by Rye Hart
“Well, I went to school,” Tara said, a snarky tone in her voice. “Now I’m here. Not exactly complicated.”
“No, I know. I just meant…” I trailed off, clearing my throat and starting over. Tara did always have a way of throwing me off my game. “It’s good to see you, Tara.”
“You too,” Tara said, though her eyes betrayed the truth. “All right, let’s talk about your injuries.”
“Sure,” I nodded and tried to sit up, but Tara put one hand on my shoulder and held me back. I looked at her fingers, just inches from my face and felt myself burn even hotter. Her touch was more than I could take. She cleared her throat and moved her hand quickly.
“You shouldn’t move,” she said. “Your injuries are quite substantial.”
“I can tell,” I said, wincing at the pain.
“Dr. McGee will discuss things with you when he arrives,” Tara said. “But for now, let’s talk about your leg.”
“Okay.” I nodded.
“Long story short, it’s basically torn to shit,” she said, not bothering to sugarcoat things. I smiled. “You landed on it, and it crumbled, then debris crashed on top of it. Your ligaments are a mess, and you’re going to need some serious physical therapy after you’re discharged to build up the muscles again from disuse. Dr. McGee already did what he could surgically, and that was a success, which is a positive. Still, I won’t lie to you, PT is going to be a bitch.”
“Is that how you talk to your other patients?” Darren asked, disapproval in his voice.
“The grown men?” Tara asked. “Yes. The sweet little eight-year-old girls? No.”
I smiled again. Tara’s wit had always been sharp and hearing her shut down Darren’s insult was a breath of fresh air.
“We’re going to get you through it,” Tara said, turning back to me. “You’re strong. You’re young. You’re healthy. It’ll be hard, but I don’t see any reason why you can’t make a full recovery.”
“What kind of PT are we talking about?” I asked. “Weights? Jogs? That sort of thing?”
Tara shook her head. “No. Not for a while. The first thing we’ll do is some mild stretching and range of motion exercises.”
“Stretching?” I asked, my eyebrows raised. “That’s bullshit.”
Tara’s eyes narrowed. “I’m happy to bring in another therapist if you’d like a second opinion.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I said quickly. “But you don’t have to baby me.”
“Baby you?” Tara scoffed. “The first time you try to stretch that leg, it’s going to feel like a thousand knives are piercing through you. It’s going to be more painful than anything you’ve ever felt. After that, you can tell me if you still want to go on a few jogs.”
“I’m glad to see you haven’t changed much,” I said softly.
Tara’s eyes met mine, and for a second, she softened. It didn’t last long. She got to her feet and walked back around to where Mom and Darren were standing.
“I should get going,” she said. “I have a session downstairs in half an hour. Caleb, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Are you still coming over for dinner tonight?” Mom asked her.
“Yeah,” Tara said, nodding. “Six?”
“Yup,” Darren said. “See you then, sweetheart.”
“Bye Dad,” Tara said. She waved to Mom and hurried from the room.
I watched her go, still in shock by her sudden appearance. Tara Jones. The girl I met when I was seventeen years old. My step sister and so much more. The girl who still occupied more of my mind than I cared to admit. I couldn’t believe, after all these years, she was back in my life.
CHAPTER FOUR - TARA
I was back in that hospital room, leaning over Caleb’s body. This time, we were alone. I hadn’t seen him since we were teenagers. He looked better than ever. His body was bigger, muscles bulging from beneath his hospital gown. My eyes roamed freely over his strong arms, imagining the way they would feel wrapped around my body.
He threw the blanket off himself, letting me trail my eyes down his body. His abs were so tight and defined that I could see them through the gown. I swallowed hard, desperate to rip that thin fabric from his body. His dick was hard, making a tent between his legs. I slid my hand up his thigh, barely grazing the tip of his rock-hard cock before I pulled away.
“Fucking tease,” he growled.
I grinned at him, my eyes locking on his. They were a deep green, darker than I remembered but even more alluring. I searched his face, taking in the sight of his five o’clock shadow and light brown hair. I’d pictured this same face a million times over the past few years but now, seeing it in person, I couldn’t contain myself.
His injuries were forgotten as I crawled on top of him. His hands gripped my hips and our kiss was electric. He sucked on my bottom lip, and I moaned against him, tasting him with a passionate desperation. We kissed long and slow, remembering what it felt like to be together.
Before I knew it, we were naked, fucking in that hospital bed. Caleb took me from behind, slamming into me with a wild abandon I’d never felt before. He slapped my ass and pulled my hair. He reached around to rub my clit, and I came so hard that I collapsed on the bed.
Caleb wasn’t done with me. He flipped me over and lifted me in his strong arms. Holding me against him, he slid me down on his cock. I cried out as we rocked into each other with renewed vigor. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. The sensations Caleb was creating inside my body were erotic and sensual. I moaned and screamed, crying out his name and reveling at the sound of my own on his lips.
Caleb clung to me, fucking me so hard and so fast that I soon saw stars. We both came, our orgasms mingling in a cloud of pleasure. I cried out, releasing my ecstasy into the air around us.
My eyes shot open. I was panting and sweaty, my hand tucked inside my panties. The dream had been so real, so believable that I felt like it was still happening. I rubbed my clit with frantic desperation, searching for the pleasure I’d felt just a moment before.
Caleb’s dark green eyes swam before me. I could still feel his arms wrapped tightly around my body, feel his throbbing cock inside me. My eyes rolled in the back of my head as I brought myself to orgasm. My legs twitched, and I moaned deeply as I came.
It was like Caleb was still right there, holding me and fucking me senseless. I moaned softly and slowly continued to rub my clit, circling my fingers over my dripping pussy and wishing it was Caleb’s fingers instead of my own.
When the waves of pleasure faded, I felt a profound sense of dread fall like a weight in my stomach. I removed my hand from my panties and sighed deeply, frustration and anger brewing at the back of my mind. What did I just do? How could I let myself fantasize about Caleb Lewis? After all these years, hadn’t I put him behind me? Hadn’t I let go of my feelings for him?
I chastised myself for letting him get to me. After one day, being around him one time, I was already back to imagining what it would be like to be with him. I felt like I was seventeen years old again, desperately in love with a boy I couldn’t have. What the hell was wrong with me? How could I let myself act this way again? I wasn’t seventeen anymore. I was a successful twenty-seven-year-old woman. Ten years had passed since the last time I felt Caleb’s lips on mine. He was my past, and I refused to let the memories of him overwhelm my present.
Determined to hold myself together, I jumped out of bed and hurried toward the bathroom. While I showered, I tried to wash away my dream. It had felt so real. I couldn’t shake it, but I knew I had to. Dreaming about Caleb wasn’t an option, not after everything he put me through.
Years ago, I thought Caleb was the love of my life. I convinced myself he was it for me.
When our parents first met, while working at the hospital, we didn’t even know each other. My mom died when I was young, and it had always just been my dad and me. Caleb was a trouble-maker who didn’t want anyone telling him what to do. We each thought it was the worst thing that o
ur parents were dating. In a way, it was. It brought us together. We fell for each other so fast that we didn’t know how to handle it. Our emotions overwhelmed us, and soon, we were reckless in our desperation to be together.
We went so far as to plan an escape. We were going to run away together, leave home and our parents behind. Nothing was going to stop us from loving each other. Nothing except Caleb himself. He changed his mind and left me holding the pieces of my broken heart alone. I was destroyed.
I spent years repairing the damage Caleb caused, and I would be damned if I was going to let him back in now. He was nothing to me anymore. His mother married my father, but we were not family. I worked so hard to avoid seeing him for so many years. I missed countless family holidays and weddings if I knew Caleb was in attendance. Dad supported my decisions because he wanted me to keep my distance from Caleb more than I did. That in combination with Caleb’s military school schedule meant a decade of avoiding a run in. We hadn’t spoken in so long, and now he was my patient. I didn’t know how I would handle being in charge of Caleb’s PT, but I knew I wouldn’t shy away from it. My job was everything to me. Caleb wasn’t going to take that away.
