Prepared to Fight

by E. J. Shortall

  “What is?”

  “The saying. It’s pull the wool over my eyes.”

  “Whatever. There’s no need to be flippant, Olivia. Cotton… wool, it’s the same thing. And there is no need to keep things from your mother. You know I want you settled down and giving me grandbabies.”

  Oh here we go.

  “There is no man, Mum. Well not in the way you’re hoping. I’m just going to the gym.”

  I could hear the bottle she was holding clatter onto the table. “You… the gym? As in, weights and stuff? Are you sure?”

  I didn’t know whether to be cross or embarrassed that she found the idea of me going to the gym so shocking.

  I spent the next few minutes giving her a brief outline of what had happened at the coffee shop and how I’d ended up with Nathan’s offer.

  “So you are going out with a man tonight,” she said knowingly.

  “No,” I sighed, feeling drained. “I am going to meet up with a personal trainer who is going to help me lose some weight and become a fitter, healthier person.”

  By the time we’d ended our conversation, I felt like I’d been through a few rounds with the fighters I’d watched on the screens at the gym. Feeling like I needed a lunch of some substance to get through the rest of the day, I decided to ditch the salad and go for one last blow out down at the coffee shop. I just prayed Barbie-bitch and her clones weren’t going to be there.

  ***

  After work, I walked into the brightly lit sports shop and very nearly turned on my heels and walked straight back out again. Loud music rang in my ears, an overwhelming amount of rails and racks were strategically laid out in front of me and I could tell store assistants were waiting in the shadows, ready to pounce. I scoped out the area and judged my safest path through to avoid being accosted.

  “Hello, can I help you with anything this afternoon?”

  I stiffened, having been nabbed no more than five paces in, and turned to face the over friendly assistant. Fuck! My eyes closed, and I sucked in a deep breath as I wondered what I had done in a past life that I was now face to face again with the evil cow that had caused me to be in this position in the first place. When my eyes snapped open, I caught the recognition as her own eyes widened and her mouth transformed into a perfect O. The last thing I needed was for her to get the satisfaction of knowing her rude remarks had gotten to me so much. I’d hoped my parting shot in the coffee shop would have been my last impression on her.

  “I’m just browsing, thank you,” I said, turning to continue over to ladies wear.

  “Is there anything in particular you are looking for? We have a good selection of plus-sized garments over in the back corner,” she stated with a caustic tone, following behind me.

  “No,” I growled through gritted teeth. Don’t let her get to you, Liv. “I am perfectly capable of finding what I need. Thank you!”

  I swerved around a rail of hoodies and ducked behind a rack of golf umbrellas. After counting to five, I peered over the top and was thankful that a broad chested bald guy had caught her attention. I couldn’t help gagging in repulsion as she stuck out an overly long, brightly painted, acrylic claw and touched his arm. Her smile appeared to be friendly and welcoming, however, the batting of her eyelashes indicated it wasn’t Nike’s she was trying to sell him. At least she was no longer following me.

  Refocusing on my mission, I continued over to the ladies section and sagged in exasperation, faced with far too many choices. What had happened to the good old days of baggy sweats and T-shirts to work out in? Browsing through the rails, I immediately eliminated the ultra-tight, almost indecent, short shorts. I wasn’t going clubbing—not that I would ever be able to get away with hot pants, even if I were—and needed something comfortable and forgiving. In the end, I picked up a few items to try on and wandered over to the changing rooms.

  Twenty minutes later, with shaky hands, I pushed my debit card into the reader. A cold sweat beaded on my forehead as I punched in the PIN to confirm the painful amount that would be ripped from my bank account. New clothes were an expense I could have done without, and I could only hope that the expense would all be worth it in the end.

  ***

  Rocking back onto the heels of my new pink and whiter than white trainers, I stared once again at the imposing building in front of me. Despite knowing what—or rather who—was inside, the place still intimidated me. There were fewer people entering and leaving, and I could only guess that was because most saw the significance of TGIF and were therefore down the pub drowning out another long week.

