Page 23 of Untamed

I roll my neck with exaggerated patience. “Oh, really? So, you’ve been watching me long enough to critique my form?” I narrow my eyes at him, the annoyance simmering into something sharper. “And how’s my ass? Get a good look at that, too?”

The words are out before I can stop them.

“I haven’t, actually,” he says, pushing off the rack with an infuriatingly casual flex that makes every damn muscle in his body stand out. I swallow hard, hating myself for noticing. “But if you want to turn around…” He twirls his finger in the air, smirking like he owns the world.

“I’ll turn around,” I say sweetly, flipping him off instead. Then I face him fully, which—great—gives him a perfect view of my chest. My stupid, flimsy workout top does nothing to hide the outline of my nipples.

His eyes flick down for a fraction of a second, just enough to make me want to throw a dumbbell at him. His smirk grows, and he shakes his head like I’ve just confirmed everything he already assumed.

“Figures you’ve got a mouth on you,” he says, sighing like he’s already resigned himself to some cosmic truth. “Figures I love a woman with a mouth on her.”

And I hate how much that makes me want to smile.

“Are you going to do a real set, or are you done already?”

My lips part in disbelief. “Excuse me?” I repeat.

He gestures lazily to the pull-up bar, his smirk widening. That isn’t just one dimple, buttwo.The rugged appeal of this man is hard to resist—scruff on his jaw, and even though he wore a long-sleeve shirt, I could see the outline of strong muscles beneath the fabric. His voice is smooth and deep and does all sorts of things to my body.

“I thought with the way you were doing those, you were maybe pacing yourself.”

Pacingmyself?

I press my lips together. If he’s trying to get a rise out of me… it’s working.

“So you’re the resident expert here? Funny, you don’t have a badge, and I don’t recall ever seeing you here before.”

When he takes another step closer, my first thought is…godhe’s tall. Intimidatingly tall. But his presence feels… predatory, but in a way that makes me want more.

I really,reallyneed to stop spending every waking hour reading dark romance.

“Not an expert,” he says with a shrug. “I know my way around a pull-up bar though. And you look like a woman who likes to challenge herself.” He winks, and my belly does a flip.

I like to challenge myself, alright. Right now, I want to challenge myself to grow the fuck up and get out of here before I let Mr. Flirt get to me.

I tilt my head. Couldn’t hurt to get a little view, could it?

“Prove it.”

He doesn’t hesitate. He steps under the bar, jumps, and grasps it with practiced ease. His muscles flex as he hoists himself up, slow and deliberate, his form infuriatingly perfect. Each movement is controlled and smooth, like an Olympic gymnast’s. By the time he hits fifteen, my jaw’s tight.

“Show-off,” I mutter.

He drops down, rolling his shoulders as he faces me. “We should have a contest. I’d love to see you try to overpower me.”

I snort. “There’s no contest. You’re predisposed for greater upper body strength.” I jerk my chin over to the leg machines. “Though I couldcrush your skull with my thighs.”

His gaze grows predatory as it travels down the length of my body. “If that’s a threat, I can live with it. If it’s a promise…”

The thought of his head between my legs makes my cheeks heat instantly.

I should be furious at the audacity, but honestly… I walked right into that.

“Ladies first,” he says, stepping back with a smirk.

I grab the bar again, ignoring the way my palms are slick with sweat. My muscles protest, but I push through, matching his pace with stubborn determination. I feel his eyes on me—heavy, like a weight of their own. They trace the line of my arms, linger on my shoulders, and sweep down the curve of my back.

By the time I hit ten, my body is screaming at me to stop, but I don’t give in. Not with him watching. I drop to the ground, landing lightly despite the burn in my legs, and turn to face him, a little out of breath. “Your turn,” I say, tilting my chin up in challenge.

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