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in and day out, reminding Rafe she existed. As if he could forget anything about her. She’d been by his side day and night until he was finally coherent and out of the woods. She looked as good to him exhausted and disheveled as she did made up and glamorous. So, no, he didn’t need the blogger toremind him of what he’d said about her before he’d passed out.
    He thought about her all day.
    He saw her in his dreams at night.
    And wondered constantly what would happen if they gave in to the desire neither had ever mentioned aloud.
    Rafe hadn’t heard from Sara since he’d left the hospital, but he remembered everything—from the warmth in her eyes to the relief on her face when he’d finally come to. But the last time he’d seen her, she’d been cool and distant, a far cry from the woman who’d sat by his bedside and held his hand. He had no choice but to respect the boundaries she’d erected. Because as much as he was attracted to her, they wanted different things out of life. And he’d rather keep her friendship than lose her after an affair ended.
    He was on medical leave until cleared for return—at least four to six weeks, he’d been told. To add insult to injury—literally—he’d also been reprimanded for violating his negotiator training by taking down the subject before exhausting every peaceful option first. There was no way to explain how he’d known for certain Sara would anticipate his action and duck. No way to justify his actions.
    All of which left him stuck with too much time on his hands to think about that night. He was going stir-crazy sitting around the apartment, and he wasmiserable with the attention when he stepped out. For the first time in a long time, he missed his place by the lake and the privacy and serenity it offered. Missed the smell of Lake Ontario, where he’d grown up and spent hours with his father and siblings and cousins, learning to swim, playing ball and often doing nothing but annoying the crap out of each other. The very thing he’d moved away from was the thing he needed now.
    Maybe it was getting knifed and facing his mortality. Maybe it was the stifling feeling created by the Bachelor Blog, but Rafe needed to get away. It was summertime, and he craved fresh air and sunshine. The house he owned on Lake Ontario beckoned to him.
    His parents would be thrilled if he came home for a while. They’d left the city once he’d been discharged from the hospital, but his mother called a few times a day to make sure he was eating, resting and taking care of himself. She’d feel much better knowing he was close by while he recuperated, but in truth he needed it for himself.
    Decision made, Rafe thought. The Bachelor Blogger would just have to make do without him.

CHAPTER THREE
    S ARA TESTED HER WEIGHT on her leg, the same way she’d done every morning for the last two weeks. Once again, pain shot through her knee. She groaned and waited for it to subside. The neoprene brace she’d been given in the emergency room provided support but did nothing for the throbbing, aching discomfort she lived with constantly. She was still icing the swelling and taking anti-inflammatory medication. And still hoping her medical leave would be temporary, not the end of her career.
    She glanced at the painkillers on the kitchen counter and shook her head. Being woozy wasn’t her thing. She’d suffer through.
    It was only nine-thirty in the morning, and she’d been up for hours. The rest of the day loomed long before her, so a knock at her door was a welcome distraction.
    She hobbled over to the door, leaving the crutches behind. The doctor had said weight-bearing was tolerated, and she needed to tolerate more and more.
    She glanced through the peephole. “Coop!” she said, opening the door for her friend.
    “Is this a good time?”
    She nodded. “It’s a perfect time. I’m sick and tired of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, so come in and take my mind off my