Chapter 3
I’m grabbing my keys from my dresser and am about to head out the door when my phone rings.
“Dude. Come to the gym,” Kyce says.
I laugh. “What the hell are you doing there?”
“I came thinking you’d be here. So, come on.”
“I’ve got other things planned tonight. I’ll have to pass.” I walk out the door.
“Oh yeah? Give me one reason why you shouldn’t and I’ll give you a better reason why you should.” By his tone, he’s up to something.
I crank my truck, back out of the driveway and pull out of the neighborhood. “I’m heading to Abby’s.” I smile knowing, hands down, I just won that dispute. “I was at the gym for hours this morning. No matter what you tell me, there isn’t anything going to change my mind.”
He grunts. “Well…I still think I have you beat, but since you’re not here to piss on your territory, I’ll see what I can accomplish.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask with a laugh.
“Your girl is here,” he says with a cocky, but matter-of-fact tone.
“Uh-huh? And who is my girl?”
“The gorgeous chick from Jackson’s party.”
I laugh, not believing him for one damn second. “You’d say anything to get me there.”
“She’s on the treadmill now looking all types of sexy and sweaty.”
“You’re serious?”
“As a heart attack. But since you’re not here, I’m going to take a shot and see if I can squeeze—”
“Don’t fucking think about it. I’ll be there in a few.”
He’s cackling with victory when he hangs up.
I whip my truck around at the next light and head toward the gym less than ten minutes away. I’m not sure what has me acting on Kyce’s words. He can be a sneaky bastard without reason. But since the first time I saw her, she gripped me. Something has me completely drawn to her and she invades my thoughts. Most of the time I don’t realize my mind has traveled to the thought of her until my dick aches and it catches my attention. So for Kyce’s sake, he better fucking hope she’s there.
“Abs. I’ve got some shit that’s come up. I’m not going to make it.”
I figured I wouldn’t leave her hanging in the dark and have her think I’d ditched her.
“You’re just now calling me to tell me this?” she bites her annoyance.
“It just came up.”
“I’d like to ride one thing in particular that pops up around me.” She giggles. “Can you swing by tonight when you’re done?”
I fight off my cock-brain. “Not tonight, Abs.”
She huffs. “Dammit, Ryker. I had plans. Good plans. Naughty plans. And new toys.”
Well, fuck.
“We’ll have fun soon. I’ll call you later.”
I hang up before my dick can change my mind and pull into the parking lot, heading toward the back. The best thing about adrenaline is how I can feel it perk up every cell coursing through my blood before it strikes gold at my heart. My pulse is thundering with suspense. Excitement. The thrill…
I walk into my area of the gym, the one I designed for all my needs, and head toward the blue door, which leads out to the main area of the gym.
Kyce steps out from my office with the cheesiest smile. “I knew you’d fall for that shit.”
The fuck did he just say? I crane my neck toward him and glare with a murderous scowl.
Quickly, his smile is ripped from his face and he throws his hands up in a surrender. “She’s still here. She just got off the treadmill and went to the locker room.”
I don’t reply and yank open the door.
“Dude! You can’t go into the women’s locker room,” he fusses from behind me.
I look past my shoulder. “I didn’t plan on it.”
Right as I spot her, my feet quit moving. She’s as stunning as ever. Her gym bag is thrown over her shoulder, her hair pulled into a tight ponytail with her black workout capris displaying the skin on her calves. But as much as I’d like to sit here and admire the sight, something’s wrong. Her face is red with anger and her top lip is curled, brows pinched tightly together. She’s visibly rattled.
A large man in a douchebag white tank top with spills of sweat soaking through the front, is hogging her personal space. Every step back she takes, every movement she makes to retreat, the bastard is right there with a cocky fucking grin not allowing her to leave.
“I bet your cunt tastes salty,” he has the fucking audacity to say.
She gasps as her face blanches and takes another step away.
My feet are moving again, much fucking faster.
He doesn’t see me coming until I’m directly in front of them, placing Whitney safely behind me. The guy’s my height, but not nearly my size. His eyes darken as he straightens himself and puffs out his chest even further than what he had when trying to impress Whitney.
“Hey,” he hisses. “I’m having a conversation here.”
“Get the fuck out of my gym,” I growl.
He blows a cocky breath.
“You’ll not come into my gym and disrespect anyone like that. Get out of my gym. I won’t repeat myself.”
He narrows his dark beady eyes. He’s fucking nuts if he thinks he’s intimidating. Hard lines form on his face. “You can’t kick—”
“As the owner, I can do whatever I’d like. I’m not repeating myself.”
My glare steadies. My expression, although wanting to laugh at this douchebag, remains solid. We have a stare down, but eventually lunkhead accepts it without an altercation. I watch, not moving, as he slams into the men’s locker room and then back out, unchanged with his gym bag in his fist. He peers at me, anger still fueling his glare, before storming out the front door.
I twist to a wide-eyed Whitney. “You good?”
She’s visibly shaken but she nods. “Yeah.” She blinks and then recognition settles in. “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a scene.”
I laugh. “I heard what he said to you.”
Her cheeks flush with embarrassment and she quickly looks away.
“There you are,” a blonde woman approaches us, eyeing me as if I’m an enemy. “You all right?”
Whitney’s smile is fake but firm. “Yes. Some creep didn’t like the word no and had some colorful word choices for me.” She glances up at me. “Thank you, Ryker. I’m sorry for the disruption.”
Don’t think her remembering my name fell on deaf ears…
I laugh again. “Quit apologizing. A jerk like that doesn’t belong in my gym. I won’t stand for it.”
“Ryker.” Andrew claps my shoulder and sticks his hand out for me to shake. “You’re here out of your norm. How are you, man?”
Andrew has been coming to the gym for many years, at least three or four times a week. He’s dedicated to whatever fitness plan he has. One day while I was venturing around the gym, he stopped me and started some small talk. He told me about himself and asked about me. We stood there for at least twenty minutes shooting the shit. He’s a cool guy with no bad vibes steaming off him.
I shake his hand. “Good and you?”
He looks between the girls and grins at the blonde. “Exhausted. Rick will wear you out. I thought Lily was going to pass out on me.”
Lily, the blonde, smacks him in the chest playfully. “I wasn’t.” She sobers up and looks me dead serious in the eye. “Are you supposed to feel like Jell-O after?”
I try to stifle a laugh but when Andrew bursts out, I can’t contain it. “Yeah. Until you get used to it.”
“Andrew is taking you back to your car, right?” Whitney asks Lily. She appears to already be past the uncomfortable comments from the dickhead.
“Yeah,” Lily answers.
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you both,” she says before glancing up at me. “Thank you again.”
I watch her rush out the door, a little disappointed in myself for not pursuing it more.
Andrew slaps my shoulder again. “Wipe the drool, man. You’re more than likely wasting your time. Penetrating her walls can be a tedious job. It’s hard to gain her trust.”
“And then there’s the fact you’re unbelievably good looking. Not that it’s a bad thing, but Whitney tends to stray away from anything she believes can cause her to come unhinged,” Lily tells me with a curious but knowing smile.
“How would she know if something is right if she doesn’t give it a chance?” I counter.
“I’ve asked her the same thing,” she replies with a shrug.
“She thinks dating leads to too many dead-end encounters. Most men want in her panties before trying to get to know her. She’s gorgeous, secure, and smart,” Andrew adds.
I look at the door she just exited and then back to the couple. “I’m glad you enjoyed the class. I’ve got to get going.”
Kyce is knocking the punching bag around when I reappear in my area. He smiles his award-winning grin and spreads his arms. “And to think you doubted me.”
“You’re known to be a shit.” I stand behind the punching bag and brace it for him.
He looks at me confused. “You really like the girl?”
“I don’t even know her,” I answer.
He takes a few punches and then bounces back on his right foot. “Girl’s got curves all—”
“Careful, Kyce,” I warn. “Keep your thoughts off her.”
He laughs loudly. “How would you know who I’m thinking of when I’m pounding it out in the shower?”
I remain solid, only narrowing my eyes.
He hasn’t stopped cackling. “Then why haven’t you asked her out?”
I tighten my lips. “Haven’t had the chance.”
“I think you’re wishing for something you know you can’t have.”
I release my hold on the bag and arch a brow. “Have I ever not gotten what I wanted?”
A wicked smile scorches his lips. “Pai—”
“Don’t you fucking finish that,” I growl, slicing my view to him.
Biting his bottom lip to hide his laughter, he takes a deep breath through his nose to calm himself. “If she’s got that big of a pull on you, don’t let her slip through your hands.”
Shaking my head with amusement, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Yes, Dr. Very Single Hayes.”
He shoves my chest. “I’m just saying, little dick.”
“You’ve been watching Lifetime movies again.”
He rolls his eyes and flips me the bird. “Keep this up and I’ll steal her.”
“If you want an ass whooping, all you have to do is say so.” There’s a hint of humor in my voice and he catches it. He blows me a kiss and morphs his hand into the peace sign.
“I’m out. You’re welcome. Now, go get your tiny dick wet.”
He exits the gym and I turn off all the lights in the room “Fucking shithead.”