Page 6 of Wild Card (Men of Action #4)

WILLOW

“You know I love you, but you’re being stupid.” Bex pops the lid off her salad and glares at it with contempt.

“Is it safe to sit?” Lucas motions to the empty chair.

“Only if you’re ready for a talk-some-sense-into-Wills conversation.”

“Figures it’s girl talk.”

“Sit down and give a male perspective,” she snaps at him.

“This should be fucking great,” he mumbles, plopping next to me. “What did she do now? Kiss another stranger because she can’t kick a guy to the curb?”

“Something like that. The stranger isn’t a stranger anymore. He has a name, Talon Simms.”

“The guy with the shoulder? Now I get the tension.”

“Yes, she’s being stupid.”

“Backhanded insults not appreciated.” I spear my lettuce with more force than necessary. My mood has been shitty since Talon left yesterday.

“It’s not an insult, it’s an observation. The guy is obviously into you, and you’re turning him down because why? He’s a cop.”

“When I grew up, an officer of the law was a noble profession and well admired,” Lucas adds.

“When you grew up? What are you, my grandma? We’re the same age.”

“You’re playing it safe. Safe is not good for you. He-who-should-be-castrated was safe. And he was a bore,” Bex goes on.

I love the little names Bex comes up with when referring to Joe. But sometimes her words hit a little too close for comfort. “Another insult. Every time you call him a bore reflects on me.”

“Don’t be a baby.”

“I’m not being a baby. Seriously, I was with him for a long time.”

“Yes, and in that time, what did he ever do that was exciting? ”

“If he was that awful, what does that say about me?”

“That you have a soft spot for the unfortunate.”

“I’ve always wondered if you had to schedule sex with dipshit.”

I drop my fork, my appetite completely gone.

Lucas has been in school with Bex and me for years. He met Joseph a few times, but it was near the end of our relationship when things were basically dead.

He doesn’t know how correct he is about the sex.

“They did,” Bex outs me. “Well, until they stopped having sex altogether because he was getting it from the side chick. Which I thank him for not sharing the diseases.”

“Oh my God, can we not talk about this?” The essence of a headache throbs at my temple.

Bex’s hand covers mine, her eyes going soft. “This may not be the best place to discuss it, but I’ve held it in for too long.”

“We’re in the break room at work. It’s the absolute worst place to discuss anything about my pathetic life.”

“It’s only pathetic if you let it be. You’re driven, focused, and have objectives in mind. Not to mention you’re so damn gorgeous it threatens my confidence.”

“Disagree,” I counter.

“We’ll add modest to the list of never-ending wonderful traits of Willow Richards. They are almost negatives about you.”

“Almost,” Lucas hums. “You need to learn the word no.”

“Amen. Although if she’d turned down Koch’s patient load yesterday, she’d have never had Talon. That one worked out in her favor.”

“Want to know what I think?” He looks pointedly at me.

“Not really.”

“Go out with him, fuck his brains out, then make your decision.”

“That’s your advice? It’s such a guy thing.”

“Trust me.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s the only way to get ahead of this attraction that you have.”

“Who said I’m attracted to him?”

He arches his eyebrows. “I have three sisters and a zillion female cousins. Trust me when I say it’s better to skip the drama and go for it.”

“I’ve met a ton of hot guys I don’t want to sleep with.”

“Maybe this man is different. And seeing your reaction to him was an instant giveaway. Go out with the guy. What’s the worst that can happen? You get a meal and sex out of it. Maybe it would help your mood, too.”

I force a bite of food into my mouth to avoid this conversation. “You suck.”

“He’s right.” Bex is like a dog with a bone.

“Do I need to remind you he’s now a patient? There are rules in place for a reason.”

“Bullshit, you’re finding excuses.”

“It’s not an excuse to watch out for my career path. If it got out I was seeing a patient, my reputation would be crucified. Everything I’ve worked for is within grasp, and throwing it away for a quickie night with a hot guy is not worth it.”

“I highly doubt anything about Talon would be a quickie.”

“Bex! Focus on the big picture.” As hard as I try to stop it, my mind goes to the kiss and my body heats.

“What? I am thinking big picture. No one is saying marry him. Why not see where it could go?”

“Where could it possibly go? We’re complete opposites.”

“You don’t know that.”

“He’s a police officer.“

“Your hang-up is judgmental.”