  The sliding glass doors opened and two giggling brunettes walked out, laughing over some mishap in their Zumba class. As the doors slid closed again, I caught my reflection in them. Who was this person staring back at me? I’d pulled my long, dark waves back into a tight ponytail and was wearing some of the clothes I’d purchased earlier. Black capri pants that were gathered and tied just below my knees actually made my legs look longer and more slender than I would ever have imagined. The white zip up hoodie over a tank top that also had gentle ruching along the sides completed the look. But I didn’t look like me. I would even go so far as to say I looked… sporty, like I might just fit in. I laughed and shook my head as I walked towards the entrance. I doubted my lazy arse would ever truly fit in at a gym, especially one like Golden Oakes.

  “Liv, wait up.”

  I heard quick paced steps pounding over the decorative concrete walkway behind me and slowed my pace.

  “What are you doing here, Ad?”

  “The same thing you are. I’m here for a workout.” Adam never worked out Fridays or Saturdays. Those were his rest days he always said. ‘An awesome body like this needs time to recover’ would be his usual excuse. It was more like those were his trolling days. I’d been out clubbing with him far too often and seen him sloping off with far too many women to believe any different.

  “You don’t work out on Fridays,” I replied, tightening my ponytail.

  “I do…”

  I glared at him, daring him to lie to me.

  “…occasionally.”

  “You’re only here for one thing tonight, Ad, and we both know what it is. But I don’t need a chaperone.” I hiked my bag onto my shoulder and started walking towards the doors again.

  Adam sighed behind me. “Okay, okay, I’ll admit I came to keep an eye on you.” I caught his reflection in the doors when they slid open as I approached. He had his hands up in a placating gesture. “This whole ‘let me train you for free’ bullshit doesn’t wash with me. I just want to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of.”

  I snorted. “Who the hell would want to take advantage of me?”

  He grabbed my elbow as we stepped into the cool, brightly lit lobby. “Princess, you have no idea,” he whispered against my ear, and then he was off, striding through the lobby like he owned the place. It was then that I noticed Nathan leaning against the reception counter. He looked cool and casual, with his arms folded across his chest and his feet crossed at the ankles. Despite his relaxed pose, I couldn’t help but notice the sharp look in his eyes and the subtle twist of his head as Adam walked past. I took a brief moment to enjoy the sight of him. I’d never really been into sporty guys before, preferring the thrill and mystery of your typical bad boy. Still, I couldn’t deny the draw of those bulging biceps and the tattoos that were still playing peek-a-boo along the cuff of his sleeve. I decided to make it my mission to uncover the secrets that his white polo shirt was hiding. If I got nothing else out of these sessions, discovering his artwork would make it worthwhile.

  ***

  “Harder, Olivia. You aren’t pushing hard enough.”

  I grunted and swiped a towel across the perspiration dripping down my forehead. We’d only been at it for thirty minutes, and I was already conjuring up ways to kill Nathan Oakes. Any fantasies I’d had of him starting me off gently had been blown away by a force ten gale when almost immediately he had placed me on a tread
mill. Not only did he get me facing my arch nemesis straight away, he wouldn’t allow me to take it easy and walk. No, after a very short warm up, he had me running. Or attempting to run. It was more like a gangly jog because I wouldn’t let go of the bar. When he’d leaned over the touchscreen and notched the speed up, my eyes had nearly bugged out of my head. My verbal cursing also got me nowhere. With Nathan watching on, I either pushed myself or fell flat on my arse again. There were no half measures. Nathan was ruthless.

  “I… can’t,” I growled through laboured breaths, trying to alleviate the pressure on my burning lungs.

  “You can and you will. It’s all about mind over matter. Focus. Control the breathing and ignore the burn.” Easy for you to say, I thought. My leg muscles and chest felt like they were being incinerated.

