by Twyla Turner
“So that’s how you came to the States?”
“Aye, the sport is the most popular here in America. With the most opportunities to excel. So I stayed. And I’m so glad I did.” Bradyn added and looked at Payton meaningfully.
She wasn’t able to hold his pale blue gaze for long. “W-Why did you decide to open a gym?”
“A lot of reasons.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I wanted to give kids like me an opportunity to learn how to defend themselves an’ to gain some self-esteem. I wanted a place where women felt comfortable to get healthy and train, as well as learn self-defense. And I wanted to have another career ready for when I retire. It’s no’ an old man’s sport.”
“That makes sense,” Payton commented as she reached for her laptop and began shutting it down.
As he watched her pack up her computer, Bradyn thought about how novel these past few weeks had been for him. He had never been able to talk to a female without stammering through the conversation. But Payton’s shyness, awkward personality, and clumsy nature put him at ease and relaxed his tongue that was usually tied with anxiety. Her imperfections relaxed his.
“What about you?” Bradyn asked. “Why did ye decide to become a web designer?”
Payton lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I like computers and I’m good at it. Numbers and codes just come easy to me. But I also like beautiful art and interesting designs, so web design is the best of both.”
“Why are ye so skittish around men, especially red giants?” Bradyn asked, trying to add some playfulness to the touchy question.
“That, sir, is none of your business.” Payton huffed as she stood, placing her leather satchel over her shoulder.
Bradyn quickly stood with her. “I’m sorry, Payton. I dinna mean to pry. Well, aye, I guess I do. But that’s just because I want to understand ye better, so I can put yer mind at ease.”
Bradyn came around his desk and stood in front of her. Close enough to make her tense slightly, but far enough away that she still felt she had an easy escape route. He slowly reached across the few feet that separated them. His fingertips lightly touched the side of her face. Her full, round cheek felt like satin against his rough calloused fingers. The contrast of her dark mahogany complexion against his fair skin was striking. He wanted nothing more than to see the other contrasts of their bodies. His body tightened just thinking about it.
“I would never hurt ye, Payton,” he said softly. She refused to look up at him, so Bradyn decided to admit a painful truth to her. It could only help. “When I was a lad in my third year at secondary school, what ye’d call high school here, the first girl I ever loved was…” he swallowed hard and continued. “She was raped by schoolmates, right in front of me as they held me back. They beat me up and then forced me to watch. She never got over it and killed herself less than a year later.”
Payton’s eyes flew up to meet his on a soft gasp. The dark irises were filled with such deep empathy that Bradyn had to clear his throat a couple of times before he could continue.
“So ye see, I could never hurt ye. I know what that does to a lass. And I vowed then that no woman would suffer at my hands and that I would train to become big and strong so I could protect those that I love.” He rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “I’ve never broken that promise and I dinna plan to now.”
“I-I’m so sorry about your f-friend,” Payton whispered. “A-And I believe you. This may sound stupid and trite, b-but it’s not you, it’s me.”
“That’s okay. I’m a patient man, Payton.” Bradyn leaned down and kissed her forehead over her bangs. “Besides, we could always start as friends.”
Payton took a shaky breath. “For some reason, that doesn’t make me feel any better.”
~~~
Payton’s body trembled as Bradyn’s thumb stroked over her cheek once more. She was amazed at how soft his touch was when his job was to inflict pain. Her mind whirled trying to figure out what was going on with her body. His simple touch with his large, rough hands stirred something in her that she’d never felt before. Her heart thrummed. Her skin prickled with goosebumps. Her nipples hardened almost painfully. Her stomach fluttered with spastic butterflies. And her most private place flexed and dampened as if seeking out something.
She braved a look up at him. His penetrating pale blue eyes gazed at her as if he adored her. They trailed over her face and then landed on her lips, where they stopped. Self-consciously, Payton licked them. She watched as the adoration written on his face turned into hunger. Afraid of what would happen if she stayed rooted to the spot, she pulled away from him, for much-needed space.
