Her cheeks grow as pink as her shirt. “He asked!”
“That’s how she tried to woo me in high school, but it didn’t work. My heart was already taken.”
Now it’s her turn to laugh and roll her eyes. She holds up her hands in front of her. “I know, I know, Jeremy Longmire.”
“J and J. We would’ve been perfect together.”
Elbows out and hands on hips, she scowls at Jason. “What did he have that I don’t have?”
Jason runs his eyes up and down her body. “Now, honey, do you really want to go there?" He slips his arm around her waist and gives it a squeeze. "But, you know I still love you.”
“I love you too.” Easing out of his embrace, she gives them both a small wave. “Just let me know when you're free, and I’ll come back.”
Nick’s amusement at their friendly banter fades. He can’t let her leave, not after she’s intrigued him more than any woman has in a long time. “You’re welcome to stay if you want. I don’t mind working out together.”
Jason’s eyes widen at Shae, and he nods his head toward Nick. “It’s okay. She and I can meet after we’re finished.”
Unspoken messages bounce between them. Nick can’t figure out the warning Jason’s trying to send her.
“I have to be there at one, so I guess I’ll just skip it today.”
What the hell? Why can’t she just work out with him? Nick keeps his expression neutral as he tries again. “I really don’t mind if you don’t.”
She wrinkles her nose in hesitation and glances at Jason. “Okay, I guess so.”
Jason frowns before rotating his finger forward. “Then let’s do this.”
At six-four and two hundred and twenty pounds, Nick towers over Jason by at least seven inches and eighty pounds. Yet, it’s Jason who owns this workout. After about sixty minutes, Nick’s white T-shirt looks gray from sweat and the weight of Shae’s damp hair has pushed her high ponytail down onto the back of her neck.
They lie on their stomachs stretching when she yelps and rolls onto her side. Nick’s chest constricts at the sight of her curled in a ball with her eyes squeezed shut.
Jason kneels down next to her. “Are you okay?”
“It’s my back.”
Jason glides his hand across the bottom of her shirt. “You have a huge knot. Let me take a look.” He pushes up the fabric a few inches, revealing black and blue welts covering her torso. “Oh, Shae.” Anger flashes in his voice. “Not again.”
“I’m okay. Give me just a second, and I’ll be ready.”
Nick closes his eyes, trying to suppress the memories flooding his mind from seeing her bruised body. It’s unfathomable someone could hurt her like this, but his own life is filled with the harsh reality of abuse and regret for the woman he couldn’t save. He inhales deeply before opening his eyes again.
“I know it’s going to hurt, but you need to stretch your back out. Otherwise, it could lock up on you tonight.”
Kneeling on her mat with her bottom resting on her heels, she presses her body downward and stretches out her arms in front of her. Nick’s face burns hot at her eyes welling up with tears. Unwilling to watch her suffer, he picks up his hand weights and walks over to the racks. He rolls his head side to side, trying to calm his fury before turning back to them. He has got to get her away from the asshole who’s hurting her.
Relief washes over her face as she lifts up. Jason rubs her back before nodding. “There you go. I don’t think it’s quite as tight.”
“Thanks. I feel better.”
Jason stands up and extends his hand to Nick. “I know this has been an unusual training session, but I hope we can work together again. Let me know if you want to schedule another appointment.”
“Yeah, thanks, I’ll be in touch.”
Jason pauses and looks at Shae. “If you need me, let me know. I can work on your back again if it locks up.”
She gives him a shaky smile. “Thanks. I will.”
After the trainer walks out of the room, Nick drops down next to her. “I enjoyed working out with you. You’re pretty tough.”
“So are you. Jason gives a hard workout. Not everyone can keep up.”
“Yeah, he’s a beast. But, he seems like a good guy. I can tell he cares about you a lot.”
“I’m lucky to have a good friend like him.” She wipes off her forehead before rubbing the towel between her fingers. “Would you mind giving me a hand up? I don’t know if I can do it by myself.”
