Page 17 of Breaking the Sinner

Chapter 7

“Genevieve.”

She startled at the husky voice calling her name. Spinning, she found Travis headed toward her, those broad shoulders swaying as he approached.

“I’ve got a proposition for you.”

She stood rooted to her spot, clutching a folder to her chest. Why did this feel like she was in trouble? And if this proposition was anything like the calendar shoot, she should say no right now.

Travis laughed, crossing his arms. “You look like I’m about to ask you to jump off the building.”

“I suppose I’d say yes, if you told me it was part of my job.” She straightened her back, adjusting the glasses she wore whenever she used the computer. Patrons strutted by on their way to the weight room. The gym had opened for the day ten minutes ago, but the place bustled already. Fitness started early.

“Cobra needs some hours for his personal training certification. He wants to use you as his guinea pig. What do you think?”

Gen blinked a couple times, her gaze drifting toward the weight room. Cobra wasn’t there to offer any clues. “He wants to what?”

“I want him certified. He’ll make a great personal trainer. But he needs someone to practice on.”

“Practice…on me?”

Travis’s smile hung somewhere between friendly and confused. “Yes. But only if you’re okay with it. I thought it might kill a few birds with one stone. You help my employee, and you’ll get free training out of it.”

Only if you’re okay with it.She thought back on her conversation with Sophie. This was uncomfortable. Which meant she should say yes. She blinked a hundred times before she could force out the “Sure.”

“Awesome. We’re gonna start today, cool?” When she nodded, Travis started off toward the back hallway, then paused to look over his shoulder. “Gen, I meant we’re gonna startnow.”

She followed him on wooden legs, clutching the folder so tightly her elbows ached. “Okay. Let me drop this off.” She darted for her office to leave the folder. Rejoining Travis in the hall, she asked, “So…what am I going todo?”

“He’ll start with a general assessment. Take the pulse of your physical condition, work up a plan that I’ll review and approve.”

Her physical condition. How could Travis know about her leg? Was she not walking normally? Maybe her efforts at passing had failed miserably.

“Do I need to change my clothes?” She looked down at her black shorts and HOLT racer-back tank top.

“Think of this first session like an interview,” Travis explained. “Your clothes are fine.”

Anxiety hummed through her limbs as they entered the gym. The air was cooler back here, almost stale. He pointed to a small, empty weight room. Cobra sat on a weight bench, his back turned to them, some papers spread out next to him.

“Cobra.” Travis’s big voice filled the room. “It’s all you, buddy.”

Then he left the weight room. Just like that. As if she were able to function on her own now, without a sail.

Gen’s throat tightened as Cobra turned to her, that charcoal gaze drinking her in as if he’d been waiting for this.

“’Sup, Gen?”

His voice was a rumble of thunder and a sultry breeze. She gnawed at the inside of her lip. “Uh, hi. Hello. What am I doing here?”

Cobra stood, seemed to extend himself slowly. Unfurling layers of sinewy muscle, pale skin, rippling ridges. “Didn’t Travis tell you?”

“Yes, he did.” She cleared her throat, unsure what to do with her hands. She was wringing them, but she couldn’t stop it, or think of anything better to do with them. “I don’t understand, like…why.”

Cobra’s gaze swept up and down her body. Goosepimples erupted on her thighs, and she wondered if he’d be able to see from where he stood. If maybe he’d like the fact that his gaze alone could turn her on like a light switch.

“You wanted to fix your leg.” Cobra had aduhlook on his face.

And then it slammed into her, the embarrassment she’d been trying to avoid for a week now.The list.The freakin’, stupid, dumb-dumb list that he’d gotten his hands on and probably had memorized by now.

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