She wouldn’t categorize herself as overweight, but a few extra pounds and several years of avoiding the gym had left her stomach squishy, cellulite had taken over the back of her legs, and an embarrassing muffin top hung over her too tight jeans.
Elle resisted the urge for her nightly bowl of ice cream and decided it was time for bed. Six o’clock in the morning was going to be rough, but she laid her head down on the pillow determined to do whatever it took to get Brock back and make him regret breaking her heart.
ELLE SHUT OFF the alarm and groaned. She had already pressed snooze once, and now she was going to have to hurry to make her appointment with Ryan Calloway.
She pulled on a pair of black gym shorts and a pink t-shirt that had Flagstaff scribbled on the front in neon colors. She had bought the t-shirt on a family vacation many years ago so it was faded and a little snug, but she loved the feeling of the soft fabric against her skin. She quickly pulled her hair back in a low ponytail, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. She didn’t go anywhere without eyeliner and mascara, but unfortunately, that was all she was going to have time for this morning.
One final glance in the mirror… not bad all things considered, but she certainly was glad she wasn’t going to see anyone she knew looking like this. Elle grabbed her work clothes and her gym bag filled with shower supplies and makeup, grabbed her laptop and purse, and headed out the door.
It was a beautiful October morning in Sweetbriar. The air was crisp, and the sun was just starting to peek out from the darkness of night.
She had never been to Missouri this time of year. Her visits to the small, quiet lake town had been during the summer when the scorching Arizona heat became unbearable. Elle loved the lake and had spent many summer days out riding jet skis on the water and cool nights sitting on her grandparents’ deck, listening to the crickets and frogs and all the other country sounds that were nonexistent in Phoenix.
She pulled into Fit Club and turned off the engine. This was it, no turning back now. Elle grabbed her gym bag and slogged through the entrance.
“Good morning!” the front desk girl chimed, way too cheery for this early. “You must be Elle, Ryan’s 6:00 a.m. appointment?”
Elle nodded. She forgot how small this town was. She guessed the happy attendant could identify her simply by not being a regular face at the gym.
“Ryan is in his office when you’re ready. Upstairs and to the right. Locker rooms are straight ahead.”
“Thanks,” Elle mumbled as she trudged through the bustling gym in the direction of the locker rooms. A lot of people streamed in and out, bleary eyed and focused on getting through their workouts. Aside from the front-desk girl, no smiles or friendly hellos were uttered. That suited Elle just fine. She was having a hard time keeping her nerves at bay and forced small talk always put her on edge.
Elle dropped her things in a locker and took one last deep breath. She found the large upstairs office easily and knocked gently on the door. The lone occupant swung open the door with a large, perfect white smile that didn’t meet his eyes. But those eyes… Elle would recognize them anywhere, even attached to a different body. They consumed her.
As realization hit her tired brain, Elle regretted agreeing to Julia’s schemes. She regretted her stupid t-shirt and she definitely regretted not waking up fifteen minutes earlier to put on a full face of makeup.
Ryan was gorgeous. He also happened to be the man she had run into outside the country club yesterday. He narrowed his eyes for a split second as he studied her face and then smiled with what might have been recognition, but he hid it quickly as he transformed back into the professional and polite man who opened the door.
“You must be Elle.”
CHAPTER THREE
RYAN MOTIONED TO the chairs in his office. “Please, have a seat.”
He couldn’t believe his luck. He had thought about the beautiful redhead sitting before him more than once yesterday. She even starred as the lead role in his fantasy this morning in the shower. He watched her as she sat nervously shifting in her seat. Her hair was once again pulled tightly back in a ponytail, and she ran her fingers over it, tucking loose strands back in place and checking to see that every hair was perfectly in place.
He found her nervous habits and stuffy mannerisms incredibly sexy. He wanted to ruffle her up a bit and run his fingers through her perfectly arranged hair. He was going to have to get it together to keep this professional.
Ryan cleared his throat and leaned forward with his elbows on the desk. “So, Julia tells me you have an event coming up that you’d like to prepare for. How long until the event?”
Elle stared in his general direction but still hadn’t met his eyes since she’d entered the office. “Yes, that’s right. Three weeks.”
Julia hadn’t given a lot of detail when she’d called Tori yesterday to set up the appointment. He wondered how this woman knew Julia. He couldn’t picture Elle and Julia being friends. Julia was wild and bold, whereas the woman in front of him appeared to be the polar opposite.
“Okay, well, that doesn’t leave us a lot of time. Why don’t you tell me what your goals are and how I can help?” Ryan continued, focusing on running through the mental checklist of prepared questions.
She finally met his eyes, causing him to suck in a breath at the vulnerability he saw there.
“It’s a black-tie event for work. I’m hoping to get in shape and tone up enough to look good in a cocktail-style dress,” Elle said quietly, shrugging her shoulder like she was unsure if her goal was obtainable.
Ryan glanced at the woman in front of him. Having a sister taught him at an early age how critical women were about their bodies and to be very careful how he responded to any conversations around weight and body image. Looking at Elle, he couldn’t fathom why she thought there was any need to prep for a fancy work party. She had nice curves and a body that probably made other women jealous.