Dad and I talked about me requesting another PT to be assigned to Caleb, but I made the decision that Caleb’s condition was the right challenge to help me excel in my rotations. I told myself that I’d spent enough years apart from Caleb and that I was over him for some time. It turned out that may not have been the total truth.
Why did the asshole have to be so hot? And on top of that a fire fighter who saves lives.
My dad and step mom always had a positive influence on me, because they saved lives for a living. They inspired me to pursue a career where I could do the same. It seemed apparent to me now that Caleb was also influenced by them in his own way. The thought put an involuntary smile on my face.
I got dressed quickly, throwing my wet hair in a bun and pulling on my scrubs. My determination was stronger than ever as I drove toward the hospital. Thankfully, I hadn’t had another headache in two days. I felt healthy and strong, ready to take on this latest challenge.
As I stepped inside the physical therapy office, I waved to my coworkers and sat down at my desk. My first session wasn’t for another two hours, and I had some paperwork to finish. I knew my office work wouldn’t keep me busy for long, but it was a distraction I desperately needed. I threw myself into it, not thinking about Caleb again until Joan came over to my desk.
“You got that firefighter, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Caleb Lewis?” I asked. “Yeah.”
“Lucky bitch,” Joan said, groaning with disappointment.
“What?” I asked.
“He’s so fucking hot,” Joan said. “I did my rounds this morning, and I peeked in on him. God, he is gorgeous.”
“He’s a patient,” I said firmly.
“A hot patient.” Joan laughed. I rolled my eyes and tried to keep my annoyance in check.
“I should probably go check in on him,” I said.
“Pinch his ass for me,” Joan said, wagging her eyebrows.
I ignored her and hurried out of the room. Anger was boiling inside me as I made my way to Caleb’s floor. I could barely see straight as I replayed Joan’s words in my mind. She was always that way, eager to throw herself at any hot doctor or patient who looked her way. It was exhausting but also entertaining. Until now.
I clenched my fists at my side as I thought about her hitting on Caleb. Shaking myself, I tried to relax. What did it matter if Joan hit on Caleb? I didn’t care who he dated. It wasn’t my business, and it never would be. With that thought in mind, I squared my shoulders and stepped into his room.
I walked quietly toward his bed. He was asleep, tucked deep beneath his blankets. I watched him for a second before I turned my attention to Cathy. She was sitting beside his bed, wearing her nurse’s scrubs.
“Are you working today?” I asked, keeping my voice down.
She nodded. “I wish I wasn’t. I don’t want to leave him.”
“He’ll be okay,” I said, patting her shoulder. “He has a team of doctors.”
“I know.” She sighed. “He’s still in so much pain, though. I worry they won’t take care of him if I’m not here to browbeat them into it.”
I laughed. “I’m sure Caleb can handle himself.”
“I’m glad you decided to keep him as your patient. I can’t think of anyone else who would do a better job. Are you here for his PT already?” Cathy asked.
“Not yet.” I shook my head. “Just making my rounds, checking on my patients.”
Cathy nodded, a knowing look in her eyes. I glanced down at my feet, suddenly unable to hold her gaze. My past relationship with her son wasn’t a secret. My dad and Cathy both knew about us. I always suspected that was why they insisted on sending him to military school ten years ago.
“I should get to work,” Cathy said, sighing and getting to her feet.
“I’ll check in on him in later,” I said, reassuring her. “He’ll be okay.”
Cathy nodded and left. I kept my eyes on Caleb for a few more minutes. I didn’t want him to be alone, but I knew I shouldn’t care. With a sigh, I forced myself to follow Cathy’s lead and get back to work. I had other patients to check on, and I couldn’t spend my entire day dwelling on the boy who once stole my heart and tore it to pieces.
