Page 19 of Seducing Cinderella

“Start with the wall stretch.”

Reid barely stopped a childish eye roll. “C’mon, Lu, I don’t need to do those special stretches anymore. It’s been over a week. Let’s just get to the normal stuff.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I hadn’t realized you had a degree in physical therapy.” She turned around once she reached the far wall of her workout-turned-therapy room. “Why did you need my help again?”

“Sarcasm does not become you,” he grumbled. But he couldn’t be all that grouchy when she looked so good in her new workout clothes. Gone were the oversize tanks and grungy sweats. Now she was sporting a pale pink Lycra tank top with hip-hugging gray yoga pants.

Her dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail with her thick bangs and some longer pieces framing her face. She’d just finished her morning elliptical routine and her olive skin glistened with sweat and a healthy glow infused her cheeks.

Crossing to where she stood by the paper ruler they’d taped up to track his progress, he became uncharacteristically aware of his own condition from his ten-mile run on the treadmill. He stopped a few feet short and glanced down at his sweat-soaked T-shirt that now looked black as pitch from its previously worn and faded shade.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he stripped it off.

He gave her a crooked smirk. “Trying not to offend your delicate sensibilities.”

She snorted and immediately slapped a hand over the lower half of her face. It was obvious she was mortified, but he wasn’t sure why. He liked getting that reaction from her. As he closed the few remaining feet, Reid added making her snort more often to his mental list of things to accomplish while staying with her. He loved a challenge.

“Keep your feet about a foot away from the wall and walk your fingers up the ruler until you feel pressure. Then lean in toward the wall until you feel that stretch.” He did as instructed, though he’d have rather started with some light lifting to warm up the muscles. This shit was infuriating. “Good. Hold it for about ten seconds…and now back to the starting position.”

“This is ridiculous. Can’t I get the same result with a five-pound weight in my hand and lifting it in the same manner?”

Her hands planted themselves firmly on her slim hips as she said, “Now why didn’t I think of that? Oh,Iknow. Because that wouldn’t be stretching the muscles. That would beworkingthe muscles.”

“Fine, have it your way. But we’re combining our training sessions then.”

“Wha—”

Her question was cut off with a squeal when his left arm snaked around her waist and pulled her in front of him. “There. Now I have an incentive to lean into the wall.”

“Reid, what the hell are you talking about?”

He couldn’t help his satisfied grin as he said, “Kissing.”

Lucie’s eyes went wide and her jaw slackened just enough that her lips barely parted. He waited patiently for the shock to wear off. And for the rebuff he knew was coming.

“Absolutely not. You’re out of your damn mind. I’m not kissing you, Andrews.”

When he lifted a brow as if to say,a little late for that, she added huffily, “I’m not kissing youagain.”

Shrugging his good shoulder, he acted as though he couldn’t care less. “You’re probably right. I’m sure you know all the little tricks on how to bring a guy to his knees with a simple kiss. Passion obviously comes second nature to you.” Then he went in for the kill shot. “Which is why you needmeto teach you how to get Dr. Mandible in the first place.”

He had to be a glutton for epic beatdowns, because that’s exactly what he’d get if Jax ever found out Reid kissed his sister. He was extremely protective where she was concerned, and with good reason. It didn’t matter that she was only a handful of years younger than him. She seemed so innocent and naive. Trusting.

So why was it so hard for him to keep his distance around her? Was it because she was the exact opposite of the women he usually dated? Not that he’d “dated” since his injury. When he thought he’d never fight again he hit an all-time low, turning down every illicit offer thrown his way. Maybe now that his title shot was within reach, his libido was finally coming back online. Hell, he didn’t know what to think anymore.

“Now that you have an actual date with the guy, you need to know how to walk the walk, Luce. You flirted like a champ and hooked him, but if you flake out when it comes time for anything else, you’ll give him mixed signals and he’ll back out.”

She worried her bottom lip as the wheels in her head turned. At last she nodded and the knot in his stomach from the thought of never tasting those lips again unraveled. “Okay. You made your point. Show me what to do.”

“First, you need to relax. You’re wound so tight I’m afraid you’ll snap. Turn around.”

Holding her shoulders, he turned her until her back was to him, and then began massaging her upper back and shoulders. Instantly she melted into his hands on a moan. “I can’t remember the last time someone gave me a massage. That feels so fantastic.”

“That’s a shame,” he said, studying the curve of her neck as her head fell forward. “Everyone should have someone to rub the day’s stress away.”

“Mmm,” she said in way of agreeing. “Who does that for you?”

A parade of random women who’d been more than happy to give him a thorough rubdown as a prelude to sex marched through his mind. For some reason, being here with Lucie, the whole scene seemed…less enticing. “Like all athletes, we have sports medicine people at the gym who do that for us.”

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