Page 32 of Bad Decisions

My eyes roll almost back into my head. “Not information I need to know to treat your injury.”

He finishes zipping and buttoning his jeans before grabbing the crutch that I placed within his reach. He leans heavily on it.

“You said you want to see me here at the clinic in three days. But can we meet for a drink before then?”

The word no gets stuck in my throat, but I shake my head so hard that strands of hair fly free from my ponytail. A ghost of regret clouds his gaze as he searches my face for a weakening of my resolve.

“Please. I just want to talk to you,” he begs.

I roll back my shoulders, standing as tall as my five feet, two inches allows. I’m stronger now and better able to resist Will’s persuasion. “No.” The word finally bursts from my lips. “We can talk about your injury as much as you want when you come for your next appointment.”

His face transforms into a frown, which unfortunately does nothing to reduce his attractiveness. “You know that’s not what I want to talk about.”

“Too. Bad.” The two words pop from my mouth, crisp and clear. “Because the way I see our current arrangement, that’s all there is for us to discuss.” I turn and walk toward the door in case he doesn’t get the hint that he needs to leave. “I’ll see you in three days. Goodbye.” My eyes drop to the floor, the safest place for them.

Instead of shuffling past me, he stops and leans forward, pulling my gaze back up to meet his. A big mistake as I start to drown in the deep-blue depths, his familiar cologne of citrus, spice, and burnt wood wrapping around me, triggering memories of the nights he held me in his arms.

Is he going to kiss me? My heart thunders in my chest. Whether it’s trying to reach out to him or escape, I’m not sure.

“Until next week, then,” he whispers close to my ear. His breath is a soft tickle against my neck, and a shiver runs down my spine, making my toes curl. The butterflies are back. It’s been too long since I felt this fluttery feeling from my belly all the way to my core. Six months, to be exact.

My words remain stuck in my dry throat while he pulls back and leaves with a murmured, “Goodbye.”

The door closes with a click behind him, and I fill my lungs fully for the first time since he stepped into my treatment room.

Will has waltzed back into my life, and I’m not happy. Okay, to be fair, it was more of an awkward hobble that pulled at my heartstrings, but nonetheless, it has the potential to be a wrecking ball aimed at my already damaged heart.

Walking back to my desk, I give my ponytail a rough tug to remove the hair tie, then pull the released strands painfully tight in my hand before redoing it.

I’m not going to fall for his charms again. No matter how kind and thoughtful Will was when I needed him most, I still can’t forgive him for disappearing without a word. Poof, gone like a ghost with no explanation, and all I was left with was an electronically generated voicemail that I was continually redirected to after one ring.

Click! The sound of the door opening has me spinning back toward it, my heart rate rocketing. But this time it’s Cara who struts through the door like the boss lady that she is. I wouldn’t mind borrowing a little of her confidence, as Will has left me depleted.

“Who was the hottie?” she asks, while perching her butt on the treatment table that he vacated only a short time ago.

Words of explanation remain lodged in my throat. I’m probably still in shock, because honestly, I never thought I would see him again.

“Hello? Earth to Jewel.” Cara leans forward and clicks her fingers in front of my face.

With a shake of my head, I loosen my tongue, and sound finally comes out. “Will,” I croak.

“Will?” Her pitch is high, bordering on a screech. “You mean Southampton Will?” she asks in a more measured tone.

I blink several times like I’m waking from a dream. “Yes, that one. The sexy man from the beach, who gave me more feelings in one week than any other man ever has, promised more, and within a month had disappeared like our whole time together meant nothing to him at all.”

None of this is news to my friend, but I say it anyway as reinforcement of my determination to not get involved personally with Will again.

“Wow, you never mentioned that he was gorgeous.”

“Cara.” My brows drop into a thunderous scowl. “That is not helping.”

“Sorry. I’m a bad friend.”

My shoulders slump like the bones have turned to liquid. “It’s okay. He is gorgeous, and I wish he wasn’t because that, along with his alpha, protective vibes and kindness, is damn hard to resist.” I plop down onto the chair behind me and place my elbows on the desk, dropping my head into my hands. “What am I going to do?” I mumble through my fingers.

“I’m going to need a bit more information if you want my advice.”

I lift my head and turn to face her. “He was my new patient,” I say before giving her a quick rundown on Will’s knife wound. She nods along until I finish.