Page 74 of Playing for Keeps (Checkmate 4)

“Is there pressure on the bone?”

“No.”

Redundant, Linc stays on the opposite side of his office while I take a single step back. Riley’s hands shake in mine when he sees what I’ve done, but instead of panicking, he studies the floor, his legs, my legs, then he nods.

“Give me one step, Riley. Just one.”

“I…” His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “I’m not sure I can. I don’t wanna fall.”

“Do you want the walker?” Linc moves in my peripherals as though to fetch the walker. “It’s steel and has four legs. It might make you feel safer.”

Riley shakes his head. “No.”

“You trust me, right?” I squeeze his hands to draw his eyes back to mine. “I’m a jerk, and I tease a lot. I laugh when my friends fall over, and I sing too loud while baking pot brownies. Don’t even get me started on the fact I’m a mom to a tutu wearing pig. But I wouldn’t let you fall. You know that, right?”

“I know.” His eyes drop and his voice cracks, but his shoulders square up, they push back, and his head comes up higher. “Okay.”

“You’re ready.”

His head bobs as he draws in a deep breath. “Don’t let go.”

“Not for one single second. I promise.”

His chest lifts and falls – fast, heavily – and reminds me of the fighters in the gym before they step up to an opponent. He’s oxygenating his body. Preparing for battle. Taking stock of each muscle; his arsenal in war. His hands shake so much, the tremors vibrate right up to my shoulders, but despite his fears, he takes a final deep breath, holds it, leans heavily into my hand, and takes a step forward.

Instead of celebrating his victory, he realizes the lie in my words. He can’t take just one step. He needs two, just to bring his feet back together. The second will be the hardest, because all of his weight will rest on the artificial leg. “Deedee…”

“I will never,everlet you fall. Not for the rest of my life. Come on, show me how badass you are.”

He cheats at first. He shuffles an inch or two closer. He leans into me so heavily, I have to brace myself or risk collapsing inwards. But then his eyes meet mine, and resolve and bravery shine in them.

It’s almost like he’s made a decision to be my hero again. My hero needs to be able to walk. My hero needs to be able to chase down bad guys. So without taking his eyes from mine, he takes that step forward, then with a smile, another, and forces bubbling laughter up my throat.

Like we’re dancing, he takes a step forward, I take a step back. Then another. Then another. We cross the office at an excruciatingly slow pace, but we cross it.Riley crosses it!Our hands stay locked together for the entire lap of the office, and when we get back to where we started, he leans in and delivers that kiss I asked for.

“I’m so fucking proud of you.” I kiss him again, and swallow his panting breath. “I’m so turned on right now.”

He barks out a laugh and tugs me against his chest. I’m not holding him up anymore. He’s holding me as he bends his neck and rests his lips against my ear. “I’m so fucking in love with you, Dee. You’re crazy and wild, and you’re not supposed to be the right person for me. But here we are, and I wanna marry you so you’remycrazy until the day I die.”

“Okay.” Untangling myself from his arms, I brush my cheek over my shoulder to clean up the mess my leaking eyes have made –damn allergies– take a step back, and study his strong body. When I know he’s ready, I release his hands and practically do a jig when he stands there all on his own. “Now walk to me.” I move back further and further until we’re separated by ten or so feet. “Give me ten steps, and I’ll suck your dick.”

“Dee!” His eyes shoot to a quietly watchful Lincoln. “Can you not announce that shit in here?”

I flash a wicked grin. “Linc promises to step out of his office for ten minutes to give us privacy, don’t you, Linc?”

“Ah… well…”

“But if you give me twenty steps, I’ll marry you.”

Riley’s eyes flash. “Oh, shit. Okay.” Serious, he scans the room and stops on the metal walker. He considers it. Flexes his hands as though they’re already wrapped around the handles. He thinks about it for a long time, locks and unlocks his knee, then shakes his head. “No walker.”

Linc was enjoying watching us. He’s being paid while I’m the one doing the work. But now he’s changed his mind. He jumps forward with wary hands and gestures across the room. “Let’s try it with the parallel bars. You don’t have to touch them, but they’re there, just in case.”

“No, I got it.”

“Mr. Cruz…”

“He’s got it.” I step around Linc and jockey him back a little so nothing stands between me and my man. “Walk to me. Come claim your prize.”

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