Page 64 of Axe-ing for Trouble
“Just finish this.” He reached for Tess, who went willingly, burying her face in his neck. “We’ve got so much to look forward to. It needs to end.”
His words hit me square in the chest. When the two of them were packed up and gone, I still hadn’t found the words to respond.
After they’d headed to the park, I sat, sipping my coffee and trying to orient my brain. We had more information and access than ever before. I was flattered that he had such faith in me. But I wasn’t that guy. I wasn’t the brave, strong hero type. As ready as I was for this to end, I didn’t know what I could do to make that happen.
Abandoning my plans to run errands in town, I headed straight home to show Mila the thumb drive. When I stepped into the house, I expected to find her slumped over my old laptop, researching.
Instead, she was standing in the living room, wearing a pair of my baggy sweatpants and a sports bra.
One of the black sports bras I’d bought for her at Target. Willa had guessed that she’d need a small, but based on the distractingly tight fit and how her breasts spilled out of the top, I should have bought a medium.
But if I’d done that, then I wouldn’t get to enjoy this spectacular view.
“You okay?”
She whipped around, a blush creeping up her chest and neck.
“Yes,” she squeaked. “Just doing the exercises Willa showed me. I thought you were gonna be gone for a while.”
“Sorry.” I wasn’t sure why I was apologizing for walking into my own home, but this encounter was hellishly awkward.
I lowered my gaze. “I’ll get out of your way.”
“Actually,” she said, garnering my attention again. “I need help.” With her lip caught between her teeth, she gestured at a tube of BioFreeze on the table. “I’m supposed to massage this into the shoulder and the tendons in my neck, but it’s hard to reach all the right places myself.”
I took a step forward, my mouth going dry at the suggestion.
“S-sure,” I forced the word out. “Gimme one second. I should wash my hands.”
In the bathroom, I turned the faucet on, giving myself a moment to think. I’d reined in my control as best as I could. After our kiss, I’d done my best to put space between us. And now I had to touch her?
I splashed cold water on my face.
Get it together, dumbass.
There were a lot of people counting on me. Especially Mila. I had to keep my feelings in check.
My dick would have to behave. There was no other option.
When I returned to the living room, she was squeezing a stress ball with her left hand while petting Ripley with her right. Mila was beautiful. I’d noticed that the first time I met her. But the determination in her expression, the determination she maintained in the face of adversity, only made her that much hotter.
“Tell me what you need me to do.”
She looked up at me from where she sat on the couch, those dark eyes blinking rapidly, and patted the cushion beside her. “Work it into the muscles and tendons around the injury.” She shifted, giving me her back. “The idea is to get the blood flowing so it heals faster.”
I squeezed a nickel-sized glob into one hand and gently stroked along the column of her neck, following the line of her shoulder. My skin tingled as I used my fingertips to rub circles against the muscles of her back, the gel working its magic.
“Is this okay?”
She nodded. “You can push a little harder, especially in my lat.”
Having my large, calloused hands so close to her injuries unnerved me. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her. She was so delicate and beautiful, her skin so soft.
I’d touched her before. Past Jude, that lucky bastard, hadn’t realized what an incredible privilege it was. The more I learned about her, the more impressed I was. I’d seen her laugh and cry. I’d borne witness to the sounds she made when she ate french fries.
She’d wanted me. After our kiss, she had been very clear about that. Even so, I’d been a gentleman. The good guy. I’d done the right thing. No matter how much I regretted it, I wouldn’t cross that line.
My heart pounded as I focused on applying pressure in the right spots.