Flames shoot through his body at the feel of her silky skin under his fingertips. At her cringe of pain, he cups his hand around her elbow and lifts her up, bearing all of her weight and standing her on her feet. A shudder runs down his body at her delicate hands resting on his forearms, her gaze meeting his before pink stains her cheeks and she tucks her head down. It would be so easy to slide his arms around her waist and press his mouth against her sweet lips.
“Thank you…for everything. I appreciate you helping me.” Her voice, soft but steady, brings him back from his growing desire.
“Let me take you out for lunch.”
“Thank you, but I can’t.” She steps back, leaving him aching for her touch again, and starts walking toward the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she smirks, mischief dancing in her eyes. “Besides, how do you know I don’t have a boyfriend?”
Falling in beside her, he reaches for the door and lets his hand rest on the handle before looking down at her. “It’s not that I don’t know. I just don’t care.”
He deserves a smack, but maybe she’ll find him irresistible instead. After a few seconds, she smiles and shakes her head. “It’s a good thing you’re cute. Otherwise, you’d never be able to get away with a line like that.”
Damn. She could own him with that stunning expression. ”How about dinner?”
“No.”
“Breakfast tomorrow?”
Her eyebrows fly up at his tenacity. “No.”
“Work out with me?”
She takes a deep breath, her internal argument playing out on her face. He doesn’t know what is wrong with him for trying so hard, but he has to find something she’ll agree to.
“You think you’re pretty slick, don’t you?”
His head falls back with laughter. She’s not falling for his charms. “I guess not if you’ve figured me out.”
“Okay, fine. It has to be in the afternoon. I’m going to have a late night tonight.”
Anything to see her again. He pulls the door open and gestures for her to go first. “Three o’clock. I'll set it up with Jason.”
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She walks away shaking her head.
The pleasure of anticipation is an emotion he hasn’t experienced in a long time.
* * * *
She should have said no.
Declined his offer to work out. Refused his repeated attempts to make a connection, however precarious it might be. Then, she would be at home doing absolutely nothing for the first time in months instead of sitting here pretending she isn’t excited about seeing him again, ignoring the butterflies taking flight in her stomach as the clock ticks closer to three.
She shakes her head. It’s silly to be nervous. They’re just two people training together. Mutual victims of Jason’s hardcore workouts. That’s all. Yet, as much as she wants to believe this little fib, it’s more than that. Nick’s more than that.
As she stretches in the workout room, a smile curls on her lips in spite of herself. Of course, he’s sexy and buff, perfect caramel hair with the slightest hint of curl, and eyes so blue she could swim in them. An intriguing jagged scar on his temple, which probably has an even better story behind it. Yet, something besides his good looks draws her to him.
Maybe it’s his protective nature, which makes her feel safe even though she just met him. His charm that’s arrogant but adorable. Or, the fact he doesn’t seem to know who she is. Doesn’t want anything from her. At least for now, murmurs the tiny voice of
doubt worming its way into her mind. Things will change once he finds out who she is. Just like always.
For the last twenty-four hours, all of her thoughts drifted to him. Even on stage last night, she found herself thinking about him, which has never happened before. She tries pushing him out of her mind, ignoring the feelings he evokes in her. Emotions she didn’t think were possible for her anymore.
The butterflies turn to stones, falling to the pit of her stomach. If she hadn’t been at Jason’s, she would never have agreed to meet him. She’s safe here without bodyguards. Or, so she thought until yesterday. No one had ever bothered her here before.
Stories of crazed fans have been drilled into her head for years. Team Shae complains all the time she’s too lax with her security. All she wants is to feel normal sometimes, and the gym has always been her sanctuary. The one place she can relax. If Nick hadn’t been here yesterday, it may not have been true any longer.
Before she can scare herself with what might have happened, he walks into the room, and she can't suppress an enormous smile. Her reward is the same elated expression mirrored on his face.
