HANDS OFF CAPTAIN

chapter five

Chapter Five

Tessa POV

I stared at Blake for a few seconds after he answered me.

"Nothing I can clearly remember."

His words kept repeating in my head.

I looked at the man lying beside me, trying to understand how he could look so calm after a night I knew I would remember for a long time.

Maybe he really had forgotten.

Maybe, to him, it had been nothing special.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked away.

"Okay."

Blake glanced at me. "Okay?"

"Yes. Okay."

I pulled the blanket away and got out of bed. My clothes were scattered around the room, and I picked them up without saying another word.

I could feel his eyes following me, but I didn't look at him.

I had asked a question, and he had given me an answer. There was no reason to ask again.

What would I gain by forcing him to remember something he clearly didn't want to remember?

Nothing.

I dressed quickly, picked up my bag, and checked my phone. It was already late enough for me to start getting ready for work.

Blake was sitting on the edge of the bed when I turned toward the door.

"You're leaving?"

I looked at him.

"Yes. I have work."

"Oh."

That was all he said.

I almost laughed at how ordinary everything suddenly felt.

Last night, he had held my hand. He had kissed me, looked into my eyes, and made me feel like there was something between us that neither of us wanted to admit.

This morning, he couldn't even remember it.

Or that was what he wanted me to believe.

"See you at the facility, Captain."

I opened the door.

"Tessa..”

I stopped but didn't turn around.

"Have a good morning, Blake."

Then I left.

I didn't wait for his reply.

By the time I reached home, I had already decided what I would do.

Nothing had happened.

That was how I would treat it.

I wouldn't bring up the night again. I wouldn't ask him whether he regretted it, and I wouldn't try to figure out what he had been thinking when he kissed me.

I had made a mistake by letting my feelings interfere with my judgment. I had allowed myself to drink, to relax around him, and to believe that the man who always teased me might actually see me as more than his physical therapist.

That was my responsibility.

I couldn't blame him for something he claimed not to remember.

After showering and changing, I ate a little breakfast before heading to the facility.

I didn't cry.

I didn't give myself time to think about crying.

I had a job to do, and Blake Callahan was my patient. Nothing more.

When I arrived, the team was already preparing for the day's training session. I checked the treatment room, reviewed the schedule, and arranged the equipment I would need.

I was examining Blake's medical notes when he walked in.

"Morning, Monroe."

I lifted my eyes from the file.

"Good morning, Captain."

He paused.

"Captain?"

"That's what everyone calls you, isn't it?"

"Usually, but you call me Blake."

I returned my attention to the file.

"Would you prefer Captain Callahan? I can do that if you want."

He stared at me for a moment.

"No. Blake is fine."

"Good. Sit down, please. I need to check your shoulder before practice."

He sat on the treatment table, and I moved closer to examine the injured shoulder.

"Does it still hurt like a before or has it reduce”

"It has reduced a little."

"Show me."

He followed my instructions while I checked his range of motion. I kept my attention on his shoulder and my hands on the work I needed to do.

No unnecessary touching.

No teasing.

No personal questions.

When I finished, I stepped back and wrote down my observations.

"You can participate in the exercises we've approved, but no full-contact drills until I clear you."

"Understood."

I looked at him.

"Anything else?"

He seemed to hesitate before answering.

"No."

"All right. You can go."

He climbed down from the table, picked up his things, and walked toward the door.

I thought he had left, but he stopped with his hand on the handle.

"You're being different today."

I continued writing.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

I finally looked up at him.

"Your treatment hasn't changed, Captain. I'm doing my job."

He watched me for another second before leaving.

I let out a slow breath only after the door closed.

It wasn't easy.

Every time I looked at him, I remembered the night before. Every time he spoke, I remembered how easily he had dismissed it.

But I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

Later, I watched from the sidelines as the team began their training session. Blake followed the restrictions I had given him, though I caught him looking in my direction more than once.

I pretended not to notice.

When practice ended, I gathered my notes and headed toward the treatment room. I heard his footsteps behind me, but I didn't slow down.

"Monroe."

I turned.

"Yes, Captain?"

He looked as though he wanted to say something, but I didn't give him the chance to turn it into another personal conversation.

"If your shoulder is bothering you, let me know before you leave. Otherwise, I'll see you at your next appointment."

I opened the treatment room door.

"Have a good day."

Then I went inside and closed it.

For a moment, I stood with my back against the door, staring at the empty room.

I had done it.

I had looked him in the eyes, spoken to him normally, and treated him exactly as I should have from the beginning.

He said he didn't remember anything.

So I would act as if there was nothing to remember.

Even if the truth was that I remembered every little thing.

Every word.

Every kiss.

Every moment I had allowed myself to believe that Blake Callahan might want me for reasons that had nothing to do with his injury.

I picked up my clipboard and returned to work.

From now on, he could be the captain of the Boston Falcons.

He could be the man every woman wanted.

He could be the arrogant, irritating patient who made my job difficult.

But he would never know that, for one night, I had let myself want him too.

That part of me would remain a secret.

And as far as Blake Callahan was concerned, nothing had ever happened between us.