CHAPTER FIVE - CALEB
The sun was high in the sky when I finally woke up on Monday. With a glance at the clock, I saw it was already well into the afternoon. After getting a fresh round of painkillers at about four a.m., I had passed out and slept for hours. My body needed the rest, but I still felt horrible for sleeping all day. My leg was sore, but my back finally felt better. Dr. McGee assured me it wasn’t injured, just sore from my fall. With the painkillers still coursing through my veins, I felt better.
I slowly pushed myself up, adjusting my pillows and leaning back with a groan. Every part of my body felt like lead, but I was just grateful the pain had finally faded. The night before had been harsh. Not only did I spend most of it writhing in unbearable pain, but my mind constantly spun around thoughts of Tara.
Seeing her again felt like something between a dream and a nightmare. When she’d walked into my hospital room the other day, my entire life changed in an instant. It had been ten years since I’d laid eyes on her, and after what I’d done, I was sure, step-siblings or not, I never would again. After I finished to military school, Tara went off to college. By the time I enlisted in the army, she hadn’t been home in months.
I stayed away for a long time, only returning home when I had no choice. During those times, Tara stayed at school, and when she started PT school, I was discharged from the army and became a firefighter. Our lives were always circling around each other, but they never intersected until now.
A part of me wondered if Darren didn’t plan things that way. It was his sole mission to keep me away from his daughter when we were seventeen. He did everything in his power to break us up, and when he couldn’t, he convinced my mother to send me away. It wasn’t entirely his fault. My behavior back then was borderline criminal. I was even on the verge of getting expelled from school, but Darren never would have suggested something as harsh as military school if it hadn’t been for my relationship with Tara.
I couldn’t blame him. No father would want their daughter with a guy like me. Even now I knew Darren would never approve of us being together, but that didn’t stop me from wondering. All night, I switched between cursing my nurses while fighting through my pain and remembering how it felt to hold Tara, to kiss her lips, to hear her whisper my name.
I barely slept that night, so when Dr. McGee finally ordered another round of painkillers, I was grateful. Not only did I get a reprieve from the pain but my thoughts of Tara finally faded while I slipped into oblivion. My dreams were scattered and incoherent. Nothing came into focus except Tara’s face. I dreamed of her pale blue eyes on and off throughout
the day, and when I finally woke, they were the first thing I saw.
I groaned and rolled over, trying to keep myself awake without making the pain return. Five minutes later, a nurse came hurrying into my room.
“Oh!” she said, surprised to see me sitting up. “You’re finally awake.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Those painkillers are no joke.”
“You needed your rest,” she said with a knowing nod. “How’s your pain today?”
“Better,” I said. “I think the painkillers are still working.”
“That’s great.” She smiled and moved to take my vitals. I fell silent while she took my blood pressure and temperature. She jotted a few things down on my chart and then turned toward me with a furrowed brow. “Is there anything I can do for you? Do you want the T.V. remote?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m fine right now.”
“Your physical therapist was doing the rounds earlier,” she said. “I’ll let her know you’re awake now.”
“Tara?” I asked, hope blooming in my chest.
The nurse nodded and smiled. She hurried from the room, and I felt my heart begin to race. I hadn’t expected to see Tara again so soon, but the prospect of seeing her face was enough to send waves of excitement coursing through my body.
It was another ten minutes before she arrived. In that time, I adjusted my position twelve times, trying to find the most comfortable position that would make me seem the least weak. I hated that Tara was seeing me this way: broken and bedridden. It wasn’t my proudest moment.
When she came into my room, I smiled and watched her walk toward me. She was wearing the same outfit from before. Her body looked even better today, now that my mind wasn’t clouded with pain. The seventeen-year-old I held in my memory couldn’t hold a candle to the woman standing before me.
Her body swayed just right with every step she took. Her curves had always been enticing, but now that she was older, they were more defined. She exuded confidence, and that alone was enough to make me hard beneath my hospital blankets. I swallowed and told myself to get it together. If I couldn’t control myself around Tara, this would never work.