“Great. What is your current fitness level? Have you worked out in the past, any sports or other activities?” He could think of more than one physical activity he’d like to do with her.
Elle shook her head, and a small, guilty smile pulled at her lips. “I haven’t exercised consistently in the past few years. I was a tennis player in high school, and I used to run occasionally.”
“Are you looking for help with nutrition too? It plays a big part in the success of my clients. I have food lists and basic nutrition guidelines I can give you if you’re interested.” Ryan wondered just how serious she was about making a lifestyle change, or if this was all about a quick fix.
He was happy to see her nodding, even if she did look so nervous and scared that he wanted to pull her into his lap and kiss her until she loosened up a bit.
Focus on the job, Ry. “Great. Julia didn’t give me any contact information, so let me get that before I show you around the gym.”
He handed her a form to fill out while he pulled up his nutrition papers on the tablet and printed a copy of each. They exchanged forms, and he took a moment to review her information.
Her full name was Elle Hastings, and she’d given him both her email address and cell phone number. He was tempted to put both in his personal cell immediately, but that wasn’t an option. He did not and would not get involved with a client. It was tacky and bad for business. There was no escaping a bitter client in Sweetbriar where he was bound to run into them again at the grocery store.
Ryan motioned to the scale in the corner. “Alright, Elle, go ahead and weigh yourself on the scale over there. No need to tell me the number. I don’t put much value in it, but a lot of women like to track it for themselves.”
He busied himself at his desk to give her some privacy while she weighed herself. Women and the scale. He shook his head. When she stepped off the gauge, her face had a disappointed scowl, but he was used to that. Women never stepped off with a smile.
“Time for the fun part. Let me show you around the gym.” Ryan opened the door for El
le, forcing her to walk dangerously close to him as she exited the office. He noticed for the first time how much shorter she was without her big, tall shoes. She was so small he felt the urge to touch her in some way to guide her through the busy gym. And her scent… She smelled amazing — like pineapple and lilac. He had to stop himself from stepping closer to breathe her in. She’s a client. Treat her like one.
Ryan led her through the gym, showing off every inch of the club he had built. She visibly relaxed as he led her around, and she listened carefully and attentively as he explained some of the equipment and group classes. He had done this same spiel so many times he felt like he could do it in his sleep.
The tour had relaxed him as well. He was finding it a little easier to be next to Elle without pulling her against him and kissing her until he had his fill.
“Ryan, hey man. Who’s this?”
Ryan forced a smile at his newest and most eager trainer, Nick. Nick took a long look at Elle, smiling down at her in a predatory fashion.
“Nick, this is Elle,” Ryan said through gritted teeth. He didn’t like the way he looked at Elle, visibly appreciating every inch of her delicate face and body.
Ryan watched as Elle stuck a hand out to Nick.
Nick winked before grasping her hand, holding it far longer than necessary. “I’m Nick. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elle,” he said, before releasing her hand.
A blush crept up her neck and face as she mumbled something incoherently and glanced sideways at Ryan.
Ryan fought the urge to fire Nick on the spot. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was angry because Nick was flirting with a client or because it was Elle. He nodded at Nick in dismissal and placed a hand to Elle’s lower back to guide her away from him. The small contact on her lower back jolted him the same way it had yesterday when he had taken her hand.
She stiffened at his touch, and he cursed himself before removing his hand and shoving both of them in his pockets.
This was going to be interesting.
ELLE HAD TWO thoughts as she stood to leave Ryan’s office. One: damn, he was fine. And two: she was way out of her league.
With a class schedule, a folder filled with nutrition information, and an appointment card in hand, she thanked him for his time and hurried out of his office. She’d agreed to return tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. against every knot in her stomach.
She was relieved to be out of his presence but looking forward to seeing him again. It was an odd predicament to be in, equally excited and petrified by the same man.
Taking a deep breath to clear her head, she watched as a woman bounded up the stairs. Her blond hair impeccably brushed into a high ponytail made her tall, toned frame appear as if she’d just walked off an athletic-wear runway. Elle moved out of the way as the woman strode into Ryan’s office and closed the door behind her.
That’s the type of girl Ryan dates. Elle knew it with every ounce of her female intuition. She complemented him perfectly. The gym god and the gym goddess, rulers of steel and sweat. Silently berating herself for letting his friendliness trick her into feeling like they had a connection, she hurried to the locker room. He was her trainer, nothing more.
THE OFFICE WAS unusually quiet as Elle arrived at Morgan & Associates. Clive’s door was closed, and Elle could see Julia and Amanda were heads-down in the conference room pouring over papers. Most likely planning for the ball, Elle thought.
She sat down at her desk with a renewed attitude. She’d conquered showing up at the gym this morning, even if she had been too nervous to do more than nod and blush. None the less, she felt resolute in tackling her day with a new confidence in her abilities as a lawyer. She may need to put in some time in the gym before she was ready to dazzle Brock at the ball, but work she could handle. And today was an important milestone in her career — her first solo client.
Her morning to-do list was filled with small tasks that on any other day would make her yawn with boredom, but today she worked through them quickly, humming along softly to the music app on her phone.
