Page 7 of Operation Annulment
His smile stretches even wider. “Yeah, but you can call me whatever you want to, beautiful.”
He’s a cocky little shit, I’ll give him that. I wonder how many women actually fall for that line.
“Hmmm…” I tap my finger against my lip as if mulling over nicknames. “Doucheface has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
Dakota claps a hand over her mouth, trying and failing to mask her snort.
He drops the smile and my hand before turning to her. “Real mature. Just because you weren’t satisfied with your training doesn’t mean you have to talk shit behind my back. Kate, how about this? I’ll give you your first session for free; let you make an informed decision and all that jazz.”
“Oh, sweetie. That’s cute,” I say loudly while patting him on the shoulder. “But I’d prefer someone who looks like he knows his way around the free weights, if you know what I mean. And one more thing. If you ever speak to my sister that way again, I’ll jerk a knot in your tail so fast your head will spin. Am I clear?”
Kyle sputters through most of the alphabet, his face growing redder by the second.
Satisfied that he’s been thoroughly emasculated, Dakota and I leave him gaping like a fish by the front desk andhead for the stairs.
“I’ve been waiting for someone to put that prick in his place since I met him.”
I turn toward the speaker and immediately suck in a sharp breath, feeling the blood rush into my cheeks.
He’s definitely not the one.
Not even close.
I think I would remember requesting thick brown hair that’s disheveled in a way only men can pull off without looking like they just rolled out of bed. Gorgeous, whiskey-colored eyes that soften when they meet mine. And tattoos… I would definitely remember asking for those. Every visible part of him, from the neck down, is covered in swirls of colorful ink. I can’t help but wonder if the parts I can’t see are adorned in a similar fashion…
But he’s nothing like the man I conjured up on a legal pad. Everything about him is wrong, so why can’t I look away?
“You have my eternal gratitude,” he says with a low chuckle. My heart does a somersault when he walks toward me, eager to revise our list to something matching his description. “I’m Nate.”
He extends his hand, and I latch onto it with a breathless, “Kate.”
I feel like I just grabbed hold of an electric fence and wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the lights above our heads burst, showering us in glass.
Dakota taps me on the shoulder, but I can’t hear a thing she’s saying over the thrumming in my veins.
“Does it feel warm in here to you? We should tell someone,” I murmur, gazing into his eyes like we’re in a movie—one where the camera moves in on the couple, and everything else fades away. I’ve seen it play out hundreds of times but never experienced it for myself before.
Screw the list, universe.
My eyes roam over his broad chest and—holy biceps, Batman!This man could easily sweep me off my feet without breaking so much as a sweat. Thank you very much.
His brows furrow. “Are you okay?”
A quick glance confirms Dakota is long gone, yet I’m still inexplicably holding on to this man’s hand like my life depends on it. I let go and try taking a couple of deep breaths to clear my head.
The weird fluttery sensation in my chest is perfectly normal, as are the thoughts of pushing him down on that bench and straddling him.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been this close to a man. Correction: I’ve been this close to a manwho doesn’t bat for the other team.
An incredibly long and lonely time.
What is Better Bodies’ policy on sex in the bench press area?
I take a step back and then another. Before I know it, I’m up at the top of the stairs in the cardio area while Nate stands frozen—and somewhat shell-shocked—below.
Dakota’s on one of the treadmills near the back, and one look at her quivering lip and crestfallen face is enough to send my libido back into hibernation.
“Sorry for… whatever that was back there,” I say as I climb onto the treadmill beside hers.
