Page 76 of Off Limits

I had no clue if he’d pulled back because he was worried about getting caught and had decided that it was best not to tempt fate or if he regretted it and just didn’t want to do it again.

Either way, I should be glad that we were on the same page, but I hated not knowing what was going on in his head.

One positive thing to come out of that night was the shift in Asa’s attitude toward me. He still loved to annoy and antagonize me, but now it was teasing and playful. He also didn’t walk around with a storm cloud over his head like before, and I’d seen him smile and laugh more in the past few weeks than I had in all the years I’d known him.

I should be happy we were finally in a place where we could have fun and be around each other without fighting, but this new version of Asa was fucking with me in a completely new way.

I’d never admit it to anyone, but I liked having him here. I liked his company and the routine we’d fallen into. I enjoyed cooking for him, and the apartment felt empty when he wasn’t around.

Watching him slowly let his walls down and open up had affected me in ways I wasn’t ready to acknowledge, let alone unpack. It showed how much he trusted me, and I found myself doing the same with him.

That was a good thing, but it was also dangerous as hell because the more I got to know the real him, the more I liked him, and not just as a friend.

“All done,” Asa said, tugging his shirt down as he came around the corner of the hallway like he’d pulled it on while walking.

He paused and gave me a quick once-over. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” I shook my head, trying to physically shake myself free from my thoughts. “Just zoned for a second there.”

“Rough day?”

“Yeah.” I tossed my bag into the living room. My day had sucked, but that wasn’t why I was so distracted. “Can you help me get something out of my car?”

“Sure.” He shot me a curious look as he slipped his feet into his sneakers. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Just all peopled out,” I said as we headed into the hall. “Dealing with the public is exhausting.”

“Tell me about it.” We fell into step beside each other and made our way down the hall. “I only have to talk to people for a few minutes at a time, and I have a hard time keeping my customer service face on. Spending as much one-on-one time with people as you do is my literal nightmare.”

“Most of my clients are fine, but a few of them forget that trainers are there to help you work out, not play therapist or be their verbal punching bag when they’re pissed off at something in their lives. I bet that’s something you deal with a lot.” We paused in front of the elevator.

“Not the therapist part,” he said as I pushed the button. “But getting yelled at or threatened is just part of the job now. I swear it used to only be a weekly thing a few years ago. Now it’s a daily occurrence.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed it’s getting worse too. And I don’t know what it is, but it seemed like everyone was in an extra shitty mood today. We actually had to break up a fight.”

The elevator dinged, then the door slid open. Thankfully it was empty, and we got on.

“A fight? Like a fistfight, or people yelling at each other?” He leaned against the wall as I pushed the lobby button.

“An actual fight. I didn’t see it start, but apparently one guy walked through the other one’s shot while he was filming his set, and instead of using his words, he shoved the guy into the weight rack.”

“You’re telling me a grown-ass man put his hands on someone because he walked past his camera while he was filming in a public gym?”

“Yup. I really wish the owners would ban filming like some other gyms have done. I get wanting to record your set to show your trainer your technique or document your progress, but thisobsession people have with being influencers and treating the gym like a studio is getting insane.”

He tilted his head to the side and studied me. “What else is bothering you?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, probably too quickly. “I’m just not looking forward to having to go back out in a few hours.”

The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open with another loudping.

“Can you cancel?” he asked, falling into step with me as I headed toward the back parking lot.

“I could, but people would notice if I didn’t show.” I let out a weary sigh. “I really wish past me said no to the invite. All I want to do is put on my comfy clothes and chill on my couch, but now I have to go to a housewarming party because past me forgot he’s not the same person who actually has to go through with the plans he agreed to.”

“Your friends are weird. Who has a housewarming party on Tuesday night? Why not have it on the weekend like a normal person?” He pushed the security door open and held it so I could go first.

“No clue. I’m guessing they picked today so they don’t have to worry about anyone drinking too much or staying too late if we all have to work in the morning.” I pushed the main door open and waited for him to walk through it.

---