“I should go,” she breathed.
“It’s late. I’ll walk ye to yer car,” Bradyn offered chivalrously like he did every evening.
“T-Thanks.”
Payton headed for the office door. There were still some late-night members getting in their workouts. And as usual, they looked on curiously as Bradyn walked her out. She tried to hold her head up high and ignore the stares. Of course, holding her head high and keeping her eyes straight ahead meant that she wasn’t focusing on placing one foot in front of the other. So it was no surprise when Payton stumbled. Bradyn’s quick reflexes came in handy when he gripped her waist, saving her from falling on her face.
She felt the heat from his hands penetrate her clothes to her sensitive skin underneath. Payton quickly straightened up, adjusted her t-shirt, and pulled away from his searing touch. His nearness and her self-consciousness because of her thick waist made her face heat up. Ready to end the awkwardness, Payton quickened her step to get to her car. Bradyn’s long legs easily kept up with her.
Payton stopped once she reached her driver’s side door. She turned to speak to Bradyn and her words became stuck in her throat, not expecting him to be so close.
“Goodnight, lass,” Bradyn said deeply before leaning down to kiss her softly on the cheek.
He quickly turned and strode away. Payton watched him go, her eyes roaming over his large frame, noticing just how graceful he was to be so big. She raised her hand to her cheek. Payton could still feel the caress of his soft lips and the scrape of the furry bristles of his beard on the side of her face.
Dammit! He’s totally the Gentle Giant. Payton frowned as she slid into the driver’s seat and started her car. I’m in so much trouble.
Chapter Thirteen
Royal walked into The Red Scot’s Ultimate Gym around one in the afternoon. A few days before, Bradyn had approached them as they lifted weights and haltingly asked her if he could hire her to take photos of the gym and videos if she knew how to take those too. He’d been so shy and sweet that she couldn’t help but make room in her schedule for him. Plus, she figured it would give her more of an opportunity to see what he was about. The three of them were a bit overprotective of Payton, so she wanted to make sure she did her due diligence.
She walked to the back of the building to Bradyn’s office. The large Scot was bent over his desk looking at some paperwork. Royal took just a few moments to assess the man that had taken a liking to her friend with her photographer’s eye.
Bradyn was handsome in a very rugged –he’s been punched a few too many times– roughneck sort of way. His ears had slightly cauliflowered from wrestling over the years. His face was all hard plains and sharp angles, giving him a very serious look when he wasn’t smiling. His hair was a beautiful deep auburn, yet his beard had a multitude of colors, starting with the same auburn and lightening to strawberry blond by the time the hair got to his mouth. His hair and beard were groomed to perfection. Both cropped relatively low, to keep opponents from being able to grab ahold of them during a match.
His skin was pale with freckles splattered on his shoulders, forearms, and face. Bradyn must have sensed her in the room because he looked up and smiled. The smile instantly softened his hard edges and gave him the appearance of a gentle giant. Royal was always shocked when she got the full force of his pale blue eyes. They really
were astonishing. Dude, Payton you really have hit the hot guy jackpot! One day I’d love to shoot him. I wonder if Payton would let me shoot them together. That would be a kickass photo spread! All polished ebony against the palest of ivory, like the keys of a piano.
“Hey, Bradyn!” Royal grinned as she walked into his office.
“Hello, Royal. Thanks again for helping me out,” Bradyn said sincerely.
“Of course. I’m glad to do it. So just point me in the right direction and I’ll take photos and videos of what you want.” Royal suggested.
Bradyn rose from behind his desk. At only five-feet-even, Royal had to crane her neck back to look up at him as he stood to his full height. She noticed that he seemed to be less shy when faced with just one of them. Or maybe it was because Payton wasn’t with her.
