Cambree’s gaze swung to Emmett. He watched her, not Britney. “Thank you,” he mouthed.
Cambree nodded, not quite sure if he was grateful she’d gotten Britney to eat more or grateful she’d stemmed a fight between Lucy and Britney.
Dinner was pretty quiet, mostly the trainers joking with Gunner. The participants were all exhausted.
“Nana Lucy lost her snark halfway through the afternoon,” Mark told the group.
“You’re gonna lose more than that if you keep trying to kill me,” Lucy flung back at him.
They all laughed.
“Tough first day?” Emmett asked.
“You have no idea. I wish my legs would fall off and never come visit again.”
“I was impressed with how tough you all were today.” Emmett smiled at Cambree.
“He’s only impressed with our Warrior woman,” Lucy said, winking at Cambree.
Cambree blushed and took a bite of salmon. It melted in her mouth and she was grateful that she could eat as much healthy food as she liked. Her sport didn’t require her to be at some perfect weight.
After dinner, they went through a routine of massage, ice baths, and rolling out their muscles on foam rollers. The spa was exactly what Cambree had dreamed a spa should be: smelling of lavender and eucalyptus with lovely music and smiling attendants. She even got a facial with Lucy and Britney. Britney had been right that being pampered was fabulous.
As they finished, they were instructed to get in their suits and meet up with their trainers at the swimming pool. Emmett stood by the diving board in a T-shirt and swim trunks.
“A low-intensity workout will help you not be sore tomorrow so we can keep working hard,” Emmett explained. “Does everyone know how to swim?”
They all nodded. “But I stink at it,” Lucy said.
Emmett smiled. “That’s all right. You can swim some slow laps or even just tread water or walk in the shallow end and circle your arms through the water. This pool is salt water, so it almost works like an Epsom salt bath and will help you feel better in the morning.”
“I’m going to sleep like a freaking baby,” Lucy muttered. “But I might not get out of bed in the morning.”
“Don’t worry, Nana Lucy, I’ll come wake you up,” Mark teased her.
“If only you were my age,” Lucy said with an exaggerated sigh.
Cambree peeled off her swimsuit cover-up and dropped it on a chair. The pool area was every bit as gorgeous as the rest of the resort. The Olympic-sized pool had two infinity hot tubs perched above the shallow end with water spilling over into the pool. The backdrop was trees and the blue Texas sky, and there were gorgeous flower arrangements and huge pots filled with bright blooms scattered throughout the pool area.
“Those hot tubs are calling my name,” Lucy said as she gingerly moved down the steps into the pool. She looked classy and fit in a pale blue one-piece suit that flattered her beautiful complexion.
“You said it, sister.” Cambree’s body ached. The massage, ice bath, and rolling had helped, but right now she’d rather soak in one of those hot tubs and watch the sun set and then sleep for twelve hours. Her legs stiffened as she descended the steps into the pool. The pool was lukewarm, and as she sank into the water, she released a sigh. It was almost as good as a hot tub.
She caught Troy staring at her and closed her eyes to avoid having to respond. He was such a creeper.
“Holy mother of Hades,” Lucy murmured.
Cambree chuckled. She stared at the older lady, thinking she’d found a kindred spirit. “What?”
Lucy didn’t say anything—she simply pointed. Emmett had taken off his shirt and he stood at the edge of the pool, ready to dive in, but Britney had detained him. There was so little fabric on Britney’s suit that Cambree wasn’t sure it could qualify as swimwear, but it was Emmett that captured all of her attention. His chest was broad and tan and perfectly muscled. His shoulders and biceps were so shredded, they took Cambree’s breath away. She could hardly let herself look at his perfect abs; they were like steps she wanted to walk her fingertips up. He was glorious.
“He has better lines than a Dodge Charger,” she whispered.
Lucy dug her fingernails into Cambree’s arm. “I watched you two most of the day to get my mind off my misery. If you care for the elderly female population like yours truly who will never have a man like that look twice at them, please, please hit on that man and kiss him for me this week.”
