Christmas Therapy

She looked up to see Allen. His forehead furrowed, and he took off his gloves. She bobbed her head. She didn’t have time to argue. Something was seriously wrong. Placing his hands on top of hers, she released her grip and allowed him to inspect her knee ignoring her urge flinch.

“Can you bend it still?” he asked.

Her eyes watered, but she carefully bent her knee. “Yeah, I can.”

“Good, so you didn’t tear anything.”

“Oh my goodness what happened?” Heather raised her gaze to find Mrs. Sawyer in her coat and hat. A few more townspeople gathered, incl

uding Terrance who hurried to her side.

“Heather what happened?” he asked.

“I slipped on the ice,” she replied. Squeezing her eyes shut, she refused to look as Allen continued to test her limits with her leg. Finally, she slapped his hand away. “Okay enough. What’s wrong?”

“I think it’s a sprain. We need to get you to a doctor to run some tests to see how severe it is,” Allen said.

“I’ll take you,” Terrance offered. “Can you stand?”

With Terrance behind her and Allen beside her, both men helped her to her feet.

“You’re not putting my sister in that monster truck of yours, Terrance,” Sonia argued.

“Is she going to be okay?” Morgan asked as her eyebrows etched together.

“I’ll be fine,” Heather said. Settled on her right foot, she tested her weight on her left. Her eyebrows shot up. Definitely couldn’t walk on it. “Not okay!”

“I’ve got you,” Allen said as he scooped Heather into his arms.

“It really hurts,” she whimpered in his ear. Digging her fingers into Allen’s back, she held back her cry.

Allen looked over at Sonia. “You’re her sister, right?”

Heather lifted her head. “Yes. Sonia this is Allen.”

Allen asked Sonia, “Can you follow us in Heather’s car?”

Heather noticed her sister raised an eyebrow. “It’s okay, Sonia. He’s new in town.”

Sonia agreed. “Okay, sure.”

“I’m coming too,” Terrance said, with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

“Should we move the party to Dr. Boyer’s office?” someone joked.

“Not now Spencer,” Mrs. Sawyer interjected.

Allen carried Heather to his truck as her sister tagged along behind them.

“I can get in the car myself,” Heather said.

“Funny,” Sonia replied. “I saw your face when you stood up. You need help.”

Rolling her eyes at her sister, Heather stood carefully on her right foot after Allen had Sonia open his backseat door. Despite the shooting pain in her leg, she caught a whiff of his clean manly scent. It had to be the reason she rushed to Sonia for her scarf.

The way he licked his full lips made her breath catch in her throat. She had to get away and go home. Much to her dismay, her body went one way and her leg went another. Now trapped in Allen’s arms, he steadied her on her one foot.

“Is this okay? Can you sit?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.