Page 59 of Don't Quit the Day Job

She holds a hand up. "You know I just want to see how rich you are."

"You think that sounds better than saying you want to bang me?" I ask, And she throws her head back and laughs. I watch as her ponytail bobs up and down. I picture her on my lap bouncing up and down and me pulling that ponytail hard. Shit, I'm going to make myself horny if I don't stop it. "Come on, let's go inside."

I take her up to my apartment and watch as she looks around and ooh's and ah's at everything I take for granted. "I'm just going to go and change," I say, pointing toward the kitchen. "Feel free to help yourself to a drink."

"Maybe I'll grab some bottles of water if you have some," she says. "If you don't mind, I forgot to bring some with me."

"No worries. Go ahead." I head toward my bedroom and leave the door open as I change my clothes. A part of me hopes that she'll walk in, catch sight of me naked, and change her mind about wanting to go to the gym. I wouldn't mind having a workout right here and right now. Unfortunately for me, she doesn't even venture toward my bedroom. I pull on a T-shirt and some shorts and my tennis shoes and head back out.

"Make your way around my entire house?"

"No, but close enough," she says. "It's really beautiful. You have an amazing view."

"Thank you," I say.

"How many bedrooms do you have?"

"Three bedrooms, two baths. You know, if I have company and whatnot."

"Of course. I mean, if I could afford it, I'd have three bedrooms and two baths as well," she says.

"How big is your place?" I ask her.

"It's a studio, but it's really cute and I love it and I'm not complaining."

"I didn't say that you were."

"I just didn't want to come across as one of those people that was envious because I was in a studio and you were in a three bedroom, two bath and we're both single and living by ourselves." She pauses. "Well, I assume you live by yourself."

"I live by myself, Lila. I do. Let's head back down." I grab my phone and text Henry to let him know that we're coming back.

"So what's the plan of action?"

"I'm not sure yet," she says. "I just want to have a conversation with her. I want to see what she's like. I need to feel good about what we're doing, and I'll know better once we get to the class and I sense her aura."

"Once you sense her aura, huh?"

"Why am I already regretting this? I'm not trying to say I'm a psychic or anything. I don't have any sort of powers, but I feel like I can read people."

"True. You did read me and you were pretty accurate."

"See?" she says, grinning, her blue eyes sparkling. "And I even know what you're thinking right now."

"What's that?" I ask her.

"You're thinking that you would love for me to grab your hand, take you to your bedroom and say forget the workout at the gym."

I stare at her with wide eyes and a huge smirk on my face. "Are you a mind reader?"

She giggles and shakes her head. "No, I'm not, but maybe the thought did cross my mind for a second."

I gasp at her words and she gives me a little wave as we head out of the apartment. Holy shit. Lila is unlike any woman I've ever met before in my life. Most women are not open enough to tell me that they want me sexually. It’s usually much more of a game, and while I enjoy the game, sometimes I really like straightforwardness as well. I really like Lila a lot more than I thought I would when I first saw her. I mean, she’s gorgeous, of course. I've known that since I first met her. But her personality, she’s honest and straightforward and matter-of-fact, in a way that I appreciate more than she could ever know. We ride along to the gym in companionable silence and walk inside.

Lila pays while I stand there and pull out my driver's license.

"You're going to be in room G, right over there." The bored-looking attendant says, pointing to the door.

Lila nods at me and we head over and wait outside. There's a gaggle of women all staring at me and I wonder if I've made a mistake in accompanying Lila, but then I noticed that they're all kind of checking me out and flirting and I offer them all a wide smile. I'm about to say something when my phone beeps. I look down and see it's Marie. "Hey," I say, answering quickly.

---