The Renegade Returns. Dani Wade

rolling stool and sat, propping his folder on her lap. Guess it was down-to-business time, which wasn’t nearly as amusing. Luke had worked hard at recovery, but this was the first time fun had appeared anywhere in his current nightmare. He didn’t want to leave it behind.

      “Goals?” she asked, focusing her attention on the papers.

      That was easy enough. His one goal had been blazing in his brain since the accident. “To be back in my car. ASAP.”

      Avery glanced up, those gorgeous eyes wide, drawing him in. “That’s pretty decisive.”

      “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Her tone left him defensive, when there was no need for it. Then again, Luke’s life had been spent on goals other people just didn’t get. “You asked. I answered.”

      Her frown and longer-than-polite stare awakened an urge to squirm he hadn’t encountered since third grade.

      “Most of my patients are more worried about walking unaided again,” she mused, as if talking to herself rather than him.

      Alarm streaked along his nerves. He didn’t want her thinking too hard, digging too deep. So he grinned. “Oh, I have other goals.”

      After a minute of silence, she made a speed-up gesture with the pen in her hand. “And...”

      “Having a good time doesn’t sound nearly as professional, if you know what I mean.”

      The pen hit the floor. Instant color stained her creamy cheeks. Wow. When was the last time he’d seen a blush like that? It must have been— A memory burst inside his brain. High school.

      * * *

      “Do you need some help with that?”

      The jolt that rushed through him had to be from surprise. After all, who would have expected Little Miss Perfect to offer to help him change clothes? A blush spread over her rounded cheeks to match the heat racing over his body.

      He looked from the dry shorts in his hand back to Avery in the first bikini he’d ever seen her wear. Must have been bought special for this final summer bash for seniors at the lake before everyone flew off to the colleges of their choice. Everyone except him—his destination was North Carolina and any racing track they’d let him drive on. But even the prospect of finally leaving home hadn’t made him reckless enough to initiate the greenest girl in their group. No matter what her pale blue eyes were begging for. “Honey, helping me would involve a lot more than a change of clothes.”

      “I know.” But that flush on her fair skin, bright enough to see in the dim light this far from the bonfire, told him she didn’t truly know what she was offering.

      To his surprise, a shot of adrenaline flashed through his veins. The same kind that came with hundred-mile-an-hour speeds and the feel of the wheel beneath his palms. Not the sexy slide into arousal he usually got with girls. Even his alcohol-soaked brain knew this was a bad idea, despite his body’s approval. Better to stop this before it began, even if it meant being harsh...

      “I think somebody with more experience would be a bigger help to me.”

      * * *

      Oh, no. How could Luke have forgotten that long-ago summer night? Without thought, he said, “Holy— Avery, I can’t believe you came on to me that night.”

      The little rolling stool shot backward, as far across the tiny exam room as she could go. The thump as she hit the opposite wall went unnoticed by her. She only stared, her flush deepening, spreading down her neck and chest to disappear under the yellow scrubs. “I—”

      Why had he said that? Whatever he thought usually slid out of his mouth without any semblance of a stop sign in between, that’s why. Most people found it funny. But her utter mortification was not what he’d wanted.

      “I’m sorry, Avery. I should never have said that.” His mama had taught him to own up to his mistakes. People might think he was all ego—and he let them keep believing it—but he’d never dishonor a woman or ignore her distress. “Seriously, I may not always play the gentleman, but I would never intentionally embarrass a friend.”

      Her recovery was quick. She straightened on the stool and crept forward with her heels until she’d crossed half the little room. He couldn’t help but notice she still kept some distance between them. The return of the professional mask took a little longer, though. “Friends, huh?”

      He grinned, hoping to put her at ease. “I’d like to think so.”

      She nodded, as if that settled things. But it took her a few moments to say, “So I wanted a little walk on the wild side.” She shrugged those delicately built shoulders, keeping her eyes trained on his chart. “What high school senior doesn’t?”

      His libido urged him to ask if she’d gotten it, but for once he kept his trap shut. He sifted through his memories for any gossip he’d heard about her, but came up empty. All Jacob had supplied last night were the directions to the therapy center. No bad behavior. No scandalous liaisons.

      Was there no gossip to be had? Last night she’d been at dinner with Doctor Morris and his wife, who were seventy if they were a day. She’d had no date accompanying her, even though Mark had joined her to walk out. No wedding ring on her long, slender fingers. Her last name hadn’t changed. Maybe there hadn’t been any wild times...

      Maybe he should change that?

      Oh. Hell. No. The last thing he needed was a casual hookup with the least casual woman he knew. He tried to erase the seductive thought as she spoke again.

      “We’ll start each session with a warm-up, then build strength with resistance exercises—first using just your body weight, then moving up,” she was saying, using her pen to check off her points. Her precision marks were a little too perfect, holding her interest a little too much. “Your therapist in North Carolina gave me your records. You’ve come an incredibly long way, but today I’d like to see what’s happening for myself...”

      Luke didn’t want to think about any of it—so he distracted himself with the fall of soft yellow scrubs that skimmed her curves. If she knew what he was thinking right now, she’d probably give him an exaggerated frown and tell him that activity wasn’t on his approved list.

      Maybe he’d have to prove her wrong.

      “Okay, Luke?”

      “Yep,” he automatically answered.

      “You weren’t listening, were you?”

      “Nope.”

      The look on her face implied he’d been naughty, but it was her big sigh, the one that lifted her nicely rounded breasts, that drew his attention. Not the sigh, just the— Boy, he was in so much trouble.

      “I guess I’ll explain as we go along,” she said, ignoring his distraction. She rose to her feet and turned to open the door. “Let’s see what you’re capable of...”

      That didn’t sound good, and his previous experience with physical therapy told Luke it wouldn’t be. She started him on a slow walk around the room, moving alongside him. Her soothing voice washed over him, almost relaxing despite the awkward coordination of his uncooperative legs and the cane.

      Except he knew what was coming.

      The upper body work wasn’t an issue. Moving and challenging those muscles actually felt good. His hips and legs—not so much. Avery put him through some resistance training, range-of-motion work and stretching. An hour later, drenched in sweat, he had to wonder if a sadistic grin lurked behind her ardent expression. Her encouraging words said she wanted to help, but was she secretly satisfied by his pain?

      After all, he’d humiliated her in high school. That he’d done it for her own good didn’t seem like adequate justification now that he was an adult. But maybe he could make it up to her somehow?

      Or would spending time with Avery outside of his therapy be the equivalent of playing with fire?