Stuck On The Sidelines E-Book

Mary E. Thompson

• Herausgeber: BluEyed Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Chloe has one rule: don’t date the patients. Her job is to help them recover from their injuries, not to fall all over herself. Following that rule was never an issue. Until Andy. 
Andy doesn’t believe in love. He vowed he’d never put another person through the kind of pain his father caused his mother. It was easier to keep people at a distance than watch someone he cared about slowly slip away. 
Close quarters and compromising positions push Chloe and Andy closer together every day. She starts to dream of love, marriage, and a future she never thought she’d have. But for Andy, it’s the opposite. He doesn’t believe in happily ever after, or a dream life. 
But that was all before Chloe. 

Leseprobe

STUCK ON THE SIDELINES

A SMALL TOWN SPORTS ROMANCE

PARADISE PARK

BOOK THREE

MARY E THOMPSON

Stuck on the Sidelines

Paradise Park series, book three

Copyright © 2014 Mary E Thompson

Cover Copyright © 2023 Mary E Thompson

Cover Photo (man) from depositphotos, Copyright © Goodluz

Cover Photo (soccer) from depositphotos, Copyright © agnieszka

Cover Photo (striped background) from depositphotos, Copyright © A-R-T-U-R

Cover Photo (wood background) from depositphotos, Copyright © Alexis84

Published by BluEyed Press, All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, businesses, locations, and events are either products of the author’s creative imagination or are used in a fictitious sense. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9899954-9-8

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

About the Author

CHAPTER1

“Oh, come on, I know you can do it again, maybe even twice, but you have to stop being such a wimp about it,” Chloe Davis said softly to the man beneath her. He was stretched out at her whim, panting and grunting. And she was smiling, thoroughly enjoying herself as she sprawled over top of him.

“Maybe I should come back later,” the voice said from behind her. Chloe knew that voice. It was the voice that could not only irritate the piss out of her but also twist her in knots tighter than she put her physical therapy patients in.

Andy Taylor.

Chloe’s nipples stood on end, but not because of the man beneath her. Only because of the man behind her. The one she couldn’t see but could feel. The one who she knew was checking out her ass in her tight yoga pants, the black ones that always made her feel good because they hugged her just right.

What the hell was he doing there? Andy was Chloe’s patient over the summer after he hurt his knee in a soccer game. As the varsity coach for Paradise Park East High School, Andy tended to think he was still one of the high school kids instead of admitting he was more than ten years older than them and in much worse shape.

Not that you could tell by looking at him.

Every ounce of Andy said he was built like a Mack truck. He was broad and strong and steady. But Chloe knew the truth, he was a wimp. He whined and cried, well maybe not real tears, during almost every one of their sessions.

Even that didn’t turn her off, as much as she wanted it to.

The sexual chemistry between them was as thick as the muggy summer heat outside during their sessions, but Chloe had a strict no fraternization policy and Andy didn’t try anything.

Thank God.

But he was back. Which could only mean one thing.

He’d gotten stupid and hurt himself. Again.

Chloe slowly crawled off the man she was laying across, a fifty year old man who was married to a friend of her mom’s. Gerald breathed a sigh of relief at the loss of tension Chloe created in his body. Chloe slowly stood and turned around to face Andy, bracing herself for whatever she was sure to find.

Nothing could have prepared her. Not a damn thing would have helped.

In the two months since she’d seen him he’d gotten insanely hotter, his sun-highlighted hair now darker, a two day growth on his face, and his t-shirt stretched tight across the broad shoulders and chest Chloe used to be pressed against three times each week. His jeans hung low on his hips, threatening to slide off and give Chloe the most pleasure she’d had in too long to think about.

Her mouth dried up and watered at the same time, wanting to both lick him head to toe and suck all the moisture from his damp lips and mouth into hers.

But she held firm, knowing there wasn’t any point. He wasn’t there for her. The crutches under his armpits made that clear. He was back for more therapy, this time it looked worse.

“What did you do now? Pretending to be one of the kids again?”

Andy offered her a slanted grin, one that threatened the clothes on her body, and hung his head sheepishly. “I was trying to show them a new move and got the ball tangled under my feet. I twisted my knee pretty bad. The MRI said nothing’s torn, but the doc said I need to come back to see you.”

