Alec by Margaret McHeyzer
“Have you got any idea how annoying she is? I don’t want her here, Dean. She can go to hell.” I huff in frustration as I wait for my physiotherapist to arrive.
“Why is she annoying?” my brother Dean, asks.
I want to tell him how mad she makes me. Serena always has a smart-ass remark whenever she’s working on me. She gets under my skin and stays there for hours after she leaves. “She just is.”
Dean narrows his eyes at me, and clicks his tongue. “Well, until the doctors give you the all-clear, pull your fucking head out of your ass and do whatever it is she needs you to do. You want to sit around and wallow? Do it, but if you don’t do what she tells you to do, you can’t come back to work.”
Being a firefighter is my life. If she doesn’t give me the all-clear to get back to work, my life will be ruined. I pick my water bottle up, start to take a drink, but instead I throw it in frustration. “This is bullshit!” Just what I need—Serena opens the door right as the bottle flies through the room.
She’s got that stupid smirk on her face as she lowers her gaze to look at the water bottle. “Great. You’re being a dick again, aren’t you?” She sighs. “You’re such a pleasure to help when you’re being a dick.”
“See?” I yell at Dean while pointing to Miss Smart-Ass.
“Oh, little brother needs to cry to big brother. Boohoo.” She balls her hands into fists and pretends to rub them over her eyes. “Get over yourself,” she challenges.
“Do you see what I have to deal with, Dean? She’s not making it any better.” I need to find another physiotherapist. She’s driving me crazy.
“Why? Because I call it as I see it? Don’t like to hear me call you out when you’re being an ass? Sorry, buddy. I’m not pandering to your stupid emotions.”
My jaw tightens and the muscles in my arms flex as I grab my thighs and squeeze. “I swear you take enjoyment from my pain. You probably walk out of here and pump your fist in the air because you’ve hurt me.”
She frowns and sulks, “You’re being a baby. You just don’t like being wrong.” Drawing in a deep breath, I lift my finger, pointing at her. “Put your finger down before I break it,” she warns.
“Why do you even bother coming? It’s obvious you don’t want to be here.” I say as I look to Dean for support. But then I notice the door is closed and Dean is gone. Typical. He’s left me here to deal with her on my own. Thanks for having my back, bro.
“You know, if you put as much effort into getting yourself better as you do into whining, you’d be up and walking around a lot quicker.” She stands with a hand on her hip.
There’s a tightness in my chest. “Get on with it, will you?” I snap at Serena.
“No, I’m not doing anything for you while you’re being an unappreciative dick.”
I roll my eyes, and turn my head to look out the damn window. “Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be a fireman who can’t go to work because a fucking garage door broke my ankle? Not to mention, I have a mother who’s babying me, and won’t give me a moment of peace? Just, fix me,” I say through gritted teeth.
“No!” Serena replies without hesitation.
I snap my head to look at her. “What the hell is your problem, Serena?”
“My problem?” she asks in a high-pitched voice. “My problem is you. You’re this entitled little boy who thinks his job is the only important job in the world. And you think treating me like I’m the asshole is acceptable? Guess what, buddy? I treat you the way you treat me. My problem is you.” She walks over and pokes me in the arm. “You’re so spoiled.” She pokes me again, this time in the chest.
I grab her wrist, and pull her down toward me. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She tries to yank her hand back, but I pull her closer. Staring up into her wild hazel eyes, I can’t help but look down at her beautiful lips. Shit, what am I thinking? This woman is the devil’s spawn, there’s nothing beautiful about her. Not even her plump, kissable lips. She attempts to pull her arm away again, but I bring her closer again. “Let me go.” Her breath catches in her throat.
“Is that what you want?” I ask, my eyes flicking up to look into hers. She worries her lip between her teeth, and I find myself staring at her mouth again. “Is that what you want?” I repeat when I find her muscles loosen around my grip.
“I…I...” she stutters.
When I release Serena’s arm, her eyes widen and she takes in a sharp breath. Reaching up, I grab the collar of her polo shirt and pull her mouth down to mine. “What are you doing to me?” I whisper just before our mouths collide ferociously.
She deepens the kiss while she straddles my thighs and roughly runs her hands through my hair, latching on as we attack each other’s mouth. “Is this what you want, Alec?” She strokes her tongue against my bottom lip, then gently nibbles.
“Oh God, yes.” I lace my fingers through her hair, keeping her mouth on mine. God, I want her. She slips her hand down my chest, and slides it into my pants. Teasingly she feels my hardness over my boxer briefs. “Jesus,” I mumble as she grabs my dick and massages it in her hand. I’m fumbling to take her shirt off when we both hear the door.
She pulls away, leaving me wanting, needing her. Her eyes widen, and her mouth falls open. “Shit,” she says as she covers her mouth. Serena’s shaking her head in disbelief. “Oh my God. I can’t believe I kissed you.” She stands, and stumbles backward until she finds the lip of the huge window. Leaning against it, she brings both her hands up and rubs at her temples. “I’m so sorry,” she says while shaking her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“Serena, it’s okay.”
