Chapter Seven
Marissa
“I swear, you’re trying to kill me,” I pant as my jelly-filled legs continue to spin around and around on the stationery bike.
“This is the best kinda burn out there,” my sadistic sister says with a sweet smile as she continues to pedal at twice the speed as me.
“I hate you.” Sweat drips from my face; it slides down my back and into places I never thought possible.
“You love me.”
“No, I don’t. From this point forward, I don’t have a sister. We’re no longer related,” I pant and gasp, trying with everything I have to make my threat come out with authority instead of choppy and weak. It didn’t work.
“If you’re talking, you’re not working hard enough,” the bubbly bleach blonde croons into the headset she’s wearing, her laser eyes focused solely on me. “Come on, ladies! Work those muscles!”
“Okay, I don’t hate you, but her? Yeah, I flipping hate her,” I whisper over the upbeat pop music flowing from the speakers.
“Come on, Riss! This moment calls for a good F-bomb. Let it fly. I fucking hate her,” she teases, pumping her legs frantically and popping up off the seat to the beat of the song.
“Jesus, are you even human?” I ask, my ass burning and my legs completely numb.
“Great job, ladies! Let’s cool it down now,” Miss Bubbles cheers into the headset, causing everyone to let out a whoop of accomplishment at completing the workout. Me? I’m surprised I’m even still sitting on the bike seat. In fact, there’s a pretty good chance someone is going to have to carry me out of here.
“That was fun,” Harper says the moment class ends. She hops off the seat, toweling off the faintest drops of sweat on her brow, and offers me a warm smile. “You did it!”
“That was the worst kinda torture I’ve ever experienced. Why in the hell would someone subject themselves to that, willingly?” I pant and wheeze, slowly sliding off my seat. I feel like a brand new baby deer as I tentatively take a step toward my water bottle.
“Spinning is a hell of a workout, and Staci is the best.”
“She’s Satan with blonde hair and perky double D’s.”
“Stop being so dramatic,” my tall, sweat-less sister says as she wraps her arm around my shoulder and leads me toward the exit. I squirt water into my mouth, but even my jaw muscles don’t seem to want to work right now. We’re following in the wake of the other ladies in attendance for Ladies Spinning to Pop Divas class, held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings at six. I’m pretty sure, from this point forward, I’ll have something much better to do at six those nights. You know, like getting a root canal, or maybe a bikini wax from a blind man. That sounds much more enjoyable than sweating like a pig to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
“I hate to say this, but you’re on your own from now on, Harper. There’s no way in hell you’ll ever get me back in here,” I say, just as she stops in her tracks, causing me to stumble over my own two feet and fall awkwardly to my left.
Hands wrap around my arms and pull me tightly into a chest. A very broad chest with ripped muscles and a manly scent. Familiarity wraps around me, warm and comforting. “Careful, Angel.”
The featherlight touch of his breath on my cheek causes an involuntary shudder to sweep through my body. I glance up into Rhenn’s magnetic blue eyes and completely forget where I am. Hell, I completely forget my name. It just vanishes from normal brain function. Poof. Gone. His jaw is covered in a delicious stubble that makes my thighs clench and his full lips are totally kissable and perfect. My heart starts to pound in my chest, tapping out a savory little beat, and my body leans into his just a bit more.
“Earth to Marissa,” Harper says in my ear, snapping her fingers in front of my face. My cheeks flame with embarrassment, and I’m not sure what’s worse: being caught openly gawking at Rhenn by the man himself, or by Harper.
“Sorry,” I mumble, trying to take a step back, but finding myself downright unable to complete the task since Rhenn is still holding me against him.
Against. His. Body.
Flush together, chest-to-chest.
I can practically feel his heart pounding a strong, steady beat, or maybe that’s mine. No, wait. Mine is pounding to an erratic, sporadic beat, so it must be his. I start to wonder if he even realizes my boobs are smashed against his chest when his eyes drop down, drinking in the slight spill of cleavage over the neckline of my workout tank top. His eyes dilate and darken instantly as he seems to memorize the swell of my boobs, every freckle on my flushed skin.
Yep, he definitely realizes it.
He probably also recognizes that I’m completely gross and covered in nasty post-workout sweat. Boob sweat isn’t sexy, at least not on a woman like me. My cheeks are surely red from exertion and my hair, a rat’s nest of chaos. No pretty messy bun, post-workout glow here, thank you very much.
“Fancy meeting you here, Cowboy,” Harper says, drawing both of our gazes away from each other and toward her. Rhenn finally releases his hold on my arms, and I’m not sure if it’s a welcome movement or a disappointing one; but he doesn’t move entirely out of my personal space. In fact, I know I could bump my hip just a bit and connect with his body.
“Well, I’ve been off my routine this week, so when I was out on a walk earlier and noticed this gym, I thought I’d stop in and get in a quick workout,” he says, talking to Harper, but returning his gaze to me.
I try to keep my focus on his face. It’s hard, I’ll admit, but I think I manage. I don’t once glance down, following the corded muscles and trail of dark blonde hair that disappears beneath his tank top. Not once do I watch how his tanned skin shines with a thin layer of sweat. Never do my eyes drop below his waist to see the way his basketball-style shorts hang dangerously low on his hips.
Yeah, that’s a total lie.
“Marissa?” he asks, drawing my eyes back up from his thighs to his handsome – and slightly smug – face.
“What?” I ask, digging deep in my memory bank for any recollection of what he may have been saying moments before my eyes took their southern detour down his incredible body.