Andy balanced on his good right leg and crutch to dig paperwork out of his back pocket. Chloe wanted to offer to get it for him, but she knew one touch wouldn’t be enough from him. She’d want to close her office and touch him everywhere for the rest of the day.

When he offered the paperwork, Chloe stepped closer, pulling the sheet free from his hand. She read the referral from his orthopedist indicating the results of the MRI and the details of his injury. In her head Chloe started planning out his therapy, already working on getting him out the door, and out of her life. Again.

“I see you’ve upgraded your clientele,” Andy whispered into her ear. “He looks just your type.”

Chloe stepped back. It was the closest Andy had ever gotten to her, voluntarily, and the erotic feel of his breath on her ear, almost feeling his lips as they moved, nearly knocked her down. She glanced behind her to Gerald, still lying in his back on the mat, his arms resting to his sides, and smiled.

“You know I don’t turn clients away. I’m here to help whoever needs me.”

Andy nodded like he believed her. “So I guess it was just a coincidence that before and after my appointments last time were always men that made you drool?”

Chloe turned sharply back to him and poked a finger in his chest. “I do not drool over my clients. And besides that, every client is allowed to select his or her own time slot. It’s not my fault you hotties all stick together.”

Andy’s eyebrows shot into his hair. “You think I’m hot? Isn’t that interesting.”

“Whatever,” Chloe declared as she walked away. ‘Shit,’ she thought. ‘Five seconds with him and I’m a babbling fool.’ She knew she wouldn’t ever live that one down, but it didn’t matter. Nothing would ever happen with Andy.

Ever.

“You know the drill. I’m guessing you’re here for your intro session but you can see I’m busy. You can get into the schedule and pick an available time slot.”

Chloe listened to the click-clack of his crutches as they crossed the floor. “Actually,” he bellowed from the waiting area. “It looks like you’re pretty quiet right now. I’d rather just wait until you’re done and we can get started.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. She wasn’t prepared to deal with Andy right then. She needed to get her head in line and convince her body to behave before she was in close proximity to him. The last time he’d been there she made sure there was always someone else in the building so nothing would happen. She didn’t want to admit how attracted to him she was, but she knew not to trust herself.

Andy settled himself into one of the chairs in her waiting room. He looked too big for the small chairs, like a parent sitting at his kid’s play table. His long legs stretched out in front of him and he winced as he stretched his knee just a little too far. He used his hands to pull his knee back up and settled himself into a comfortable position. He dropped his head back and rested it against the wall behind him, clearly not moving any time soon.

A quick glance at the clock told Chloe she had only ten minutes left with Gerald. She knew asking him to stay would be silly, but she considered it as she walked back over to where he was still lying on the mat. The rest of the building was deserted, including her cleaning crew that didn’t come until after eight. It was only ten to six. A session with Andy would take her until seven o’clock.

Accepting her fate, Chloe focused on Gerald. “It’s time to do your cool down. Let’s get you up on your feet and finish your stretches and then you can walk for five minutes.”

Gerald nodded as he rolled to his side. He propped himself up and stood next to Chloe. She went through the motions, showing him how to do each stretch. If he needed an adjustment, which he did on almost every one, she moved him into the correct position then let him stretch for a few seconds.

Once he was thoroughly stretched, Chloe turned on the treadmill for a stroll. Gerald had worked hard. He was recovering from a pulled groin muscle and his wife insisted he come to Chloe. Kathleen knew Chloe’s mom and believed in her talents enough to send her injured husband, a huge confidence boost if Chloe ever got one.

She went to her office while Gerald walked and made notes about his progress. She knew he was doing well and that he would be done with therapy soon. Kathleen would be happy because then she could put him back to work around the house. Gerald would be pissed.

When Chloe stepped out of her office Gerald was stepping off the treadmill. He walked over to her and said, “Thanks, Chloe.”

“You’re welcome. You know the drill, rest tonight and then do your stretches tomorrow morning to loosen it up. You’ll be good as new soon.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Gerald quipped. He winked at her and headed for the door. Chloe followed behind him, waving as he passed through. She turned the lock, not liking to be there so late at night and worried about anyone else coming in while she worked with Andy.

