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Chapter Nineteen

“ C ome on, man. Just a couple more steps.” Avery was at the end of the parallel bars, encouraging him, cheering him on.

Luke was going to kill him. That blond surfer dude smile and ‘can do’ voice was so much harder to take than, say, a military trainer shouting at him to sink or swim.

“Trying,” Luke panted.

“Try harder. You’re rocking it. Your quads are ten times what they were when you started with me.”

Luke gritted his teeth, lifting his upper arms off the bars, using just his hands for balance as he forced out one more step. Then two.

“Right on!” Avery was right there, refusing to let him fall, easing him into his chair and handing him a bottle of water. Evil fucker.

For a long moment, all he could do was wheeze for air. Then he took a drink, pulling hard at the cool liquid.

Hot towels appeared like magic on his legs, wrapped tight around his thighs. Asshole that he was, Avery was damned good at his job .

Cold chills swept over him as his muscles seized up for a moment, then relaxed.

“Oh, fuck me raw.”

“Not my job, sailor.” Avery grinned at him like a monkey, those blue eyes dancing. “Rumor is that you’ve taken up with Rory McConnell, though.”

“How widespread is this rumor?” They weren’t hiding it, but he didn’t want to cause problems for Rory, either.

“I heard it, but Rory and me, we had an ill-fated thing, so Lori made sure I knew.”

“Ah. A thing.” That was a little odd, but he could brazen it out. “Long or short?”

Avery snorted. “Infinitesimal.”

“Well that’s good.” He winked, feeling easier in his bones. Luke expected a long thing, damn it.

“No. It was awful. His cats hated me. He’s a good friend, though.”

“The cats like me. Well, the Persians love me for my tuna, but Mal and I are buds.”

“There? See? Made for each other.” Avery replaced the cooled towels with hot ones.

“Yeah.” He grinned, because he was beginning to believe that shit. “You like your job, Aves?”

“Huh? Sure I do. Why? You thinking about going into physical therapy?”

“Not exactly, no. If possible, once I get up and running, I’ll hire someone. I’m way more about logistics.”

“Up and running? Did you hit your head, sailor? Seriously. How many fingers am I holding up?”

Luke swatted at Avery’s hand. “Three. Sorry, I’ll start over. I been talking to Matt and Rory about a place for animal therapy. You know, injured service people, rescue horses.”

“No shit? How much does that rock, man? I love that. Hot men at every stall! ”

Jesus, he was surrounded by horndogs. Either that or he had managed to meet both gay guys not him or Matt in town. Score!

Luke shook his head in mock sorrow. “I think you’re overestimating the hotness of anyone but Navy SEALs like me.”

“Ah. Well, don’t you know any of those? Use what you got, man.”

“I know a huge amount, in the great scheme of things. I know two, in fact, who would gang up and take you from both ends at the same time.” Did he just say that? To his therapist?

“Okay. You have my number. I will volunteer on this horse ranch of yours for a chance at that.” Avery shrugged when Luke gave him the ‘you’re shitting me’ face. “You know how hard it is to get laid in this town? I already tried one, and you’re taken.”

“With the one you tried. Morg and Charlie have promised to come on their next leave. Three, maybe four months.” He really would hook Avery up. His buddies were…well, they were scary enough that he’d never taken them up on what they’d threatened to do with him.

“I will be your friend for eternity.”

“You remind me of that, after.”

Avery hooted. “I was serious, though. If you come up with some kind of ranch for wounded guys, I would volunteer.”

“Yeah? Because there won’t be money at first.”

“Hey, I have my clients here. I can do something for men who have given so much.” Avery shrugged. “Besides, it would look amazing on my résumé.”

“Ah, now the truth is out.” Luke grabbed Avery’s wrist when he would have moved the towels. “Thanks. I mean it.”

“You’re welcome. Seriously. Count me in.”

“I will.” He let Avery take his towels then, because that meant hot tub .

“Come on, sailor. Let’s soak your bones.”

“Yes, please. I ache.” He’d worked his damned ass off. He was gonna do this. He had his plans, his lover, now. They deserved the best of him.