Rhenn lifts the corner of his mouth in an obvious smirk. Why the hell does it look so hot on him when he does that? “I asked what class you ladies just took.”
“Death by Spinning,” I reply, recalling in this exact moment how homely my appearance has to be.
“She’s whining,” Harper adds, taking a drink from her water bottle. “She’s such a physical fitness baby.”
“You should take one of my classes,” he says casually, crossing his arms in a manner that only highlights the veins and muscles in his impeccable forearms.
“Classes? What kind of classes?” I ask, racking my brain to think of any mention of him being a physical fitness instructor. Though, that would make sense, considering his body is a work of art that should be displayed in a museum – you know, right next to Michelangelo’s David or Myron’s Discobolus.
“Karate instructor, actually. I’m a third degree black belt.” And just like that, my ovaries exploded.
“Karate? Bad ass, Cowboy. I’ll have to call you Kick-ass Cowboy, now,” Harper says, drawing a laugh from the man beside me.
“So, what do you say, Marissa? You wanna come take a class?”
“I’m not sure that would be wise,” I state plainly, knowing anything with coordination isn’t my strong suit.
“Marissa has zero coordination, my friend. She’d probably kick you in the balls and punch you in the eye,” my horrible sister says, bringing life to my inner thoughts and deepening my humiliation.
“It’s true,” I add, hating the way my cheeks burn.
“If I can handle a dozen teenagers, I think I can handle one pint-sized gorgeous woman,” Rhenn croons, making my insides twist and butterflies take flight in my belly. “But just to be safe, I’ll wear a cup,” he whispers, covering his groin with both hands.
Both hands.
As in, it takes two to completely cover it.
That means…
Well, you know.
I can’t stop staring.
“You should teach her. I’m sure she’d love to lay you down on a mat and pour it to you, Kick-ass Cowboy,” Harper says, smiling widely and making me wish I was the only girl. Not the first time I’ve wished on that particular star in my short twenty-seven years on this earth, but it’s the first time I’ve ever thought about doing the job myself.
My mouth just hangs open – in a totally unladylike fashion – as I watch my horrible sister make plans with Rhenn to teach me karate. Or self-defense, as it so happens to be. “It’s a beginner’s class, so I think she can manage,” Rhenn replies.
“Wait, you’re serious?” I ask, glancing between my sister and the gym hottie – who just so happens to be our subcontractor and man I’ve secretly fantasized about no less than…well, every night this last week.
“I never joke around about karate, Angel,” he replies with a smile.
“Rhenn! You’re still here!” Staci, the masochist spin instructor says, sliding right in between myself and Rhenn, rubbing her massive, protruding double D’s across his arm and chest as she goes.
“I’m still here,” he says with a wide smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Will we be seeing you again soon? Like tomorrow?” she coos, batting her overly blackened eyelashes and all but pressing her boobs against his chest once more.
“Probably not tomorrow,” Rhenn says casually, yet there’s a definite flirty tone in the way he says it. It’s like he can’t help it.
And he probably can’t.
“Shoot,” she whines, drawing out that single word as if it has fourteen syllables. “I was hoping we could hang. You know, together. Alone.”
“Ahhh, sweetheart, I really appreciate the offer, but my work schedule just doesn’t allow much free time,” Rhenn replies, grabbing the hands on his chest and gently pushing them off. But don’t think I don’t notice how Staci’s nails try to latch on to the material, like an eagle’s talons on a tree branch.
“Booo! Maybe soon, right?” Staci says, setting her head on his upper arm.
“Maybe,” he says with a shrug, taking a step to the side and right into me. “Sorry,” he mumbles as he automatically reaches out and grabs my arm before I can teeter and topple over.
Our eyes connect, and I wait for the moment where Rhenn blows me off. I mean, it’s not like we’re…anything…but no man in his right mind would ever turn down what Staci’s offering, especially Rhenn. I’m pretty sure Rhenn doesn’t turn down much of anything where women are concerned.
“Actually, Staci, I do have a favor,” he says, keeping his eyes locked on mine.
“Anything!” she bounces on her feet just over his shoulder.
“I’d like to rent out the matted room for an hour tomorrow. Can that be arranged?”
“Of course! I can get you anything you want!” she practically screams, Harper drawing my attention her way when she rolls her eyes so much, I think she can see her own brain.
“Excellent. I have a few moves I want to show Marissa tomorrow. Is ten in the morning okay?”
“Marissa?” Staci asks, her eyes full of shock and, well, more shock.
“Yeah, Marissa. We have a date with the mats,” Rhenn says, turning and offering me a wink. “See you tomorrow at ten, Angel,” he adds as he turns and heads toward the men’s locker room.
I watch him go, frankly, because the view is phenomenal, and because I’m still completely stunned over what just transpired. “Well, looks like we need to get you home to get your beauty sleep. Someone has a date with her electrician turned kick-ass karate instructor at ten in the morning,” Harper singsongs, a too-wide smile on her face.
She grabs my hand and gently tugs me toward the women’s locker room, but not before I catch one last look at the very stunned face of Staci, the spin instructor from hell. I can’t help but feel a little victorious, even though it really wasn’t a competition. Yet, the fact that Rhenn chose to spend a little bit of time with me on the mats instead of Staci brings a small smile to my face and a bubble of hope in my chest. He wants to spend time with me, showing me karate moves. I’ll probably look like an ungraceful idiot the entire time, but I’m surprisingly excited about this new development.
Ha. Take that, Staci!