“I suppose I’m proof exercise really is good for the heart. My health was my whole life when I was a kid, so I guess I just wanted to make it my whole life in a positive way,” Lucas says with a bit of shrug like it’s hard for him to talk about.
“You’ve definitely done that,” I say, putting a hand on his shoulder for a minute. His skin is warm under my hand, muscles still burning from our run.
The more Lucas and I talk, the more we seem to have in common. The more our motives and passions in life seem to line up perfectly. I’m starting to think my first impression of him had been entirely wrong. I’m starting to think I gave him the wrong first impression of me, too. I’m glad we’re correcting it now and actually getting to know each other.
Even if I’m not happy about the new development, I’m starting to be glad Lucas is becoming a part of my life – even if I still don’t know what to do about the fact that his gym will be coming along with him, too.
Chapter Seventeen - Lucas
Samantha and I have been starting to go jogging together in the evenings several days a week. I’d thought it would only be a one-time thing, but the more time I spend with Samantha, the more time I want to spend with her.
I’m really enjoying her company and getting to know her. But I’m worried that, eventually, our competition is going to come back to ruin it. The gym is only a couple of months from its grand opening. I can’t imagine she’ll much want to see me after that. I know it’s ridiculous to pursue anything with her, even a casual friendship, given the circumstances.
But I want to pursue it – and not as a friendship. Paul was right about my motives after all, I guess. I’m more interested in Samantha than I have been in any woman in a very long time. Ever since she mentioned that she isn’t seeing anyone a few days ago when we were talking about time to fit into her exercise routine, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her romantically.
I find myself scheduling my days around excuses to see her or call her. I find myself looking forward to our jogs together all day. I’m even headed to another class at her fitness center today, my third one thus far. I still feel out of place participating, and it’s still not exactly my ideal exercise routine, but it is much more fun and much more challenging than I would have thought. It also provides a great opportunity to see Samantha.
I know Paul knows that something is up with me. He keeps making little comments that let me know he’s been observing me. I’ll tell him soon enough, but I’m just not sure what the best way to play the situation is. How do you pursue a woman you might be able to be responsible for bankrupting? Does it make me a massive dick to want to continue despite knowing the probable outcome? Do I care? Should I care? What kind of dangerous game am I playing here, anyway?
I don’t know the answer to that, but I’ve never been one to back down from finding my way through a challenge.
***
After my class, a dance movement class that works up a decent sweat and gets my heart pumping pretty fast, I catch Samantha watching me again. I grin. I’m glad she knows I’m here. I’m sure Cheryl tells her every time I come in. I’m sure her whole staff has just as many questions for her as Paul has for me. I’m hoping that neither one of us knows quite how to answer them yet. I’m hoping we’re both feeling the same attraction to each other and trying to figure out how to handle it, given everything.
“Back for more?” Samantha asks, walking up to me.
“I might have to get a monthly pass,” I say, smirking.
She shakes her head. “Can you afford that?” she asks, teasing.
I laugh. “I think I can budget it in somehow,” I say, making Samantha laugh too.
“Are we still on for jogging later?” she asks.
“I was counting on it,” I say. Samantha flushes a little. Her hair is a little looser today, falling down over her face softly and framing her gorgeous features. I instinctively want to touch it, thread my hands in her hair, and pull her close.
“Good,” I say. “And maybe one of these days, if we keep this up, I’ll get you into Invigoration.”
“Never going to happen,” Samantha says with another laugh, and I can’t help but think about how much it makes me want to kiss her. I’ve been caught off guard so many times lately by how much I want to kiss her. I’ve thought about it a few times after our jogs, sitting on the bench where we always catch our breath. Sitting around the lake all sweaty after a lap doesn’t seem like a very romantic time to make a move, though.
Normally, when I’m interested in a woman, I’m quick about asking her out. I’ve never been shy about going after what I want in any area of my life. I’ve always been bold and direct, and it’s served me well, what with the success of the business and all. With Samantha, though, I want to make sure the timing of things is right.
It’s not just that we’re still business rivals – it’s that this could all fall apart at any minute, and something about Samantha makes me want to take my time. It’s caught me off guard because I’m bold but never impulsive. Even though this is so unexpected and tenuous, I feel sure that dating Samantha could turn into something serious.
And as much as it’s absolutely the wrong time to be thinking things like that, I think I’m ready for that. Samantha makes me feel like I am. And even without our complicated situation, it all makes me want to go slower than I normally would because every step just feels like it means more with Samantha.
“We’ll see about that,” I say, my eyes on her lips. She bites her lips like she’s noticed my gaze, and I follow the motion of her teeth and tongue.
“Never,” she repeats. “I haven’t even been on a piece of equipment like that in years.”
“I’d be happy to show you,” I say, a little teasing, a smirk on my face. I mean it flirtatiously, and I think she knows it.
Samantha puts a hand on her hip like she had the day we first met, and my eyes follow that too. “Not going to happen,” she says, “but I will see you on our jog later.”