They made their way around the facility. Bradyn pointed out things he wanted to be photographed and Royal would oblige. She took pictures of the cardio equipment after asking the members who were using them if it was okay to photograph them and if they would sign a waiver. They moved to the weight area, sparring and boxing area, the Olympic size pool, the locker rooms, sauna, steam room, and Smoothie & Shake Bar.
Next, they made their way to the individual rooms that held the fitness classes. Royal took some photographs and then turned her camera on to video mode to film little snippets of each class in action.
“So…how are things going with Payton?” Royal asked in between filming.
“Uh…alright, I suppose. She seems te be slightly more at ease with me.” Bradyn shrugged.
“You both are a hot mess. Getting two shy people to talk to each other is like pulling teeth.” Royal shook her head in exasperation.
“I’m actually no’ as shy as I was at first,” he defended.
“You were a bundle of nerves when you asked me to take photos of your gym.” Royal gave him a knowing look.
“Well, walking up te a group of bonnie lasses, including one that I’m interested in, in particular, isna that easy. I kept thinking I’d say something stupid.” Bradyn admitted.
“Good answer.” Royal grinned at him.
“Now I’m just trying to figure out how to spend time with her outside o’ this place.”
“Hmm… Well, she likes all things sci-fi. As I’m sure you’ve noticed from her Star Wars tote bag.”
Bradyn smiled fondly and nodded his head.
“And she loves video games, too. So maybe that could be a start for you.”
“Thank ye, so much Royal,” he said gratefully. “Ye canna imagine how I’ve wracked my brain to come up with something to do with her. I know she’d never accept a dinner invitation. So maybe I could come up with something that doesna seem like a date.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Just remember to go slow and be gentle with her,” Royal advised.
“I will. I promise, ye.”
“Alright. Now, let’s go take a photo of you out front of the building.” Royal said as she headed towards the front doors.
“Why me?” Bradyn frowned.
“Well, big guy, you’re a huge draw for people to come to this gym. They want to catch a glimpse of the UFC Champion. So we might as well take advantage of the free spokesperson,” Royal grinned up at him.
“Weel, since ye put it that way, lead the way boss.”
~~~
Once again, Bradyn found himself across from Payton that evening, looking over the site with some of the photos and videos that Royal had taken earlier. Though it wasn’t like he could really concentrate on the website, not with the question he wanted to ask Payton swirling around in his mind, distracting him.
Bradyn had asked Mitch and Sam and anyone else he could find, where he could take a girl that likes Sci-fi stuff and video games. He had even scoured the internet for anything local. Everyone kept bringing up places like Dave & Busters or Gameworks, but he wanted someplace a little cooler and less like a giant franchise. Someplace with fewer lights, noise, and flare. A place where he could focus more of his attention on his ‘date.’ Not that he would tell her it was a date.
Finally, someone had brought up a place called, Beer & Pong. It was a place that had every video game console since Atari, and just about every video game known to man. All inside a bar where people could have some drinks and rent out some games to play. It was perfect.
Or at least he hoped it would be. He just needed to get her to agree to come first. Bradyn sighed, trying to fortify himself for the battle he was about to begin. As he closed her laptop, he looked across his desk at her. Payton had been staring at him again as she chewed on her bottom lip, deep in thought.
“It…ah…l-looks great, Payton.” Bradyn complimented before clearing his throat nervously. “So…um…d-do ye like video games?”
Payton frowned before answering. “Yes.”
“Oh…uh…there’s this place I heard of that has every video game ever made an’ they serve drinks too. I really wanted to check it out, but none of my friends are really interested in video games. So I was wondering if ye’d like to go with me.” Bradyn mumbled quickly.
He tensed, steeling himself for the impending rejection.
“When?”
Bradyn’s eyes shot up to Payton’s wide brown ones. “Today?”
It was a Friday night and Bradyn didn’t want to give her any time to change her mind. He’d been pretty patient, but not that patient.
“We can head there from here,” he suggested.
