“Oh.”
I took a moment to process that and Erik waited while I did.
Finally, I asked, “What’s wrong with my posture?”
“You’re putting your weight over your right leg.”
I interrupted. “That’s the only leg I have left.”
He gave me an arch look, which was the first expression that hadn’t been one hundred percent professional.
“I did notice that your left leg ends below the knee. But you have a good quality prosthetic which allows you to distribute your weight evenly. You’re instinctively leaning away from what you perceive to be a weakness in your body. But this prosthetic is sturdy and your thigh is strong.”
I opened my mouth. Then closed it.
“What is it?” he asked.
His voice was so warm and calm. His presence was so solid. Even though he was barely older than I was, he felt like someone who knew what he was talking about.
Maybe that’s why I answered him.
“I’m afraid it will collapse. That’s why I don’t put my weight on it except when I’m walking and then I use my crutches, too.”
“We can work on that, if you like. Getting you to feel more confident in using your prosthetic.”
For some reason, I felt choked up. My emotions were all over the place today.
I could only nod and hope that Erik wasn’t going to ask me any more probing questions.
However, he seemed to realise that I was just about done. My muscles ached and I was fighting tiredness.
“Please, take a seat and I’ll help you get fully dressed again.”
“I can manage.”
He gave me that arch look again and it made me feel foolish.
“You’ve just done a lot of physical activity in a short space of time. With your body recovering, it will take a while before it has the energy to do that without it taking its toll. There’s no point in tiring yourself out unnecessarily.”
I capitulated silently and Erik helped me to dress again. I got the feeling that he was restraining himself from smiling at me the way I might smile at a toddler throwing a tantrum. Needless to say, I did not think Erik was ogling me by the time I walked out, slower than I had been and not sure how I felt about these physio sessions.
Before he shut the door, Erik said, “I’m glad you came to me, Declan. I’ve got plans for you.”
Well, Sonny didn’t need to ever know how my stomach squirmed at the suggestion I heard in that innocent sentence. It wasn’t quite arousal, but it was interest. I didn’t know what to do with it. I’d just neverbeeninterested in anyone but Sonny.
Chapter 2
Sonny
Iwas so excited I was almost vibrating. People had been commenting on how jittery I was all week and it was hard to explain to them exactly why. I was going to see Declan again. The man I was in love with. My childhood best friend who was my everything and who I’d never spent more than a week apart from until his accident.
Then we’d been apart.
I’d visited him as much as I could while he’d been in hospital but then his parents had taken him back home with them.
I knew it was sensible since they had room for him in their house and Declan would need some serious rest and recouperation.
However, I missed him. Selfishly, I wanted him to stay in the city with me. It was impossible, though. He’d left and I’d stayed and it had been the worst three months of my life.
