by Regina Cole
The cool water soothed her raw throat, and she gulped it gratefully.
“You’ve done great. I know this is tough, but you’re really muscling through it. Good work.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re afraid I’ll throw a brick through your window.”
Rob arched a brow and smiled. “I don’t think you’re the criminal type.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Stacey grumbled, a little irritated when he laughed. She hadn’t been making a joke. Well, mostly not.
“Okay. Five-minute break, and then we’ll hit the treadmill for the last ten.”
That word. That evil, soul-sucking, terrifying word. It yanked the floor out from beneath Stacey, and she had to grip the bench to keep from toppling off of it. “What?”
“Treadmill. Breathe a second, and I’ll meet you over there. We’ll go for the one in the corner.” Rob nodded toward a sleek gray model in the far corner of the gym. Nobody else was near it, fortunately. The front was nestled up against the corner, and the back of it faced her like a gauntlet of doom.
“Isn’t there some other kind of thing we can do? The elliptical again, maybe?”
“I need to get your level on the treadmill. You can do it. I’ll be right there with you every step. Don’t wimp out on me now.”
Rob winked at her, then walked away.
“He. Is. Evil.” Stacey glared at his perfect glutes. His perfect shoulders. The defined muscles in his perfect calves. This wasn’t what she’d expected. Whether or not it was good for her didn’t matter. She wanted to kill him. Her body was in agony, her lungs were burning, and he had the audacity to smile and wink at her?
She’d tie his beautiful ass in knots.
Five minutes passed much more quickly than she thought was fair. Her water bottle empty, she glanced over at the treadmill again.
Shit. Rob had just arrived over there, draping a towel over his shoulder and waving back at her.
“Nooo,” Stacey moaned, dropping her forehead into her hands. She stared at the industrial carpeting beneath her sneakered feet. Not one more minute. Her insides were confused when she looked at Rob, but her hands wanted nothing more than to wrap themselves around his neck and squeeze until those beautiful gray eyes popped out like marbles.
Despite herself, she laughed a little. Rob would probably think that was funny, and maybe even give her permission to do it if she actually got off her ass and did her last ten minutes on the treadmill.
Standing reluctantly, Stacey turned and wiped down the leg press bench like Rob had showed her. Once that was done, she crossed the floor to Rob’s side.
“Let’s get this over with, Marquis de Sade.”
Rob gave a little bow and held his hand out to help her step onto the treadmill. It would have been charming, if she wasn’t so determined that homicide was her only other option to deal with him.
“Okay. Let’s start slow, at a three. We’ll give you a second to get used to the motion, get your breath and heart rate steady, and then we’re going to ease the speed up to see where you’re comfortable.”
“I’m comfortable at a three,” Stacey said, her footsteps thumping rhythmically on the rubberized tread.
“We’re pushing your comfort level today,” Rob said, leaning against the front panel slightly. “Make sure you hold on to the handles to keep yourself steady, at least until you get used to it. Later on you can move your arms as you run.”
“Run?” She arched a brow at him. “I don’t run.”
“You will.” He grinned.
Hate. Him. All six feet of his handsome self. He was made up of ginseng, health food, and pure, unadulterated cruelty.
“Okay, let’s push it up a bit.” The panel beeped as Rob nudged the speed higher.
Three-point-five, four, four-point-five . . .
“Slow down!” Stacey panted, her feet flying on the moving belt beneath her. “I can’t keep up!”
“Stay here for a second, you can do it. Don’t give up.”
“Don’t tell me what to do!” Her knuckles had gone white on the bar in front of her.
“You’re paying me to tell you what to do. Here, for thirty more seconds. Come on. Count them down.”
“Twenty-nine,” Stacey panted. Her breath was burning her from the inside out. “Twenty-eight.”
Rob pushed off the panel and stepped toward the back of the treadmill. Wait a second, where the hell did he think he was going?
“Twenty-six.” Stacey craned her neck to see where Rob had gone. Why had that bastard deserted her? “Where are—”
She didn’t get a chance to finish answering the question. She’d twisted around so hard to look at him that her left hand lost its grip on the bar in front of her. Grabbing wildly, her balance suddenly thrown off, she stepped on the side rail instead of the tread. Her right foot dragged her backward and she fell.
Right on top of Rob.
* * *
Rob had only stepped aside because Brandi was waving at him frantically. But before he could reply to his assistant, he was knocked to the floor.
He stared at the ceiling for a moment before his head cleared and his instincts kicked in. Stacey. She’d fallen.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he sat up. She’d fallen across his legs, and was currently lying facedown across his lap.
“Oh God,” she moaned, scrambling backward. “Oh God, oh God.”
“Are you hurt? Here, let me help you up.”
He was fine. He hadn’t fallen that hard, and he was glad he’d been able to slow her descent somewhat. But her cheeks were fire-engine red, and she refused to meet his gaze as she scuttled away on her hands and knees like her panties were on fire.
“No, I’m good, I’m fine. I can’t believe I fell on top of you. I’m so, so sorry.”
“It was my fault,” Rob said, standing and reaching a hand down to her to help her to her feet. She ignored it, planting her palms on the side rail of the treadmill and struggling to her feet. “I shouldn’t have left your side.”
