Page 1 of Jaxon's Pursuit

Chapter One

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Jaxon:

“Dude, seriously you need to take over this one. I don’t know what I’m doing but she is so tense, I feel like she’s going to break a hip when she does a squat. She’s sweaty as hell but it’s not from working out. I think I scare the hell out of her.”

I chuckle softly because it’s really not that surprising that Finn could scare the hell out of any woman especially one as shy as Ruby sounds. He’s six foot four and built like a damn comic book superhero. He’s also quick to get fired up and lose his temper.

On the other hand, I’m only slightly smaller than him but much more patient. Mellow even. The ladies love me but I’m holding out for that one woman who will gain possession of me, heart, soul and very willing body. After all, I’ve been waiting for thirty years. That’s right. I’ve never had sex. Call me old-fashioned if you want, which the guys would if they had a clue. I’ve had girlfriends over the years but never felt the need to sleep with any of them. My driving force has always been to find my home in the form of one curvy little beauty. I just haven’t found her yet.

I have quite a few lady friends too. I understand women better than most men. After all, I have four younger sisters. I have spent more time over the years threatening horny teenage boys for said sisters than I did dating myself.

I sigh, running my hands through my dark, short-cropped hair. “Why can’t you work with this girl?”

“I just told you,” he snaps. “Jesus, weren’t you listening? I can’t get through to her and she bought a personal trainer for two months. It’s only been two weeks and it feels like it’s been a century. I mean, she’s nice and everything but it’s like she’s not in there when I’m trying to work with her. I think it would be better if she works with someone else. Maybe you can get through to her. Sure can’t hurt,” he grumbles.

“Alright. Let me talk it over with her when she comes in the next time. When is she scheduled for?” I’m looking at my Ipad, checking to see if I need to move clients around.

“She comes in Tuesdays and Thursdays. Six-thirty. Maybe you’ve seen her. Realshort. Dresses in just about the dumpiest clothes ever made, that cover every single bit of her body. I can’t even tell if she’s actually in decent shape or not.”

I don’t think I’ll have to move anybody else around. I have nobody at that time. Which is probably why I haven’t seen her. I’m still studying my schedule, typing distractedly. “When did you become such a fashionista? Who cares what she wears?”

“I don’t know, man. But I feel like you should know that. She’s really damn shy.”

I shrug my shoulders. I’ve worked with shy before.

The following Tuesday I’m standing in the gym doorway when the most beautiful woman wearing the worst clothes I’ve ever seen walks in the door. My breath catches and I can feel my heart speed up. As I watch her walk into the lobby, I can see that she’s skittish. Uncomfortable in her own body. With her beauty she should walk in here like she owns the place but her stunning emerald eyes skitter back and forth, never stopping. Her full lips are pulled into a frown and her light golden cheeks are pale. She is short. I’m about six foot one and she’s a whole foot shorter than me. I wish to god I had x-ray vision because I would love to see what she’s hiding under the baggy black sweatpants and the long-sleeved black shirt that has to be at least two sizes too big for her.

For just a moment a bolt of jealousy shoots through me. Maybe it’s her boyfriend’s or her husband’s. Surely a woman as beautiful as she is can’t be single. There has to be some lucky bastard out there thanking his lucky stars for finding this angel.

I shake myself like a dog. I still need to check with her and find out if the switch is okay and right now I’m thinking it might be better if she says no. If she’s got a significant other, I will be a mess working with her. If she doesn’t I’m still going to be messed up, thinking of how much I want to be that guy. Distractions here can get you hurt. Not as much as out in the field in the army but still…not good.

I walk up to her slowly and touch her shoulder. “Excuse me. Are you Ruby Young?” Up close her fiery hair looks soft and silky and I can imagine it wrapped around my fist while I pull her head back to devour those pouty lips.

She whirls around, fists up, screaming. All sound in the gym stops as everyone turns towards the doorway. She pales even further and seems to shrink into herself. I grasp her elbow lightly and pull her back to the lobby.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Jaxon. I work here. Finn wanted me to talk to you. He thinks you might do better with a different trainer.”

“Oh,” she flushes, nibbling her lower lip while I groan and try desperately to stopthinking about those lips wrapped around my cock. “Does he not like working with me?” she asks in a soft voice that I have to lean closer to hear. For such a vibrant woman, it feels like her personality is drained of all life.

For some reason, she reminds me of my youngest sister, Pam. Pam was raped when she was on a date and for a long time she just locked herself away. I guess it was her way of surviving. Sometimes the body just shuts the brain down and goes on autopilot to heal. Ruby has that same look.

I step back to give her some space and try to make myself look less threatening. Not easy with how big I am but I hope a little smile and keeping my eyes down a little, dropping my shoulders and backing away will help.

She takes a deep breath. “I know I’m terrible to work with,” she says, staring at her toes. “I should just give up but this was a gift from a friend and I would hate to hurt her feelings.” Her voice lowers to a whisper and I swear I hear, “even if she deserves it for forcing me to do this.”

“Aww. Don’t give up. You’ll get it. Sometimes you just don’t click with the trainer and have to change it up. No biggie.”

For some reason, she turns beet red and it’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. My breath stutters in my lungs and I think my heart missed a beat. Those green eyes stare up at me shyly from under her long dark lashes. “And you think you’d click with me?”

And now my dick is rock-hard. Shit! I think I could more than click with her. I think I could lose myself in her body, her gemstone eyes and her pouty pink lips.

“I do,” I whisper gruffly.

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Ruby:

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