Hearts On Fire: Park City Firefighter Romance

by Christine Kersey

  With a look of expectation, she nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Your name’s unusual.” One side of his mouth pulled up in a half-smile. “It sounds just like the character from Lord of the Rings. Is there a connection?”

  Nodding like this wasn’t the first time she’d been asked, she smiled. “Yeah. My dad’s a huge Lord of the Rings fan. Galadriel was his first choice, but my mom said it was too much of a mouthful.”

  He laughed. “Good call by your mom. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve seen the movie. Isn’t Arwen only in the movie?”

  See? He was just a muscle-bound gym rat. Hadn’t even read Lord of the Rings. Did he even read?

  Slightly ashamed for thinking such things about Tyler, who seemed like a perfectly nice guy, she was still glad to have a reason to mark him off her Men I’d Like to Date list. Because she wasn’t looking to date anyone.

  “That’s a common mistake,” she said in answer to his comment. “Arwen is most definitely a creation of Tolkien, although she’s not mentioned all that much in the books.”

  “Okay.” He grinned. “I’m glad you cleared that up.”

  Was he trying to make her feel stupid? He was the one who had brought it up. “Uh-huh.”

  “Today we’ll work on your arms,” he said. “We’ll start with bicep curls.”

  Before she could stop herself, she said, “Can you show me how to do it?” She didn’t care if he didn’t read. She wanted to see his biceps.

  “Sure.” He adjusted the weights, then grabbed the bar and pulled it upward. His biceps rounded, and Arwen tried not to swoon.

  At least control your drooling, girl.

  “Do three sets of ten reps,” he said.

  She stepped up to take her turn, reminding herself that she wanted to be stronger. Needed to be stronger. Grasping the bar, she pulled upward, but it was harder than he’d made it look.

  “I think you have too much weight on there,” she said, irritated that he’d made that mistake. Wasn’t he supposed to be the professional here?

  He checked the weights, then smiled at her. “You can do it, Arwen. It’s only thirty pounds.”

  Embarrassed for him to see her as such a weakling, she huffed out a breath and tried again, this time pulling the bar harder. It moved more easily.

  “Good job,” he said. “Keep going.”

  She pulled it up three more times.

  “I knew you could do it,” he said. “Now, six more.”

  Her arms started to tire, but she couldn’t stop as long as he was watching her. She did four more.

  “Just two more,” he said, and when she had done the other two, he told her to rest for sixty seconds. “You’re doing awesome.”

  Though she would have preferred to watch him do the bicep curls, hearing his positive feedback boosted her morale. “Thanks.”

  “It’ll all pay off eventually,” he added.

  It had better. “I know.”

  He looked at his watch. “Okay. Ten more reps.”

  Holding back a groan, Arwen did the ten, then after another sixty second rest, she did ten more. Were they done yet? Could she go home? As much as she wanted to quit, having Tyler by her side, encouraging her, kept her going.

  He took her through several other arm workouts. “You’re doing great,” he said.

  When he announced they were done, she couldn’t hold back a sigh of relief.

  “It wasn’t that bad, was it?” he asked.

  “To tell you the truth, working out’s not my favorite thing to do.”

  He chuckled. “Really? I never would have guessed.”

  Offended that her dislike of working out was so obvious, she scowled, then muttered, “Not everyone can spend their life in the gym.”

  Tyler cocked his head as his eyebrows pulled together. “What?”

  Oops. Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. “Nothing.”

  He got what she was implying about him and he didn’t like it. She knew nothing about him or what he’d been through.

  “So, are we done for tonight?” Arwen asked, interrupting Tyler’s thoughts. Her tone sounded almost apologetic.

  Hmm. Interesting switch in attitude. Maybe he’d hurt her pride. “Yeah. Same time tomorrow night?”

  “Okay.”

