A few days later I found myself in the middle of the bustle of the Sports Clinic. I was amazed at the range of people I saw and the various treatments. Somehow I thought I would stick out like a sore thumb—the old man in his board shorts among a sea of buff young athletes. But to my surprise there were people older than myself being treated. When I said something to Bella, she shook her head.
"It's not just clinic for the school, Edward—it's open to everyone. We specialize in treating our own athletes but it's not limited to them." Then she glanced around and quickly dropped a soft kiss on my cheek. "And I keep telling you, you're not old."
I wanted to grab her and kiss her some more, but I knew I couldn't. She was trying to be professional and I needed to respect that. I didn't really like it, but I did it.
She offered the use of a private room, but I declined—I knew I'd be here a while. I wanted the chance to see her work and I couldn't do that tucked away alone in some room down the hall.
Garrett, was, as she said, amazing. He did an exam, got my history, then he and Bella spent what felt like an endless amount of time bending, stretching, and recording my range of motion and pain tolerance. The two of them discussed treatments and options—Bella taking notes, nodding furiously as Garrett threw out terms I didn't understand but knew she'd explain.
Finally, he seemed done and told me I could sit back up. "Bella is correct—you have done remarkably well, Edward. You've kept up the strength and your range of motion is pretty good. But we can make it better. You need some of the newer technologies working for you. We'll plot out a new exercise routine you can add to what you're doing and if you put yourself in Bella's capable hands here, I think we can help tone down some of the pain you experience. The better you look after it now, the less trouble it will give you in the future."
"Sounds good."
"Bella tells me you're not one for acupuncture."
"I have my doubts, I admit." I looked over at Bella and winked. "But my girl believes it, so I'm willing to try."
He laughed. "Your girl is very persuasive. Today we're going to try a few things and when you come back you can tell me how you felt afterward, and then we'll go forward. We'll save my voodoo needles for next time." Then he raised his eyebrows knowingly. "And stay off the bull."
I shook his hand, laughing. "Thanks, I will."
He turned to Bella. "Okay. Twenty minutes with the Theratherm, then do a round with the InterX and some soft tissue work."
"Okay."
Garrett moved on to his next patient and Bella smiled. "On your side, please, Edward."
She helped me get comfortable, adding an extra pillow under my hip and one between my legs. She draped a large heating pad over my hip, quietly explaining it was a wet heat that cycled on and off, getting hotter and cooling down. She showed me how to work the controls if I found it too warm. Then she patted my hip and told me to relax for twenty minutes.
Resting on my arm, my gaze followed her around. She was like a beacon to me, and from the admiring glances she kept getting, to many others. She offered her smiles and assistance easily, helping other students and trainers with whatever they required. I could see she was a favorite with everyone—patients, other students, and especially… the athletes. Many of them watched her movements almost as zealously as I did—and she didn't have a clue. I remembered when she told me she loathed people making judgments based on her appearance—she said some people looked at her and dismissed her either as being a nerdy book worm or a silly student with no real opinions due to her age. She felt she was too clumsy to be athletic, too small to be noticed in a crowd, and too curvy to be considered slim.
I had informed her she was in no way plain and she laughed at me, pointing out her ordinary brown hair and eyes and unmemorable face. I spent many hours proving to her I found her anything but ordinary or silly. I pinned her underneath me and one by one, kissed and praised each of her features, holding up her hair in the sunlight to show her the richness of the "ordinary brown," describing the flecks of green and gold in her eyes that were like brilliant explosions of color in her expressive gaze. I tugged on her full lips and nuzzled her little button nose until she was giggling. I told her that her brilliant mind was sexy to me, I valued hearing her opinions and I loved the fact she was, indeed, a bookworm. When I traced my hand over her curves, telling her exactly what they did to me, she blushed. I whispered how well she fit against me and I told her how she was the precise height for me since she could be tucked under my arm and her head fit perfectly under my chin.
Her voice quavered when she told me no one had ever said anything like to her before now. Until she met me, she was a face in the crowd—ordinary and easily overlooked.
I didn't want her to feel ordinary—I wanted her to feel special and unique, because she was. I liked being the one to make her feel special, and I would do everything I could to make sure she always felt that way. I was happy to live with that task.
Except, I could see from the approving stares she was getting, there could easily be a line behind me waiting to take my place. I tried not to glare at any of them, but I was having a difficult time. When a large, obviously well-known jock walked into the clinic, smirking, high-fiving and fist pumping everyone in sight, then scooping Bella off her feet, twirling her around before throwing himself down on a bed for treatment, I felt like getting up and throwing him down for touching her. Bella hooked him up to some sort of ultrasound machine, showing no more interest in him than anyone else, and I relaxed, but only a little. I caught his gaze as he blatantly ogled her and narrowed my eyes at him in warning. He snapped his gaze back to his iPhone.
