead of the Hawaiian print scrubs she wore. When she had moved beyond his sight, he turned to wheel himself back to his room only to find that she had taken the wheelchair and he was left with the crutches.

“Damn woman.” He tried to repeat the same thing she just had him do, but he struggled to have a smooth gait. It would take practice.

When he made his way back to his room, Kai was sitting by the window waiting for him. Kai came by most days to visit. Some days he would give the surf report, other days he would sneak Nate edible food. Most days the cousins managed to find something to laugh over. Today, Kai had brought him the shrimp basket from his favorite food truck.

As they sat there eating, Kini came in with the shave ice. “Knock, knock. A reward for my hard-working man!” She carried it over setting it on the rolling cart, glancing at the meal that Kai had brought. “Hey, where’s mine, Kanaka?”

“I’ll bring you some next time, sista,” Kai responded, not really meaning it.

“Hey, tell you what. Thursday, let’s eat at the pier. Kini can help me with my mobility to get out there, I’ll give you the jack, and you bring the food. Deal?” Nathan hoped they would both take the bait and his first “date” with Kini would be an easy casual way to get to know her better.

“You paying?” Kai looked up between bites.

“Yup,” Nathan responded hoping that Kini wouldn’t raise an objection.

“I’ll agree to that under one condition.” Kini crossed her arms. “We go all the way down the pier and back before we eat so that you can get your steps in.”

“Ugh. She’s a slave driver, Kai. I swear the first day I arrived, she was wearing a leather corset and had a whip. Thought they had brought me to a different type of place.”

“Oh, that’s going to cost you,” Kini said pointedly to Nathan before she left the room.

“So, what’s with the sista?” Kai asked after slurping the last of his drink.

Nate shrugged as he grinned.

“It’s like that?”

“Not yet, but I’m hoping.”

“She outta your league, Brah. You better bring more to the game than that.” Kai punched him in the shoulder as he bit his lower lip. “’Bout time you get out there. It’s been hell with you moping around since you been here.”

“Oh, come on, I haven’t been that bad.”

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