“Gotta agree with that,” Lucas concurs. “What’s your hang-up with cops?”

I groan, knowing my reasoning won’t score with him either. “It’s not personal, but it’s not the occupation either. It’s the fact that jobs are usually an extension of the person.”

“Are you suggesting a job defines a person in every way? Because I love being a PT, but it doesn’t say shit about my personal life.”

“You’re wrong. You care about people, like the challenge of every new case. We have to have a certain level of compassion and personal drive to do what we chose.”

“I’ll give you that. But you could say the same thing about many jobs, even police officers.”

“Yes, but police officers, a lot of the time, are fueled by a different passion. They risk their lives and live off a form of adrenaline.”

“Gotta say, that sounds like bullshit. I’ll repeat, you could say the same thing about many jobs.”

“Yes, but I know myself. I’m seeking something different in a relationship.”

“This safety zone you’ve enacted is absolute idiocy. Willy-dick was safe and he turned out to be a douche-lord. That should be enough reason to step onto the wild side. Dark, dangerous, thrilling, sexy as hell—Talon is all this. His smile alone should disintegrate your panties.”

“Let’s skip the panties convo. I’d like to finish eating.” Lucas frowns at the sandwich in his hand.

“It’s not a safety zone, it’s practical. I know my limits, and dating a man who steps in the line of fire every day isn’t me.”

“Jesus, do you hear yourself?”

“Yes, Bex. My life is made of stability and consistency. I’ve been on the same path since I was ten years old.”

“Which is why you need to expand your horizons. Graduating top of your class, the dream job, excellent references—all of that is a slam dunk. Since the Joseph debacle, you haven’t so much as kissed a guy before the other night. Step outside your comfort zone and live a little.”

“Wait, you haven’t dated anyone since Joe?” Lucas’s eyes widen with shock when I shake my head.

“Nothing? In a year?”

I shake my head again.

“Jesus, Wills. Go on a date with the guy. Scrape the cobwebs off and get back in the game. You deserve more. ”

Everything they said makes sense and also makes me realize how truly closed off I’ve become.

“He has scars. Burns of some kind. All on his chest. I felt them,” I say softly, remembering the puckered skin against my fingers.

“Did he say what they are from?” Bex asks low.

“No, but I froze. When I felt them, my mind went berserk.”

“There’s probably a good explanation.” Lucas goes with logic.

“A good explanation for him to be burned? It’s not a fraternity hazing gone wrong. He was hurt. Something happened to him. I think it has to do with the other injury that put him in rehab with Koch. It had to be bad.”

The table is quiet and when I glance up, the two of them are staring at each other in silent conversation.

I take it as a chance to drive my point home. “His job is too dangerous. I’m not cut out for a one-night stand, or a potential relationship with a man like him.”

Bex blows out a breath and nods. “Okay, Wills. I’ll back off.”

The small trace of relief is short-lived when I catch the glint in her eyes.

She’s not going to leave this alone.

I study the screen, checking the information for the hundredth time. Everything is correct. All I have to is…

“Sent!” Bex stabs the button and the status bar automatically updates with a ding.

“Oh my God, what have you done?” Panic claws at me when the “application accepted” message dances across the screen.

“Putting you out of misery and taking charge.”

“But what if I need to change something? There are no refunds once information is submitted.”

“That’s right, no refunds. You are now officially signed up to take your boards.”

My stomach rolls at the finality. No turning back. After years of schooling, and a few more months of clinicals, it all comes down to a test.

“Stop worrying, you’ll ace the exam.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because you’re Willow Richards. Failure isn’t in your blood. You’ll own it like you do everything. Lucas and I are hoping some of your brilliance will rub off on us.”

“Who’s jacking off?”

I’m used to Lucas’s shrewd comments. But seeing him stroll in casually with Abe Koch, my face flames. A peep escapes before I can slap my hand over my mouth.

“Squeak is in the house,” Lucas mocks.

“Squeak?” Abe quirks an eyebrow.

“Wills’ nickname. She has a tendency to squeak.”

“I hate my brother for telling you.”

“Nah, it’s fitting. So, what about jacking off?”

I’m pretty sure my skin is melting. Abe is practically our boss. Lucas is skating a thin line.

“Not jacking off, you dumbass, rub off.” Bex waves her hand at me. “As in Willow rubbing off some of her brilliance on us for the exam.”

“Did she finally hit send?”

