“Who did you book, Sawyer?” I turned and disguised my question with my hand.
“I don’t know. I just asked for an instructor who could take a beginner’s course.” She whisper-hissed her answer, annoyance snapping with her words.
“Welcome, ladies,” the instructor greeted us.
“Hi.” Our timid responses didn’t instil confidence, but we had to at least give the guy a chance?
Wrong.
“You need to get your money back. That was rubbish and a waste of our time.” I took a seat at the chunky table in the coffee house around the corner from the spa gym, a large mug of caramel coffee, ready to improve my mood.
“How was I supposed to know he didn’t have a clue?” Sawyer and Belle sat either side, all of us deflated after the disastrous session. A jab to the ribs, failure to prepare us for, frankly anything, and a bloody nose for the instructor, summed up the last hour.
“My brother goes to a gym near Hyde Park, where he works. I could ask him if they do a class, or see if he can give us some pointers?” Belle offered. “It isn’t as swanky as your place, Sawyer,” she added. I often sat in the neutral territory between these two with their constant bickering over money, prices, or status and star ratings.
“Fine. I’m sorry. Astrid, can you make room for another trip to the gym?”
“I’m fine. I think it should be Belle we ask?”
“I have to be finished by lunch so it might be an earlier session? We could try it out at least?”
“Great,” Sawyer declared. “Are you going to put this in your magazine then?”
“Um, no. Our experience this morning isn’t what I want my readers to copy. However, I did pull something together for the February edition. Donna’s writing something up.” I took a gulp of my coffee, the rich, creamy sweetness restoring me back to my normal. “Are you busy for the rest of the day?” I turned to Belle. Sawyer was rarely busy.
“Evening shift.”
“Maybe we should grab a bite tonight, Astrid?” Sawyer jumped in.
“No, I don’t think so, it’s hardly fair on Belle.” Belle’s cheeks flushed as she busied herself with her glass of water.
“Or we could all do lunch now?”
I looked at my patterned leggings and gym top and raised my eyes at Sawyer.
“No, we can’t. I’ve got to run.” I swallowed down the last of my coffee. “Belle, send us the details. I’ll see you all tomorrow. If it’s another bust, I say we give this whole idea a rest. Deal?”
“Deal.”
5
Astrid
It might have been the second time in two days that I was venturing to a gym, but I didn’t skip my morning run. My butt could thank me later.
The earlier meet time meant we had to fight through the tail end of the morning rush on the tube—another mercy of working from home. My father’s guilt money had gone a long way, but not as far as Kensington or Chelsea. The journey wasn’t long, but I was glad that standing with a bunch of others like a sardine in the proverbial can didn’t happen every day.
I checked the address on my phone and followed the little person guiding me on the screen to the gym. This was a good location—expensive. So I was dubious when we came to a narrow building stuck down a side street off of Kensington High Street. Belle was already waiting at the door.
“Hey. This the place?”
“Yeah. Matthew gave me his code to use. Members only, but he said there isn’t a desk. Just the code.”
“Okay then. Is he here?”
“Yeah. He’s training with someone from work but said he could show us a few things.”
“Great. Where’s Sawyer?” I looked up and down the street, eager to get inside out of the frosty morning.
Ten minutes later, Belle and I were shivering like frozen icicle pops as Sawyer finally breezed towards us.
“Sorry. Traffic around here is awful.”
“Why didn’t you get your car to drop you here?” I asked, mockingly, already knowing what she’d say.
Her eyes flared for a moment as if cross at my comment. “Don’t’ be silly. He never drops me at the door unless it’s raining. You know this. Now, are we ready?” She looked at Belle and me as if we were the ones holding her up.
Belle keyed in the nine-digit passcode into the external door, as well as a second internal lobby-style door and we headed up the only route open to us.
