Contents
Untitled
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
Untitled
Untitled
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Falling Hard
C.M. Steele
Copyrighted © 2020
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Blurb
Adrian— Erica came into my gym, taking advantage of the free trial we offered, but I was the one itching to take advantage of her for life. I wanted her from the second I saw her, and I’d do anything to make it happen.
Erica— I only signed up for a free trial so I could meet a complete stranger that caught my attention as he walked into the gym. It was crazy and wild, but every day my obsession grew. My free trial was almost done when we finally met. Adrian Greco owned the gym and me and made sure I knew it.
This is a steamy-sweet read.
The couple made a brief appearance in Falling for the Boss.
Chapter 1
Adrian
Sweat dripped down her body, curving down her spine until it slid into the top of her tight black yoga pants. My dick stiffened as I watched her. What the fuck was she doing here in my gym giving everyone a show? She had to be barely legal, and I was ready to stretch her out on the mats, to fuck every one of my babies into that tempting body. Her long, dirty blonde hair was pinned back away from her round face, letting me see the slender neck I wanted my hand around as I kissed those pouty lips.
Shit, she looked sultry and too young for me all at the same time. Although, her ass couldn’t be in here unless she was over eighteen, so I knew that she was mine. And once I had her alone, I’d take and taste every bit of what’s mine.
God, I was a sick bastard. Standing up and clicking the lock on my office door, I pulled my cock from my gym shorts and stroked it from base to tip and back down as I watched her squat in front of her trainer. I wanted that to be me. I wanted her ass squatting down on my cock, taking it deep in her little pussy.
She moaned and grunted as she pushed through another set, and I echoed her cries, getting my own personal workout. I have owned this gym for years and had never stared at a client like this, but there was something about the way she called to me. I watched her reflection in the mirrors, her mouth parted. Our eyes connected in the mirror and I could have sworn she saw me, but I knew that wasn’t the case. Maybe she could feel me already staking my claim on her. My hand ran over my shaft as I pictured her on her knees. Thoughts of sliding my cock between those luscious lips send me over the edge, nutting in my hand and on my fucking shorts. Son of a bitch—I’m going to have to change.
I cleaned up, changing into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, since I’d be going home soon with my future wife and mother of my children. Walking out onto the floor, I looked for my girl to make introductions and ask her if she was interested in a permanent membership, but she was gone.
Damn it. Where the hell could she have gone? I stormed up to the trainer who’d been working with my woman. Rachael had been with me for three years now and was as feminine as you could get. She loved working out and eating super healthy so working here had been a no-brainer, but I was on the verge of firing her ass. “Where is the woman that was training with you?”
“The girl had to go home.”
“I want her contact information. Is she even old enough to be in here?” I asked, trying to pretend my motives were professional.
“She’s old enough to be in here. Besides, you’re too late. She’s getting in shape for her wedding.”
“What? I want her information now.”
“You know you could get sued for that.”
“For what? It’s my fucking company. If I want to make sure all the people here are legally of age, it’s my right.”
“Yeah. I’m sure that’s the only reason you want her number.”
“Mind your business.” I went up to the front desk and looked at Rachael’s calendar. The name Erica F was written in. I looked up her member info and found everything I needed.
I got her information and thought about the address. It’s in my old neighborhood where I grew up. Why would she come all the way out here to work out? Was she trying to get my attention, or did she work in the area? More than likely it was the latter, but I’d be happy if she did come to get me to follow her ass around like a puppy dog.
I went back into my office and finished up my work for the night. Since my gym was located in downtown Chicago, it closed at nine every night. Most of the people who came in were coming before and after work, some even coming during their lunch breaks to relieve some stress. The gym opened again at four in the morning for those who arrived early to work.
Now to find her little ass and figure out how to stop her from ending up with someone else. At twenty-eight, I hadn’t planned on spending my life alone, but at this point, I hadn’t met a woman who did anything for me. Erica Finch changed that. Soon, she’d understand that we belonged together. Life couldn’t be that cruel to bring her to me, only to have her marry someone else.
While I worked, I dropped a message to a friend of mine. I wanted the background information on sexy Erica. He replied back that it could be quickly done. It killed me to wait for the gym to close for the night, so I pumped weights for an hour. By then, almost everyone had cleared out of the building.
“Sir, it’s time to close, so I’m going to check the locker room.”
