Turbulent Waters (Billionaire Aviators 3)

But she was breaking out in just as much sweat as he was. And not from exertion. The growing attraction she felt toward this man was seriously messing with her head. She had to get it together, and quickly, before she really did do something that would cost her the job she loved. And the respect she held for herself.

They pushed and pulled for a while longer, Chloe pushing aside the unfamiliar stirrings he was causing in the pit of her stomach. The more she did, the more Nick’s forehead broke out in sweat. He continued to make small jokes, but the longer the stretching went on, the quieter he became.

“Okay, now we’re going to test your hips,” she said.

His eyes flashed to hers. “I assure you, my hips weren’t injured in the accident at all,” he told her.

The remark made her glance down between his legs, and she jerked her gaze away to meet his eyes again. He winked at her. Chloe let out her breath, telling herself she had to keep it together.

“We’re going to take the leg across your body slowly,” she said. Then she pushed his leg across the other one, bringing her closer to him. He winced, but as she worked with him, she got him to release the muscles. When she next looked at his eyes, he was smiling at her again.

“I might need you to stretch out my arms in the same manner,” he said, his voice husky.

“You can keep on wishing that,” she told him.

They finished the stretching and Chloe was impressed, though she didn’t want to admit that to the man. He was cocky enough without her telling him she was impressed with what excellent shape he was in.

“I think you can expect a full recovery if you do what I say and we work on more stretching along with the exercises. I don’t want you working the leg at all until we stretch. There are some you can do on your own, but for the first couple weeks, let me work with you and chart the progress.”

“Anything you say, doc,” he replied.

Chloe dropped his leg gently back to the ground and took a step back. She turned away from him as she sighed. This truly was going to be a long six weeks. Maybe she could shorten the time frame. He was a capable man. The sooner she got him healthy, the sooner she’d be able to push him from her life.

Nick climbed back to a standing position. It took him far longer than she figured it normally would. But he got up without asking for help. When she turned to look at him, she did notice that his pride had hurt him.

“Come over and sit down, Nick,” she said, indicating a chair. She handed him the crutches, and he used them to move over to the chair. He sat down slowly.

She once again kneeled in front of him. She’d better get used to it. She was going to be in close quarters with him for quite some time. If she didn’t suck it up, it was going to be unbearable.

“I’m going to cup the back of your foot. I want you to lift your leg ten times.”

She showed him the movement she wanted and they began. The morning was slow and laborious, but she had to give it to the guyâ??he didn’t complain once. He did everything she asked of him, making sweat pour off him in droves as he gritted his teeth, but by the end of their second hour there was no doubt he’d impressed her.

She’d had patients who’d quit after the first five minutes. It wasn’t easy stuff she was putting them through. When she was finished with the morning session, she handed him a towel and smiled. She couldn’t help but feel respect for the man who was working so hard to improve himself when most would have quit by now. Her turbulent emotions were all over the place, and they weren’t welcome in the least.

“You’ve done excellent, Nick,” she said, having to give him some praise.

“I’m weak,” he told her as he blew out his breath. “I don’t like it.”

“You aren’t used to not being able to do whatever you want, are you?”

“No, not at all,” he grumbled.

“Well, suck it up. You’re one of the lucky ones who actually gets to walk away from this. Don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself.”

His head whipped up at her words. She expected to see anger in his eyes, but she saw humor instead. That threw her off balance.

“Don’t hold back, doc,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s not my job to hold back. It’s my job to tell the truth and to get you where you’re supposed to be.”

“Maybe it’s my job to get you to loosen up a little bit,” he countered.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Not everything’s a joke, Nick,” she warned.

“Who says I’m joking?”

He gave her an intense look that had her squirming as she stood there facing him.

“Nick . . .” she said in a warning tone.

“Look, doc, I want you to push me hard, but at the same time, have a little fun. I don’t like being down physically or emotionally,” he said.

She smiled. “I guarantee you, I have no problem pushing you hard. I can do without the fun.”

“I have a feeling I’m going to be hard around you a lot.”

“Quit acting like a child,” she snapped.

“It’s not my fault,” he said, holding up his hands.

“Don’t you dare say it’s mine,” she said.

“What do you expect when you look the way you do?” His eyes took her in from head to toe, which made her shift on her feet again.

“I’m perfectly presentable in my scrubs,” she told him.