The stairs took us three flights before we went through a third door. No code this time and finally, some semblance of a gym. The room was open and spacious, with a load of what looked like mechanical ventilation pipes and stuff overhead in that industrial I’ve-not-spent-money-but-really-I-have way. A bank of treadmills lined the wall, with the windows overlooking nothing but buildings. As you moved from the treadmills across the room, the machines changed from cardio to weights, with several stacks of free weights on the other side. A clear path through the centre took you from where we stood, to a couple of doors with ‘lockers’ signposted above, and an open doorway through to another part of the gym.
It was pretty busy, and over half the machines were in use, with a few guys lifting the weights. Belle led the way and beelined for the locker room where we shoved our coats and bags away. We headed back out and followed Belle through the open doorway, down a small corridor section before taking a right, opening into another room. This had foam matting all over the floor and four pillars in a quad around the room, looking like they might be structural rather than anything gym related. Past those, three punching bags hung, spaced evenly, and surrounded by padding on the walls around them.
Two guys were sparring at the far end, just before the bags.
Sawyer made a move to walk over to them, but I stuck my arm out not wanting to disturb them. I wanted to watch—hell, I was surprised Sawyer didn’t. Even from this distance, they looked yummy—firm muscles, hair, slick with sweat. One of them was Belle’s brother, but she wouldn’t mind. I was just admiring the view. And then, they shifted position, and I caught a glimpse of the other guy.
Leo.
My heart did a little blip, and I told myself it was because I’d got to see him under his clothes and he was fucking gorgeous. Those freckles dusting his face covered his shoulders and arms and made me want to go over and lick him.
“Oh, typical,” Sawyer complained.
“What?”
“That’s Leo,” I answered for Belle.
“Really? With Matthew? Oh, you’ve got to call him now.”
“Like this isn’t going to be awkward? Hi, thanks for saving me, sorry I blew you off.”
“It’s only been a couple of days. It’s meant to be.”
“Oh, Belle. Astrid doesn’t conform to your romantic ideals. Now, is your brother going to help?”
Sawyer all but marched into the room and announced herself. Belle followed, putting her hand up to Matthew, while I slunk back a little.
“Hey!” she called, spoiling my visual treat as both men stopped and turned towards us.
Matthew waved at Belle, and I watched for Leo’s reaction as he spied us. His eyes narrowed a fraction as he recognised Sawyer first and then he looked for me. I took a breath and tried to rid the nerves that had snaked into my stomach. Our eyes met, and I saw his mouth twitch into a half-smile. My body erupted in goosebumps as Leo’s eyes left mine to track down my body. His head tilted to the side a fraction, and I imagined he was clocking the full sleeve on my left arm: detailed black and grey filigree, roses, skulls, and patterns decorated my skin.
He grinned at me, and I couldn’t help but like his reaction, and I smiled back.
“Hey, Belle. You made it,” Matthew greeted.
“Yeah. This is Sawyer.” As she introduced her, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Leo.
“This is Leo, a friend from work.”
“We’ve met.” Leo signalled between him and me, ignoring Sawyer who’d crossed her arms with a humph.
“All right. What do you want to go over? I don�
��t know self-defence, but I’m sure I can show you some simple moves to help you girls out.” Matthew puffed out his chest, but it was clear he wasn’t the muscle of the two of them. Leo was taller and ripped, with a swimmer’s physique. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him.
“We have no clue, but we got nowhere yesterday.” Belle sounded defeated already.
“Why don’t I work with Leo? I’ll show you a few moves, and we can repeat them.” Matthew nodded, and Leo shrugged in agreement. Leo’s golden eyes flashed back to me before he followed Matthew past us into the centre of the mats.
“So, I’ll just throw some punches and watch what I do.” Matthew started, setting his feet shoulder-width apart and bouncing on them a little, really getting into the demonstration.
He brought his fists up, nodded to Leo and then struck. But Leo deflected easily and stepped around him. Matthew tried again and missed. Another deflection. His expression darkened, and his eyes drew down as if he hadn’t expected this.
This time, he laid into Leo quicker and harder, but still, all Leo did was deflect, and it turned out, it was him giving us the lesson rather than Matthew.