“You made it."
She laughs at his surprised tone. “You didn’t think I would? I’m the fanatic, remember?”
He runs his hands up and down his arms, massaging his biceps. “You and Jason both. My arms are killing me from yesterday. Your friend doesn’t show any mercy.”
“What about my planks?”
He winks before nodding. “Those too.”
Jason jogs up as they talk. “I heard your grumbling.” A smirk plays on his lips as he raises his eyebrows at Nick. As always, he takes too much pleasure in his hard-nosed reputation. “I'm going to take it easy on you today because Shae’s tired from last night. But, I'll make up for it next time.”
As they Russian twist, Nick sneaks glances at her. Or, maybe it’s the other way around, since her eyes keep wandering to him. Each time, he smiles, seemingly amused by her inability to keep focused on her exercises.
Jason pats Nick on the back after they finish. “Good workout. By the way, Shae told me what happened yesterday. Thanks for helping her. His membership has been revoked, so she doesn’t have to worry about him anymore.”
“Good.”
“Shae and I are going running tomorrow morning if you’d like to join us. We meet here at seven.”
A tiny flip-flop whirls in her chest at Jason’s unexpected offer. He won’t even let Carrie run with them, complaining her endless chatter distracts him.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Nick nods and smiles at her. “Sounds good. Thanks.”
Now, her heart tremors after missing a few beats. Forcing herself out of bed at six a.m. might be a little bit easier knowing he’s going with them.
“Okay, see you tomorrow.” Jason holds out his hand to her. “I want to show you these new brochures we’re working on. You can give me your opinion about the graphics.”
He’s nonchalant, yet so obvious. She can manage a conversation with another man without his supervision. “Let me take a shower first, and then I’ll come take a look.”
Jason tilts his head before shrugging his shoulders, feigning a casualness she knows he doesn’t feel. “Okay, I’ll see you in a few.”
They follow Jason down the hallway and pause at the ladies’ locker room. Warmth radiates from her cheeks to the rest of her body from Nick’s gaze skimming her features before settling on her eyes. The intensity burns through her, flailing her confidence. She looks down and brushes away an invisible wrinkle on her tank top. “I know Jason said it already, but I want to say thank you too. I was kind of flustered yesterday, and I don’t remember if I thanked you for your help.”
“Yes, you did. You were perfect.”
A shiver runs through her at his husky voice suggesting he means more than her intention to be polite. “Perfect? I don’t know about that.”
He leans against the doorframe, close enough for her to see the gray flecks in his dark blue eyes. More than a foot of space separates their bodies, but it isn’t enough to quell the longing he ignites in her.
“I do.”
“Anyway, you should know how impressed I am. Jason’s very picky about who he runs with, so he must think you’re okay for him to invite you to join us.”
Feather light tingles race down her neck as he tips his head closer to hers, his lips only a breath away from her ear. “Just ‘okay,’ huh? What about you? What do you think?”
She licks her lips, trying to bring some moisture back to her mouth and push away the thought of how they would feel touching his. “Maybe a little bit more. You were my hero yesterday. So, how about ‘good’?”
“I’ll take it. For now.”
Shocked by her uncharacteristic flirting with a man she hardly knows, she seeks an escape. Pushing the door open, she shivers at the heat from his gaze following her as she enters the locker room. “See you tomorrow.”
When she comes out about half an hour later, her stomach flutters. He waits for her, his hair still damp from his shower, curling slightly over his ears. Casually dressed in a green polo shirt and low-slung jeans, he radiates an effortless confidence few men possess. She blushes at her desire to nuzzle his neck, wanting to get closer to his clean, citrusy scent.
Heat flushes her body again at his sexy smile, ruining her efforts to get her desire under control with a stern self-lecture during her shower. Reminding herself this isn’t who she is, not who her mother expected her to be.
“I know it’s last minute, but I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me.”
