“They keep me on my toes.” As if to emphasize that, he put his feet up on the coffee table next to my cast-covered leg. He followed my gaze. “We look like we’re in a three-legged race.”
I let out a short laugh. “I think it’ll be a while before I’m able to participate in field day activities.”
“You’ll get there. Speaking of that, are you up for some physical therapy tomorrow morning?”
“But I just went today.” And I wasn’t particularly looking forward to my next session on Friday.
“Yes, but you’re supposed to do exercises on the days in between. I can help with that.” His green eyes were clear and innocent, but I worried there could be a sadistic streak hiding there. Over the years, I hadn’t had the best experiences with coaches and gym teachers.
“Can I hear some testimonials from your students at the fitness center?”
He laughed. “I’ll get you some.”
Raised voices from the bathroom made us both turn our heads.
“I’d better go settle that. Let me know about tomorrow—and when you need help tonight.”
I sighed as I watched him go. I’d barely made it through physical therapy today, but the more I worked at it, the quicker I’d be able to get around without help.
Though something told me that someday, I’d miss being carried around by such strong, hot-as-sin men.
“Alyssa, are you awake?”
“No,” I mumbled.
“Come on, you said you were a morning person.”
I pulled the covers more tightly around my neck and tried to get back into the dream I’d been having. I couldn’t remember exactly what it was, but it had made my body feel so warm and tingly.
“Last chance,” Spencer’s deep voice said.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to ignore him, but fear of missing out was a very real thing. “What?”
“You said you wanted to spend less time alone.”
That made my eyes open. Was he offering to climb into bed with me? But then I saw a sight that made all other thoughts fly right out of my head.
Dear god, he was shirtless. Spencer was completely bare-chested. And lord, what a chest it was.
In an instant, I was as alert as if I’d been hooked up to a caffeine IV.
There was no way he was an elementary school principal. He had to be a gentleman spy, or a professional athlete, or a movie star. Maybe I could ask Sierra about that last one.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he stared down at me.
God, no. I wanted to splay my fingers over his eight-pack abs. I wanted to circle the flat brown nipples on his bulging pecs. I wanted to lick along the vein that ran the length of his sculpted bicep.
Absolutely none of those thoughts qualified me as being “all right.”
Spencer snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Are you always this out of it in the morning?”
“Yes,” I said, suppressing a moan. Wait. “I mean no.”
He shook his head. “I figured that since I can’t be here during the day, you and I can at least hang out in the morning before I leave for work—if you’d like.”
I nodded as enthusiastically as I could. A man who looked like that could invite me to swim with piranhas, and I would’ve given my blessing.
“Good.” He lifted me up as easily as if I were one of his kids. Being in his arms made me wish I had something nicer on than a t-shirt and a loose pair of shorts. Hopefully, the dresses I’d ordered would come today.
To my surprise, Spencer carried me into the hallway and then up the stairs. He had to turn sideways so that my unbending cast wouldn’t hit the wall. That made ascending the stairs a little awkward, but it also gave me an excuse to cling to him.
“I’ve never been up here.”
He grinned. “I’ll give you the tour later.” He carried me into his room. It was different than Raphael’s. There were windows on two walls, and a cross breeze flowed between them. The ceilings were vaulted, which made the room seem more spacious than the rooms downstairs. In the center of the room was a huge, king-sized bed.
Spencer set me down on the edge of it and stepped back. In the space of sixty seconds, an incredibly good-looking man had been right next to me and two beds.
“We can grab something for breakfast in a few minutes, but I figured there was no reason we couldn’t talk while I get ready.”
“S-sure.” I should probably start learning sign-language if I was going to get this tongue-tied around him. But god, he looked so hot, any woman would.
He walked into the attached bathroom, and for one heart-stopping moment, I thought he was going to strip off and get into the shower. But he’d probably already done that, since he was wearing black dress pants. Instead, he peered into the mirror over the sink and then pulled out a bottle of shaving cream.