Page 9 of You're Mine Now

“Back straight,” he said, his voice low in my ear.

His touch lingered a moment too long before he stepped back.

“Let’s see how low you can go.”

I lowered myself, the bar pressing into my shoulders. My muscles strained, and I could feel his gaze on me—intense and lingering. Like a physical force.

“That’s good,” he whispered. “Keep going until you can’t.”

My legs trembled, but I kept moving, each rep feeling heavier than the last.

“You’re stronger than you look,” he murmured, a hint of admiration in his voice.

I fought it, but a small smile curved at my lips. For the first time, I wondered if I could actually enjoy this.

“Now, onto the bench,” he said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I laid back, my hair pooling around me. He hovered above, his jaw tight in concentration as his hands guided mine into position on the bar.

“Push,” he commanded.

The bar rose and fell steadily as I followed his lead. His eyes never left me, watching my every movement with an unnerving intensity.

Eventually, we shifted to the mat, where he demonstrated core exercises with practiced ease. He held himself up with one arm, muscles rippling under the strain. Not a tremble or a falter—just seamless control. The sight of him drew a pulse low in my belly, and I swallowed hard, my breath hitching as I fought the heat threatening to crawl lower.

Who cares if he looks like a god?

Beneath his flawless exterior was a man who drove me insane. I needed to remember that.Asshole, I reminded myself, dragging my eyes away from the hypnotic way his muscles clenched.

A total asshole.

When it was my turn, I lasted a humiliating five seconds before collapsing onto the mat. Running and Pilates hadn’t prepared me for this.

“You’re just starting out,” he said, his tone unusually encouraging.

“You’ll get better. I’ll make you a plan.”

“That’s nice of you,” I said, caught off guard by the unexpected softness in his voice. For a moment, it felt like I was talking to someone else entirely—a version of him I hadn’t met before.

“But I’m not training for anything,” I added.

His expression shifted. The momentary warmth vanished, replaced by something darker, sharper. The air between us grew heavier, pressing down on my chest.

“You are,” he said, his voice low and sure.

“Oh?” I teased, though the weight of his gaze made it fall flat. “What’s my grand goal then?”

“You’ll find out soon,” he replied, his lips twisting into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

The air between us was thick, heavy with tension. My instincts screamed at me to leave. I stood, my heart suddenly racing.

“I should go now,” I said, my voice pitched too high.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said softly, moving closer.

“I’m done,” I insisted, trying to steady my voice.

He shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. “You haven’t stretched yet. Flexibility is important.”

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