  I managed a deep lungful of air that gave me only a millisecond of respite before I gasped and wheezed, my knees buckling beneath me. Sensing my growing panic, Nathan pounded the stop button and was around the back of the machine before I could blink. Just as it had done a few days before, the treadmill tried to expel me unceremoniously, but this time, thankfully, Nathan was there to catch me. Wrapping his arms around my waist before I crumpled to the floor, he hauled me to my feet and held me steady. My eyes closed, and I tried to catch my breath. I couldn’t remember the last time, if ever, that I’d felt so lightheaded. The trouble was, I couldn’t be sure if it was because of my exertions on the treadmill or because of the strong arms banded around my body and the heady masculine scent caressing my nostrils.

  “Are you okay?”

  I opened my eyes at the sound of his deep, concerned voice that was close—too close—to my ear. My sight refocused and landed straight on Adam who was staring at me from across the room. Or rather, he was staring at my middle, where Nathan still held his arms tight around me.

  Reluctantly pulling away from his hold, I inhaled deeply, feeling the tightness of my oxygen deprived chest. “What are you trying to do to me,” I rasped in a breathy voice that could not have been my own.

  “I’m pushing you. No pain no gain, Olivia. I need to test your limits and your abilities so we can work on a regular schedule for you.” He arched a dark eyebrow as he spoke.

  I couldn’t help the tremor that zapped through me at the thought of having my limits tested by Nathan. Though I wasn’t thinking about the gym kind.

  “But you’re going to kill me before you’re even half way to discovering my limits. Go easy on me, Nathan, please,” I begged.

  He shook his head and started backing up towards the stairs leading down to the badminton courts and weight rooms. “I don’t think so. I’m kind of looking forward to pushing you as far as you can go.” He said just before he disappeared down the stairs.

  I glanced over at Adam who was sat stationary on a rowing machine, watching me. Grabbing my water bottle and towel, I smiled, wiggled my fingers at him and went after Nathan. Whatever he had planned for me next, I knew it wasn’t going to be good.

  ***

  “Sit still with your back straight. Pull it slow and steady,” Nathan barked, standing behind me.

  Having abandoned the cardio machines, Nathan led me into the weights room. Well it wasn’t so much a room as a huge, open plan space that was filled with various machines and a dedicated space for free weights. The moment I’d set foot in the area and realised what was coming next, I’d spun around and started walking back out. Nathan had simply taken a firm grip on my elbow and tugged me further into the room with a determined stride. Weights really were not my thing.

  “My back is fucking straight,” I snapped, getting more frustrated by the minute.

  “No, it’s not. You’re arching. You’ll do yourself an injury,” he replied calmly as though I hadn’t just been cursing at him, loudly.

  He’d tortured me with arm curls, leg presses, kettle bells, some sort of ball thing—medicine, I think—and the list went on. The more we did, the crankier I became. So, as I sat—with my back straight—pulling a metal bar down in front of my chin, with him shouting and nagging me, my resolve broke. It not only broke, it shattered into a million pieces, each piece flying through the air and heading straight for Nathan.

  I let go of the bar and jumped to my feet, turning to face him. The weight plates crashed back into place earning me a few curious, and some annoyed, glances from the people nearby. “No, I won’t. You know why? Because I’m done. I knew this was a stupid idea.” I grabbed my stuff and began walking away.

  “Olivia, don’t—”

  Spinning around, I glared at him. “No, Nathan. You’ve pushed and pushed, and I can’t take it anymore. I’m on the verge of passing out or vomiting all over your precious gym. This is too much for my unfit body. It was a stupid idea. I’m out.”

  “You’re giving up already? I didn’t take you for a quitter. I guess you really can’t take it,” he shouted after me when I started walking off again. “Maybe I didn’t see the real you after all.”

  Stopping abruptly, I turned to face him again, stomping my way across the wooden floor. I was not quitting. I would never quit. My pride wouldn’t allow it. “All right, hot shot,” I countered, standing tall in front of him with my finger pressed to his chest. “Just this once, I’ll prove you wrong. Do your worst.”