  “Good. We’ll work your lower body.” His eyes raked her lower half. Not that she needs much work. When his gaze met hers, he didn’t miss the spark of interest that brightened her eyes. Interest that he admitted was simmering inside himself as well.

  Chapter Five

  When Arwen arrived at the gym the next night, she was determined to focus one hundred percent on her workout and to ignore Tyler as much as possible. All day her arms had been sore, which had taken her mind right to her workout the night before, and then right on to Tyler, which is when she’d decided to keep her focus on her purpose at the gym—getting into shape.

  Did Tyler’s arms get sore after a workout? She frowned as she walked into the women’s locker room. Why did she care? And why was she already failing her plan to put her focus all-in on her workout?

  Sighing, she changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, grabbed her water bottle and towel, then headed to the workout area. Her eyes zoomed right to Tyler, who was talking to a man on a stair machine.

  Ignore, ignore, ignore.

  Turning her back on him, she did five minutes on the treadmill then went to the same place where she’d stretched out the day before and reached her arms into the air. It felt good to stretch her sore muscles. Knowing Tyler was going to work her lower body, she spent several minutes stretching her legs. And when she remembered the look in his eye when he’d checked out her lower body at the end of her workout the night before, a pleasant tingle radiated from her core to the tips of her fingers and toes.

  Don’t think about him! Dang, girl. Have you no self-control?

  “Hey there, Arwen,” he said from beside her.

  Her eyes widened, but since she was sitting on the floor touching her toes, she was able to gather herself before lifting her gaze to meet his. “Hi.” She knew she was going to fail her Ignore Tyler Challenge. How could she ignore such eye candy?

  “All warmed up?” he asked.

  She did feel warm all of a sudden. “Uh, yeah.”

  “Great.” He held out his hand. “Let’s get started.”

  Wanting to send a message to herself that she actually could turn a blind eye to him, she didn’t take his hand. Instead, she pushed herself up and leapt to her feet, facing him with a smile. “I’m ready.”

  Annoyed with Arwen for ignoring his offered help, Tyler let his hand fall to his side. But when she favored him with an enthusiastic smile, he quickly forgave her.

  “Start with twenty minutes on the treadmill,” he said as they faced each other.

  She grimaced. “I really, really hate running. Can I do a fast walk?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. I’m going to program the treadmill so that it simulates going uphill. You need to keep your heart rate around a hundred and thirty.”

  “Okay.”

  He could tell her enthusiasm was waning. “Tonight we’re focusing on your lower body, which is where your largest muscles are. Those muscles are essential for the movements you perform in your day-to-day activities.”

  “Okay.”

  “Another benefit of strengthening those muscles is to increase bone strength, improve your balance and stamina, and decrease injuries to your knees and hips.”

  Impressed with his knowledge, Arwen began to rethink her assessment that he was all brawn and no brains. Plus, knowing the benefits of the work she was about to do motivated her. At least a little.

  “Good to know,” she said.

  He smiled, like he was glad she appreciated his knowledge. He gestured toward an empty treadmill and she followed him to it.

  The moment she stepped onto the belt he punched in the program, and she realized that she didn’t really like him being so in charge of her workout. What if she
didn’t feel like doing an incline? What if she wanted to just take a nice brisk walk? Holding back a frown, she took a sip of water from her water bottle.

  Tyler looked at her, and she knew she hadn’t hidden her displeasure at all.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “I just…Exercising isn’t my favorite activity.”

  He smiled, his handsome face making her wish that she was doing something fun with him instead of being about to jump into a demanding workout.

  “You realize this is why you hired me,” he said. “To help you reach your fitness goals. You won’t reach those goals if you don’t put in the work. And part of that work is letting someone tell you what to do.”

  Of course he was right, and she knew she was being ridiculous. Nodding, she tried not to get lost in his deep brown eyes, which were steady on her.

  “Are you ready?” His finger hovered over the start button.

  “Yeah.” She tore her gaze away from him. She wasn’t there for him. She was there for herself. She had to remember that.