“Come on, man,” he moaned and pulled back, then went for a sneak attack. Leo grabbed his forearm, twisted him around and then swiped his legs out from under him, sending Matthew to the mat.
“Oh, man.” Belle and I couldn’t stop the burst of giggles as we watched Leo school Matthew, the poor guy. Sawyer looked on as if this was a complete waste of her time.
“Where the fuck did you learn that?” Matthew asked from the floor. Leo offered his hand and pulled him up.
“I used to dabble. No big deal.” Again, he shrugged it off, but there was a story there. I could tell.
“Ladies, it appears Leo is your man, not me. Hell, I thought he just liked to punch things.”
Belle stepped forward to Leo. “Can you show me how to do that?” She was all wide-eyed and star struck, and it made me squirm inside. Seeing Leo again made me wish I’d sent him that message.
“If self-defence is what you want, I’d suggest a proper class. I’m not an instructor.”
“Then show me how to punch,” Belle was insistent.
“If you promise you won’t go out looking for trouble?” I got the feeling he was trying to be light-hearted, but it didn’t quite come off that way.
“Deal.”
“I’ll grab some pads then.” Matthew headed off while Belle stuck close to Leo.
“Looks like someone is happy.” Sawyer nodded towards Belle.
“Um-hm.”
“Oh, Astrid. Really?”
“What’s the problem, Sawyer? I know this place isn’t your scene, but this was your idea. What’s changed?”
“Nothing. But I didn’t realise we’d have to learn how to throw punches and hit people.” Her whines grated.
“Just let yourself have a good time. You might enjoy it.”
Matthew returned and threw a pad towards me, testing my reflexes while he passed Sawyer a set of padded gloves. She looked at them as if they’d caused her a physical injury.
“Swap?” I offered, happy to punch the bag she might be holding.
“Please.” She linked her arm through the strap at the back and stood in front of me. Matthew talked about keeping my feet planted on the ground, my weight balanced and a bunch of things, but my attention drifted to Belle and Leo, who were in the peripheral of my vision. Chatting.
“In your own time,” Matthew prompted, and I snapped back to Sawyer standing in front of me. I raised my hands and then thrust my arm out, twisted my hips and punched the pad.
“Great. Again.”
My arm jutted out, and I hit the pad again, and then I twisted and repeated with the other arm. I got into a rhythm, alternating sides and started to feel the fun in this.
“Whoa, whoa!” Sawyer protested, taking a step back. “Easy.”
“How about I hold the pad, and you don’t have to worry.” Matthew laughed and went to rescue Sawyer.
I took a moment to look over at Leo. He’d found gloves for Belle and was showing her, in much more personal detail, how to punch one of the bags hanging at the other end of the room.
It was nothing. There was no reason why I should feel the twinge of jealousy squeeze my chest.
“Ready,” Matthew called. And at his command, I focussed my attention back on him and expelled the horrid feeling inside of me through my arm. My fist smashed the pad and made a very satisfying thwack sound.
“Easy, tiger.” I ignored him and focussed on alternating my punches and pushed Leo and Belle from my head. When I allowed my body to relax, and now I didn’t have to pull my weight, I enjoyed the exercise. My arms were usually busy at a keyboard or notebook. This got them moving, and it felt empowering to do something with such purpose, even if it was just playing about. Running was controlled and measured. This felt explosive and unpredictable. Fun.
“You look good, Astrid.” Leo’s words from behind me threw me off, and I stopped, lunging forward to catch myself, pulling out of the punch.
With his hands on his hips and his attention now firmly on me, I couldn’t help the heat rising from my chest and the blush kissing my cheeks pink. Leo’s eyes were still that warm shade of gold, but there was mischief in them, dancing at the darker edges of his irises.
For a moment, I wanted everything else to fade away so I could enjoy this time with Leo without an audience, without Belle, and definitely without Sawyer’s judgement.
