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hands up in the air. “Have I ever suggested otherwise? Damn it, Jessi. This is about your swimming, nothing else. You know she’s good. Stop disagreeing just for the sake of disagreeing with me .”
    God damn, this woman was frustrating. He never should have touched her. That had been a mistake. Now he was sitting here wondering what the hell was going on in his head while concurrently trying to figure out how to save the woman’s stroke.
    “Fine. But let me say this: I don’t think Kristen is the threat she appears to be. She’s just not that into swimming anymore. She hasn’t been training hard. I think it’s going to be some kid that’s got nothing to lose and two strong shoulders.”
    “Don’t you just hate those little fuckers?”
    Jessi laughed. It was like seeing her at eighteen again, cute and carefree. He realized then and there that regardless of how fucked up this situation was, he’d always been more attracted to Jessi Pruitt than was good for him.
    “Yeah, I do.” She looked down and shook her head. Maybe she was just as surprised that they agreed on something as he was. “By the way, I was rude. I never asked—how’s your shoulder?”
    “Don’t beat yourself up. You were busy thinking up clever insults.”
    She snorted in what Dalton supposed was begrudging agreement, so he went on.
    “It hurts sometimes. But it’s not so bad. It helps to remind me how stupid I used to be and keeps me from falling back into old habits. Can’t say I enjoy that during my workouts, but whatcha gonna do?”
    “Yeah, whatcha gonna do?” Jessi repeated. She leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms. “Look at us. Two old folks with bad joints. Maybe we should quit this swimming thing and start an old folk’s home for swimmers.”
    “Food couldn’t get any worse, that’s for sure.”
    Jessi laughed again. “Despite being a royal ass, you’re funny. You know that.”
    “Yep. I do. So are you, by the way. That’s why I always liked you.”
    That hadn’t been the right thing to say. It had just slipped out. But he wasn’t going to take it back because it was true. He really hadn’t meant to start anything romantic with Jessi eight years ago. He had just liked to hang around her. She had been a little intimidated by her first Olympics. He had been more than a little jaded and helped her take a cynic’s view of all the hoopla. They had started joking, and that was when Dalton had realized Jessi Pruitt had some serious wit behind those blue eyes and bright blond curls. She had made him laugh. And that had been attractive.
    “You sure had a funny way of showing it.”
    “And I’ve said I’m sorry for it.”
    “Well, to be honest, I don’t know that I’m ready to forgive you yet.”
    God, the woman was stubborn, but right now, she held the cards. “Fair enough. As long as it doesn’t screw with your swimming. Now get to PT. I’ll meet you at the pool when you’re done.”
     

     
    As Dalton left the film room, Jessi couldn’t help but notice his ass was just as tight at thirty-one as it had been at twenty-five. Pushing herself out of the chair, she did her best to erase that thought from her mind. Dalton was hot. No question there. Noticing it wasn’t to going change anything.
    She had to be a hard ass with him. She couldn’t give him an inch because that was all he needed to turn her world upside down. This had to be all about swimming. She doubled down and pushed all thoughts of attractive coaches out of her head as she struck off for her appointment.
    Unfortunately, everyone else seemed to want to talk about the man.
    “Dalton’s doing a good job, isn’t he?” Marla, the team’s massage therapist was getting her ointments ready as Jessi walked up.
    Forcing nonchalance, Jessi replied, “I can’t say he’s not, though I’d appreciate it if he did his job a little worse.” She gave Marla a rueful grin and stretched her shoulder.
    “You’ll get used it. You’re strong. In