There was a loud commotion out in the hallway, and then a panting Jenner stood in the doorway.
“I didn’t miss it,” he breathed out as he came to sit beside me. Pulling me into a side hug, he kissed my temple and then nodded to Paul. “I’m so sorry I was late. The audition ran long, and then there was a wreck causing a huge traffic jam, but I’m here now.”
“It’s fine. I know how important your audition was to you. You could have called and said you were running late.”
He pulled out his phone from his back pocket and showed me the black screen. “My stupid phone didn’t charge last night. Can you believe that?”
“You need to get a charger for your car.” The tone in Paul’s voice was a little less icy than how he normally spoke to Jenner, and I was grateful he was trying.
Jenner leaned his head back against the wall. “I used to have one in there, but it went missing.”
“When?” Paul sat forward with his hands clasped between his legs.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Jenner hummed. “I’m not exactly sure. I think I saw it in there when I ran out to get buttermilk when Abbi made fried chicken.”
Placing my hands on the seat beside me, I shifted my body so I could look at my brother. I knew something was up. “What are you thinking?”
Scrubbing a hand over his face, Paul wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it until I tell you that you need to. Just make sure you’re vigilant now that you’ll be out and about more. Both of you. It could be something or it could be nothing.”
There was a light knock on the door before my doctor stepped inside. “How are you, Mrs. Jenner? Are you ready to get that cast off?” He nodded at the offending cast.
“Oh, yes. Please don’t tell me I need to keep it on any longer.”
“Your x-rays came back good. Later in the week, the physical therapy office will call you to set up a schedule. Make sure you do as they tell you, and you’ll be back to your old self in no time.”
“I’ll make sure of it,” both Jenner and Paul said at the same time.
I had a feeling they were going to be relentless. Both liked to work out, and I did everything in my power not to break a sweat. The only time I exercised was walking or hiking, and I’d done neither since I’d gotten back from Vegas. Now I was severely out of shape after being inactive for the last eight weeks.
“Let’s get you up on the table, and we’ll get that cast off. How does that sound?”
“It sounds like heaven.” I placed my hand on Jenner’s knee. “Help me up, will you?”
“Of course.” He jumped up and had me in a bridal hold in two seconds flat before he gently set me on the table. Taking my cold hand in his large warm one, I closed my eyes as the doctor turned the drill on. “What are you doing?” Jenner asked quietly in my ear.
“I can’t watch. I’m kind of freaked out that he’s going to cut into my leg,” I whispered back.
“That’s not going to happen.” He chuckled against the shell of my ear.
Still, his words didn’t relieve me. I concentrated on my hand in his and thought about how my leg wouldn’t be a barrier between us once I stepped down from the table. Heat flashed through my body at the thought of what would happen once the lights went out tonight. Hell, maybe it would be in the pool. It felt like forever since I got to dive in and feel the warm water cocoon me. I wondered if there was any way I could convince Paul to stay the night elsewhere and give Jenner and me a little alone time.
Jenner’s free hand went to the nape of my neck. “Why are you blushing?”
“I’m not. I’m just hot,” I said out of the side of my mouth.
“Liar.” He chuckled low in his throat.
“Am not,” I shot back.
“Whatever you say.”
“Alright, Mrs. Jenner, it’s safe to look now.”
The second I heard the drill turn off, I opened my eyes to find my cast cut down the middle. My leg hair was long and disgusting, as was the pallor of my skin.
“I’m going to spray your leg down and clean the area, although you’ll probably want to take a nice shower or bath when you get home. Once I’m done, you’ll be free to go.” He already had the bottle poised to spray my leg. He squeezed the handle, and a cold mist fell upon my leg, making me jump. “Sorry, I should have warned you it can be cold.”
Can be? There was no way it wouldn’t be cold.
Jenner moved his hand from my neck to my shoulder and back up again, calming me instantly. I focused on the feel of his hand and the warmth that seeped into my body.
“You should have a full recovery as long as you do exactly what your physical therapist says.” The doctor’s voice broke through my haze.
“Yeah, I promise I’ll do my very best, and these two won’t let me do any less.” I smiled at the two men in my life.
Swinging my legs off the table, I hopped down. The feel of the floor underneath my bare foot felt like a dream. I wiggled my toes against the cold floor before I moved over to my purse and pulled out my flip-flop that matched the one on my other foot. The feel of it between my toes felt strange, but at the same time comforting.
“Are you ready?” Paul stood from his seat, a small grin tugging his lips.
Linking my arm with his, I would have skipped out of the room if he hadn’t been holding me back. “More than ready. Let’s hit the store, and then I want to go for a hike before Alex and Mason come over.”
“Maybe you should take it a down a notch. Don’t do too much too soon. Let’s see how you feel after the store.” Paul grinned down at me.
Slipping an arm around my waist, Jenner leaned down as we walked. “Do you want me to come with you?”
If Jenner came, we’d be swarmed by cameras and people, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that after being cooped up in the house for two months.
We stopped in front of the car Paul had driven here. I leaned against the passenger door while Paul got inside and waited. Jenner rested a hip against the car and kept my hand in his while he played with my fingers.
“That’s okay. We’re just picking up some food to grill tonight. Is there anything special you want?” I looked up, hoping he wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t want him to go with us.
“Whatever you get will be fine. You know I’ll eat anything.” Dipping low, he growled in my ear. “Tonight, I’m going to wash you from head to toe, and then I’m going to get you all dirty again, only to clean you up. We’re going to repeat that until you pass out.” I felt faint at his words and couldn’t wait until later tonight. “You don’t have to say anything. The way your eyes dilated and your breathing picked up just now told me everything I need to know.”
The window rolled down, and Paul yelled out, “Come on, let’s go. You two can talk all you want back at the house.”
“When is he leaving?”
Blowing out a breath, I shook my head. “I don’t know. Whenever he thinks I’m safe.”
“So never.” He groaned before he pressed his lips to mine. “I’ll see you back at home.”