Read Online Working It Out by Rachael Anderson - Free Book Online Page A

and very possibly torque it as well, which would land you
right back in the operating room. For now, stationary bikes only. Please .”
    Seth frowned, his gaze moving to the crutches that rested
against the bench. “Can I at least lose the crutches?” He didn’t mention that
he rarely used them anymore. They made things awkward and
uncomfortable—especially when it came to things like getting through that
stupid self-closing door. What kind of PT office had a self-closing door
anyway?
    Grace returned her attention to the clipboard. “I’d like you
to keep using them for a few more days—at least until you can walk without much
pain. Otherwise you’ll create a limp pattern, which we don’t want.”
    It was on the tip of Seth’s tongue to say something about
how limps were cool or something like that. But he swallowed the words, mostly
because being cheeky wasn’t getting him anywhere with Grace. Instead, he let
his head flop down and obediently raised his leg like she’d asked—or attempted to raise it anyway. So crazy how something Seth could have done easily only a
week before now felt like he had twenty pounds strapped to his foot.
    Grace looked down at him, her lips pulling up into an
almost smile. “Wow, I’m impressed,” she said.
    “About what?” The few inches he’d been able to raise his
leg didn’t look at all impressive to him.
    She shrugged. “I expected a sarcastic remark about how
limps are cool or that women find them sexy or something like that.”
    As immature as it made Seth sound, he liked that she knew
him so well already. It felt like an accomplishment, as though he’d finally made
some headway with Grace. He cocked his head to return her gaze. “Do you think limps are sexy?”
    The hint of a smile disappeared. “No.”
    “Then I’ll keep using the crutches.”
    At her look of annoyed surprise, Seth returned his
attention to the ceiling, holding back a self-satisfied grin. Let her stew on
that for a while.
    Twenty minutes later, Seth gratefully tucked the crutches
under his arms, resting his weight on them in an attempt to ease the throbbing
in his leg. It felt as though someone had taken a mallet to his knee then
kicked it for good measure.
    Maybe Seth shouldn’t have attempted to flirt quite so
much.
     

     
    S eth scribbled
his name on the patient check-in form and nodded a hello at the
receptionist. According to Garrett, he no longer walked with a limp, so Seth
had happily donated his crutches to Goodwill the day before. As he’d dropped
them in the box, he considered taking a picture to send to Lanna. It had been
nearly a month since the night of the auction—since she’d last spoken to him—and
Seth was sick of it. Maybe if she saw that he gave to other charities as well, she’d
finally find it in her heart to forgive him.
    “Grace is expecting you, so feel free to go on back,” the
receptionist said.
    “Thanks.” Seth had purposely scheduled the last
appointment of the day with the hope of getting some extra time with Grace.
    No longer hindered by crutches, Seth pulled the self-closing
door open and walked easily through. He headed toward the workout area then paused
when he spotted Grace near the back of the room, working with a blond guy in a
wheelchair. They were the only two people in the room, which meant Seth’s plan
had paid off. As soon as the blond guy left, he’d get Grace all to himself.
Seth smiled, admiring the way her yoga pants clung to her toned legs and the
way her shirt followed her curves. What would her hair look like out of that
ponytail? Would it feel as soft and silky as it appeared?
    Seth watched her work, admiring the way her muscles
contracted as she assisted the guy with some exercise bands. Beautiful and
confident, Grace patiently coaxed and encouraged. She exuded a casual elegance
not many girls could pull off. No wonder she’d kicked off her heels the night
of the auction. They weren’t her. She was more the type to wear a pair