Page 106 of Reckless Skye

‘Yes. You are.’ She moved in front of him, crossed her arms over her chest. ‘If I have to rope you and tie you down myself, I will. But you’re going to get X-rayed. You’re going to get that epidural. And you’re going to restart a physical therapy programme that I will be overseeing.’ She smiled, almost evilly. ‘Enough of this horseshit. If you’re not going to fight for yourself anymore, then fine. I’ll fight for you.’

TJ hated that her vehemence filled him with a flicker of hope and – damn her – need. But more than the hope and the need, the fear was there. And it was a beast he could not contain. ‘If it doesn’t work, I’ll have nothing left.’

‘Rude.’

TJ’s mouth actually twitched. ‘I don’t have you; I’ve just coerced you to where I want you.’

Skye leaned forward, and she whispered, ‘Ditto, cowboy.’

For only a second, his eyes dropped to her lips. She was so close, so tempting. The things he’d do for one last taste of her were numerous and undefined.

But Skye took a sudden step back and ran both hands through her hair, her frustration clear. ‘If it works, you’ll be able to start living your life again. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’

TJ couldn’t even believe in the possibility. ‘Skye—’

But she just kept going. ‘And you’re going do everything your doctors recommend; otherwise, I’m dropping your butt back in Arizona.’ She started counting off her fingers. ‘No offloading, no grooming, no picking hooves, no heavy lifting.’

‘This might be quicker if you list what I can do,’ he drawled.

‘No riding.’

TJ’s head popped up, his refusal instant, but when he saw the stubborn gleam in her eyes, he knew he didn’t have a bargaining chip.

Skye knew it too. ‘We get your physical therapy plan from your doctor and we restart it. We follow it religiously. If the doctor says you have to hold your breath and hum the national anthem, then we do that. If he says take pain pills when you need to, then you take pain pills. If you’re worried about how much you like them, I’ll keep them for you to make sure you’re only taking them when necessary.’

‘You’re demanding an awful lot considering I’m trying to help you.’

Skye smiled coolly. ‘I could say the same thing about you. But that’s my ultimatum, TJ. So’ – she crossed her arms over her chest – ‘what’ll it be?’

Chapter 32

It was nearly midnight by the time Skye drove back up to the hospital entrance, after moving the horses and trailer out to Cherry Creek State Park. The tall building loomed, the bright lights inside boasting its perpetual wakefulness.

Skye moved through the lobby like a zombie, no thought behind the motions, just one foot in front of the other. She was just about to ask after TJ at the front desk when she saw Dr Harris walking down the hall.

He smiled at her. ‘Good timing. We’re just about to do his epidural.’

Skye followed him into the elevator. ‘How were his X-rays?’

Dr Harris hesitated. ‘I’ll give you the debrief together,’ he said. As they stepped into the hall, he continued cautiously, ‘There is the matter of TJ’s mental health that I’d like to discuss with you.’

The fatigue and worry and stress from the past few days was insurmountable just then. And, still, Skye said, ‘Tell me.’

‘Given TJ’s current state, I’m legally and morally obligated to warn you as family: he’s what I’d classify as at high risk of self-harm.’

Although it was excruciating to admit, Skye replied, ‘I know.’ She’d heard the way TJ talked, like he was crossing items off a list. Preparing.

‘For anyone else, I’d recommend therapy at the minimum and maybe even in-patient psychiatric care and pain management. But something tells me TJ would never agree to that.’

‘He has to be active, to feel useful.’ Skye sighed sadly. ‘He used to ride bulls for a living, and now doing basic things sends him into spasms so bad that he can barely walk. He’s lost,’ she said, and she didn’t think anyone had to have known TJ before his accident to see that.

The knowledge was just another reminder that TJ had been trying to protect her when he’d cut her off.

‘I understand. But I think, with an extended period of focused rehabilitation and pain management, TJ’s quality of life will drastically improve. The hard part – the part that’s going to be unfair to you – is that you’re the one who’s going to have to keep him going. He doesn’t want to try, but he said he’s doing the epidural because you said he had to.’ Dr Harris smiled. ‘That kind of love is what’s going to get him through this. Having just one person who refuses to give up on him is everything.’

That word – love – was too big for Skye to hold on to just then. She knew that it wasn’t love guiding TJ’s actions, only the ultimatum she’d given him. Still, her tears started again, and she groaned and swiped at her face. ‘I’m sorry. It’s been a long day.’

The doctor nodded kindly. ‘I bet.’