She holds her hands up while she frantically searches for something. Rapidly blinking, she reaches for her bag. A tear rolls down her cheek, and she wipes it away. “I’m so sorry,” she repeats as she slings her bag over her shoulder and makes a dash for the door.
“Serena!” I call as she slams the door behind her while fleeing from me. This fucking cast is stopping me from going after her. I try to maneuver the wheelchair, but I know she’ll be gone by the time I get outside.
The door flings open, and for a split second I’m hopeful she’s returned so we can at least talk about that kiss. “Why did I see Serena bolting from here like her ass was on fire, Alec?” Mom snaps.
“It’s nothing,” I say as I try to get around her. “Can you move please, I have to go after her.”
“She’s gone. She got in her car and took off like she couldn’t get away from here fast enough. What did you do to her?” Mom stands in front of my wheelchair, with her arms crossed across her chest. “What did you do to her?” she asks again, even angrier.
“Nothing! Just move, I have to get to her.”
“No, I’m not allowing you to go anywhere near her until you tell me what happened? She ran out of here, crying. What the hell did you say to her?”
“I didn’t say anything.” I run my hand through my hair, and sit back in the wheelchair. Mom’s not going anywhere until I tell her something. I feel like I’m fifteen again, not a twenty-eight-year-old man. “I kissed her,” I say in a small voice.
“Oh.”
“And she kissed me back.”
“Oh,” Mom says again. She narrows her eyes at me. “Then why did she run out of here crying, Alec?”
“I don’t know. I think she panicked, and she ran.”
“Right...um. Well, right, I’m...ah,” she stutters. “I thought I was going to have to come in here and tell you you’re being a cranky old shit, and to get over yourself. But, as it turns out, nope, I don’t think I have to say that.”
I let out a breath. “Yeah, you do. I’ve been a bastard to her, Mom.”
Mom walks over to the bed and sits on the edge. “You better call her and apologize, son. Because whatever is going on with you two, you need to sort it out.”
“I know, Mom,” I yell.
Mom lifts her brows at me and tilts her head to the side. “I beg your pardon,” she says in an eerily calm voice.
“I’m sorry.” I let out a long breath and rub my fingers over my eyes. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that, Mom. It’s not an excuse, but I’m so frustrated with myself.”
“Then you better call that woman and apologize to her. Look.” She places her hand on my leg and gently squeezes. “I know firefighting is in your blood, son. But if you can’t handle it when you get hurt, then I suggest you quit now. Because this is nothing.” She waves her hand over my broken leg. “You can easily recover from this. But what happens if you seriously hurt yourself? You can’t go into shutdown mode because you’re feeling sorry for yourself. And Serena...” Mom points toward the door. “She’s only here to help you keep your strength up, and get you through it. She’s a damn saint for putting up with your bullshit, let me tell you, Alec. You’ve only been here for a short while, and I want to smother you in your sleep. You’re being an ass. Get over yourself.” She stands and walks to the door. “Now, get out here and say hello to everyone.”
Mom’s right, I’ve been an asshole. A self-pitying ass. “I will. First I need to send Serena a message.”
“Make it a good one, because I like that one, and I want her to come back.”
She walks out, leaving the bedroom door ajar. I reach for my phone, and bring up messages. Shit, what do I say? I type out many messages, and delete each and every one of them. I settle on the only thing I can say.
I’m sorry for being an asshole.
Slipping my phone under my leg, I head out to Thomas’s belated birthday party. Dean sees me, and walks over. “So, that was interesting,” he says as he hands me a soda.
“I need something stronger than a soda.”
“Too bad. You’re still on pain medication, and you shouldn’t mix them together.”
“Someone else running my life,” I say sourly, as I look up at him.
“You’re in a great mood. Can’t wait to have you back on the crew,” he says sarcastically. “Joanne and I copped an eyeful. You and Serena, huh?” he says about him and his fiancée.
“No, it’s not like that. It was in the moment and we just kissed.” I look over to Thomas who’s playing with Tripod. I don’t want to talk about me and Serena, because there is no me and Serena. It was a stupid, one-time kiss. “How’s it going with Joanne and Thomas?”
“He’s a good kid. I’m adopting him.”
I look up to Dean. Fuck, he’s fallen hard for Joanne and her son. I never thought my older brother would be a family man. He’s always been such a loner, and introvert. “Congratulations.” I hold my hand out, palm side facing up, and Dean slaps it with a high five. “Who would’ve thought, eh?”
“Who would’ve thought? You and the physiotherapist.”
“That was nothing, man. We both lost our heads for a moment.”
Dean snickers. “Okay then, keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day you’ll believe it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dean?” Joanne calls. She gestures for him to come over to her.
“Duty calls, little brother. Duty calls.”
“You’re so pussy-whipped,” I say before he leaves.
“Yep, and proud of it.” He smiles brightly as he heads over to Joanne.
No woman in the world will ever tie me down the way Dean is. Nope, no chance in hell. I just can’t wait ’til my leg heals so I can get me some sweet, sweet lovin.’
