“You were movin’ really well the first half of the week,” Wyatt breathed. “You weren’t in as much pain. But you are now. I can…” his fingers opened up and over the tented bulge, “…take care of you. All you gotta do is ask.”
Donnelly’s face hardened in an instant. “Let go,” he murmured.
The rejection was swift and stinging, more so than he cared to admit. Wyatt hesitated and then nodded, leaning back into his barstool and retracting his hand discreetly.
The bartender was in front of Wyatt then, “How many glasses for your pitcher, cowboy?”
He swallowed down his hurt pride and pulled out his wallet, “Four, please.”
She nodded and reached beneath the counter, pulling out the glasses as he placed the cash on the counter and stood. He could withstand a horse bucking away his hand or a patient flinching at his treatment. But Donnelly knew what he could give him, and he still retreated.
Frustrated, he grabbed the pitcher and the stacked glasses and was walking away when Donnelly’s voice stopped him.
“Lawson,” he said firmly.
He stopped, eyes locked with his.
Donnelly hesitated, looking surprisingly uncertain.
Wyatt smiled blandly. “You have a good night, Dr. Donnelly.”
He spotted Steph watching them, sipping a beer, eyebrows arched at Wyatt. He shrugged innocently and strolled over to the booth where Reyes and the others were, reminding himself of his place in the hierarchy. Making passes at his captain, after a night that he clearly regretted, was a mistake. It didn’t matter that his body responded differently.
Except itdidmatter.
And Wyatt could think of nothing else the rest of the night.
Chapter 6
John
One month later
John braced his arm against the bathroom stall, breathing through the pain. Tears clouded his vision as he sucked in breath after breath, trying to calm down.
God, I’m such a fucking idiot. I should’ve seen that coming…!
His arm practically dangled at his side, while his shoulder throbbed and burned.
“John?” Steph’s voice echoed through the empty men’s bathroom.
“Yeah,” he managed to say between clenched teeth.
“Tanya is on her way down,” Steph said gently. “She heard about what happened.”
“Fuck,” he bit out. “I’m fine!”
“Tell that to her,” she said. “You know she’ll want a full evaluation done with a write-up. You should take the day. Come back tomorrow, or don’t. But you should head home. I already called Walsh to come in early.”
He thumped his head against the cool steel, wanting to vanish into the floor. “You didn’t have to do that.”
When she didn’t answer, he sighed, “Anything else?”
“That’s it. Nothing I can’t handle till you’re back on the floor. I’ll get you an ice pack and something for the pain.”
He knew she was just being nice, and the offer was sincere. He didn’t need to rip her head off. “Give me two minutes.”
“I can give you five.” He heard the door open and close once more, and he was peacefully alone with his miserable, aching shoulder.