“O-Okay,” Payton stuttered. “Oh…uh…as long as I can drive separately.
“Sure.”
Chapter Fourteen
Dammit. Dammit! Dammit!!! Payton screamed in her head as she braved a quick awkward shower in the gym’s locker room, as she made sure she avoided wetting her hair. What have I gotten myself into?! I hate my friends!
Earlier that night before Bradyn had come and gotten her, as usual, after her and the girls’ workout, her friends had convinced her that if he were to ask her to hang out that she should accept. Just to spend some time with him to get to know him outside of the gym. Royal had told her that Bradyn seemed genuinely interested and harmless.
After that, while Bradyn had gone over the changes she’d added to the website, Payton had watched him. She couldn’t get out of her head what he had been through as a young man. That if he was being truthful about his first love, then there was no way that he’d ever hurt her.
So with the girls’ voices in her head and armed with the knowledge that he would more than likely never hurt her, when Bradyn had suggested the video game bar, Payton had easily agreed. Which of course, she was totally regretting now.
I don’t go on dates. In fact, I’ve never been on a date. I don’t even know where to begin. I should’ve just said no. Payton argued with herself as she shut off the shower and quickly wrapped herself in one of the pristine white towels offered in the locker room. She sighed with relief that she had been alone in the shower the whole time. She hadn’t been naked in front of anyone other than her doctor since her mom stopped giving her baths as a kid.
Payton dried off, grabbed some hand lotion she had in her Star Wars bag to lotion her arms and legs with. She wasn’t exactly equipped to get ready for a date at the gym. She wasn’t dumb enough to think that this wasn’t a date just because Bradyn didn’t call it one. Luckily, she didn’t work at a place where she had to dress in suits. She was sure that a lady power suit wouldn’t be appropriate for a bar. So she pulled back on her black circle skirt with black suspenders and a vintage charcoal gray Wonder Woman t-shirt. She slipped on her black and white checkered Vans, pulled her hair back in a messy ponytail with her bangs out to frame her face. She didn’t have any makeup on her. But she figured if Bradyn asked her to hang out while she had on a t-shirt drenched with pit sweat and Lycra yoga pants, he’d be fine with her without makeup.
Payton took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse. It didn’t work, but she’d run out of time and excuses. She gathere
d up her belongings and sighed heavily as she headed out into the gym.
Just as she’d expected, The Gentle Giant was waiting for her outside of the locker room. His auburn hair was combed to perfection. His matching beard was brushed to a soft polished shine. He wore nice relaxed fit jeans and a dark blue t-shirt that hugged his massive arms and just slightly gave away the physique that lay underneath as the fabric rested against his cut pectoral muscles. And he too wore a pair of Vans, but his were in black with the signature white soles.
“Ready?” Bradyn asked.
“Mmhmm,” Payton answered with her lips squeezed together tightly.
If she opened her lips to speak, she’d back out of the date. But she’d promised the girls that she’d give it a shot. Give him a shot.
“I promise, this is just an innocent hang out. Not a date.” Bradyn reassured her, trying to put her mind at ease.
It worked a little and Payton breathed a bit easier. Though she wasn’t really sure she believed him, but she pretended to, to make herself feel better.
“O-Okay. Let’s go,” she nodded with false confidence. Fake it till you make it.
Bradyn politely walked Payton to her car and she waited for him to get into his so that she could follow him. He, of course, drove a big SUV to accommodate his size. Just seeing him behind the wheel of the car with the light of the console illuminating his face, nearly sent her into hyperventilation. It reminded her so much of Brett and that awful night.
Payton took calming breaths and squeezed the steering wheel. With somewhat jerky movements, she was able to back out of the parking spot and put the car in drive to follow him to the bar. It wasn’t far from the gym, so about ten minutes later, they were parking their cars and walking side by side down a street filled with bars and restaurants. The area was lively with the Friday crowd. Everyone celebrating the end of the work week and ready to enjoy their weekend.