His to Win (Carmel Springs Book 5)

Chapter 5

Maxwell~

Two days later, my shoulder still felt tight. All bullshit aside, I couldn't wait for Tommy to get back from meeting his internet girlfriend. While this wasn't anything that was going to risk my job or anything like that, waking up in the morning had me feeling like I was a ninety-year-old man.

So, setting my chauvinistic views to the side, I knew that I was going to have to talk to Rogue about her personalization therapy. In all honesty, I hadn't been mocking her or her abilities when Lee had told me about her approach to physical therapy. I was just used to military training, and I still couldn't see how her small hands could work the strain out. Now, while I knew that many masseuses were women, and while I knew that some of them were very good at their jobs, I didn't need a massage to ease my stress. I had a sprain that needed special attention, and not the kind that came with a happy ending.

Walking into Better Health, I saw Lee behind the counter, helping out a customer, and as soon as he noticed me, I threw him a head nod in acknowledgement. Being the good dude that he was, he threw me a head nod back before jerking his head towards the opposite side of the gym, letting me know where Rogue was.

As I made my way towards the back of the gym, I greeted those that I knew, which was just about everyone, really. I even saw Jax doing some leg lifts over near the mirrors. Since Jax, Brett, and Trayce all lived in condos, they didn't have the room for a personal gym. Keats, Clayton, and I lived in houses, so we all had a room dedicated to fitness that the others were more than welcomed to use, but we believed in community enough to put our money back into it. Now, with Brett, Trayce, and Jax engaged, it was only a matter of time before they traded their condos in for homes, but no one was making a move until Brett and Addie got married.

At any rate, since I had a gym at home, I wasn't here to work out. I was here for my shoulder, something that I'd been hoping that Tommy or Lee's new employee, Rogue, could help me with. I hadn't expected Rogue to be a woman, and I hadn't expected her to knock me on my ass upon meeting her.

When I finally located her, she was talking to Justin Newman, and I didn't like it because I had issues. As soon as Rogue agreed to go out with me, then I'd feel better.

"Am I interrupting?" I asked, not liking how Justin's eyes were glowing at my girl.

"Hey, Maxwell," Justin greeted, then shaking his head. "Nah, Rogue was just explaining how I can strengthen the muscles in my lower back by-"

"Personalization therapy?"

"You're an asshole."

The hurt in Rogue's voice had me grabbing her arm. "Whoa, hold up. I wasn't making fun of you," I quickly rushed out. "I was-"

Rogue yanked her arm out of my grasp. "You were being an asshole," she bit out. "From the second that I met you, that's all you've been-"

"Hey, stop it," I ordered.

"Uhm...I'll just...uh, let you two talk..." Justin mumbled before making his escape.

"I wasn't making fun of you," I repeated.

"Yes, you were," she argued. "And you know what? I'm fucking sick of it."

Letting out a sigh, I had to keep in mind that she was new to Carmel Springs. Rogue hadn't grown up around me or my brothers. She wasn't used to our bullshit, and I should have given that some thought before making a bad impression on her.

"Baby, I wasn't making fun of you," I tried again. "In fact, that's why I'm here today. I need your help with my shoulder."

"I'm sure that Lee can help you," she retorted. "You can also wait until Tommy gets back. After all, he was your first choice anyway, right?"