  His lips curved into a smile. “Okay. I’ll see you in twenty.”

  The treadmill belt began moving, and out of the corner of her eye she watched him walk away. Snapping her gaze to the treadmill screen, she watched the numbers move. It was all good. She was getting stronger every day.

  Inserting her earbuds, she turned her mind to the patients she’d seen that day. The sessions had gone well, and knowing she might be helping people filled her with a strong sense of accomplishment. That was what she needed to put her energy into. Her career. Which was why she didn’t have time for love just then.

  “Going okay?” Tyler said from beside her.

  Arwen glanced at the treadmill screen. Eight minutes had elapsed. She’d been so focused on her thoughts that she’d hardly noticed the time passing. Turning to Tyler with a smile, she said, “Yeah. It’s going fine.”

  He grinned. “Hmm. Maybe I made it too easy.”

  Though she was all for pushing herself, she also didn’t want to push herself too hard. “No. I think it’s just right.”

  He laughed. “Okay. I’ll be back when you’re done.” He walked away, but now that he’d made an appearance and reminded her that he existed, Arwen couldn’t get him out of her mind.

  Fine. Think about him. Knock yourself out. Picture his gorgeous face and amazing body.

  But if she was going to go to all that trouble—okay, maybe it was no trouble at all. But still, if she was going to spend time thinking about him, maybe she should take a minute and find out something about him. Like, what did he like to do when he wasn’t at the gym? He said he liked movies, but did he like to read? Was he single? Wait. Don’t ask that. That was irrelevant.

  Tyler hadn’t planned on checking on Arwen until she’d finished on the treadmill, but it was as if there was an invisible string between them and it would yank on him at the most unexpected moments.

  And he was helpless to ignore it.

  His gaze slid to her again. From where he stood he could only see her profile.

  He’d barely gotten a glimpse of her at Pineapple’s the week before, and she hadn’t noticed him at all when she’d been there. What did she look like when she was dressed up? She was gorgeous right then, so he could only imagine. Wait, why would he want to imagine how she looked outside of the gym? Number one, she was a client, so she was off-limits. Number two, after the pain he’d suffered when Madison had died, he had no desire to put his heart out there again.

  Still, he wouldn’t mind seeing what she looked like fixed up.

  Sighing in irritation at himself, when Arwen’s treadmill slowed and then stopped, he hustled over to her.

  That string again. He shook his head in denial. No, he was just doing his job.

  “How’d it go?” he asked. Her face was flushed and sweat trickled down her neck, so he knew she’d been working hard.

  “I don’t like hills,” she said with a tight grin, like she was trying to have a good attitude while still voicing her displeasure.

  He laughed. “Come on, Arwen. They’re not that bad.”

  “Maybe for you,” she muttered before taking a swig of water.

  That was true. He enjoyed working up a good sweat. Chuckling, he gestured with his head toward the weight machine. “Let’s do some real work.”

  “Oh joy,” she said as she stepped off the treadmill. “The torture machine.”

  “Ah. Sore arms?”

  “Yes. Thanks for that.”

  His mouth curved into a smile. “You’re welcome.”

  Arwen mock-glared at Tyler, and when they reached the weight machine, he said, “Let’s start with leg extensions. Three sets of ten reps.”

  Holding down the grumble that wanted to explode from her mouth, Arwen put a pleasant smile on her face and got to work. As she got to the seventh leg extension on her first set and her leg muscles started to protest, she began a mantra.

  This is all worth it. This is all worth it. Yes, dang it, this will all be worth it.

  “You’re doing great, Arwen,” Tyler said.

  It was amazing how those four little words, coming from him, gave her the boost she needed to finish her first set.

  His perfect lips lifted in a smile. “Rest for sixty. Then go again.”

  If he kissed her right then, would that be like a magical elixir that would renew her energy? She wasn’t sure, but she was willing to find out.