I grin. I would never have thought that taking a woman for a jog would feel more like an exciting date than spending money in fancy nightclubs, but somehow, it does. Just spending time with Samantha at all feels like more than anything I could’ve aspired to in wanting to pursue a relationship.
I’d say it must be the company, but isn’t that our problem? For the first time in my life, I don’t know what the bold move is to overcome that challenge.
Chapter Eighteen - Samantha
I can’t get Lucas off my mind. I know it’s beyond ridiculous, but I think I’m falling for him. Every time we jog together, every time we talk, makes me like him more and more. I’ve been thinking about him during the day and wanting to spend even more time with him, to talk to him more.
I know I shouldn’t be falling for someone who might be putting me out of business. I keep telling myself not to be foolish or naive. I keep telling myself not go any further. I even remind myself, bitterly sometimes, that I should be careful because I might find out at any moment that he’s still just playing the competition and everything might blow up in my face. But I’m willing to take that chance because I don’t want what we’re building here to stop. It has been a long time since just thinking about someone made my heart race the way it does with Lucas.
I am a businesswoman, after all, so I’m used to weighing my risks when it comes to new ventures and strategies. I figure it’s worth it because I can’t get hurt any worse than I might already have anyway. The worst that could happen is Invigoration putting the center out of business, which might have still happened with the waterfront development even if his gym hadn’t been a part of it. The best that could happen is something more with Lucas, and I’m still not sure how that fits into everything with the center, but I think I’d be willing to take the risk and figure it out.
My whole staff is talking about it. Every time he swings by the center or takes a class, everyone is all whispers about it like it’s high school all over again. I guess
I don’t blame them for talking – I would be talking about it too if I were them. It feels absurd, but it also somehow feels easy and right. It feels natural. I feel like I can be myself around Lucas. I can really talk to him.
***
“Are you sure we even need this?” Marc asks, stopping in my office midday with a stack of the flyers we’ve printed. The flyers are to test customer interest in our new service. They’re going out in the mail and going to be placed in stacks in our front lobby. We’re going to take some to local businesses this week. I’ve already started an email campaign asking for the same information.
“What?” I ask, looking up from the spreadsheet I’m making to calculate our results. The flyers and emails also ask people to suggest a price range of how much they’d be willing to pay for the extra services. I’m hoping that with them, we can bring in a few hundred dollars more per month, covering the rent increase and getting us back on track.
“Can’t you just charm Lucas into, I don’t know, not building a giant mega-gym across the street from us?” Marc asks, grinning at me.
I flush and shake my head. “Something else would just go in instead. Maybe something even worse, and it would drive our rent up even more. At least now we know the beast we’re dealing with,” I say.
Marc shakes his head at me like he doesn’t buy that. “Something worse than a mega-gym that might steal away all our customers? If it was just offices or a store, it wouldn’t do that,” Marc points out.
“Well, then we’ll just have to keep our clients,” I say, “and offer something different to get them in here even more.”
“Sure,” Marc says, “but I still think you could get him to move it if you asked right. If you know what I mean.” He finishes the thought with a dramatic wink, making me laugh.
“Please get out of here and go stuff envelopes with those before your next class,” I say, laughing.
Marc grins and gives me a salute. “On it!” he says, turning to leave. I laugh again, watching him. I think my face is still a little red.
I don’t think charming Lucas into moving the gym location is something I could do. I know how much he loves this neighborhood. He’s even planning to live above the new location, and I know how much work he’s already put into the planning. It’s already half-constructed. Still, I wonder if it would be out of line to ask him for business tips or to get his feedback on things. I have no interest in turning my center into a corporate machine, but being able to pay all the bills, the staff, and myself, would be good.
I’m turning the thought over in my head when there is a knock on my office door. I startle a little. My staff never knocks – I’ve always told them all they don’t need to. Cheryl usually calls me to tell me if anyone else is visiting and wants to meet with me, and she hasn’t called, so I’m not expecting anyone. I turn quickly.
“Hi,” Lucas says, standing in my doorway, smiling at me. I grin back, glad to see him as always. He’s wearing jeans and a button-down shirt today, and he looks fantastic in it. He’s giving me this look he’s been giving me lately, the one that makes me wonder what it would be like to kiss him. The one that makes me want to find out.
“Hi!” I say, hearing the surprised note in my own voice.
“Do you have a minute? Cheryl let me back here,” Lucas says.
I nod. “Of course. What’s up?” I say. Lucas normally calls or shows up to take a class. He’s never been in my office. It feels strangely personal that he is now. Not that I keep anything more personal than mugs and a few pictures in the office. It’s mostly my highly organized binder system holding all of the information I use to keep this place running.
“I wanted to see if you were free tonight,” Lucas says, eyes on me intently.
“For a jog?” I ask.
“For a date,” Lucas says.