Nervousness and excitement battle in her stomach at his invitation. Politely declining and running away as fast as she can is her normal response to such requests, but the words fly out of her mouth before she can stop them. “This again? Didn’t we have the same discussion yesterday?”
His eyes dance at her teasing. “What can I say? I’m one of those crazy people who believes in eating every day.”
Guilt courses through her. This is wrong. All the warnings she’s been given over the years circle through her mind. She holds her head up and gives him her practiced smile reserved for overeager fans and stalking paparazzi. “Thanks, but I should go. I’ll see in you in the morning.”
“It’s just dinner. I promise I’ll bring you back to your car right after.” His eyebrows knot as he studies her, probably wondering why she acts so strange over a simple invitation. A request she wants to accept more than he’ll ever understand.
She takes a deep breath along with the plunge. “Okay. I need to call my friend. She’ll be worried if I don’t come home when I’m supposed to.”
The grin lighting up his face chips away at some of her doubt. He’s excited too. “Sure. I’ll wait for you out front.”
Her cheeks hurt from smiling as she dials Carrie’s number. She cannot believe she’s going out with a man she just met yesterday. Her call goes straight to voicemail.
“I can’t come to the phone right now. You know what to do.”
She takes a deep breath. No, she doesn’t know what to do. “It’s me. I must be losing my mind because the guy I told you about from the gym asked me to dinner, and I said yes. Call me back and tell me it’s a terrible idea and to come straight home.”
For ten minutes she paces back and forth in the lobby, willing her phone to ring. No luck. Now she has to make a decision. Peeking out the window, she spots him leaning against a dark gray Jeep talking on his cell. Happiness flows through her. He waited, just like she hoped he would.
He jogs up to her as soon as she pushes open the door. “Everything good?”
“Yes, let me get something out of my car, and I’ll be ready.”
She tosses her gym bag in the back of her SUV and grabs her beach tote before walking with him to his vehicle, an older beach Jeep without a running board to step on or handle to pull herself up. “This is kind of awkward, but with my back, I’m going to need a boost to get in.”
/> His hands are gentle but strong, low on her hips to avoid touching the bruises. Still, tears sting her eyes from the sharp pain. Tipping his head down, he whispers, "I'm sorry if I hurt you." Goose bumps cover her bare shoulders from his soft voice in her ear.
He climbs in on the other side and looks over at her with another sensual smile, sending little jolts of pleasure through her body. “Where would you like to go? What are you in the mood for?”
“I know a place with fabulous fish tacos. It’s about an hour up the coast. Is that too far?”
“I’ve got all night.”
Mansions and cottages intersperse with stretches of open beach as they drive down the highway. Strands of her long hair swirl in the salty breeze, occasionally brushing over his arm. He remains quiet, although it’s not uncomfortable. Just peaceful.
She leans her head against the seat and glances at him. “Tell me about yourself.”
He laughs at her request. “Now that’s an invitation for trouble. What do you want to know?”
Without even trying, he exudes a sexy, confident vibe unlike any man she knows. An irresistible lure, powerful enough to challenge what she believes to be true about herself. “Everything!”
“Well, I went to UCLA. I work a lot. I go to the gym. I guess that’s it.”
She pulls her seatbelt away from her chest and turns almost completely to face him. “You’re what? Thirty or something? And, all you can tell me is where you went to school, you work a lot, and you exercise? There’s got to be more to you than that.”
Shrugging his shoulders, he smiles at her teasing.
“What about your family? Parents, brothers, sisters?”
The humor fades as he stares straight ahead, his hand tightening around the gearshift. “No brothers or sisters. My mom passed away when I was younger, and my father is in a nursing home due to an accident that left him incapacitated.”
“I’m sorry.”
His jaw clenches as he nods. The peacefulness evaporates, but she’s not sure why. His reaction is tinged more with bitterness than grief. They ride quietly before she tries again. “What kind of work do you do?”
Wine and Whiskey (Surviving Absolution #1) Page 2