until she knew he would be four feet from the bend, which meant she would be in viewing distance. Once she counted her mark she deliberately came down on her ankle wrong for the perfect twist. Too much and she would break it, too little and he'd have no reason to help her home.
She had done everything right. By the time he was in viewing distance of her she was already on the ground holding her ankle. She even poured on the fake tears; not too much as she didn't want to seem too needy, but just enough for sympathy. Her long blonde hair had been pulled back in a ponytail. She was wearing Eucalyptus essential oil as a natural bug repellant. She knew from her research that Sean liked natural remedies, and that meant he liked women who shared his passion for holistic healing.
Sean had jogged up to her. She slowly raised her head and when their eyes met she batted her lashes demurely. She could tell from the twitch in his shorts that he was interested. He knelt before her and smiled.
"I twisted my ankle. It really hurts."
"Let me take a look." He gently eased her sock down just enough to see her ankle. She was pleasantly surprised at the blue bruising and the swelling that had already started to form. She never was one to half do anything. Of course that was going to cost her some fieldwork at work, but the reward far outweighed the consequences.
"Nasty bruise," he ran his fingers along her soft, pale, skin.
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"I've been off balance lately. My doctor says I'm a little anemic. He wants to put me on pills and I want to fix it the natural way. I guess natural is taking a little too long for my balance." She wasn't anemic, she wasn't off balance and she wasn't interested in natural remedies. Sean didn't know that, and he wouldn't know it until she wanted him too.
"Doctors always want to push pills. You're doing the right thing."
His fingers gently caressed her ankle. She flinched for affect. "Sorry."
The pain wasn't severe. She had gone through worse, felt worse, hurt worse. Still, in order for her plan to work she needed him to believe she needed to be taken care of, and that he was just the right man to take care of her.
"Let me help you to your car."
"I jogged here. I only drive when I have to. This keeps me healthy, usually." She gave a demure laugh. He chuckled as he helped her up.
"I'll help you home then. Can you put any weight on it?"
She could, but she wouldn't. Instead she gave a sharp "ouch" when she tried.
"I'll have to carry you then." He lifted her in his arms so easily, as if she weighed nothing. She was always slender, but she had lost ten extra pounds before making her move. Sean O'Grady liked thin women.
He carried her the mile to her condominium and helped her inside.
She had taken great care to fill her refrigerator and freezer with health food, redecorate her home with natural and organic materials that were earth friendly; she even added a few Save the Dolphins pamphlets on the Capri Montgomery 31
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coffee table. She didn't care about the dolphins, organic materials or even earth friendly decorating, but she knew he did. She knew how to become anything and anyone when she needed too. She did it all the time for her job. The difference was this time she was doing it on her dime and not the company's. Her hard work had paid off well.
"You're eco friendly." He placed the ice pack on her ankle. She flinched again for show. He took hold of her hand like the gallant, strong man that he presented himself as.
"I figure we all have to live here we might as well all clean up behind ourselves. Besides, I want to leave something behind for my children; something other than an irreversible mess."
"You have kids?"
"Not yet, but maybe someday." She didn't want kids, but she knew he did. He had been an only child and he wanted a big family to pass on the O'Grady name.
By the end of the hour he had asked her to dinner. He had offered to drive her to and from work, and she graciously
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley