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)
“Yeah, I caught on to that after you dropped a weight on your foot at the sight of him.”
I blushed. “I haven’t really seen him much since it all happened. I was caught off guard.”
He crossed his arms. “You told me this wasn’t about a guy.”
“It’s not,” I tried and he scoffed, heading toward the back of the room. I followed. “It’s not, I swear. This is about me. Yes, at first, it was about him.” And still kind of is. “But I want this for me, too.”
He stopped mid-stride and spun to face me. My eyes leveled with his chest and I had to strain my neck to look up at him. “Do you want him back?”
I chewed my bottom lip, unsure of how to answer. Rhodes’ eyes fell to where my teeth worked the tender skin and I watched the muscles in his jaw tense before he found my eyes again. “That’s what I thought. This is about him.”
“It’s not just about him.”
He swallowed, but didn’t argue. Instead, he sighed, his chest deflating, and stepped back to put distance between us. “It’s okay. It actually makes sense now.”
“What does?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I’ll help you get your boyfriend back, Natalie.” He pointed to the elliptical. “Finish with the cardio drill we did the other day. The intervals. Do thirty minutes.” He pulled the white towel from his pocket and wiped his forehead before turning away from me.
“Wait,” I tried, but he kept walking. “Where are you going?”
“I have another client to tend to. We’re finished with weights today so just finish with the cardio and you can go. I’ll see you Thursday.”
He didn’t face me again as he said the words. He just threw them over his shoulder and let the door close behind him as he exited the gym. I stood there for a moment staring at the door he’d walked through like it would open again, but it didn’t. Sighing, I climbed onto the elliptical and took a long drag from my water bottle before starting the session.
Rhodes told me to do thirty minutes but I did an hour. I texted Willow when I was finished and told her I was going to hit the hot tub but she could start heading that way. She was just finishing up at her weekly coffee house poetry slam, which was just about a half hour from the club, so it worked out perfectly.
I changed into my one-piece quickly and grabbed a towel from the locker room before heading out to the pool. The rain had cleared, but the pavement was still wet as my feet padded across the small garden area to where the pool and hot tub were tucked away. It was a full moon and the light from it reflected off the soft blue of the pool water, casting a cool glow over the white folding chairs lined up on either side. I tossed my bag and towel on one near the shallow end of the pool just as I heard light laughter.
Following the sound, I glanced toward the hot tub on the other end of the pool and sighed when I noticed it wasn’t vacant. Probably two old, drunk, Poxton Beach Country Club members doing God knows what. So much for steaming out the soreness in my muscles. I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around me again, though my muscles cried out in disagreement. There was no way I was going to join whatever party was happening over there, though. I lifted my gym bag strap onto my shoulder but as I turned to head back inside, I glanced at the hot tub again.
And I was met with fierce green eyes.
Rhodes was staring at me, brows low, his mouth narrowed out into a straight line. An older woman who I didn’t recognize was kissing up his neck. She caught his earlobe in her mouth and wrapped her long, manicured nails around his jaw, pulling him into her touch.
I swallowed, but I couldn’t look away. Rhodes watched me carefully, but his gaze was just as unwavering as mine. When the woman’s hand dipped below the water line, my stomach sank and I felt a wave of something roll over me. Nausea? Jealousy? I wasn’t sure, but I’d had enough. Averting my eyes, I tucked my towel around me tighter and skipped going back inside, heading straight for the entrance, instead.
I thought maybe he would come find me. I thought maybe he would tell me not to worry, she’s just a client, blah blah blah. But he never came. Then I realized, why would I think he would? Rhodes didn’t owe me anything — least of all an explanation for having a woman’s hands in his swim trunks. I was trying to figure out why it bothered me so much but fifteen minutes went by with my head spinning and no answers coming. Willow pulled up in her cherry red Jeep and snapped me out of the spell.