Page 62 of It's Complicated

“Sounds good.”

“Let’s just put everything back, then you can go.” He shoved the paper towel roll back where he’d grabbed it from.

I picked up the bottle of sparkling water and slipped it behind the boxes. As I was pulling my hand back, my sleeve snagged on the edge of one of the boxes, tipping it forward.

Isaac must have seen what happened because we both grabbed for the box at the same time, knocking it over in our haste to fix it. I tried to get my arm out of the way so we didn’t do any more damage, but got tangled up with Isaac, and we somehow hit the other boxes hard enough that four more tipped over and tumbled off the shelf, falling to the floor and landing in rapid succession.

The boxes, which had been full of pasta, clattered as they landed with a series of resoundingsmacks, the sounds as loud as an explosion in the tiny room.

We both froze, staring down at the boxes in horror.

Then, as one, we threw open the door, rushed out of the pantry, and raced through the kitchen, barreling past a group of people near the door to the living room, and ran right out of the house.

We slowed to a jog when we were halfway down the block, then stopped.

“Think anyone noticed?” Isaac asked.

12

ISAAC

“Ladies.”I tipped an imaginary hat at a trio of women who were standing near the equipment rack and, rightfully, staring at me.

One of them snickered, another shot me a thumbs up, and the third sort of froze, then looked away, a blush painting her cheeks.

“You’re shameless.” Jamie punched me in the arm as we continued past them and toward the corner of the gym that was set up like an open studio with mats on the floor, barres, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors on one wall. “We’re going to have to come up with new bet shorts because you love the attention those get you.”

“Who, me?” I put my hand over my mouth and batted my eyelashes at him. “Am I pulling off innocent?” I asked around my hand. “I feel like this is serving sweet and innocent.”

“More like deranged and creepy.” He lifted his water bottle to his lips and took a long drink.

My eyes were drawn to his throat as he swallowed, watching his muscles work and his Adam’s apple bob.

“Stop that,” I chastised, settling on the mat so I could stretch out my quads and hamstrings.

“Stop what?” Jamie dropped beside me, his legs outstretched and looking way too good with his muscles popped and his veins swollen from our workout.

“Looking like a snack while I’m wearing the gold shorts.” Covertly, I shifted, using my leg to block my semi. “These things covernothing.”

Jamie glanced at my crotch, his eyes bright with laughter. “Someone having trouble keeping their mind out of the gutter today?”

“Laugh now, but you’re the one who’s gonna have to bail me out of jail when they bust my ass for indecent exposure,” I pointed out.

He grinned wider. “Pretty sure you can’t get arrested for popping wood.”

“Thank fuck for small favors.” I made a “go on” motion with my hand. “Can we talk about something other than boners and how good you look? Otherwise I’m never going to be able to get up.”

“You’re ridiculous.” He leaned back on his hands. “Fine. What do you want to talk about?”

“Um…” I shifted my leg, crossing my ankle over my thigh and pushing down on my knee to stretch out my hip flexors. “Shut up, I know this isn’t good for me, but I’m not about to do a deep lunge and show the gym my gold-covered boner.”

“Did I say anything?” He shot me a sweet smile that made him look absolutely adorable. “I thought you wanted to talk about something other than your boner?”

After a grueling gym session that started with double cardio and ended with leg day, we were both sweaty and exhausted.

Jamie’s hair was a damp mess, his cheeks were flushed, and his sleeveless shirt was vacuum sealed to his body thanks to the sweat glistening on his skin. Thankfully he’d put on a pair ofloose shorts, so I didn’t have to deal with them sticking to him and showing off his ass and thighs even more than they did.

“We could talk about why you’re wearing the gold shorts,” he continued, shooting me another grin. “How you tried to weasel out of gym time and I had to drag your ass out of bed kicking and screaming.”

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