That's right asshole—keep it there.
I'd never felt this need to claim someone as mine before now. I wanted to grab Bella and kiss her senseless in front of all these jocks so they got the message she was taken. She belonged to me.
It was only the thought of her anger and the words "overgrown frat boy" being screamed at me before she stomped away that stopped me.
The heat pack shut off and Bella slid up beside me. "I'm going to do some work with the InterX."
I regarded the small machine cautiously. "What does it do?"
"I'll put these pads on your skin and hook it up. It sends an electric pulse to your nerves to stimulate them—it promotes better blood flow. It helps with pain and healing as well. It doesn't hurt at all."
"Okay."
She was professional and fast, adjusting the pads and setting the level where I was comfortable. As she ran her hand over my side, she frowned. "You're awfully tense, Edward. Are you uncomfortable?"
"No."
"I can move you to a private room."
"No!"
She leaned down. "What is it?" she asked quietly.
"I don't like how some of them look at you."
She snickered. "They're jocks. They look at all the girls."
"I don't like it." I tilted my head. "I don't like him."
She glanced the ogler's way. "That's Jake. He's a big, friendly dog."
"The mutt needs to stop staring."
"I'm not interested in them—or him." She smiled and winked. "I like my men older…with artificial hips I can work on. Keeps me in practice."
My lips quirked at her subtle teasing. "Don't forget about my rods of steel."
She moved closer, adjusting the pads, her fingers drifting slowly across my skin, her ponytail dragging over my arm. "Oh, I know all about your rod of steel, Mr. Cullen."
I glanced over and saw we were being watched by the ogler. I ran my finger down her arm, tugging on the end of her ponytail.
"Then I guess I'm the guy for you."
She nodded; her voice now serious. "You're the perfect man for me, Edward."
I inhaled sharply at her words.
She placed the heat pad back on my side and adjusted the temp. "This stays on low. It helps keep your muscles warm and makes the machine work better, okay?"
I nodded.
"I'll be back."
I frowned a little.
"What now?" She grinned.
"I thought I'd get your hands on me a little more."
She bent forward, laughing softly as she pretended to adjust my pillow. "I'll have my hands on you soon enough, Mr. Cullen."
I looked up at her from under my lashes—I knew she loved that—pursing my lips. "I'll be waiting."
I might have smirked a little when I was rewarded with the brush of her lips on my cheek. It was fast, hardly more than the ghosting of her lips on my skin, but I felt it.
And I knew the jocks watching her saw it. The ogler certainly did, since his eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened.
Take that assholes.
Mine.
I was able to relax after that.
**BR**
Bella's hands massaging my hip and leg were heaven and hell rolled into one. She found spots I didn't realize ached and soothed them—she used some sort of release technique that made my leg feel great even if there was a brief second or two of discomfort. She watched me carefully, easing back as soon as she felt me tense up. She explained everything she was doing as she pressed and kneaded, pausing on occasion to add more lotion to her hands.
But her hands on me conjured up far too pleasant of memories.
She sighed quietly. "Edward, you need to relax. Jake left, the place is almost empty; why are you still so tense? Am I hurting you?"
I opened my eyes to meet her concerned gaze. "This isn't supposed to hurt. You have to tell me," she pleaded.
"It doesn't hurt," I insisted. "It feels good…really, really good."
"Then…" Her eyes widened and her mouth formed an O. She had to look away, but I saw her saucy smile. "For God's sake, Edward. It's a therapeutic massage not… Think of something else."
"I'm trying."
"Think of Garrett doing this. Jasper in a dress. Me doing this to Jake."
That made me growl and she giggled. But it helped and I let my body ease.
"Garrett says I can borrow the InterX and do some treatments on you at home."
"Does that include the massage?"
She shook her head, grinning. "Yes."
"We'll do those naked."
"Yes, if you want to be naked you can be. I can drape you with a towel."
"No towel. And I want you naked too."
"Edward…"
"The patient is always right."
"That's the customer is always right. You're mixing up your sayings. And besides, you won't be a paying customer at home."
I sniggered softly. "You can take it out in trade, Bella. I'm good with that."
She stood up, wiping her hands. "I think we're done. Stay here until I come back."
Huh.
I was so good and she still walked away muttering about me being an overgrown frat boy.
I should have kissed her.
I think Edward likes Bella's hands-on treatment. And naked massage day? Hells yeah.
Update on Wednesday! Happy Easter to all!