We got the place completely cleared out and locked up, and then I drove home. All night I dreamed about my woman. At first the dreams were hot as fuck as I took her over and over again, but then she’d run to a figureless man who took her away from me. I hardly slept a wink between the restless dreams, and by the time I fell into a fitful sleep, it was almost four. Thankfully, I wasn’t opening the gym. My assistant manager had that task. I worked sixty hours most weeks, but I tried to rest my body. It did no good for the owner of an expensive gym to be looking haggard as fuck.
I was due to close up again tonight, so hopefully I’d get to see her.
Chapter 2
Erica
“How was your first day at the gym?” my mother asked, wiping her hands on the towel after washing the dishes. We shared a house just off the Orange Line and Halsted. She bought
it outright after the divorce and asked me to move in with her. My father didn’t care because he already had a new family a month after the papers were signed.
“It was good. A bit intense, but the place was gorgeous.” Intense was putting it mildly; my body ached more than I expected it would.
“I don’t even know why you think you need to go. You have a perfect body.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’m actually just trying to tone up and work up my stamina, which I sorely need. I feel like I ran a marathon or something.” I poured a glass of water and sat on the stool while I talked to my mother.
She leaned over the kitchen island and reached her hands out to mine. Squeezing them, she said, “Please don’t let anything your father says get to you. You don’t need to lose weight for any man. I made that mistake years ago, and you’re the best thing to come out of our marriage.” She knew that my father and I had lunch together once a week at his job. This week it had been with his business protégé, a man he wanted me to marry. I’d been trying to get away from the two of them when I saw the gym and the man walking into it.
“I’m not doing it for him or his little shadow.” I wasn’t ready to say that I’d signed up to stalk a guy who worked there. I pulled one of her freshly baked chocolate chip cookies off the platter in the center of the island and asked, “How are you handling the new marriage, Mom?
“I’m fine, really. I feel bad for the girl. Besides, I actually have a date coming up.” I gasped, surprised to hear that. My parents had been married until my eighteenth birthday when my mother had had enough of my dad’s philandering ways. “Oh goodness. I’m sorry. I thought you’d be happy.”
“Sorry. I’m totally happy for you. I want you to move on. I just hadn’t thought about it. I’m not sure why, but I guessed you didn’t want to get involved with anyone after Dad.”
“I know he’s your father, but I can’t stay alone forever,” she said, sneaking a cookie for herself. She loved to bake, but you’d never know with the way she took care of herself.
“Oh no. It’s not that. I mean, dad was a total asshole who did his best to screw anything that walked. I expected you to be afraid to try again.”
“I’m honestly fine with it all. I love you so much, pumpkin. So enough about me—is there someone out there that you’re seeing?”
“No. Maybe it’s because of Dad or something, but I’m not interested in guys.” His attitude could ruin any girl’s vision of a Prince Charming. Despite my fascination with the guy at the gym, I knew he was probably a frog in prince clothing.
“Do you like girls?”
I almost choked on my cookie and laughed. “No, not that. I’m just not eager to get married unless the right guy comes along. There is a hot trainer where I go to the gym, though.” I wagged my brows, getting a smirk from her.
“Ah, now I know why you’re going,” she teased, nodding her head in approval.
“Maybe.” It was the reason, but I wouldn’t tell her that. I hopped off the stool and washed out my glass, setting it on the drying mat, and headed up the stairs. “I’m going to brush my teeth and go to bed.”
“Hey, missy. Did you eat dinner?” she hollered from the kitchen doorway.
I was already halfway up the stairs, feeling sleepy. “Um…nope, but I’m not really hungry anyway. The cookie and water were plenty. I’m tired.”
“Ugh, that’s not healthy.”
“Says the one who made them. I love you. Get some sleep too.”
“I love you, sweetheart.”
* * *
The next morning, I woke up feeling like total shit. I was grateful that we’d started summer vacation on Friday because my ass would have had a class at nine. I rolled over in bed, but my mother must have heard because she shouted from downstairs. Rubbing my face in my pillow, trying to ignore her call, I felt sleep hit me again.
“Nope. No going back to bed. I need your help, and your breakfast is ready.”
“Breakfast? No work today?”
“No. I got fired, but I don’t want to talk about it.” That explained the late-night baking. I thought maybe she was taking them in to work as a treat, but she was stress baking.
“Maybe you should open up a bakery.”
“Now that’s a possibility. With the divorce settlement, I’m betting that I can make it work. Stop stalling and get your butt up.”