“Yeah, I think you could be a natural at this, Astrid.” Matthew broke the spell, and my mind landed back in the gym with everyone else.
“Are we done? I, for one, didn’t come here just to learn how to punch. Come on, girls.” Sawyer grumbled to us, and we all looked to one another. Belle shrugged and took off the gloves, and I followed. Reluctantly.
“Hey.” Leo tapped my arm, stopping me from turning away. “Are you going to text me this time? Or at least give me your number in return?”
“Now, where’s the fun in that?” Although, even as I said it, I questioned my hard-to-get routine.
“Is that what you’re after? Some fun?”
“It could be. Meet me here on Friday morning, and we’ll see. We can pick up on Matthew’s interesting lesson.”
He laughed, and the low rumble sounded as sexy as the rest of him. “I will, on the condition that you don’t forego a proper class. Your instinct to take lessons is spot on. And I’d certainly feel better knowing you can defend yourself.”
“That’s fair. So, Friday. I’ll text you the time if it works for you.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
We both lingered, neither wanting to end the conversation.
“I’d better go.” I gestured to the girls, who were already at the other end of the room. “See ya.”
I turned and walked to the exit before the urge to lick him got the better of me.
“Please, for the love of all things gorgeous and muscled, tell me you’re going to call him this time?” Belle pleaded as soon as we entered the locker room.
“We’re meeting on Friday. Happy?”
“Yes.” She clapped her hands in the air and then spun towards her locker to retrieve her clothes.
“You don’t mind?” I check. She seemed pretty into him.
“Of course not. You saw him first. And I knew you just needed a little encouragement.
“Well, if you’re all finished, I guess I’ll see you both at our next meet up. My place next week.” Sawyer delivered the invite and walked out without waiting for either of us. She had a habit of getting her nose put out of place by the simplest of things. We were both used to it by now—it was a Sawyer thing—but it would be good to know what caused those little thunderstorms of hers.
Belle and I left and said goodbye, confirming the details of our next girls’ night. Hopefully, this one would be less eventful, although I was sure the subject of Leo would be one that neither Belle nor Sawyer would miss hearing
about.
6
Leo
“Man, some coincidence. Want to tell me where you learned to fight like that? And don’t forget, I felt it, so don’t feed me that bullshit you gave to the girls.”
Great.
Matthew was cool, and we got on, but I didn’t want everyone knowing my history. It wasn’t something to brag about, although there was a part of my ego desperate to show Astrid precisely what I could do with my fists when Matthew was just larking about. That itch had crawled under my skin, and I had to force my fists to stay relaxed. He made it too easy for me to take him down.
“I used to spar a little with a friend. Picked up some of his moves. No offence mate, but you could do with some pointers.”
“Yeah, thanks for that.”
I offered him my hand, not wanting to cause waves with the guy. He grabbed it and slapped my forearm. We’d hit it off to some extent at work. And it was a genuine coincidence that Astrid and her friends had shown up. Sawyer, the brunette, I recognised, but I hadn’t met Belle. She seemed sweet.
“So, you got Astrid’s number?”
“Nah, we’ll see. Sawyer not your type?” I asked back.
“The stuck-up bitch type? Hell, no. She’s Belle’s friend and all, but it’s still a hard pass. I don’t think she knows the concept of fun.”
The conversation died quickly. “Hey, I’m gonna bounce. See you later?”
“I’ll be there.”
I hit the showers, even though I’d barely worked up a sweat. Thinking about Astrid had got me hotter than the warm-up with Matthew had. I thought she was stunning when I first met her, but seeing what was underneath all those layers made me want to fucking drool. Or just settle for tracing each line of her tattoos with my tongue.
She was hot as hell, and it stung she hadn’t messaged me that night. I’d hoped that the rescue had earned enough points for that text. There was undoubtedly a connection between us—at least on my part. If fun was what she wanted, I’d show her fun. A few more days of patience wouldn’t kill me.
Blush: A Strangers-to-Lovers Romance Page 4