Tackling Love - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,41
the time you get yourself in there.”
With my arm awkwardly slung over his shoulder, I let Gray carry me. If I’m truthful, my knee is killing me, so not walking on it feels so much better. Wolf whistles pierce the air, but Gray keeps walking, past fans who shout at him, players who tease him, and then we are in the locker room.
“Lady coming through,” yells Gray.
“Why did you yell that?”
“Most of the guys if they’re still here, and a lot will be, could be naked. It’s our inner sanctum.”
Looking around, I see my first bare ass and close my eyes. Gray laughs and keeps moving. It’s not until he places me on a bench, I dare open them again.
“Who have you got here, Gray?” asks a man in a white polo shirt and khaki shorts.
“Hey, Dr. Reed, this is Skye Hadley. She’s Colt’s girl. She had a bit of a tumble in the parking lot. Can you patch her up?”
The man is only in his early thirties, tanned, short back and sides with sparkling green eyes. He smiles at me and nods. “Of course, I can. Now, what have you done to yourself, young lady?”
“I tripped.” I hold up my scraped palms and point at my knee. “I’m such a klutz.”
The doctor touches my knee first, and I jump.
“You’ve done a good job. I’m going to need to clean your wounds first.”
He walks away, and I glance at Gray.
“Thanks, Gray… for bringing me.”
“No problem. Will you be okay if I leave you here for a little while to go shower?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
Gray gives me his best smile and leaves me in what I assume is the treatment room. Within moments, Dr. Reed comes back in. He kneels in front of me and frowns at the wound, then applies liquid to a cloth and wipes it over my knee. The pain is instant, and I suck in air through gritted teeth as tears well in my eyes, and I grip the side of the bench I’m on with my one good hand.
“Sorry.” A door behind him opens, and another younger man walks in. “Ah… Jimmy, meet Skye. Colt’s girl. She had a fall. Can you hold this on here for a moment?”
“Hey, Skye.” Jimmy smiles warmly at me. “And sure, Doc.”
Jimmy holds the wad of gauze on my knee as Dr. Reed looks at my hands.
“I need to clean these up, too.”
It’s then I realize just how much they hurt. Slowly, doc unfurls my fingers so he can get a better look at my palms.
“Hmm, looks like something has gone in under the skin. I’m going to go find something to ease the pain. Jimmy, do you have this?”
“Yes, Doc, I’m good.” Jimmy smiles at me. “So, how long have you known Colt?”
“Not very long. I’m not his girl.”
“No? Why’d Doc say you were?”
“Grayson Moore told him I was.”
“But you’re not?”
“No… I don’t know… things are complicated.”
“Always are with the quarterbacks. You should have picked someone else on the team. Quarterbacks are love-them-and-leave-them types. Colt is no exception.”
Before I can reply, Dr. Reed comes back into the room, black bag in his hand.
“Okay, Skye, I’m going to numb your palm.” He opens the bag and pulls out a vial and a syringe. I feel the blood drain out of my face at the thought of getting a needle.
“Whoa, Doc, I think she’s going to pass out.”
Dr. Reed chuckles. “Not a fan of needles? How about we lie you down?”
Jimmy scoops my legs onto the table, and I lay back, instantly feeling better. I turn my head as the doc holds the needle over my palm.
“Little pinch,” says Doc, and that’s when I feel the sting of the needle going in. “I’m going to leave that for a minute and check out your other hand.” Doc moves around the table and inspects it. “This one is only grazed. Jimmy, can you put some antiseptic on this and give it a good clean?”
Jimmy nods and pours liquid onto a cloth and wipes my palm while Dr. Reed goes back to my other hand. I wince as Jimmy cleans my torn skin. When I look back at the doc, he’s pulling out a chunk of glass from my hand.
That’s when everything goes black.
A foul stench hits my senses, and I push the offending smell away.
“She’s awake.”
My eyes fly open, and Gray is standing over me with Dr. Reed who has a small vial in his hand.
Jimmy is nowhere to be seen.
“I passed