I feel my eyes widen and I bite my lip. I think I should say no, that I should say we should keep things a business or at least friendship. I don’t want to say no.
“Oh,” I say, trying to keep my cool and not to seem like I’ve been wanting this for weeks. “Yes, I think I’d like that.”
“I would too,” Lucas says, seeming so confident in a really sexy way, a way that really makes me want to kiss him. “I’d really like to take you out.”
“Tonight?” I confirm.
Lucas grins at me. “Tonight,” he says. He’s so handsome, and right now, his smile is making his eyes seem to light up. As if maybe I’m making him really happy by agreeing to go out with him. I like the thought of that very much. I like that he asked, and I like that he surprised me in my office like this. Lucas is still so full of these surprising gestures, these unexpected things I really like.
Maybe I shouldn’t have any expectations at all for tonight. Maybe I should let it all be a surprise.
Chapter Nineteen - Lucas
I’m more nervous to pick Samantha up for our date than I’ve been about anything in a long time. I don’t know why. Something about her just makes me feel like I really want to get this right. I park my car in front of her apartment and head up her stairs. I feel like I’m holding my breath after I ring her doorbell.
When she answers, I feel like all my breath has been taken away.
She looks stunning. She’s always beautiful, of course, but I’ve never seen her dressed up. Her hair is around her face in curls and the dress she has on clings to her body, her curves making her look sexier than ever. I can’t help thinking that she dressed up like this for me. That she picked this dress out, those shoes, that jewelry, all while thinking about me seeing it. I’ve never thought about that sort of thing before, but something about Samantha doing it for our date feels like a big deal. It feels like the start of even bigger things.
“You look beautiful,” I say, leading her to my car. She smiles a soft smile at me.
“Thank you,” she says, blushing. “You look great, too.”
“Thanks,” I say, grinning, glad she thinks so. I’m normally pretty confident in my own looks. I spend too much time working out for it not to be something I think about fairly often. I’ve certainly had women whisper in my ear how hot they’ve found me before, and I’ve made the hottest bachelor in town list twice over the past couple of years. Still, hearing Samantha say so makes it feel truer than it ever has.
We talk about how our days have gone on the way to the restaurant. I’ve made our reservations at a fancy, upscale spot downtown.
Samantha’s eyes dart around as we’re seated in a corner booth. “I’ve never been here,” she says, “or to any restaurant like this, honestly.”
“It was voted the most romantic restaurant in the city by readers of the newspaper,” I say, watching her look around. I’ve only been here a few times myself, but restaurants of this caliber have become fairly commonplace for me. Investors and lawyers like to meet me at them or treat me with gift cards to them. I’d wanted to take Samantha someplace really nice – really memorable and special.
“Was it? I can see why,” Samantha says, settling herself in the booth.
“For a few years in a row, actually. The chef here is also amazing,” I say.
“Have you been on a lot of romantic dates here, then?” Samantha asks, watching me.
I shake my head. “I’ve actually never been here on a date. Just for work,” I say as a waiter brings us over a bottle of wine.
“Never?” Samantha asks, looking surprised.
“It’s actually been a while since I’ve been on a date at all,” I say, taking a sip of my wine.
“It’s been a while for me too,” Samantha says, sipping her wine. We take a minute to read our menus and order before conversation picks back up.
“I used to date a lot,” I say, “but lately, I haven’t been into that whole scene: the bars and clubs and setups.”
“Getting too old for it?” Samantha teases.
I laugh. “I might be,” I say. “I just don’t think that’s what I’m looking for anymore.”
“Bu
t you are still looking?” Samantha asks, taking another sip of her wine.
“For a couple of years, I wasn’t really. I pulled back,” I say, thinking of Paul telling me I was going to be a lonely old man, married to my job and obsessing over finances before I knew it.
“What changed?” Samantha asks, meeting my eyes.
“The new neighborhood, I suppose,” I say, smirking and making Samantha laugh. Making Samantha laugh has become one of my favorite things to do. She looks so pretty when she laughs, and I want to see her that way all the time.
“Of course,” Samantha says, biting her lip.
“What about you?” I ask. I know Samantha isn’t seeing anyone right now. Well, anyone other than me, anyway. I don’t know anything else about her love life, though.
“Me?” Samantha asks. I nod. I can’t get over how beautiful she looks in this light, all dressed up and sitting across from me in a place like this. I think I’d like to take her out more often. I know I’m getting ahead of myself – that even with how we’ve been getting along, there is still the looming matter of our businesses hanging over us. I still really want this to work.
“You said you hadn’t been on a date in a while either,” I say.
“Everyone says I’m married to the center,” Samantha says. “I guess I have been. It’s always been hard to date and keep things up and running. It’s been even harder to find someone who understands and gets it. I’m a business owner, and so many dates have treated me like one day I was going to get a ‘real job.’ They didn’t take what I do seriously, so I didn’t take them seriously, either.”
Hot CEO: An Enemies to Lovers Romance Page 6