I went downstairs to enjoy some of her delicious pancakes, and I swear I saw the guy from the gym drive by the house from the front window. No, I couldn’t have seen that. He wouldn’t have a reason to come over here. Hell, he didn’t know I existed.
“I’m going to need to hit the gym after I eat these babies.” The house smelled fantastic, and I wanted any excuse to run into my dream guy.
Three hours later, I was sitting in the sauna when two women entered. I recognized the first as the trainer. “Hi, Erica. How are you liking the gym so far?”
“It’s really nice, but I have to say I woke up sore this morning. I thought I was in good shape, but apparently not.”
“Speaking of shape. Did you see Adrian’s ass in those jeans?” the third woman asked us. I did my best not to laugh. This woman had the hots for the owner. I bet that helped him with gaining clientele.
“That’s my boss,” Rachael reminded her.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look. Adrian’s worth the twenty grand a year I spend. Just the damn eye candy in the place. Too bad he’s not interested.”
“Yeah, if he was interested in a woman, I’m sure we’d all know it.” There was something in her tone that made me think she knew more than she was letting on. Maybe she didn’t want to talk about her boss in a negative way, which I respected.
“Have you met the owner yet, Erica?”
“I don’t think so.”
“He’s the tall guy with brown hair that is long enough to run your fingers through, but not too long.”
“Killer ass and smile,” the other chick weighed in. She pulled out her phone and showed me a picture of him, my obsession, with a smile on his face in the candid shot of him talking to another employee. He had his arms crossed, revealing his ripped muscles through his polo sleeves, and I could see that butt she was talking about.
“Wow. He’s the owner?” I’d been stalking the owner. I tried to hide my surprise, but Rachael’s eyes were trained to me and she wasn’t a fool.
The other woman didn’t notice a thing, and she added, “Yes, and totally uninterested in sex.”
“Maybe he has a girlfriend at home and doesn’t want to give her a reason to be jealous.”
The woman continued, “Nope. Someone already asked him that. He’s single as can be. He’s probably a head case. We know he’s packing something in there.”
“If he’s not interested, how do you know?” I attempted to tamp down the jealousy, but the quick trainer hadn’t missed a thing. Nosy bitch.
“Grey joggers, sweetheart. It’s the male push-up bra. It puts it all on display.” If it weren’t for the heat in the room, no one would miss how red my face appeared or how flooded my panties were.
Chapter 3
Adrian
For three consecutive fucking days, Erica exercised in the gym, showered, then left, and I missed her each damn time by minutes. Being the owner really sucked sometimes. I was going to have to take drastic measures instead of letting things happen naturally. I sat in my office and dealt with the paperwork and invoices all day until I couldn’t take it any longer. Then I moved to the front desk and waited, although the second I was out on the floor, clients and trainers wanted my attention. Normally they always had it, but since her arrival, I’d lost my head and didn’t have the patience for people. When she came in today, I’d make an excuse to see her and claim her ass. The gym be damned. Today, nothing would stand in my way.
I’d become obsessed with watching her through the security cameras throughout the workout areas of the gym. Of course we didn’t have any in the locker rooms, but I wanted
one just to see her. Never had I been so damn interested in a woman before. Every day I planned to approach her before she left and not a moment sooner because I might be tempted to do something stupid like run out of the building with her over my shoulder.
Something always came up right before she left, keeping me from making my move.
As soon as Erica entered the gym today, she looked a little upset. I watched her from my office, attempting to get my instant hard-on to go down because I had to find out what was wrong. That was another problem. With a gym full of people, how was I supposed to walk out sporting an overwhelmingly obvious tent in my shorts?
I gripped it like I planned to rip the bastard off, but nothing would calm it. Since I first saw her, I had refused to even put on gym shorts. As soon as my morning workout was done, I slipped on my slacks and polo. Tucking my dick under my belt, I let my polo hide the tip as best as it could.
When I walked out onto the main floor, she’d been talking to Santos, one of my other trainers who’d be looking for another job very soon. Visions of throwing him to the ground and beating him to a pulp flitted across my mind. By the time I reached them, I was livid.
“Santos, get back to work,” I growled out, giving him the sternest warning glare possible. I’d hate to have to fire one of my best employees, but he crossed a line. Even if I hadn’t made it clear to everyone, Erica was mine. Something primal in me demanded to know why someone dared challenge that.
“Boss, I was helping Erica here with her form,” he said, unaware of how extremely close I was to breaking.
“I’ll help her. You stay the fuck away from her form, or you’ll find your ass canned. Understood?”
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