Page 11 of Forever Mine

I’m pulling at a weight when she comes back into the gym. She’s changed into blue leggings and a matching top. Her eyes seem to sparkle when she finds me, and she comes to stand next to me. “Looking good, Mr. Blaze.”

I grunt as I pull another rep. I put on more weight than I should have, but with her looking at me the way she does, I seem to have renewed strength. I count out another rep of ten and let the weight go. “This place is nice, Nat. Really nice. I’m impressed.”

She preens under my praise, and her blush has her turning away. She goes to a machine next to me and starts a rep of arm curls.

It’s when I’m watching her that I see a man in the mirror looking our way. He’s a big guy, heck, bigger than Huddy, but the way he’s looking at my wife gives me no doubt I could take him if I need to.

I try to ignore him, but there’s no mistaking the way he keeps looking at Nat.

She doesn’t seem to notice. Her attention is on me, even giving me shit on my form as I do reps on my tricep press-downs.

I will not kill him. I will not kill him.I go back to my silent mantra that I had when I walked in here, but it’s not doing anything to help calm me. I try to concentrate on Nat and her working out beside me but keep one eye on the man in the mirror. It’s him. I don’t need Nat to tell me because I know. He’s the one that has been flirting with my wife.

A rage like I’ve never felt fills me. I try to keep my cool and focus on my beautiful wife. But knowing there’s a man that wants what is mine is my undoing.

I walk over to the machine that Nat is working on. I trail my hand across her shoulder. She gives me a strange look, and I know I shouldn’t, but there’s no stopping me now. “Is that him?” I gesture to the man in the mirror who is looking this way.

Instead of answering me, Nat shakes her head. “Really? Is that what this is about, Beau? You couldn’t stand that some man is flirting with me, so you show up here to check it out? What are you going to do, piss on me and mark your territory?”

She’s hissing at me, and even though she started off quietly, the more she says, the louder she gets. I shake my head. “It’s not like that. I’m here—”

She cuts me off before I can finish. “And now you’re leaving.”

She walks off, and I watch her go. Everything inside me wants to grab her and take her right here where I stand, but I know that’s not the answer. That’s not even what this is about. I’m here to win her back, and already I’ve fucked it up.

She closes the door as she walks into the office. There’s a window, but it’s only one way. She can see out, but people can’t see in. Before I can even come up with a plan, I’m on the move. I walk into her office, and she’s sitting behind her desk. She looks exhausted as she looks up at me. “Beau, please, I’ve had enough.”

I shut the door behind me, hold my hands up, and try to calm my breathing. “I know what it looks like, me showing up here when I’ve never come before. I’m a dumbass, Nat. That’s the truth.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Yes, you are.”

I smile and hold my hand out to her. “Come here.”

She shakes her head side to side. “No, I’m good over here.”

“I didn’t come here because of him.” I point out the window, and sure enough, the man keeps glancing this way. “I came here because of you. We’re going to do this, Nat. Day by day.”

She fidgets with the pencil in her hands before tapping it on the desk. “I know, I agreed to day by day, but I didn’t agree to this, and you coming here because you’re jealous is just ridiculous.”

“This isn’t because I’m jealous.”

She blurts out a laugh. “Yeah, right.”

I hold my hand out again. “Do you trust me, Nat?”

She makes a big deal of rolling her eyes at me. “You know I do.”

I keep my feet planted where I’m at but stick my hand out even farther. It’s important that she comes to me. “Come here.”

She blows out a breath and comes toward me. She reaches for my hand, and I hold it as I pull her closer. I put her in front of me and point out the window. “Look.”

She doesn’t look out the window, though; she looks at me. “Beau, it’s not—”

I put my finger on her chin and turn it so she’s looking out the window. “Look.”

She looks out the window, and I know she sees the man looking this way. “I see the way he looks at you.”

She tries to pull from my arms, but I hold her tighter, not letting her go. “No, stay, hear me out.” In a rush, I continue, “I see the way he looks at you. He knows you’re beautiful, and he probably dreams of having you. What man wouldn’t?”

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