Brandi. He looked over at her. She’d stepped forward to help them both up, but Rob waved her off. He needed to handle this on his own.
“Sit down here, and let me check you for injuries.” He led Stacey to the nearest chair.
“I’m fine,” she protested, but he ignored her.
Kneeling in front of her, he ran his hands over her knees. “Any pain here?”
“Just sore. “
Grasping her heel, he gently flexed and extended her leg. “Here?”
“No.”
After repeating the motion with her other leg, and examining the skin of her hands and arms, Rob was satisfied.
“You were going to be sore anyway after this morning, but you may discover a couple of bruises after that fall. If you’ve got any severe pain or discomfort, I want you to call me immediately. No matter what time it is, day or night.”
Stacey looked away. “I’m sure I’m fine. It was just stupid clumsiness.”
“Look at me.”
She didn’t for a long moment, but Rob didn’t budge. He just waited. He knew exactly what was running through her head at that moment, and he wasn’t about to stand for it.
Eventually, she glanced his way, and he stared straight into her eyes.
“That happened because I left your side. I promised I wouldn’t. I let you down. So, that was my fault, not yours. I should never have moved without telling you first. I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”
She blinked, her cornflower-blue eyes looking a little wet. God, please don’t let her cry. He was useless around crying women.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Don’t avoid the question. I’m asking for your forgiveness.”
Her voice was barely a whisper. “I forgive you.”
“Thank you,” he said, giving her a small smile. “There are five minutes left. When the horse throws you, you’ve got to get right back on.”
“I am not getting on that treadmill again.”
“This time we’ll stay at a three. You can walk the whole time. And even if the building falls down around us, I promise I won’t leave your side.”
Stacey sniffed and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “Okay. Let’s get this over with.”
Not exactly the enthusiastic reply he’d been hoping for, but realistically it was a pretty good response. He’d really screwed up there. Kicking himself mentally wouldn’t help a damn thing, but he did it anyway.
Stacey was about as emotionally fragile as anyone he’d seen walking through his doors. The confidence she had was false bravado. Her self-esteem was in the crapper, and this was obviously a last-ditch attempt to feel better about herself.
This little incident had happened at the worst possible time.
“You ready?”
She was on the treadmill again, both feet on the side rails and both hands gripping the bar as if it was her last hope for survival. “Ready as I’m going to be.”
He started it at a two. “There. Start a nice, slow walk.”
She stumbled a little as she stepped onto the tread, but he was right there. Steadying her, talking her through, calming her fears. After a moment, she’d gotten the rhythm and was walking well.
“Head up, look straight ahead.”
“I’d rather see my feet.”
“I know, but you’re more likely to fall that way.” Rob leaned in closer. “If you do that, I’ll just have to catch you again.”
Her cheeks fired angrily, her eyes snapping electric-blue fire. But still she refused to look at him.
“We’re going to bump it up to three, okay? Steady walk. Not too fast, just even. Concentrate on your breathing—keep it deep and even.”
She nodded, and he bumped the speed up to a three.
For the next several minutes, he stood there, leaning against the front panel of the treadmill, counting Stacey’s breaths. She was more comfortable now, her knuckles not looking so white as she gripped the bar in front of her. There was even a tiny swing to her hips that made him want to smile. She wasn’t in shape, but that didn’t seem to matter to his libido. Her shape now was pretty damn appealing, and when she had the confidence to match? She’d be breathtaking.
Maybe she’d surprise him. Maybe that little tumble hadn’t wrecked the work they’d done this morning after all. But he’d have to watch very carefully, just to make sure.
Something like that could make a person regret they’d ever had the idea of working out in the first place. He didn’t want to lose her because of a stupid mistake he’d made.
Lose her as a client, obviously. He shook his head inwardly. Weird things were popping into his head today.
“Thirty more seconds,” Rob said. “You’re doing great.”
“Yeah. I’m pretty experienced at walking.” The snarky tone was at least an indication that her spirit wasn’t broken, so he was glad to hear it.
“Three. Two. One. There, all done.”
The tread slowed to a stop, and Stacey folded her arms on the treadmill panel and slumped over them. “I want to die.”
“No, you don’t. You want to live, and this is the first step to doing that. Here.” Rob handed her a bottle of water. “Drink that slowly. Catch your breath, and meet me over at the tables.”
Stacey took the water and cracked the seal. Rob watched her for a moment, then he walked toward the front counter.
“I am so sorry,” Brandi said when he got near. “I just wanted to tell you that I talked to Tony. I should have waited, I was just so excited. Is Stacey okay? Are you?”
“I’m fine, but I’m going to have to talk fast to keep her. She’s embarrassed.”
“Oh no,” Brandi said, her full lips pulled downward. “I feel so awful. It’s my fault.”
“Stop. It was my fault for leaving the side of a brand-new client while she was testing her limits. It was a rookie mistake and she paid the price. I apologized profusely, and we’ll both just hope that she doesn’t let this stop her.” Rob rapped his knuckles on the counter and turned toward the tables.
Stacey was already there, gathering up her things. If he didn’t hurry, she might just run out the door and not come back.
