Page 41 of Lethal Seduction

“Good idea,” I say. “Meet me in the day spa once the club closes for the day. The signup sheet said that’s where the class is being held.”

“Do you think the instructor will be some hot, sexy, muscle-bound beefcake, begging for us to succumb to his manliness?” She starts fanning herself with her hand. “Damn, it’s hot in here.”

“Judging by how sweaty your face just got thinking about it, I hope not.”

We share a quick laugh and then go our separate ways. It’s just my luck we aren’t getting a full day to earn tips. I never miss a day unless I’m on my deathbed. Even then, I’ve come to work with a fever and body aches so I can still make rent.

I turn the corner on my way to the indoor racquetball courts when I notice someone lurking at the end of the hallway. Stopping short of the door, I stare back, trying to get a better view. It isn’t but a few seconds later, a crash from behind me breaks our standoff. I turn to see my boss pushing a full cart of linens. He’s run into the laundry room door. By the way the cart is now bent in the front, it appears he was going at a pretty good clip, and the usually unlocked door wasn’t open.

“Goddammit,” he says.

I turn back, but whoever had been watching me is no longer there. Probably Devon. The guy is harmless but creepy at times. I shrug and step through the doors and into the courts. The squeak of balls and the pounding of feet fill the air as the old patrons relive their youth and try to prove to their opponents how virile they still are. I’d better position myself to take orders for drinks and provide clean towels if I want to garner any tips this morning.

“Hey kid,” one guy in super-tight, yellow shorts calls out to me. “I need a drink. If you get me a rum and coke before taking other orders, there’ll be something in it for you.” He flashes me a one-dollar-bill.

Fuck my life. “Sure thing, sir.” I hurry to retrieve his order for the pittance he offers.

The morning goes smoothly, and I make some decent money—enough to pay for dinner tonight and maybe even dinner tomorrow. I hope Tina has had the same luck as I enter the spa area.

Normally, this area is filled with treatment beds and equipment, but it has been moved to the side and replaced with thick, smelly, gym mats. This is going to be far more legit training than I had expected. Honestly, I was thinking there would be an instructor who yelled a lot and spent the majority of the time either talking about himself or telling us scary stories to keep us engaged. But the way everything is positioned, there is going to be actual hand-to-hand combat.

“Isn’t this awesome,” Tina says as she runs up to me. “This reminds me of the time Katniss was training for the big day. They were all standing around sizing each other up, and you could tell she was going to kick all their asses.”

I nod.

“Look at Stephanie over there,” she motions in the woman’s direction with her head. “She’s terrified… I can smell it.”

“Really? All I can smell are those gym mats. They reek of old sweat and a yeast infection.”

“Eww, Patrick.” Tina slaps my arm. “Get your head in the game.”

I was about to remind her that this is not, in fact,The Hunger Games, but then the doors open behind us. We turn, and I witness something straight out of my dreams. Bright lights burst into the room from outside, and a shadowy figure steps inside. Even his silhouette seems to ripple with muscles.

“Who is this guy?” I ask. “A Greek God? Adonis?”

The doors slam shut behind him, and I blink away the darkness until my eyes adjust to the change in lighting.

“Is that?” Tina asks.

It is. I nod. Michael, in all his six-foot-five glory, walks straight up to me. I look up into his eyes and melt. I want to wrap my arms around him, feel his warmth. I can almost feel his powerful chest pressed against my cheek as if I’d thrown myself against him.

“Patrick,” he says. “It’s so wonderful to see you again.”

My nipples are hard, and my brain stops working.

“Patrick,” Tina says, elbowing me in the ribs.

Snapping out of the trance Michael’s gray sweatpants have put me in, I recover my wits quickly. “Michael, I had no idea you taught self-defense classes. Are there no bounds to what you can do?”

He smiles, the dimples deepening in both cheeks. The way his blue eyes reflect the overhead lighting makes my belly tingle.

“Seas the Day asked me to come and teach you and your colleagues what to do in case they were ever attacked. My guess, they heard about the situation at Who’s Your Caddy.”

Situation. You mean double homicide? Truth be told, I’m glad he’s here to teach us, but I don’t want to share him with everyone. “We are in good hands.” I look down and grab his right hand. Could I kiss it? Put a finger in my mouth like a lollipop? Shove the whole thing straight down my pants? Goosebumps spread across my arms and legs. I drop his hand and look at Tina. “We are going to have the best teacher.”

“My body is your clay,” she says. “Mold me into a great warrior princess.”

Michael smiles and glances over at me. I shrug. What can I say? She’s dramatic. The consummate actress, always ready for her big part.

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