Lady and the Champ by Katherine Lace Read Free Book Online Page B

the verdict?” I ask him. I’m thinking shredded ACL, torn MCL. Maybe both, for a beautiful shredded CL salad.
    “Don’t know yet,” he answers in a clipped tone. “Waiting for the MRI.”
    Everybody seems really cranky. This can’t be a good sign. On the other hand, I’m not hurting too badly at this point, which is probably not a bad sign. Mixed messages galore. I start to ask if there are any prevailing theories, but before I can get any words out, another doctor comes in. I don’t recognize this one, so she must be affiliated with the hospital.
    “Good news,” she says. “Nothing’s torn. It’s just a very bad sprain.”
    “Is there bad news?” I ask.
    “You’ll be out for a few weeks. Four to six, minimum.”
    “Shit,” Coach says, and I echo him.
    “I can’t be out that long,” I add. “We’re heading for the playoffs—”
    Coach breaks into my developing tirade. “You do what the doctor tells you to do, Sherwood. We’d rather have you out now than lose you for the championship. Or for all of next season.”
    It’s a sobering thought. I glance at Chloe, who’s still watching me with a deep frown, her arms folded over her chest.
    “This is what we’re going to do,” Coach informs me. “You’re going to do exactly what you’re told. You’ll work with the docs and with Chloe, and if I hear one word about you stepping out of line, not doing your PT, or trying to push before you’re ready, you’re going to hear from me. And it won’t be pretty. You got that?”
    “I got it, Coach.”
    “Good.” He glances at his watch then storms out of the room, undoubtedly to go back to tell the rest of the team they’re down one wide receiver.
    The two doctors exchange a look, then the team doctor makes a jerking motion with his head. The other two—the hospital doctor and Chloe—meet him in the corner. They talk quietly for a bit, just low enough that I can’t quite make out the words. It’s irritating as fuck.
    Finally, the team doctor turns toward me. “There’s not much else we can do for you right now except prescribe meds and a treatment regimen. We’ll leave that regimen to your PT here.” His attention shifts to Chloe. “I’ll email you the official diagnostic information and some suggestions regarding long-term treatment.”
    Chloe nods.
    “We’ll keep you here,” the doctor continues, “until we get all the paperwork taken care of. We should have you out of here by the end of the day.”
    “Fine.” I’m getting sullen and irritable now. I want more meds. My knee hurts.
    The team doctor smiles at Chloe then, giving her a pat on the upper arm. “We’ll just leave him in your capable hands.”
    The two doctors depart, leaving me alone with Chloe. Alone with Chloe.
    “In your hands, huh?”
    She rolls her eyes at me. “You know what he meant.”
    “Of course I do.” I cross my arms over my chest, mimicking her posture. “This is the kind of thing I fantasize about on a regular basis. Me basically naked, completely at the mercy of a beautiful woman.”
    “I bet you do.” She takes a step toward me, lowering her arms. Watching her, I let my eyelids droop a little, giving her my best bedroom eyes.
    “You want to be my nurse for a while until they let me out of here? Maybe you could give me a sponge bath.”
    She stops in her tracks. I’m pissing her off, I can tell. That’s fine. Irritating her is taking my mind off the pain. Plus it’s fun.
    “I don’t think you need a sponge bath at the moment.”
    “Sure I do. I came straight off the field. I’m all…sticky.” I let that hang in the air a moment so she can wonder exactly how and where I might be sticky.
    Her eyes go dark, her expression darker. It’s the kind of expression that would make a smarter man fear for his life. Fortunately, I’m not a smarter man.
    “Look,” she says, her voice hard and flat. “Let’s get a few things straight here before this goes any further.”
    “You think it might go