She turned and faced him, only to find him watching her with a silent intensity. A wry smile teased his lips, “Are you locking me in so you can take advantage of me, Ms. Davis?”

Chloe rolled her eyes and stalked off, leaving him to follow her on his own, if he cared to. Chloe went about wiping down the equipment in the gym she and Gerald had used, making sure everything was clean before Andy got in the room. Just as she finished wiping down the treadmill she felt him behind her.

Like, right behind her.

Chloe turned and was nearly in Andy’s arms. “Hi,” he whispered.

“Hi?” she answered, confused. Chloe had no idea how he’d snuck up on her using his crutches but somehow he had. And he was standing close enough for her to smell him. She knew how dangerous that was because he smelled amazing, like fresh air and rain, and hotter than hell man.

Chloe took a deep breath, against her better judgement, and found herself leaning toward him. He leaned in at the same moment, as though her deep breath had pulled his whole body toward her.

They paused, less than a breath apart, and Chloe studied his lips. Her tongue darted out to lick her own, pulling her bottom lip back into her mouth with her tongue. Andy growled and closed the distance between them, his mouth on hers before she could take another breath.

His crutches clanged to the floor as his arms came around her. Chloe pressed into every last nook and cranny of his contours, molding her body against his. Each soft inch of her body was met with a hard inch of his, including many hard inches against her belly.

She groaned.

Andy took advantage of it and slid his tongue into her mouth, seeking hers. His arms tightened around her, his tongue exploring her, tasting her.

Chloe’s hands went to his hair, now dark and long, curling just above the collar of his shirt. She gripped his hair, enjoying the feel of the soft locks between her fingers. Andy’s hands splayed across her back, one on top of the other reaching from her shoulders all the way down to her ass, where his hand played with the skin between her shirt and pants.

Heat and desired filled her. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe, without it being filled with Andy. She had no idea what had happened, but all of a sudden he defined her. He was all she wanted.

And if the thick rod pressed into her was any indication, he was feeling something similar.

Andy backed her up slightly, pressing her back to the treadmill behind her. He stumbled slightly, pulling back as the pain buckled his knee. He caught himself on the treadmill and trapped her between his arms.

Fear and guilt washed over her like an icy shower, stopping her aching libido from letting her do something she would surely regret. Or at least from doing something else she’d regret.

Chloe came up for air, needing to stop whatever they were doing. She couldn’t act that way, not with a client. She wouldn’t risk someone getting hurt because her focus was thrown off. And that’s exactly what was going to happen if she let herself get involved with Andy.

Before Chloe could say anything Andy spoke, “Fuck that was even better than I’d imagined it would be. I’ve wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you.”

Something in her heart chipped, as if the wall she’d put up between herself and her clients was threatened, but she shook her head and told herself it wasn’t possible. She wouldn’t let him get to her.

None of them ever got to her. Chloe wouldn’t allow it. She was good at helping others and she wouldn’t jeopardize that. Chloe had always wanted to help people. Growing up her parents always fawned over her brother, Brandon, leaving Chloe to seek their approval with every turn. It wasn’t until she was in physical therapy that she met an adult who was proud of her and told her so. She’d been on track to get a scholarship for soccer when she hyperextended her knee. With Dr. Craig’s help she was able to play again and she found a career path that excited her.

Dr. Craig Wyatt made Chloe feel like she could do anything. He was almost like a father to her, although she’d never tell her own father that. Dr. Craig taught Chloe everything she knew about being a therapist and even gave her an internship when she was in grad school. He helped her set up her practice when she was ready and they refer patients to each other all the time.

Chloe wouldn’t be where she was without Dr. Craig.

“This can’t happen. Whatever this is. It can’t happen,” Chloe stated matter-of-factly.

Andy’s arms were still around her, his erection still digging in to her stomach. His smile faded from pure joy to confused irritation. “Why the hell not? That was the hottest kiss of my life. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t do that as often as possible. That and anything else we can think of. Preferably with less clothes.”

Chloe shook her head and extracted herself from his arms. He didn’t want to let her go, that was obvious, but he did. She spun away from him, unable to focus when she was looking at him, and the big problem trying to break free in his pants. “I don’t date clients, past or present. You could get hurt if I’m not completely focused on helping you get better. I won’t risk that.”

