Page 1 of I Blame the Club

Chapter 1

Mo

I hit my alarm before it goes off.

Moving slowly, dark hair slides from my chest as I slip away from the woman lying next to me. She doesn’t stir as I grab my smart watch and cellphone from the nightstand before silently creeping toward my walk-in closet. Gently closing the door, I quickly change and grab my gym bag from one of the many racks lining the spacious closet.

Perfume lingers in my bedroom as I exit, the woman’s sleeping form undisturbed and sprawled across my California king bed. I wouldn’t have thought a woman that small could take up that much space, but Stephanie had proven me wrong multiple times last night.

God, I hate cuddlers.

I snag a protein bar from a bowl on my kitchen counter before leaving my apartment and taking the elevator down to the gym on the first floor. I chose this location specifically because ofthe fully equipped weight room conveniently located within the apartment building.

When I enter, there is only one other person lingering around the weight room, an attractive woman I recognize from other morning sessions. The 5AM regulars are few and far between, so we tend to see a lot of each other. The redhead gives me a nod of recognition before returning her attention to the squat rack.

I give her ass an appreciative glance as I walk by, the thin material of her shorts doing nothing to hide the sweat stain forming between her cheeks. If we didn’t live in the same building, I would consider making a move.

Stopping at the pull-up bar, I drop my bag and grab my gym log to check how much weight to use today. There’s no point in hitting the gym if you plan on lifting the same weight as last time. As my father would say, the only way to change yourself is to to challenge yourself.

So, either start the challenge or get the hell out of the gym.

Two hours later, the whirl of my blender finally awakens the sleeping beauty.

“I was wondering where you had disappeared to.” A small body presses against my back as I carefully pour my protein shake into a to-go mug.

“I’m surprised you noticed I was gone.”

I’m only half-focused on the conversation, my mind already running through the tasks I need to complete today.

“Mm, I was hoping for another round this morning.” Stephanie runs her hands along my chest, clearly hoping to trigger some sort of a reaction.

“Afraid I’m on a tight schedule today. Maybe next time.”

There won’t be a next time. Her BJ skills were adequate but not worth the bed-hogging.

She pouts, “Will you at least stay for breakfast?”

“No. I need to shower and then head to the office.”

Her face brightens, “Sounds like an invitation.”

“It’s not.”

The teasing smile falls from Stephanie’s face and an annoyed line pinches her brows together, “So, that’s it then? I should just pack up and leave?”

I reach around her and grab my drink.

“Your Uber is already on the way. You have ten minutes to get dressed.”

I take a sip of my shake to hide the irritation on my face. I thought Stephanie understood the rules when she came over last night.

She huffs, “God, you really are a dick.”

“You didn’t have any complaints last night.”

This is the part I hate. You set up a mutually beneficial arrangement, a one-time sexual transaction, and suddenly you’re the bad guy for sticking to the original plan.

“Yeah, well, I was faking it.”

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