Hard & Deep: A Football Romance

“Both good options,” Ollie said, with a playful smirk.

Elsie laughed at the comment, which made Oliver smile even more. He loved the sound of her laugh.

“They're great kids,” she said. “I'm glad that I've been able to grow so close to them. I pretty much spend any free time I have chasing them around in order to give their mom a break. They're my world.”

“It's great you can be around them,” he commented, wiping sweat from his brow. He was glad the workout part of the session was over, but he found himself sad that it meant their time together for the day was almost done.

“I'm so glad I get to be in th

eir lives,” she agreed. “My uncle is my favorite person in the world. He's actually the person that got me into physical therapy medicine and helped make me who I am today. If I can be half as cool an aunt to my nephews and nieces as he was to me, I'd consider myself a success.”

As Ollie listened, he couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Elsie might just be the perfect woman.

She likes football, she's great with kids, he thought. She's smart, funny, sweet, beautiful. She's a unicorn, that's for sure.

Ollie knew that he was too much of a player to ever marry. He loved the playboy lifestyle and all the women that came with it. He wasn't ready to give all that up to settle down with just one woman. At least, that's what he told himself.

Besides, a girl like her wouldn't want anything to do with the football lifestyle. Plus, I would hate to drag her away from her home, which is where her clinic and her family are.

“Okay, exercise is done for the day,” Elsie said, stepping close to Ollie to help him up. “Time for stretching.”

“Oh goodie,” he said, sounding anything but enthusiastic. “My favorite, Doc.”

Oliver chuckled a bit as Elsie's eyes narrowed at the “Doc” comment. He knew that she hated it, but he loved riling her up. It helped to take away from of the professionalism and reveal her human side underneath. That was the side of her like he was finding he liked the most.

“Stretching is good for you,” she said, making her way back to the cushioned mat on the center of the floor.

Ollie followed her and took a seat on the mat. “Yeah, yeah. You just want to torture me some more. Can't we be done for the day? Or maybe do the massage part? I like that part.”

Elsie crouched down on the mat in front of him. “Hey, Ollie, do you know what the difference between a physical therapist and a terrorist is?”

He shook his head.

“You can reason with a terrorist,” she replied, with a smirk.

“Hardy, har, har,” Ollie said, though he did find the joke to be a little bit funny.

“I'm hilarious, I know,” she said, with a laugh. “But I probably shouldn't quit my day job.”

The way she grinned at him made it impossible for Oliver not to smile back. Her good attitude was infectious and he truly wished that she'd stay longer than for just these sessions. She was a bright light and he was enjoying the hell out of working with her.

Right as Oliver was about to begin his leg stretches, his cell phone rang in his pocket. He grabbed the phone and then looked toward her, as if asking permission to answer it.

“Saved by the bell,” she said. “Go ahead and answer it. We'll take a five minute break. I'll go to the bathroom and give you some privacy.”

“Thank you,” Oliver said, as he answered the call. He tried his best not to watch Elsie as she walked away, but her pants hugged her ass to perfection.

“Hey, it's Nikki,” the woman's voice said on the other end of the line, before Oliver could utter a sound.

“Hey, Nikki, what's going on?” Oliver held the phone against his ear with his shoulder as he found a comfortable position for his injured knee.

“Just wanted to check in and see how the therapist was working out,” she said.

“It's working out really well,” Ollie said, watching as Elsie stepped out of the room. “She's amazing.”

“Is she keeping her mouth shut?” Nikki asked. “Is she prying into your business too much? The last thing we need is for her blabbing about her newest patient to her friends.”

“We talk enough to hold a conversation,” Ollie replied, rolling his eyes at Nikki's negativity.