Tobias: Book One of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Seven

Yesterday had passed with a blur, he thought. Wake up, eat breakfast, milk cows, pick stones, think about Jane for minute, fix tractor, replace quad engine, eat lunch, go to hospital, ride with Ma and Dad to house, think about Jane for minute, hug Taw good bye, try not to cry, cry a lot, tell Thrane to shut the fuck up.

Tobias kept playing those events over and over again in his head, feeling like he had missed something. Bug. It happened every, single time. Even though Taw was alright with him leaving, Tobias just couldn't do it for the first thirty minutes or so.

Thank God he had gotten all of his emotions under control last night when he had picked up Rex from Mac's house. He wouldn't hear the end of it from the guys at work if they found out he was crying. It was already bad enough that Thrane had decided to take him to the Clinic for moral support, or so he said.

And to top it all of, he was standing at the glass doors of the Clinic, wringing his hands together nervously and praying to God that she would understand. His stomach was churning, and he felt as if he was burning up, almost like he was sick.

Wearing a sleeveless red t-shirt, white shorts, and his black and red Nikes that he had gotten three or four years ago, he probably looked like shit. Oh well, he thought, it exposed his defined arms that he had caught her staring at more than once, so he couldn't be that bad.

"Just go in, you fuckin' pussy," Thrane growled from behind him and literally shoved him into the Clinic.

"Shut up," he ground out.

A blast of cool air hit him as he opened up the doors, instantly cooling him. He checked in with the secretary, whose name he didn't quite catch, and was a little frightened as she shot him a look filled with disappointment.

He waited for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a few minutes.

"Tobias Cantrell," that husky and yet feminine voice belonging to Jane Reynolds echoed into the waiting room.

"Damn," his brother muttered from right next to him, making Tobias glad that they weren't alone; otherwise, he probably would have punched the older man.

Her face looked a little flushed, her cheeks slightly red against her tanned face. Those brown eyes of hers showing masked hurt, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. She was wearing shorts today. High, black Nike shorts that showed off all that silky skin to perfection. The arches of her running shoes only added to the contours of her flawless legs. The yellow shirt advertised Memorial Rehab Center's logo and her toned body.

He stood up, trying to keep the limp at bay but failed miserably. Walking behind her, he tried to keep his eyes off her perfect ass, but yet again, failed. Each step had him mesmerized, more mesmerized than an experienced twenty-eight year old like himself should be.

Immediately, she led him to that small, padded table where the ASTYM treatment took place.

"Lay down," she instructed, her voice soft yet missing that warmth he was so used to hearing, and then left to go get the supplies.

"Jane," he began as soon as she came back.

"What?" she asked, her voice that same soft tone, making him crave to hear her melodious laughter.

"Are you mad?"

Mentally, he smacked himself in the head, knowing that he had just opened up a gateway in which every woman took advantage of to rant at him.

"No, why should I be?" she asked as she began rolling up his shorts, her delicate hands making him stir with desire.

He gritted his teeth to keep the erection that was just begging to be unleashed at bay. "Because I told you I was gonna take ya out on Saturday, but then I didn't. And I have a perfectly good explanation for it."