It was almost noon before Elle looked up from her computer screen, eyes blurry and stomach growling, and realized she hadn’t eaten. She took out the recommended food list Ryan had given her this morning and scanned it for something she could grab from the kitchen or get from the few local restaurants.
Egg whites, grilled chicken breast, salmon, kale… maybe she had been too eager agreeing to a new diet. She gave herself a mental pep talk as she devoured the Kit Kat she had stashed in her desk drawer and promised to go grocery shopping tonight.
While she savored the chocolate-covered wafer, Elle picked up her cell phone and took a quick look at her personal email: one from her mother, a chain email from a high school friend, and there in her inbox, sent at 7:01 a.m. was an email from Ryan. She bypassed the other and opened it first.
Hey, Elle. Glad to have met you this morning. Look forward to working with you. See you tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. Let me know if you have any questions. My personal contact information is below. —R
Elle couldn’t help the excitement she felt bubbling up or the large smile plastered on her face. He’d e-mailed her! So what if it was a form e-mail he sent to all clients. At the very least he’d typed her address in the To box.
She typed a response then immediately deleted it. After the fourth deleted response, she gave up and shoved her phone in the desk drawer. How pathetic was she, trying to fake a reply just to continue the email conversation? She picked up her pen and added another task to her daily to-do list.
Elle looked over to the conference room where Julia and Amanda still sat. They hadn’t come out all morning, and she was disappointed that she hadn’t been able to grill Julia about the gym god. How could she send her to meet Ryan without so much as a warning about how mind-numbingly handsome he was?
At one o’clock, when the front door of the firm dinged, Elle let out a deep breath and stood to go meet her new client.
Maggie, a new Sweetbriar resident and soon-to-be bakery owner, was a dazzling sight at the firm. Elle had imagined a plump old lady that smelled of honey and vanilla. Instead, she’d discovered Maggie was a beautiful young woman with an olive complexion and brown hair that hung almost to her waist. She wore rings on every finger and bangles up and down both arms. She had a friendly and warm energy that made the whole office feel more lively and exciting. Maggie talked excitedly about her plans for the store, jingling as she waved her arms about.
Elle liked her immediately and loved her idea for the bakery. Maggie’s business would be located only a couple blocks down from the firm in Sweetbriar’s downtown area and would specialize in wedding and special-event cakes but would also have a small dining area where customers could sit and eat the delectable treats.
After Maggie left, the afternoon went by in a blur as Elle filed paperwork and hummed happily over her case and the thought of watching the store come to life. She had gone all afternoon without thinking of the God of Sweat until she checked her to-do list one last time before packing up. She smiled as she collected her phone from the desk drawer and crossed off the last item.
Do NOT email him.
Elle climbed into her car exhausted and ready to go home and straight to bed, but she had promised herself she would grocery shop tonight. She arrived at Whole Foods and got out the shopping list that Ryan had given her, telling herself that it would all be worth it when she saw Brock at the ball.
One step through the door and she knew she was way out of her element in this giant store filled with foods she’d never even considered eating. She usually shopped at Target or Wal-Mart for the minimal amount of food she kept at home. What exactly was kale, and where was it in this giant store? As Elle wandered down the aisles reading labels and checking things off the list, she felt less sure about her ability to pull off a change in diet. Besides not knowing what half the foods were, she also didn’t know how to cook them.
She was ready to give in and get Chinese takeout instead when s
he spotted Ryan across the store in the produce section. Elle tried to hide between the frozen food and dairy aisle, but Ryan looked up and waved before she could get out of his line of vision. She blushed and gave him a half wave, hoping he wouldn’t come over, even as he had started walking in her direction.
Well, well, imagine Ryan Calloway in non-athletic gear. Tiny darts of awareness zinged across Elle’s nerves. Dark jeans rose from casual brown loafers and encased powerful looking thighs. Elle’s mouth went dry, and she forced herself to lift her gaze so she wouldn’t be caught staring below the belt. A form-fitting blue sweater hugged his biceps and pectoral muscles.
Oh… peach cobbler, apple pie, hot fudge sundae. The list of forbidden, high-calorie desserts did nothing to distract Elle’s mind from the yummy factor of the man walking toward her.
Heat rose into her cheeks, and she fought the urge to fan herself. Her hand shook as she self-consciously tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear.
“Hey, Elle. Fancy seeing you here.” Ryan smiled, his brown eyes turning a lighter shade.
“What in the world is kale?” Elle blurted before she could catch herself.
Ryan tipped his head back, and a deep chuckle emerged from his throat. “May I help?”
“Yes, that would be great, actually. I think I’m way out of my league here.” That was true in relation to standing next to Ryan too.
He led her through aisles and explained each item on the list and why it was important, when and how to eat it, and even offered some basic cooking ideas for kale, sweet potatoes, and some other items Elle had never bothered to cook before. Ryan was in his element; apparently, he truly believed in his work and the lifestyle he taught. It was intoxicating to see him this way, and Elle started to think there was more to this gym god than met the eye. He was smart, funny, assertive — and he made Elle feel like she was a friend instead of just a client he was taking pity on.
Sweat (Sweetbriar Lake #1) Page 3