“The rest of my life?” he growled. “You seem to be the only one talking about this.”
“What do you think you have an army of trainers, doctors, and physical therapists for? To keep your body working because it’s keeping score. It records every hit, every injury, and someday you’ll have to pay for them all.”
“And I get to be famous and very highly paid. More importantly, I work like a demon to win theSuper Bowl. That glory, that legacy, will be eternal.”
“At what cost? Do you ever think you’ll be thirty-five and walking with a cane? How about those kids you mentioned? ‘Sorry, dad’s pushing forty and can’t pick up a toddler thanks to his busted shoulder.’ Does fifty years of chronic pain seem like a good trade for the impatience to get you in next week’s game? You are NOT responsible for carrying the team alone on your injured shoulders.”
“What if it were the play-offs? My one chance at the Super Bowl?”
“Then it’s up for negotiation and discussion. However, since we’re halfway through the season with only four losses, we can afford to be a little more conservative.” She kissed him on the mouth. “I want you to win the Super Bowl. I want to see you get Defensive Player of the Year. I want to see the press get on their knees and kiss your damn ring for ever doubting it.”
His heart did a crazy thump, the anger popping too. “You are thinking of me.”
“Finally, you hear it. Even if you never noticed my last name.”
“Now you aren’t listening. You’re not just talking for me. You’re talking for us. Today and tomorrow.” Bowen dragged her on top of him for a very long kiss.
Fuck yeah. Never in the past had he had the desire to keep a hookup past the deed. Yet they were discussing not only this season but the ones after that and the years past that.
She was straddling his chest when she broke their kiss. “Exactly why this wasn’t supposed to happen. I can’t be your doctor once we’ve blurred the line between professional and personal. Especially if this is temporary.”
“Rory, this isn’t temporary. If I could give you my kidney and still keep playing this season, I would. I have never been this goddamn honest with anyone. This is real, and anything and everything is open to you. Wanna open every drawer in my house? Go for it. Feel like playing chess with my Heisman, Walter Camp, Maxwell, and Ted Hendricks awards? Go wild. You’ll find them in the back of my closet. I’ll even let you check my phone and my browsing history.”
“Nothing says meant to be like Tom Hanks movies and your new squeeze’s porn stash. Are you into four-armed alien erotica?”
“No, though I do sense you helping me do a search for it.” He turned her to face him. “You will find nothing on my computer more salacious than ‘how to convince a girl to date you when you’re a celebrity who is also a jerk.’”
“You aren’t a jerk. You play one on TV.”
“I have some jerk ideas now.” His dick was rising to the occasion, and he could feel her slick against him. “Tell me what I’d find on four-armed alien porn.”
“Very interesting boob play for a start, and then...” Rory scooted up, and he happily opened his mouth to suck the closest nipple into his mouth.
She moaned, and he debated intensely if he needed to carry her to his bed or fuck her again here.
Or he could finger her and spank his monkey at the same time. She had been a fan of kissing his tattoos, so she would probably be happy to go all the way down.
The phone on the coffee table rang, and Bowen released Rory to make it stop.
Unfortunately, his move was a huge tacticalerror because it wasn’t his phone,and he mistakenly answered a video call.
Rory made a squeak and ducked away.
“Hello, Bowen.” Dr. Glazier said, his angry face filling the screen. “Can I speak to Rory?”
Bowen passed the phone to Rory, mouthing ‘sorry.’
“Hey, boss.” She’d covered her body up to the chin with comforters. “Didn’t expect you to call.”
“You don’t say. Weird. I’m leaving the OR after Navarro and I put a firefighter’s pelvis back together, and I was wondering where Dr. R-R was. She was on call. She should have been here. There I was worried you were dead in a ditch somewhere. Not in bed with the city’s star defensive end.”
“We’re on his couch.”
“How, pray tell, did you end up on his couch?”
“My car wouldn’t start, so I spent the night at the stadium. I did call the chief resident to take me off the call schedule.”
“He didn’t pass it on. Most likely since his lazy ass is snowed in, too. He’ll pay for it later. Peds and internal med made their residents walk in from Doctor Row. We were shown up. Hell, one of the five female residents in our program didn’t show up since you were playing hide the one-eyed snake over there.”