Cambree laughed and shook her arm free. “I’d happily comply, but a richie like that is never going to be interested in me.” She plunged under the water, then started breast-stroking toward the deep end.
Lucy had claimed she couldn’t swim, but she was right by Cambree’s side, doggy-paddling ferociously. “If you believe that, you are du-umb for real. I’ve watched two of my sons find the love of their lives, and neither of them looked at their sweethearts with any less interest than I’ve seen him looking at you today.” Lucy headed for the nearest wall as Cambree continued swimming. When Lucy grabbed on the wall, she turned around and yelled, “Do the right thing! Do it for the women of the world!”
Cambree laughed and swam toward the deep end. The pool was so big, there was plenty of room for all of them to swim around. Gunner and Troy were treading water while talking to Tracy. Gunner caught her eye and grinned and waved. Cambree smiled at him, but her attention was drawn back to Emmett. She hated the stirring of jealousy she felt as Britney pressed her barely covered chest into his arm.
Emmett stepped away from Britney and dove into the water. Watching him move was truly beautiful. Cambree wanted to go back and re-watch all of his football games. He surfaced close to Gunner and chatted with him for a while before ducking under the water again. He swam strong freestyle strokes until he was at her side.
Cambree treaded water easily and smiled at him. “Thanks. This feels marvelous.”
“It’s my favorite thing after a hard workout.”
“Wait. How did you fit in a workout today? I thought your focus was on killing me.”
Water sparkled off his handsome face, and some droplets were caught in the short hair of his beard. “While you were getting pampered, Beau helped me lift.” He tilted his head. “Do you want to swim a few laps?”
“Sure, but I’m feeling pretty slow right now.”
He chuckled. “I haven’t seen you do anything slow today.” With that, he took off with freestyle, and she couldn’t resist pursuing him. They raced the length of the pool a few times, then changed to breaststroke and talked as they slowly traversed the pool. The sun sank behind the trees to the west, and Cambree realized everyone else had disappeared.
“Hey, you two,” Lucy called from the pool deck. “We’re all going to shower, then meet at my cabin for contraband sugar at ten. You in?”
“She’s teasing, right?” Emmett asked.
“I doubt it.” Cambree raised her voice. “Count me out. I need my shut-eye.”
“Don’t forget what you promised me.” Lucy pumped her eyebrows and slowly walked away.
“What did you promise her?” Emmett stopped in the shallow end and pulled his hands behind his back, stretching his chest.
Cambree’s mouth went dry and her pulse jumped. “I didn’t promise her a snitching thing. She’s mental.” There was no way she was telling him about Lucy’s crazy idea of the two of them getting together. The prince and Cinderella were a fairy tale she’d aspired to at one time. Now she knew that only brought pain.
Emmett studied her. The lights in the pool and on the patio flickered across his face and glorious chest. “Are you going straight to bed, or do you want to soak in the hot tub for a bit?”
“Those hot tubs are like sirens—they’ve been calling my name all evenin’.”
“You’d better try them out, then.” He gestured in front of him with a smile.
Cambree was grateful she was wearing a sporty Nani suit that fully covered her rear and her chest. There was a strip of
her abdomen that showed, but she felt confident and pretty in the floral suit. Her body was nothing like Britney’s with Barbie-like curves, but Emmett’s quick glances suggested that he liked her shape.
They walked side by side to the hot tub. Emmett took her hand and helped her down the steps. The warmth of his touch seemed twenty degrees hotter than the warm water of the hot tub. When she’d been lifting today, he’d touched her quite a bit. She’d forced herself not to dwell on how fabulous his touch felt and not get caught up in his spell. They were worlds apart socially, and she couldn’t let herself get pulled in like she had with Nolan.
He released her hand and they both sank down into the perfect warmth.
Cambree closed her eyes and leaned her head back. “Now this is what I’m talking about.” She did a little dance with just her arms in the air.
Emmett chuckled. “It’s the perfect end to a hard day.”
Cambree opened her eyes and studied his handsome face. “Today was a cakewalk,” she said, but she immediately regretted it.
“Oh really? You’d better lace up your bootstraps for tomorrow, then.”
Cambree giggled. “I meant the day was fun and I liked it. The workouts were horrendous and tough, and you’re the meanest trainer I’ve ever worked out with.”
Emmett gave her a challenging look. “I see the backpedaling now. You’re not going to sleep tonight, you’ll be so scared for tomorrow.”
“My belly is a-shaking with fear. You only had half a day to destroy me today.”
“You’re a pretty tough lady. I can imagine you’ll just say, ‘Bring it on’.”
“Thanks. Truly, don’t go easy on me, but I am petrified thinking what tomorrow might bring.”
“You should be, but at least we’ll be together,” Emmett said.
There was a promise in his dark eyes that both thrilled and terrified her. Together? They weren’t together. It didn’t matter that she would’ve liked to explore that option; she wasn’t opening herself up to the suffering of loving a high-society man again.
She looked around the empty pool area. “I didn’t even notice everybody else leaving.”
“So caught up in me?”
The hot tub was suddenly very hot. Emmett Hawk was flirting with her. Her! Little Cambree Kinley from a trailer park in Colorado. She met his gaze and felt like she was floating in heat and joy and the opportunity to maybe honor Lucy’s wishes and kiss this fine specimen of a man. Could she enjoy the moment without giving up her heart?
Remembrance came like a shot of cold water from the irrigation hose aimed straight up her nose. Nolan. He’d ruined her heart for any kind of relationship, especially with someone who was wealthy and famous.
Cambree broke from his gaze and pushed herself out of the water. “I’d better go check my eyelids for holes. Thanks for beating me up today.”
“Sure. See you in the morning.”
“Six a.m.?” He’d explained to all of them they needed at least eight hours of sleep.
He smiled. “If Nana Lucy doesn’t nail my cabin door shut tonight so she can sleep in.”
Cambree giggled, remembering Lucy threatening to do a lot worse than that. “See you when it’s dark and early.”
She found a towel stack on a nearby table and wrapped up, grabbing her cover-up and slipping into her flip-flops. As she walked toward the gate that would lead her to the clearing and her cabin, she glanced back. Emmett sat on the edge of the hot tub, watching her go. She loved the figure he cut with his beautiful body and handsome face, but she didn’t love everything he represented. He’d been born and bred to a different life than she could ever lead. He was a Hawk brother, for crying out loud. They personified beautiful perfection. She would never fit in with him and his family.
She turned and trudged away, hoping she could sleep without dreaming of him.
Chapter Five
The entire group was pretty quiet and slow on the run the next morning. Emmett’s knee was aching, but he ignored it. Cambree had stuck close to Britney this morning, which was probably the only way to guarantee that he wouldn’t get close to her. It bothered him, but he shook it off and ran next to Gunner. They talked football and Emmett really liked the kid’s positive attitude. He hoped the kid made it to the NFL next year. The main thing that worried him was Gunner’s size. He had decent height, but he was pretty thin. He had an unconquerable spirit, though, and ate up everything Emmett told him about putting on size.
After the run, they ate breakfast then went with their individual trainers for the morning workout. Emmett was excited and a little apprehensive to show Cambree the surprise he’d thought of late last night and luckily got workers here early this morning to put in place. His brothers and dad would probably think it was a waste of money, but it could be used until he finished with fitness camps, and when this place reverted to a high-scale resort they could call it a children’s play area. Maybe.
“You ready?” he asked Cambree.
“As I’ll ever be.” She looked hesitant, though. He’d pushed her hard yesterday, but he already knew she had one of those unconquerable spirits that could work through tough things. He thought of his knee and wondered if he could somehow push through it.
He started her out lifting some free weights, then using the cable machines, before they headed to the gym to start replicating obstacles she’d be facing on race day. It was exhilarating to run some of the sprints with her. Even though it hurt his knee, it made him remember how it felt to fly across the field. He hated to think he’d never be back there.
