Only to lose his balance and tip forward. Without thinking, I grabbed him, my hand pressing against his shoulder as my fingers wrapped around the back of his neck to steady him. At the same time he caught himself on my thigh to stay upright.
Eyes wide, he let out a little laugh as he peered up at me. “Keep forgetting that knee doesn’t like to cooperate occasionally.”
I swallowed, trying harder than I should not to notice his head was between my legs, his hand gripping my thigh, mine was on the back of his neck, and I was only wearing underwear. My only consolation was that it would be weird even if it wasn’t Colin, with whom things had been weird from the start.
The smile on his face faded, and his eyes darted around, as if finally considering what the situation would look like from another perspective. He licked his lips, and I prayed that was nervous embarrassment rather than anything else, before clearing his throat and getting to his feet. He flashed me a perfunctory smile, which disappeared quickly as he turned back to his tablet.
“That knee going to be a problem?” I wondered, dropping my hands into my lap. It felt like I was trying to cover myself up, but that was pointless since I’d been on display the whole time and it wasn’t likehewas the one who made things weird.
“Nope,” he said, turning to face me, and the normal Colin was back, not a hint of unease or anxiety. “It just doesn’t like me to go from a full crouch all the way up. It got banged up years ago and still works, just can’t move a certain way. Good thing there’s plenty of ways to get off my knees.”
“Right,” I said, sensing the phrasing was innocent and yet weirded out by it all the same. “Am I done being poked and prodded?”
“Why is it that the manliest and grumpiest of men are always the biggest babies with medical stuff?” he asked with a chuckle. “You can get dressed.”
“I am not a big baby.”
“I notice you didn’t argue about manly or grumpy.”
“I’m also not lacking in self-awareness.”
“Or pride.”
I snorted as I grabbed my clothes and pulled them on. “So, what’s the prognosis?”
“Inevitable ER visit until you do what you’re supposed to about that blood pressure,” he said, and the professional sternness had returned. “Otherwise, you’re a perfectly healthy man of forty-two. Actually, I’d say that other than the blood pressure, you’re in better shape than most men your age, and probably even my age. Anything I should know?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Anything? Trouble breathing? Difficulty or pain urinating? Random stabbing pains in your organs? Erectile dysfunction?”
My head snapped up. “What?”
He grinned. “There you are, you’re normal and grumpy again.”
“Compared to what?”
“The grumpy you were before.”
“What grumpy was that?”
“Not the normal one.”
“You’ve been here three days, you don’t know what my normal grumpy looks like,” I growled as I yanked my shirt on.
“I don’t know who gave you the idea that you’re some obscure mystery that can’t be figured out, but you’re pretty obvious,” he said with a chuckle. “Oh, and you’re going to need an actual physical within six months.”
I frowned. “You said?—”
“That I wouldn’t report it up the chain if you came in for this exam. You still need a physical…a full one.”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’ve been poked and prodded enough, thanks.”
“It’s funny,” he said, actually sounding amused. “The last full physical on file is right around the time your next one would have been more…invasive.”
“So?”
“So, are you putting off physicals because you’re that hung up on your prostate being checked? Because I’ll tell you right now, prostate issues, and even prostate cancer, are a hell of a lot worse than having a professional finger bang you.”