“I’m a big boy, Chloe. I can handle myself.” He tried to take a step toward her and stumbled, his knee giving out again under the full weight of his body.

Chloe heard him stumble and turned to see him holding himself up on the arm of the treadmill. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I never should have let you drop your crutches. Fuck, one kiss and I’ve already made things worse. We can’t do this.”

Andy bent low and picked up his crutches, setting them carefully under his arms. “See, I’m fine. No worse off than when I walked in here. Except now I’m hard as a rock and I know you’re not interested.”

“It’s not that, Andy. You’re a very attractive man, but…”

“Nope. I get it. You don’t date patients. Whatever. Let’s just get on with my therapy so I can get out of your way and you never have to see me again.”

Chloe let the disappointment and pain sink in. Any time she’d had to tell a client she wouldn’t date him because of their working relationship, it bothered her. But none had hurt like that. None took a bit of her out with the words.

None were Andy.

CHAPTER2

Andy was pissed. He’d thought there could be something between him and Chloe and when he’d hurt his knee again he almost cheered when his doc told him he would need more physical therapy. Dr. Hudson didn’t want to send him back to Chloe, worrying that she didn’t do a good job with him if he was injured again so soon after his last issue, but Andy insisted.

He wasn’t willing to see anyone but Chloe.

Except she was making it pretty clear she wanted nothing to do with him. Well, maybe not nothing. The way she pressed her sexy little body into his and kissed him with all she had, Andy was pretty certain she wanted him as much as he wanted her. But her damn rules about not dating patients sucked.

Andy wasn’t really looking for a whole lot of dates. Enough to have some fun through this round of therapy. Over the summer Chloe’s tight yoga pants and equally tight body nearly drove him over the edge. Andy tried to relieve the ache she caused, but no one else would do. He knew if he was dreaming of Chloe, she had to be the one sharing his bed.

Otherwise he might call out the wrong name during sex.

Again.

Then again, a part of him was happy she set those rules. He’d seen the men she had as clients over the summer and only kept his hands off her because he was sure she was dating at least one of them. They were probably there for the same reason he was, the hot therapist was good at what she did, but when she laid out over you to get your stretches just right… Andy walked out with more than one throbbing erection over the summer.

He was determined not to leave with another one, but instead to get Chloe to help him out.

Kissing her had been a risk. She could have slapped him or kicked him or called the cops on him. But when she said hi in that breathless voice then sucked in a breath like she couldn’t stand being so close to him without drawing his scent to her, Andy lost it. He had to taste her, touch her body, feel her skin under his fingers. If he’d had his way she’d be sprawled out under him begging him for more already, but instead she was standing just out of reach glaring at him.

“I’m sorry, Andy, but I won’t risk you getting hurt just because I find you attractive. That’s not fair to you and it’s not ethical.”

“Screw ethics Chloe. It’s not like we would be doing anything wrong, just two consenting adults enjoying each other’s company. How is it unethical to let someone in? I like you, that’s it. I’m not proposing marriage or asking you to use your client list to coerce someone into a threesome. The summer was borderline torture, you felt it too. I can’t go through therapy again with you and not have you.”

“Maybe you should find another therapist then because it can’t happen. I won’t let you get hurt just because you want to get laid.”

Andy glared at her and she looked right back. It was more to him than getting laid, but he wouldn’t admit that, even to himself. He’d tried to forget her. In the two months since his last session with Chloe he’d gone out with more women than he could count, but he couldn’t put her out of his head. He’d lean in to kiss them and Chloe’s face would pop into his head. He’d cup their breasts and wonder if Chloe’s would feel the same. His fingers would drift over their bare skin and he’d imagine how Chloe felt.

It sucked.

Andy had taken more cold showers since he’d met Chloe than in his entire life. It didn’t help. He’d climb out of a cold shower, shivering, with a throbbing erection bobbing ahead of him as he walked. He’d wake up from dreams about her and nearly burst before he got to the bathroom.

At first Andy told himself he needed to get her out of his system, have one night with her and then he could move on. The longer it went on the more he knew one night wouldn’t be enough. He needed to taste every inch of her, touch every part, and, perhaps most importantly, feel her body wrap around him as he slid into her.