  “This isn’t about me or trying to break you, Olivia. It’s about determining how far I can push you when we work together. The fact you’re still standing here tells me you have so much more to give me.”

  His smug expression riled me further. “Oh, I have plenty to give all right, just not to you.”

  “Prove it to me. Keep—”

  “I don’t need to prove—”

  Nathan placed a single finger over my lips. “Shh, keep the sass zipped for a minute and let me finish. You have guts, Olivia. I can see it in your eyes. That burning hunger to prove yourself, to show the world what you’re made of, I see it. You had it during our meeting too, daring us to even contemplate thinking that the plans were not up to expectations. Which they were, by the way.” He offered a genuine smile that had my gaze focussing on his lips. “You can do this. It’s always tough starting out, and lots of hard work. But the reward far outweighs the effort. So, I’m going to ask you, Liv, are you prepared to fight for it?”

  That was the million dollar question, and one I’d never answered before.

  Lifting my eyes to his, I nodded. “Bring it on.”

  ***

  Freshly showered, and smelling all the sweeter for it, I pushed through the changing room doors and felt a moment of sadness when Nathan wasn’t there to greet me. I’d taken much longer than I’d needed to get ready, lost in my own thoughts. As I’d lathered my hair, I’d replayed our conversations and interactions over in my mind. He was a master of fitness, of that I had no doubt. And nobody could argue how attractive he was with his rough, chiselled looks, massive arms, broad shoulders, slim waist and sexy backside you couldn’t resist wanting to nibble on. But what I seemed to really latch on to, and couldn’t let go of, was his demeanour, his command. He had this presence about him that demanded respect. It was very alluring. And that was not good. He was my client, my trainer, and a nice bit of eye-candy. There was no way I could think of him as anything else.

  I couldn’t help but look for him as I walked through the gym towards the entrance. Although we’d ended my session with me agreeing that I would continue coming and working on the plan he’d set me, he hadn’t actually confirmed if he would be around. He had simply goaded me into rising to his challenge of perseverance and pushing myself. I rubbed my sore and aching muscles with a wince and wondered how much perseverance I actually had.

  “Was it all you thought it would be?” Adam asked, startling me as he emerged from the shadows beside the front entrance as I exited. The evening had turned into darkness, and the magnificent frontage of the gym looked even more impressive lit by only a few strategically placed spotlights. Old fashioned lanterns dotted the pathways back to the car p
ark, leaving the area with a serene and calming aura.

  I pulled my hoodie around me tighter as the cool evening breeze whipped past me. “It was… different.

  “Did he give you everything you were looking for?”

  I shot Adam a look, not liking the contempt dripping from his voice. “He gave me more than I bargained for.”

  Adam followed beside me as I made my way back to my car. “Look,” he blurted, placing his hand on my door before I could open it. “I don’t understand why you feel you need to do this with him when I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.”

  “Adam, I… I can’t explain it, I just need—” I cut off at the hurt look in his eyes.

  He stood motionless and silent for a moment, staring into my eyes. Then, he released his hand from the car door and stepped back. “If this is what you want then I’ll try to understand. Enjoy the rest of your night, princess.” With a sad smile and slouched shoulders, he pressed a kiss to my forehead and walked off towards his own car.

  Confused, I watched him walk away.

  “Ad!”

  He turned to look at me, stopping under the glow of a nearby lamp. The artificial rays reflected off his golden hair and seemed to backlight his deep blue eyes, highlighting his handsome yet sombre face. “Yeah?”

  “Thanks.”

  With a nod he backed up, keeping his eyes locked on mine until he reached his car.

  I sucked in a deep breath and turned to open my car door. Nathan stood off to the side watching our interaction. His body posture looked stiff and tense but his face was an impossible to read mask.

  With a smile, I waved and jumped into my car. Guys were so difficult to understand.

  ~CHAPTER SIX~

  There was a lot to be said about heavy gym sessions. None of it was good.