Right in that moment, an orderly knocks on the door and enters, handing the doc an envelope.

“Ah, the moment of truth. Let’s see how those ribs and vertebrae are healing,” she tells me, taking the images out of the envelope and putting them up to the lit screen on the wall opposite me.

She studies the images in silence before turning to face me with a tight smile. “You’re healing very well, Knox, and I’m happy with how the bones are fusing together. However, I think I’d still like you to stick it out with the brace for at least two more weeks to ensure that there isn’t any accidental movement as they continue to heal.”

Groaning, I run my fingers through my short hair and catch the sympathetic look that crosses over Charlie’s face. “Come on, Doc. It’s killing me not to shower. Charlie here was just telling me that I smelled on the way over here. Sponge baths blow.”

“Knox, let’s just give it two more weeks. But I will give you clearance to shower. You can take it off to sleep and shower, but the rest of the time, I want you in it. In two weeks, we’ll revisit the thought of you taking it off permanently, okay?”

Sighing, I nod. At least I can shower, but I’m still going to need Charlie’s help, and suddenly keeping the brace doesn’t seem so bad. The thought of her helping me undress turns me on almost as much as her fingers grazing my skin when she helped me dress earlier did.

“I’m going to keep you in your cast for a few more weeks as well. I want to make sure your bones are fully healed before we start you on physical therapy. That being said, I think it’s safe to start doing lower body exercises and static stretches, given that there aren’t any twisting movements. It might be a good idea to get you on a stationary bike so you can start trying to build up your cardio again.”

I can see the grin on Charlie’s face and I know she’s patting herself on the back for her boat paddling idea. I won’t lie. I’m intrigued by the idea of working out with her, and being on the water alone together could help us find common ground. You know, maybe be civil for more than five minutes and finally get to know each other on some kind of personal level.

Dr. Branch spends the next five or so minutes telling me—and Charlie—about the static stretching exercises she wants me to do until the next appointment and advises us on the things I can and can’t do. Hell, I’m just glad I can finally shower with permission. She finishes up and promises to see me in two weeks, with hopes that we can say goodbye to the brace at that time.

Charlie stands, moves over to the bed, and picks up my brace. She moves to put it on me, and I notice that she’s careful not to touch me, her fingers only gracing the brace. Finishing up, she looks at me sweetly. “Ready to go?”

She’s so close to me that I can’t help but lean in and give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Her eyes widen with surprise, and she backs away from me quickly. “Let’s get goin’,” I tell her, and she follows me silently out to the parking lot. I don’t miss the moment where I see her placing her hand on her cheek where my lips just grazed her skin. I have no idea why the hell I did that, but something about her being so close to me had me wanting to touch her, and that felt like it was the safest way.

We both get in her car, and there’s an uncomfortable silence as she heads back towards my house. When she pulls into the driveway, she doesn’t cut off the ignition. Turning towards me, she asks, “Is there anything you need me to do? I had a really long day at work and just want to get home and crash if you don’t need anything.”

Even though I told myself I want to distance myself from her, I’m fighting the urge to find a reason for her to come inside. The truth is, with the freezer-ready meals she’s made for me, I really don’t need her around other than to help with the lotion on my back, but I’m hesitant to ask her to do that.

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll just heat up something for dinner and crash on the couch. No big deal. “

She gives me a tight smile. “Okay, well, you have my number, so give me a call if you need anything, okay?”

“Sure thing, Charlie. Uhh…have a good night,” I tell her before I start to exit the car. At the last minute, I turn back towards her. “Actually, would you mind coming in for about twenty minutes?”

Raising her eyebrows at me, she asks why. I grin as I pull my shirt away from my chest and air it out a little.

“Hey, you’re the one who said I smell, and you heard Dr. B give the go-ahead to use the shower. I promise not to make you uncomfortable, but I just need a little help with my shorts.”

Sighing, she puts the car in park and turns off the engine. “You know, this is pretty unorthodox when it comes to my volunteering duties, but I guess it wouldn’t be fair for me to insult you and then not help you out when you ask for it. But I’m warning you. No funny business. This is strictly professional, got it?”

I give her a mock salute. “Loud and clear, Charlie. I just want to get clean. No ulterior motives here. Besides, you’re not my type anyways,” I tell her as I climb out of the car. I’m not exactly lying when I say that, but I can see her becoming my type pretty damn quickly.

She follows me as I unlock the house and we go inside. “Yeah, you made that perfectly clear last week. Let me guess, you usually go for petite, perky, beautiful blondes with huge boobs and an affinity for wearing mini-skirts and belly tops.”

I chuckle, knowing that once upon a time she’d be right, but over the past year I’ve started getting annoyed by all the college girls and Army clingers. “I’m insulted. I’d never discriminate over such a silly thing as hair color. They don’t all have to be blonde.”

She shoots me a look of mock disgust and just shakes her head. She’s right behind me as I go into the bathroom and adjust the knob so that the water is just hot enough. Grabbing the robe off the back of the door, I set it on the sink next to me. She’s leaning against the door, watching me with a nervous look in her eye.

“First, why don’t you help me take the brace off?” I ask her. She walks over to me in silence and goes to town on undoing all the straps. She gingerly slides it off of me, and with my good hand, I take it from her and place it on the sink next to my robe.

“All right, sweetheart, you were oh so good at putting my shirt on for me. Let’s see how good you are at removing it.”

Rolling her eyes, she shoves my shoulder, hard enough that I move back a step. “Knock it off with the innuendo.”

I give her my most innocent look. “What? I’m serious. You didn’t even tug my arm or hurt my ribs when you dressed me. I’m just curious to see if you can do the same when you take it off.”

She pulls me by the hem of my shirt out of the bathroom and into my room. Stopping at the foot of the bed, she climbs up on it. I know what she’s doing, but I can’t help continuing to push her buttons.

“Whoa, Charlie. I kind of figured you were a rule breaker, but I didn’t know you’d break your own. What was it you were saying about no funny business?”

“Shut up and lift your arms, Knox,” she says as she stands in front me on the bed. I do as she asks, and she quickly pulls my shirt up over my head.

“Ouch! Dammit, woman, are you trying to rip my ears off?!” I growl when my ear gets stuck and she yanks hard, making me flinch, the same way she did when she put it on me.

“Oh, sorry. Guess I’m not as good as you remember. My bad. Now can we get this over with?” she asks, walking back towards the bathroom without looking back at me. I follow and find her leaning her ass against the sink, waiting for me in the steamy room. She has the plastic bag in her hands to wrap around my arm so I don’t get my cast wet, and she quickly covers my arm with the material. There’s only one thing standing between me and that shower, and part of me is hoping she gets an eyeful.