Page 43 of Fake Dating My Best Friend

His stomach flinches under my hand. “You know,” he says, voice rougher than usual, “if you wanted to feel my abs, you could’ve just asked. No need for the dramatic fall.”

He doesn’t look mad. Not even close. In fact, he looks . . . amused.

I clear my throat. “Just, um, checking your form. Very professionally. Making sure those ab workouts are paying off.”

His chuckle rumbles through me. “And the verdict?”

“Adequate,” I manage, my fingers twitching with the effort not to trace those ridiculously defined muscles again. “Though we might need to up your core routine.”

“Really?” There’s a dangerous edge in his voice. “Because your hand seems pretty impressed.”

Heat floods my face. “That was—”

“An occupational hazard?” His eyes lock onto mine. “Do you professionally assess all your clients’ abs this way?”

“Only the ones who don’t know how to spot their workout partner properly.”

I look up to fire off another quip, but the words die in my throat. His face is inches from mine, and I can see every little fleck of color in his eyes. There’s a half smile pulling at his mouth, but his eyes deepen to a darker shade of turquoise. His hand shifts from my chin to cradle the back of my head, thumb brushing gently through my hair.

My pulse thuds, loud and fast.

“Peachie?” Asher’s voice is tight. My childhood nickname somehow sounds forbidden now, like something I wasn’t supposed to hear.

“Hmm?”

“You might want to get off me.Now.”

Chapter 12

Asher

“Youmightwanttoget off me.Now.”

I stay perfectly still, every muscle locked.It’s taking everything I’ve got not to move. Not to do something that’ll immediately cross a line we’re barely holding.

She blinks, eyes scanning my face. “Oh yes, of course. I am so sorry.”

I’m half-expecting her to bolt.

But she doesn’t.

Instead, she pushes off me slowly, flustered, but she doesn’t look away.

Not the typical Isla reaction.

Maybe it’s a good sign.

Across the gym, Connie’s voice rings out like a foghorn. “Well, isn’t this cozy! Fred, honey, remember when we used to accidentally fall like that?”

Really, Connie?

Isla’s cheeks go crimson. “I should probably go change,” she mutters, halfway to the locker room already. “I’ll bring Mochi to you tonight.”

“Connie!” Fred calls, barely hiding his grin. “Leave the kids alone. Though I gotta say, Asher, that was some catch. Maybe we should add reflex training to your new program?”

Isla halts like she hit an invisible wall. “New program?”

“You didn’t tell her about your plans for the Senior and Adaptive Programs?” Connie asks, sauntering over like she hasn’t just detonated my day.

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