“Doc, you could be wearing a potato sack and still look good.” he was breaking out in just as much sweat as he was. And not from exertion. The growing attraction she felt toward this man was seriously messing with her head. She had to get it together, and quickly, before she really did do something that would cost her the job she loved. And the respect she held for herself.

They pushed and pulled for a while longer, Chloe pushing aside the unfamiliar stirrings he was causing in the pit of her stomach. The more she did, the more Nick’s forehead broke out in sweat. He continued to make small jokes, but the longer the stretching went on, the quieter he became.

“Okay, now we’re going to test your hips,” she said.

His eyes flashed to hers. “I assure you, my hips weren’t injured in the accident at all,” he told her.

The remark made her glance down between his legs, and she jerked her gaze away to meet his eyes again. He winked at her. Chloe let out her breath, telling herself she had to keep it together.

“We’re going to take the leg across your body slowly,” she said. Then she pushed his leg across the other one, bringing her closer to him. He winced, but as she worked with him, she got him to release the muscles. When she next looked at his eyes, he was smiling at her again.

“I might need you to stretch out my arms in the same manner,” he said, his voice husky.

“You can keep on wishing that,” she told him.

They finished the stretching and Chloe was impressed, though she didn’t want to admit that to the man. He was cocky enough without her telling him she was impressed with what excellent shape he was in.

“I think you can expect a full recovery if you do what I say and we work on more stretching along with the exercises. I don’t want you working the leg at all until we stretch. There are some you can do on your own, but for the first couple weeks, let me work with you and chart the progress.”

“Anything you say, doc,” he replied.

Chloe dropped his leg gently back to the ground and took a step back. She turned away from him as she sighed. This truly was going to be a long six weeks. Maybe she could shorten the time frame. He was a capable man. The sooner she got him healthy, the sooner she’d be able to push him from her life.

Nick climbed back to a standing position. It took him far longer than she figured it normally would. But he got up without asking for help. When she turned to look at him, she did notice that his pride had hurt him.

“Come over and sit down, Nick,” she said, indicating a chair. She handed him the crutches, and he used them to move over to the chair. He sat down slowly.

She once again kneeled in front of him. She’d better get used to it. She was going to be in close quarters with him for quite some time. If she didn’t suck it up, it was going to be unbearable.

“I’m going to cup the back of your foot. I want you to lift your leg ten times.”

She showed him the movement she wanted and they began. The morning was slow and laborious, but she had to give it to the guyâ??he didn’t complain once. He did everything she asked of him, making sweat pour off him in droves as he gritted his teeth, but by the end of their second hour there was no doubt he’d impressed her.

She’d had patients who’d quit after the first five minutes. It wasn’t easy stuff she was putting them through. When she was finished with the morning session, she handed him a towel and smiled. She couldn’t help but feel respect for the man who was working so hard to improve himself when most would have quit by now. Her turbulent emotions were all over the place, and they weren’t welcome in the least.

“You’ve done excellent, Nick,” she said, having to give him some praise.

“I’m weak,” he told her as he blew out his breath. “I don’t like it.”

“You aren’t used to not being able to do whatever you want, are you?”

“No, not at all,” he grumbled.

“Well, suck it up. You’re one of the lucky ones who actually gets to walk away from this. Don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself.”

His head whipped up at her words. She expected to see anger in his eyes, but she saw humor instead. That threw her off balance.

“Don’t hold back, doc,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s not my job to hold back. It’s my job to tell the truth and to get you where you’re supposed to be.”

“Maybe it’s my job to get you to loosen up a little bit,” he countered.

She rolled her eyes at him. “Not everything’s a joke, Nick,” she warned.

“Who says I’m joking?”

He gave her an intense look that had her squirming as she stood there facing him.

“Nick . . .” she said in a warning tone.

“Look, doc, I want you to push me hard, but at the same time, have a little fun. I don’t like being down physically or emotionally,” he said.

She smiled. “I guarantee you, I have no problem pushing you hard. I can do without the fun.”

“I have a feeling I’m going to be hard around you a lot.”

“Quit acting like a child,” she snapped.

“It’s not my fault,” he said, holding up his hands.

“Don’t you dare say it’s mine,” she said.

“What do you expect when you look the way you do?” His eyes took her in from head to toe, which made her shift on her feet again.

“I’m perfectly presentable in my scrubs,” she told him.

“Doc, you could be wearing a potato sack and still look good.”