They went outside with only a little time to spare before lunch. Cambree headed for the wooded area where the workers had been instructed to replicate some obstacles for her. As they came around the trees, Emmett smiled. The workers had been quick and efficient. There were inverted climbing walls, monkey bars, and a bunch of ropes for hanging from and climbing on attached to the trees. Three of the toughest obstacles in the Warrior circuit.
Cambree stared at everything. Eventually, she turned to him, her eyes wide. “How did you …?” She shook her head, then jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a fierce hug. “Thank you!”
Emmett laughed and held her close for much too short of a time. “If I’d known I’d get this response, I would’ve done it sooner.”
Cambree focused those blue eyes on him, and time stuttered. She looked like she was going to say something, but then she pulled back, shaking her head. “How did you get this set up so quickly?”
“I know a contractor, and he found some used play equipment and got it installed this morning.”
“I love it!” She squealed and clapped her hands together, but then her face drooped. “You didn’t waste a fat load of cash, did you? You can … reuse all this for something other than my training?”
“Oh yeah,” he hastened to reassure her. “I just realized yesterday when you were hanging from tree branches that we needed more accessible equipment for you.”
“You’re a rock star.” She bit at her lip and looked so cute and kissable, Emmett almost bent down and tasted those naturally pink lips.
Luckily—or maybe unluckily—he remembered he was her trainer when she pushed out a breath and said, “Well, put me to work, bossy man.”
Emmett grinned, then started barking out orders, and she followed them perfectly. He wondered how badly it would really reflect on him if he fell in love with a training camp participant. He could wait until camp was over to officially date her. The media still might harass him, but it would be worth it to be with Cambree. No matter their differences in background, not even his dad or Callum could blame him for being drawn in by Cambree. He knew his mom, Creed, and Bridger would adore her. Why should their social status, family background, or financial level matter?
* * *
Cambree pushed through another excruciating physical day. Emmett had been right that the swimming and massages would help them be not as sore, but she still had some stiff muscles and
Emmett slammed her even harder today than he had yesterday. She’d been half in love with him by last night, and the climbing equipment and walls he’d had installed this morning about pushed her into full-on love. She kept scolding herself and trying to keep away from him emotionally, protect her still-aching heart. But when he’d held her close after her impromptu thank-you hug, she thought Nana Lucy had a brilliant idea to get a kiss this week. After all, how could she tell Lucy no?
After lunch, they had a break from workouts while Tracy taught them about clean eating and how to avoid fads in nutrition. It was nice to sit and learn for a bit, but then it was back to work as usual. Cambree didn’t mind, because she got to be with Emmett.
As they walked out of the dining area, she heard Troy mutter, “Emmett Hawk gets a piece of everything hot.”
She looked over her shoulder and glared when she saw Troy leering at her. He lifted his chin and shot her a smile that looked more like a sneer. Then he puckered his lips in an exaggerated kissing motion.
Cambree whirled back around and glanced at Emmett, who was shooting daggers at Troy. When Troy finally looked at him, Emmett said, “Watch it.”
Troy turned away and didn’t answer. Cambree wondered if Emmett would go after him, but he took her elbow and they walked away together. Neither said anything about it, but the unwanted interaction cast a pall over their afternoon workout. Cambree didn’t like the way Troy looked at her, and the way he’d said Emmett could get anything hot made her feel cheap and gross.
The massages and spa time were fabulous but swimming didn’t go quite as well that night because Beau set up an impromptu game of water polo. They all had a great time learning and playing the game, but Cambree didn’t get any alone time with Emmett. She should’ve been relieved—she knew her heart couldn’t take falling in love with another wealthy guy, and especially a famous Hawk brother—but she was drawn to Emmett like a honey bee to an exquisite flower. Troy was absent from swimming, which was fine by her. Gunner said Troy was worn out and wanted to get some more rest tonight.
The Determined Groom: Texas Titan Romances Page 5