  An idiotic grin formed on her mouth.

  “What’s so funny?” Tyler asked.

  Heat flooded Arwen’s face as she imagined his reaction if she were to admit the truth. “Time for the next set?”

  He checked his watch. “Yeah.”

  Only halfway through the second set and her legs were screaming. “I think you need to take off some of the weight.”

  “You can do more than you think. Don’t give up now.”

  She kind of hated him just then. Wanting to complain, Arwen mashed her lips together to keep silent and inhaled deeply through her nose.

  His gaze was glued to her legs. “Great job. Keep breathing. Just three more.”

  Breathe in, one, breathe out. Breathe in, two, breathe out. Breathe in, three, breathe out.

  “Perfect. Now rest for sixty.”

  She was so done with this. She was paying for this. If she wanted to quit, then she would quit.

  Legs aching, Arwen stood.

  “What are you doing?” Tyler asked, his eyebrows climbing.

  “I thought we were done.” Not likely.

  He laughed. “No. Not even close.”

  Okay. That was it. No more being bossed around. “You’re wrong.”

  He took a step back, an amused expression on his face. “I am? How so?”

  “I changed my mind. I don’t want you to be my personal trainer.” She sniffed. “I don’t need a personal trainer.”

  Tyler wasn’t going to let her give up already. She’d barely gotten started. “Come on, Arwen. Don’t quit on me. You’re doing fantastic.”

  “I just…I don’t like that weight machine.”

  “Okay. Then we won’t use it. There are plenty of other things we can do.”

  A spark of interest flitted across her face. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

  Tyler got an idea. Something he’d never done with one of his clients before, but he just couldn’t resist. “Maybe you’d prefer something more along the lines of…say…a hike.”

  A hike? Just the two of them? That sounded suspiciously like a date. But too late to take it back now. And to Tyler’s surprise, he didn’t want to take it back. But it was most definitely not a date. Besides the fact that that would be unethical, his heart was too tender to take a chance on a woman.

  A hike? What, like a date? She wasn’t sure. Then again, that would be more fun than doing leg extensions or glute kicks. Or the treadmill. “That could work.” That could work? Just her and Tyler in the mountains? Alone? Yes, please.

  Arwen knew she
’d lost the battle, and she admitted that she did want to go out with him.

  “Great!” he said. “I’ll see if I can get a group of us together. Sounds like a fun workout. How’s Saturday?”

  A group? Then she realized her folly in thinking it would’ve been anything like a date. She was his client. It was like Ben asking her to have coffee with him. Completely inappropriate. Of course Tyler wasn’t going to ask her out. Besides, someone as hot as him? No way he was single.

  Disappointment, sharp and bitter, poured over her.

  She told herself to let it go. She’d said he wasn’t her type. Nothing had changed. “Sure,” she said with a forced smile. “Saturday’s fine.”

  “Perfect. Meet here at eight am and bring plenty of water. I’ll bring some PowerBars.”

  After taking a moment to get over the fact that it wouldn’t be just the two of them, Arwen was still excited to go. Since moving to Park City a few months earlier, she hadn’t bothered to explore the beautiful mountains.

  “You’re going to work out tomorrow,” he asked. “Right?”

  “Uh…”

  “You don’t want to lose the momentum you’ve got going.” He smiled. “I won’t push you to do anything. In fact, you can be on your own.”

  Not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, Arwen didn’t want to wait two days to see him again. “Okay. Yeah. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

  “You won’t regret it.” He paused a beat. “Since you didn’t want to use the weight machine tonight, hit the elliptical for a while before you head home.”

  Arwen liked the elliptical. “Okay.”

  With mock-sternness, he added, “And make sure to stretch out before you leave.”

  “I will.” She watched as he walked away, and as she started on the elliptical, she was already eager to come back the next evening.

  Chapter Six

  “About the other day,” Arwen said to Ben as he sat across from her during their session.