Page 11 of Shattered Rhythm

Sue me.

“Nope,” I say, popping the P. “I mostly stick to dance, stretching, some squats, crunches, and pull-ups. I’ve never sat on one of these before.” I shrug.

“I can tell,” he just says, and I laugh.

What a jerk.

“Let me show you,” he tells me, but I shake my head.

“No, thank you. You’re certainly busy doing your job.”

“You may not have noticed, but showing customers how the machines work is part of that job,” he replies, smirking.

“Oh.” I mentally face-palm. “Yeah, sure, if you have some time, that would be nice of you.”

Of course he’s just doing his job, Livy. Get a grip.

He shows me around all the machines, correcting my form and showing me how to use them, and I have to say, it’s fun. Half an hour passes in a blur.

“So, we saved the best for last,” he says as we stand before a high rack.

“What’s that?” I ask, confused.

He grins. “Well, you told me you do pull-ups. Show me what you’ve got.”

My arms already feel like pudding, and even if I stretched, I would never reach that bar. I raise an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’ve done some before, but not after dancing and working out and never on something like that,” I say, pointing at the super high bar.

“I didn’t peg you for a chicken,” he says, his eyes filled with amusement.

I glare at him. “And how exactly do you think I am going to get up there?”

He gets behind me, puts his hands on my hips, and lifts me up in one smooth motion. His fingers burn on the sliver of skin he’s touching. I grab onto the bar, making him let go of me before stepping in front so I can see him, then I start to do pull-ups.I only make it to five before my arms start shaking.

“Three more,” he says in his trainer voice, and I try to pull myself up again, but I just can’t. I’m struggling not to let go. He jumps up and grabs the bar, his hands just next to mine, putting us face-to-face now.

“Wrap your legs around my waist,” he commands, leaving me dumbstruck. I do as he says, and he pulls us both up into another pull-up. It’s still difficult, but with his help, it’s like an assisted one. His face is so close to mine, my nerves make it hard to breathe normally.

“One,” he counts, then we do two more like that. After the third, he holds us in the pull-up, looks me in the eyes, and tells me, “Good girl.”

Oh my god, I think my panties just got damp.

He smirks and let’s go of the bar, only to put his hands back on my hips and pull me to the ground against his hard chest. My hands land on his shoulders, and we just stand there for a second, holding each other. It’s not until I remember that I’m sweaty and definitely stink, while he’s standing here in his black clothes, smelling spicy and sensual, that I take a step back out of that weird embrace.

“Thank you for your help, ‘Jaxon Tanner, owner of Tanner Fitness.’”

“Can you stop that shit already?” he says, laughing.

I smile and look at the ground. “Sure, sorry. I’m going to head out. Thanks again.” I turn to go, but he stops me.

“Hey, Liv, I want to see you in here, working those muscles at least twice a week, you hear me? If you start slacking, I’ll come over there to the studio and get you myself.”

So demanding.

“Yes, sir,” I reply with a salute, but his eyes fill with heat, not amusement like I thought they would. I’m not equipped for this situation, so I just turn and nearly run out. After a quick stop at my locker, I get in my car and head home. If today isn’t a pint of ice cream and a good book day, I don’t know what is.

CHAPTERTEN

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