Page 62 of Reckless Harmony

He cracked his neck and checked his phone as he walked out into the main section of the gym. He really needed to… he stopped at the sound of the soft, rhythmic grunting, his gaze swiveling to the lat pulldown machine.

Rayna, wearing just a sports bra and leggings, sat at the machine, making those soft grunts every time she pulled the metal bar down. He stood completely still, barely breathing, as he watched her back muscles flex and contract. Her arms were tight with hard muscles, and her skin had a slight sheen. He studied her waist and the subtle curve of her hips, his cock stiffening against the sweatpants he hadn’t bothered to change out of.

She had the exact body type he loved - lean, toned, and athletic. It was obvious that she was a gym rat just like him, and fuck did it turn him on to see her using the gym equipment. God, he really was desperate to get laid if that’s what qualified as a turn-on for him now.

Still, he continued to watch her without shame as she finished off her reps before standing and carefully wiping the machine with a towel. He adjusted his cock, hoping his semi wasn’t noticeable as Rayna turned toward him.

She let out a small screech and staggered back, raising the towel in her hand like a weapon. “Holy shit! What are you doing here?”

“It’s my gym, Ms. Abrams.”

Her flushed face turned a little redder. “I meant… what are you doing here now? Hollis said you work out in the mornings.”

“Sometimes I switch it up,” he said.

“No, you don’t,” she said, wiping her face with the towel. “Hollis was very clear that you only use the gym in the mornings.”

“Is that why you’re here now? So you don’t have to be here when I am?” He sounded more than a little offended.

She looked away. “No, of course not.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Ms. Abrams.”

“I know.”

There was a beat of silence before she said, “Okay, well, it looks like you were leaving, so, uh, have a good night.”

“Are you enjoying the gym?” he asked.

She nodded. “I am, thank you. The equipment is the best I’ve ever used.”

More silence as he tried to think of something else to say, something that would continue to convince her he was a nice guy. He wanted to start building in the spring, and if he wanted her property before then, he needed to up his ‘nice guy’ game.

She was giving him a ‘what the fuck’ look, and he couldn’t blame her, but he still couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. Who the fuck knew it would be so difficult to be nice?

“Ms. Abrams, are you -”

Thank Christ, he was interrupted by the shrill ring of her phone.

“Excuse me,” she said and grabbed her phone out of the hoodie draped over her bag.

“Rayna speaking,” she said. “Hey, Sheriff, how are you?”

She listened quietly before sighing. “Of course, he is. How badly is the dog injured? Is Louis agreeing to surrender?”

She listened again. “I can come out there, but are you sure you want me to? You know how Louis feels about me. No, it’s not a problem. I’m not afraid of him. I’m just in town, but I can be there in about fifteen minutes. Sure. See you soon.”

She ended the call and grabbed her hoodie, yanking it on and stuffing her phone into her bag. “I have to go.”

He followed her out the door and into the frigid air. “Who is this Louis guy?”

She glanced over her shoulder at him. “What?”

“Louis,” he said. “Who is he, and why would the sheriff think you’d be afraid of him?”

She unlocked her car and opened the door. “Just an asshole farmer with too many dogs that he doesn’t take care of properly. He,” she paused, “isn’t my biggest fan and has accused me multiple times of stealing his dogs.”

“Seriously?” he said.

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