Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 106797 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106797 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“Why do you always do that?”
“Do what?”
“Try to photograph every moment. Trust me,” he said, lowering my hands back into my lap and pulling the camera from my grasp. He dropped it on the towel next to us and pulled me back into him. “Sometimes, it’s better with your own eyes.”
And it was. Every loud boom echoed off the water and reverberated through my chest as the fireworks lit up the beach. I tried to keep my eyes on the sky, but I was drawn to Rhodes each time his face was illuminated. His strong jaw, his barely-there scruff, his beachy hair. Even though his eyes took on whatever color the fireworks decided, I could still see the bright green shining through.
“What are you afraid of, Natalie?” He asked, his voice just above a whisper as he repeated the question I’d asked the first time he set foot in my room. It felt heavier this time. Everything with Rhodes felt heavier.
“Loving you.”
He frowned, two perfectly symmetrical lines forming in his brow. Chewing my lip, I looked back to the sky, afraid that maybe I’d said too much. Did I love him already? I loved being with him. I loved the way he made me feel. To me, that was dangerously close. And it was the truth — there was nothing I was more afraid of than waking up one morning to find my heart belonged to the one man I knew could break it.
One single firework broke the sound barrier before the finale began. As lights and booms chased each other over the water, Rhodes tilted my chin toward him, catching my eyes with his own. Then, he closed the distance and pressed his lips to mine. It was a slow kiss, passionate and calculating. Maybe he was telling me it was okay to be scared, or that he felt the same fear, too.
Or maybe, he was telling me to leap.
“Natalie,” Rhodes warned, leaning his broad chest against my hamstring to apply pressure again. I felt the stretch deep in my muscles and I moaned louder. Rhodes instantly dropped my leg, letting it fall to the floor as he sat back on his heels.
“What?” I feigned innocence. “It feels so good, Rhodes. I can’t help it.”
He shook his head. “You’re going to get me fired.”
“How? You’re just stretching me out. I’m your client.”
“Yeah, but if stretching leads to you moaning which in turn leads to me fucking you against the wall in the sauna, I think that might go against club policy.”
My mouth grew dry at the image he’d painted and I chewed my lip. Lifting my left wrist, I thumbed through the options of my watch until I found the voice recorder. “Note to self: Ask Dale to install a sauna in the pool house.”
“You have a pool house?”
“Yep. Come over tonight and I’ll give you the tour.”
Rhodes chuckled, standing and making his way toward the back office. “Can’t, Bug.”
“Why not?” I asked, scrambling to my feet to follow him. It wasn’t easy, and I internally groaned. Rhodes had been pushing me hard all week. I was getting stronger, and he was testing my limits — though I couldn’t really complain. Every time he showed me how to lower into a new squat position or illustrated a glute exercise, I took advantage, touching him longer than necessary or leaning my body into his. We were garnering glares from nearly every woman in the gym, but I didn’t care.
I was branding him, just like he’d branded me.
“I have to be somewhere.”
I swallowed, staring down at my sneakers as Rhodes filed through paperwork on his desk. His t-shirt was ripped at the sleeves and the sides drooped down low, giving me full visual access of his ripped abdomen. The muscles flexed with each small movement as he shuffled random client files into place.
I hadn’t thought about the possibility that he might still be offering his after hour services. I clutched my stomach. “Are you… do you have to meet another client?”
Rhodes’ eyes met mine, his brows knitted together in confusion. “What?” When realization hit, he dropped the papers in his hand and crossed the room to me in two full strides. “Oh fuck, Natalie, no. I’m done with that. It’s me and you now, okay? I’m only touching you. And you’re the only one touching me.” He weaved his hands into my still damp hair and forced me to meet his gaze. “I swear.”
Sighing, I nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You had every right to assume.” Clearing his throat, he stepped back, filtering through the papers once more. “That’s actually part of why I can’t hang out this evening, though. I have a job interview.”
“A job interview?”
He nodded. “It’s at this new bar they just opened down at The Crawl. Nothing big, but it’ll be enough to cover what training can’t.”