“I did it for her. She was about to jump ship, again.”

Oh shit, this is too much. I sink into my seat, praying these two will shut up.

“You discussing the boards?” Abe asks, his eyes on me.

I nod absently.

“You have nothing to worry about.”

“Really?” I pipe up.

“Yeah, they suck, and the recert requirements can be a pain in the ass. But you three are some of the best I’ve worked with.”

“That is a true compliment coming from you, sir.”

Abe jerks back, his jaw tensing. “Sir? When did I become a sir?”

My humiliation flames again, this time because it’s me who may have been inappropriate.

“I’m not that much older than you. Way to make a man feel ancient.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just that you are kinda our supervisor. “

“We report to the same group of administrators. I’m your mentor and lead therapist. Totally different. I’d like to think we’re friends.”

“You do sign off on our reports,” Lucas points out.

Abe slices his eyes to him. “I also drink beer and hang out with you several times a month.”

It’s my turn to jerk at this snippet of information. “You guys hang out? When?”

“Every time we invite you out to happy hour.”

“You haven’t asked me in months,” I counter.

“Because your rejection was offensive.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to argue, remind Lucas that I’ve been studying for the exams and picking up extra patients when asked, to soak in every hour of experience possible. But even in my head, it sounds lame.

“Next time, invite me. I may surprise you.”

“Alright, Lo, I’ll hold you to that.”

“Thank you for helping me out on Monday with my patients. Your notes and observations are exemplary. Even better than what I’d chart.” Abe’s compliment sends a rush of pride through me.

“They were all enjoyable to work with.”

His eyes light with what can only be described as delight as his lips curl on one side. “I heard. Talon called me this morning. He and I discussed your session and we agreed.”

The rush of pride vanishes up in smoke. “Agreed?”

“You bring a fresh perspective to his rehab. He’s yours.”

“Mine?”

“Yours.”

My brain scrambles for a way to explain how this is a bad idea without sounding ungrateful. “I couldn’t take him from you.”

“I’m transferring his file.”

“Not necessary. I’m already at full capacity with my clinical load.” The blatant lie couldn’t be more obvious. I’ve never turned down an opportunity to work with any patient.

Abe’s lips form into a thin line. “Did Talon do something to make you uncomfortable?”

“No!” I squeak, basically bolting out of my chair.

The heat of his assessing stare has sweat beading on my neck. “What I mean is, not at all. He was quite the character. I think he was initially miffed at my methods, but by the end, he was definitely improving.”

“That’s exactly why we think you would be good for him.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Lo seemed to make significant progress,” Bex throws in way too enthusiastically.

Sweet Jesus, help me get out of this. And when I do, I’m killing Rebecca.

“Professionally, I disagree. With his history and previous injury, you know his situation much better than I ever could. Time with me can hardly replace your thorough depth of knowledge.”

There, that should do it. Professional, specific, clinical—all reasons Talon Simms should stay with Abe.

Good job, if I do say so.

Abe’s eyes widen in surprise. “Talon told you about his previous injury?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then how did you know?”

“It came up in conversation?”

“He brought it up?”

“I mean, he mentioned his therapy a few months ago from an occupational injury.”

He seems to think on this, his silence unnerving.

Finally, he relaxes and shakes his head.

“This is a totally different injury and you’re qualified to see it through.

He’s dedicated to regaining mobility and getting back to full duty.

He’s convinced you can get him there. Unless you tell me he’s done something inappropriate, he’s moving to your schedule. ”

I know when I’ve lost. If I argue further, it will mean a lot more explanation than Abe needs. “Thank you for trusting my process.”

“I trust you, the process is a bonus.”

Any other time, this compliment would have me on cloud nine. I paste on my best smile and nod.

Abe Koch just handed me my biggest challenge yet: Finding a way to fully rehabilitate Talon Simms without falling for his charms.

A bell goes off in my head, reminding me of my commitment to stay away from danger.

Safe, consistent, stable.

A man whose burns come from the grill, not God-knows-what on the job.

Yep, I can do this.

Rehab a shoulder… easy peasy. Child’s play.

Therapy 101.

Who cares if he’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever met and being near him reduces my insides to goo.

Or that his gray-blue eyes and smile should come with a warning.

We won’t think about the fact that his kiss topped the best kiss of my life. Even if it was pretend.

Yep, we’ll forget about all of this.

Easy… peasy…