Still the One Read online

  “She only has three legs. And the owner doesn’t want to ruin his rep by selling her— I know,” he said when he saw Darcy about to lose her collective shit. “I know. But his shortsightedness is your gain. He’s willing to let her go for two hundred and seventy-five bucks. I told him to consider her sold. I’ll cover you on this one.”

  Her throat tightened at the generosity. “I want her, absolutely. And I have just the right someone for her, too. But I’ve got the money for this one.”

  “You win the lottery?”

  “Ha. And no, or I’d be on a deserted island with an endlessly charged Nook and an equally endless supply of Gummy Bears. When can I get her?”

  “Today.”

  She grinned and he returned it.

  “You’re pretty damn cute when you stop snarling,” he said. “Anyone ever tell you that?”

  She thought of AJ and stopped smiling. “No.” She turned to leave but stopped when Adam said her name. She glanced back.

  “Whoever he is,” Adam said, eyes serious now, “I’ll be happy to kick his ass for you.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”

  Two hours later she’d taken possession of one gorgeous, sweet, warm, lovable three-legged Raisin. Darcy spent some time at Belle Haven with the dog, out back in the wide open space between horse pens, walking through the wild grass together.

  Even handicapped as she was, Raisin had no problem keeping up. She had no problem handling any command Darcy gave her. And every time she praised her, Raisin slid in a boneless heap of love to the ground to have her belly rubbed.

  “You’re possibly the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,” she said.

  Raisin smiled up at her in demure agreement.

  When Darcy left Belle Haven, the dog curled up trustingly in the backseat of her car. She’d texted Xander for Tyson’s whereabouts and got the reply that they were both at the wellness center.

  She’d been doing her damnedest to avoid thinking of AJ—though she’d have had a lot more luck with attempting to not breathe air—and now if she wanted to see Tyson, she’d probably have to see AJ, too.

  Not to mention having both Xander and AJ in the same space right now seemed a little dicey. But if she had to be a grown-up, well, then so did they.

  As usual with this time of day, the wellness center parking lot was full. People were working out after work, or in a yoga class with Ariana, or seeing AJ and his other staff. Darcy turned to Raisin. “You wait here while I make sure Tyson’s inside. I’ll only be a minute.”

  Raisin licked her hand and settled into her seat, seeming happy to look out the windows.

  Darcy went inside. Brittney—Darcy’s counterpart on the days Darcy didn’t work—was already off for the day. Ariana was there doing something on the computer. She wore yoga pants and a workout tank top that emphasized her lean, willowy, beautiful body. Not a spare ounce on her, no doubt due to the fact that she didn’t eat flour, sugar, or anything else processed.

  Darcy had tried that for half a day once. It hadn’t worked out for her. She’d gotten so irritable and grumpy that Zoe had force-fed her Frosted Flakes for dinner.

  “Good afternoon,” Ariana said, all lovely and Zen. “How are you today?”

  “Fine, thanks,” Darcy said. “You?”

  Ariana leaned on the counter. “You know that wasn’t just a polite question, right? I actually really care about your recovery and how you’re feeling.”

  “Why?” Darcy asked, genuinely curious.

  “Well, because I work here and care about all of our patients, and because you work here, too, and that makes us co-workers. And also because of AJ.”

  Darcy paused. “What about him?”

  “Well …” Ariana lifted a shoulder. “Clearly something’s going on between you two.”

  Darcy found a laugh. “Sorry, but you’re wrong there. I’m looking for Tyson, is he here?”

  “Yes, he is.” Ariana smiled, the kind of smile that said she was holding back.

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Oh come on,” Darcy said. “You’re quiet but not shy. Let’s hear it.”

  “I was just wondering if you’d take some advice,” Ariana asked.

  Darcy hesitated, but who was she kidding, she’d take any advice she could get.

  “If you’re going for it, then go for it,” Ariana said. “Half measures don’t work with AJ.”

  “That’s it? That’s the sum total of your advice?” Darcy asked. “Go for it?”

  “Yes,” Ariana said, serene as ever. “And don’t blow it.”

  Darcy stared at her. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why do you care if I blow it?”

  Ariana just looked at her, and Darcy let out a slow breath. “You want him back.”

  “I won’t step in on you.”

  “Trust me, there’s nothing to step in on,” Darcy said. That she wanted there to be was another story entirely.

  Ariana’s gaze slid to the private patient rooms where AJ walked out in his usual PT uniform of black running sweats and a Sunshine Wellness black T-shirt hugging the body that could make a woman drop to her knees to worship at.

  Damn him anyway for being both hotter than sin and sex on a stick.

  Across the room their eyes met and held. Darcy’s knees wobbled.

  “Nothing to step in on, my ass,” Ariana murmured softly, maybe amused, maybe not as the air seemed to spark between AJ and Darcy.

  But Darcy was definitely not amused.

  Twenty-three

  AJ broke off eye contact with Darcy, which was surprisingly difficult, and took in Ariana’s gaze. He sensed he’d just missed something between the two very different women—one always so cool and calm no matter the circumstances, the other like a wild, gorgeous tumble-weed blowing through town.

  A tumbleweed in a Pink Floyd tank who screamed bad ’tude.

  When he’d left her in her bed early that morning fast asleep, she’d been curled up on her side away from him, everything about her calling to him to slip into the bed again: the curve of her hip beneath the sheet, the expanse of her bare back revealing her beautiful tattoo, her out-of-control hair scattered across his pillow.

  As business and pleasure mixed uncomfortably in his head, Darcy walked out the front door, moving slowly and stiffly.

  She hurt today.

  As he remembered that he had staff and clients all around him—something he’d never once had to remind himself of before—he turned to Evan at his side, an active duty marine who’d recently had ACL surgery. AJ had just spent an hour working on his knee, helping him recover some strength. He turned the computer to face him. “I’d like to see you again in a few days,” he said to Evan, accessing his schedule.

  Darcy came back in the door with a three-legged dog on a leash at her side. She crouched down—with more effort than he liked to see—to love up on the dog. Her head was bent; her beautiful hair fell over her arms and into her own face.

  AJ could remember that happening to him, the soft silky curls brushing against the heated skin of his abs and thighs when she’d—

  “I’ll schedule Evan for you,” Ariana said.

  Evan offered a fist for Raisin to sniff, which the dog did delicately, her tail mopping the floor as she wagged it with enthusiasm.

  “Her name’s Raisin,” Darcy told the marine, struggling back to her feet.

  AJ knew better than to offer a hand but Evan didn’t. He helped her up and Darcy smiled at him.

  “You need to ice,” AJ told her. “I’ve got a few minutes, I could—”

  “I’m fine.”

  Right. As Ariana made Evan’s next appointment, AJ answered some questions for Evan, doing his best to focus while also taking in the tension between Darcy and Ariana.

  If Ariana felt it, she didn’t let on. She smiled and stroked Raisin, who soaked up the love with more floor sweeping. “I didn’t see you on the schedule today,” she said to Darcy.

  “I don’t have a PT appoint