There it was. Her blessing freely given.More like borderline foisted, if she were honest.
He gave her a half-smile. “Yeah. Maybe I should.”
.~* * * ~.
T.J. watched from aluminumbleachers, humbled. In addition to inspiration, he got a fair dose of shame.His perfectly working limbs were an embarrassment of riches around the NoExcuses! team, yet they were the well-adjusted ones.Go figure.
The wheelchair team blew him away. Not because of their athleticskills, which were impressive, but because of their attitude, their loyalty to one another, their fierceness to not onlylive, but own a world that had shit on them.
He sat among wives and girlfriends cheering from thesidelines, women who obviously loved and cared about these men. Who were intheir corners. And he found himself envying thedisabled guys. They reminded him of all he’d never had, all he hadn’t deserved.
The game ended, and Mark rolled over and tugged a prettywoman into his wheelchair. She landed on his lap with a squeal, and he laid anembarrassingly long kiss on her lips.
He scanned her face and, looking at her with a beamingsmile, said, “T.J., this is my wife, Carla.”
Firmly wrapped up in Mark’s beefy arms, Carla gave T.J. ashy hello. Guy had no legs—they were blown off by an IED in Afghanistan—yethe’d met and married Carla after he’d gone through what would havecrushed most men’s spirits. He’d told T.J. he’d had plenty of down days butfinally decided nothing was going to change, so he might as well live as thougheach hour was his last. No excuses.
T.J. thought he knew what that meant, but he’d been wrong.
Mark gave him a chin jerk. “Bring your girl next time.”
T.J. raked his fingers through his hair. “Haven’t got one tobring.”
Carla’s brows climbed her forehead. So did Mark’s. “Right.You’re just afraid to bring her because you know once she gets a load ofus studs, she’ll drop your ass in a hot second.” Mark’s eyes darted to hiswife, still in his lap. “Right, babe?”
Carla gave him an eye-roll, then toT.J. she said, “I’ve got a cousin—”
T.J. held up his hand. “Thanks, but I’m not in the market.” Becausethe only woman I’m remotely interested in is so out of bounds I’d need aspecial permit approved by five different government agencies to be with her. Heshot Carla an apologetic look. “No offense, Carla.”
Her smile told him she hadn’t taken any.
He stared at the couple for a beat, then his uncensoredmouth went rogue. “It’s nice you two got together.” Where the fuck had that comefrom, and why the hell was he going all soft and mushy lately? He had no clue,but his man card was on the verge of being revoked. Permanently.
Funny thing was it hadn’t been a hollow platitude. He wasglad Mark had someone like Carla, just like he wasglad Miller had Paige.
His mind jumped to May and Natalie, and his ridiculous,squishy feels evaporated, especially when he realized how alone hewas—and how that wasn’t about to change anytime soon.
Shoving his pity party down deep, he focused instead onthese guys and the idea that had sprouted in his head and grown legs after he’dtalked to Miller. If he couldn’t help himself, he might as well help them.
CHAPTER 17
Of Porn Stars and Drug Dealers
The next morning, before T.J. couldcorral him, Ford bounded from the car and hauled his dog ass to Natalie’s frontdoor, where he sat and barked. She opened up, a grin splitting her face. Heredemeanor told him his texts hadn’t put her off. Thank God. He wasn’tabout to remind her by apologizing. Instead, he considered it a bullet dodgedand let the whole awkward episode go.
“Is my handsome boy happy to see me?” she sang to the dog.Ford jolted upright and began cavorting around her legs. She was dressed inbright, stretchy pants that hugged her lean, shapely legs.
T.J. released an inner sigh, picturing himself the object ofher affectionate cooing. His mind nimbly segued to those legs wrapped aroundhis waist. Following her inside, he conceded that if not for Kevin May, he’d bein deep, deep shit with this woman who both enchanted and terrified him.
“Uh, sorry about the texts.” Pulled his hand htrough his hair. His eyes caught on a boxy green nylonbag, a cowboy hat, and a pair of gray waders. “What time will you be back?”
She glanced at a sportsman-style watch strapped to herwrist. “Drew has a hot date, so four-ish. Does thatwork?”
“Perfect. I’ve got plenty to do today.” And I’ll comeback late enough to avoid the brother. Practice, extra training, and teammeetings awaited. All things Kevin May couldn’t do. Shit, he hated when those stealththoughts blindsided him, which they did way too much.
T.J. hadn’t seen May since his ex had thrown him out, andhis updates had mostly come from Natalie. Tom Carlisle’s warning to stop intel-gatheringreplayed in his head, but he couldn’t resist one last chance.
“So how’s your boyfriend doing?”
Natalie flinched, and his stomach clenched. “Better. Lookslike he’s moving into a brain retraining facility soon.” Her words left him breathingeasier—guy was on the mend—but why did she sound so unhappy? Girl should’vebeen over the moon.
“Is everything okay between you guys? Not that it’s any ofmy business.” He held his breath.
She stared at him, her eyebrows riding up and down her foreheadlike the elevators in his building. Christ, he wished he could read her.
“Um … for now.”
He held his gaze steady, trying not to infer too much fromher cryptic comment. Her amber eyes dimmed a bit, thenquickly livened again when Ford launched himself against T.J.
“Jesus, dog! How many times I gottatell you not to knock me over?” Ford’s response was to smear himself againstT.J.’s legs.
Natalie laughed. “Maybe he doesn’t want you to go.”
He ruffled Ford’s head. “I’ll be back this afternoon. Maybeyour pretty dog-sitter will have more coffee cake for us.”
A flush crept up her cheeks. It was a good look on her,turning her smooth skin a beautiful shade of light bronze. He could’ve sworn aspark flashed in her coppery-gold eyes. His tongue tieditself
