Pull it together, Mave. You’re a forty-one year old doctor. This man should not be making you blush.
But he was making me blush.
Roc Krinston was handsome. Hands down, there was no way I could deny it. Even before I had agreed to be his nurse, I felt an attraction to the man. It was purely physical, but it was still very much there. I figured being around his grumpy ass would help squash those feelings, but so far, that hadn’t happened. At all.
Simply seeing the man shirtless made me forget everything except wondering what his skin would feel like under my touch.
I ran a brush through my hair and tossed it up into a messy bun on top of my head. I swiped on some eyeshadow and eyeliner and called it good. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, and I figure being at the garage didn’t really warrant a full face of makeup. I was, for sure, also not trying to impress Roc.
“Doc! Let’s get a move on!” Roc called up the stairs.
I rolled my eyes and shoved my feet into a pair of Toms. He’s an ass, Mave. Remember that when he takes his shirt off.
“Coming, your royal pain in the ass,” I mumbled loudly.
“Heard that,” he growled.
I smiled and grabbed my purse off the bed. “Good,” I called.
He mumbled under his breath but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I jogged down the steps and saw Roc was waiting by the front door.
“You look good. Let’s go.” He opened the door and waited for me to grab the handles of the chair.
“Reel it in there, Casanova. I’m not sure I can handle compliments from you. You’ll make me bipolar wanting to kill you and then like you.”
I tipped the chair back to get it over the ledge of the door and wheeled him out of the house.
“I’ll take it from here, Doc.” Roc wheeled himself over to the SUV while I locked the door.
He had taken a liking to wheel himself around the house and anywhere he could get to on his own. I was always there if he needed me, but I wanted to give him as much independence as I could.
“Slow it down there, speed racer. You’re gonna roll down the driveway and then I’m going to have to chase you down.”
He squealed to a stop in front of the truck and left a streak of black on the driveway. “Gotta make up time, Doc. Took too long to get you out of the house.”
I opened the door and manhandled him into the truck with minimal effort.
At least, I thought it was minimal effort ‘til I saw Roc’s face was pale and he gripped the seat.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Bumped my leg,” he said, through gritted teeth.
Shit. That was my fault. I was trying to get him in the truck without thinking about touching and I must have bumped him without knowing.
“Let me run in and get your pills. We should have had you take one this morning.” I was so occupied ignoring Roc about going to the shop that I hadn’t done my job.
Roc nodded and didn’t complain that we were going to be even later to get to the garage.
I jogged back into the house and knew that Roc really must have been hurting if he didn’t argue with me.
This was not a good start to the day.
*
Chapter Nine
Roc
“You really think that is the best place to stack the tires?”
Frankie stood next to the four stacked tires. “Where else would you like me to put them? There is no sense in putting them back with the others because we’re going to need them on Wednesday or Thursday when we head to the test track.”
“That’s three days from now. They’re in the way there.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “I thought you were on sick leave for a month? It’s only been three days since you were released from the hospital and you’re here bugging the hell out of me.”
“I’m making sure you guys aren’t slacking off.”
Brooks walked up and pressed a kiss to the side of Frankie’s head. “Pretty sure we weren’t slacking off this weekend when we took the finals.”
“You weren’t, but now you need to keep it up.”
“Damn, Roc. Even rolling around the shop in a wheelchair, you’re a damn drill sergeant,” Brooks laughed.
“That’s what you pay me for,” I reminded him.
“Pretty sure I pay you for your vacation time, too. Maybe you should take advantage of that?”
I shook my head. “No need to take a vacation. Especially in the middle of the season.”
Brooks looked at Frankie. “He doesn’t get it.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. “I agree, now isn’t the time to take vacation, but the man could take a few days off without coming into the garage.” She turned her gaze to me. “Or, if you do need to come in, at least leave me be. You know Remy and Jay are the ones who need the guidance, not me.”
I had been telling them what to do, but they were in the car hauler hiding because they knew I couldn’t get up there. “Just put the tires where they belong.”
Frankie threw her hands up in the air and stormed off.
“You giving Frankie hell now?” Mave walked out of the office with two cups of coffee in her hands.
She had been hiding out in the office with Harlyn most of the day.
Brooks chuckled. “Damn, Roc. She’s only been with you a few days and she already knows your ways.”
Mave handed me the cup of coffee with a smile on her lips. “Black, like your soul, Chief.”
I took the cup with a scowl. “It’s only funny when I say it.”
“Right,” she laughed. “Are you done bossing everyone around?”
She looked so carefree and happy.
Brooks shook his head. “She really does know you pretty well, Roc.”
I flipped Brooks off. “Didn’t ask you.”
I wasn’t sure if she knew me, or if she was just good at ignoring my shitty mood. Either way, is was good to know Mave wasn’t easily scared away.
Remy walked back into the shop with his arms raised over his head. “Rooster?”
“All the shit is done, and I am ready to have two days off with my woman!” Jay shouted.
“Sweet Jesus,” Brooks mumbled.
Harlyn stormed into the garage. “Remy!”
“What?” he asked, clueless.
I was clueless too, but it seemed like Harlyn was going to rip his head off so I was okay with whatever was about to go down.
“You can’t come in here shouting about the Rooster when my dad can’t go there,” Harlyn scolded. “I told you his cholesterol was high and his sodium was through the roof.”
Well, I guess I was okay with anything but that. Harlyn kept freaking out over my cholesterol when Mave hadn’t even mentioned it.
Remy scratched his head. “You did?”
Harlyn spun to look at Mave. “Tell him, Mave. Tell Remy that he can’t shout about the Rooster because my dad can’t eat that stuff.”
Mave blinked slowly. “Uh, well, I guess?”
“You guess?” Harlyn huffed and folded her arms over her chest. “All of his numbers were high when he was in the hospital,” she insisted.
Mave rested her hand on the handle of my wheelchair. “I mean, I can’t really discuss that stuff in front of you all.”