His best friend, and assistant coach, Chris Wiser, told him he was losing it. Andy was pretty sure that was true, but as he stood looking at Chloe, steam pouring from her ears as she stared him down, he nearly laughed. She looked so sexy trying to put him off. Her black yoga pants curved with her body and let him know she was hiding a damn sexy figure under there. Her cobalt blue top was slightly askew from their make-out session, and her pouty lips were still wet and bruised from his kisses. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“You’re the best physical therapist in town Chloe. I’m not going anywhere else. I know you’d never let me get hurt. And I’m not just interested in getting laid. If that were the case, I would have taken care of it over and over again since I saw you.”

He saw the spark in her eyes and had to hold in the grin that threatened to pull his face apart. She was pissed. Hopefully a little jealous too, but definitely pissed off. He knew it was a risk throwing that in her face, but Andy couldn’t hold it back. He knew he couldn’t tell her the whole truth, so it was better to make her angry than it was to risk her finding out how badly he wanted her.

“Well great,” Chloe snapped, “then we won’t have any trouble at all. You can go have yourself taken care of whenever you want and I can do my job. Get on the bike and ride for five minutes to get started. We’ll go from there.”

Andy saw the pain in her eyes before she turned away from him. His heart sunk, knowing he caused that pain. He reached out to her as she walked past him but she skirted out of his reach, stepping up onto the treadmill to miss him, on her way to her office. Andy watched her go but she never looked back at him, as though he wasn’t even there anymore.

With a heavy sigh, Andy headed to the stationary bike. He propped up his crutches on the arm of the treadmill next to him then gingerly climbed onto the bike. He started pedaling slowly, testing his knee for strength. It felt okay so he went a bit harder, remembering that Chloe had always told him the warm-up is not the place to push himself.

He stared at the wall and mentally kicked himself for being such a jerk to her. He was only making it harder on himself by upsetting her. He’d wanted to tell her his attraction wasn’t just about getting off, but about being with her, and he’d insulted her. If he was ever going to get her to go out with him, let alone sleep with him, he had to be a lot nicer.

Chloe walked out of her office when the timer hit five minutes. “You can stop. Start on your stretches. We’ll do the same ones we started with before. Do you remember them?”

Andy nodded.

“Good. You can start whenever you’re ready. Since you’re on crutches now you’ll have to be a lot more careful. If the stretch is something that makes you feel unsteady, go lightly and always hold on to the wall or a machine. It’ll be best for you to do most of your stretches while lying down or standing on both feet. Don’t do any that have you on one foot.”

“Okay,” Andy said as he got off the bike. He used his crutches to get to the wall then used it to lower himself to the floor. Chloe stood watch with her arms crossed over her chest as Andy stretched his hamstrings, quads, calves, and shins. He wanted to ask her to help him or to make sure he was doing everything right, but he kept his mouth shut. If he appeared to be questioning her, Chloe might turn him over to someone else anyway.

Plus, he knew what he was doing. He’d been doing the stretches for the last two months on his own to keep his knee flexible after his last injury. The only reason he wanted Chloe to correct him was so he could feel her soft fingers on him.

He knew he was torturing himself wanting her. Just being in the same room with her again was enough to make him crazy. He wanted her even more than the last time he’d been there. Another six or eight weeks with her and he’d be a pissed off asshole all the time instead of just most of the time. Hell, at the rate he was going his whole team would probably quit. That or he’d get fired.

“Straighten your knee a bit more,” Chloe said, interrupting his thoughts.

He glanced up at his toes, dangling in the air above his face. Lost in his thoughts, he’d unconsciously started to loosen the tension on his knee and allowed it to bend, and stop stretching. He straightened his leg and felt the pull of the muscles as they stretched. It didn’t hurt, but it definitely didn’t feel good.

Therapy had only been worthwhile because he’d seen Chloe. The actual therapy part of it sucked for Andy. He hated being pushed to his breaking point and he hated feeling stupid for causing these problems himself.

Andy had turned 30 in the spring and was fighting how old he’d started to feel. His players were 18 at the oldest and he was starting to feel like he was closer to their dad’s ages than the big brother he’d always seen himself as. He was no longer the cool coach they would come to if they needed something, he was just another one of the adults.