“Sit down with me for just a second,” Rob said as he neared.
Stacey glanced at her cell phone’s screen. “I really need to get going. I’ve got to go home and shower before work.”
“It will only take a second.”
She bit her lip, but sank down in the chair he pulled out for her anyway.
Rob sat down across from her, folded his hands, and leaned forward.
“I am so glad you came in here today. I really enjoyed working with you.”
Stacey shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Rob kept going.
“I want to tell you that you did amazing. You pushed your limits; you kept persevering. You can meet your goals if we keep working together. You’re stronger than you know.”
A wry smile crossed her face, and she looked down into her lap.
“So, I want you to practice positive thinking when you look in the mirror, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning, same time.”
Stacey pushed her chair back and gave him a polite wave. “See you.” She turned and walked out the door.
Rob sank back into the chair, lacing his fingers over his belly. Hmm. Not exactly the most promising good-bye. But at this point he’d done all he could.
It was up to her now.
Chapter 4
Rob couldn’t get her out of his mind for the rest of the day.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—he didn’t have any other clients scheduled. Not like the free time benefited him. He couldn’t focus on anything productive after the morning he’d had.
It wasn’t just the way she’d left, although that definitely took up a good bit of his thought processes. It was her. Little snippets of memory had dogged him all damn day. The reddish hue to her blond ponytail as it swayed with her movements, catching the light. The way her Lycra pants clung to her rounded hips as she stretched upward to reach the pull-down bar. The way her otherwise-loose tee strained around her breasts.
He had it bad.
“Hey, boss,” Silvio said, poking his head through the open door. “You staying? I was going to lock up.”
“Nah,” Rob said, closing the lid of his laptop with a sigh. “I’m heading out too.”
Silvio paused, a frown looking out of place on his always-cheerful face. “It’s not like you to be here so late. Everything okay?”
Rob debated for a minute before answering. Everything was fine, wasn’t it? Other than the fact that he might have destroyed Stacey’s already-shaky self-image that morning, and thus lost the chance to get to know her better. God. It’d been forever since he’d screwed something up so royally. If she showed up tomorrow, the relief might just make him collapse.
“Yeah, just got a lot on my mind.” Rob stood and grabbed his jacket from the rack in the corner. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Want to grab a beer?” Silvio scratched his chin as he waited for Rob to punch in the alarm code. “I’m meeting a few buddies at Galley’s down the street. You’re welcome to hang with us if you want.”
“Thanks, Silvio, but I’ll take a rain check. I’ve got some research I need to do before tomorrow.”
Silvio arched a dark brow at him, but smiled. “Okay, boss. Next time, then.”
After the doors were locked, Rob and Silvio went their separate ways. The parking deck across the street was mostly empty at this time of night. After all, it was after nine on a Monday. Hardly the most bustling time for this area of downtown. As Rob flipped through his keys for the fob to his ancient BMW, he wondered what Stacey drove.
Her hair had been perfect, makeup neat, clothes obviously well made and new. She’d drive something nice. Not that it mattered. She’d probably be driving in the opposite direction of the gym tomorrow morning.
After cranking up the car, he waited a moment for the
engine to warm up. Checking his cell phone’s screen, he frowned. No missed calls or texts. He’d been halfway hoping that Stacey would call, just to tell him that she felt okay after that fall and she would be coming to the gym tomorrow.
Not likely.
Scowling down at the blue-green lights of his dash, Rob jerked the gearshift into REVERSE. He had to stop dwelling on her. He’d lost clients before, and he would lose them in the future. It wasn’t a big deal. People relocated, decided they wanted different things, wanted fresh experiences. But he’d never lost a client because he’d done a bad job. And he was beginning to think that this morning he might have done just that for the first time.
As the tires rolled over the speed bump at the entrance to the parking deck, Rob cranked up his radio and nosed the BMW toward home in the suburbs. He’d be up late. Tonight he would research some new exercises for Stacey before bed, make sure he was extra-prepared for her to show up tomorrow.
And if she didn’t? Well, her registration paperwork had her phone number and address. A phone call, an e-mail, somehow he’d reach out to her and try to convince her to give Healthy Living a second chance. Even if it wasn’t with him as her trainer, he still wanted her to fulfill her potential.
Besides that? He wanted to see her again. He hadn’t been this interested in a woman since Rebecca. And that was definitely something worth pursuing.
* * *
The next morning, five thirty came and went with no Stacey. Then six. Then six thirty. As he stared at the clock for what had to be the seventieth time since coming in that morning, a sharp poke in his ribs made him wince.
“What’s eating you?” Brandi asked over her second cup of coffee. Usually at this point in her caffeine intake, she was almost downright pleasant. But today there was a serious tint to her expression.
“Client didn’t show,” Rob said shortly as he locked the computer screen. “No big deal.”
“It was that Stacey Hough, wasn’t it?” Brandi shook her head, causing her ponytail to swing back and forth with the motion. “God, I still feel terrible about that.”
“I told you, it was my fault.” A burst of laughter from the elliptical machines drew his attention. A couple of regulars were chatting, happy smiles on their faces.