The man standing in front of her was one of the most cut she’d ever met. His pecs danced with every arm movement. Abs were full packs even when the muscles were relaxed. His ass was a work of art. And his package was the size of a junk god.

He smirked at her. “Kara, your legs are sexiest I’ve seen on a woman. And your breasts...” He kissed the tips of his fingers like a happy Italian chef. “Your ass—girl, if you were a guy,” he cupped his package, “we wouldn’t be here right now.”

Kara dropped her defensive stance and bent over laughing, her karategi pants hanging loosely around her green-belted waist. “Gray,” she said between laughs, “if you were anyone but you, I’d slap a sexual harassment suit on you so fast—”

Gray gasped, hands crossed over his heart. “But, lovey,” he said, “I’m just one of the girls telling you straight up.”

Kara jerked up an eyebrow. “Straight up, Gray?”

He threw his hand over his mouth. “Did that word pass through these lips?”

“Why, yes it did. Good thing I love you or I’d have to get a lawyer all over your ass.”

“Oh no, darling. If you loved me, you’d get a big dick lawyer to be all up my ass.” A shudder passed through him. “All right, lady, back to showing me that leg and ass.”

Kara huffed and resumed her position to send a high kick to Gray’s chest. “Begin,” he commanded.

With the kiai shout ei!, Kara punched her foot toward her trainer. He easily slapped it aside. “Focus, Kara.” She repeated her shout and movement only to get the same reaction from Gray. After another failure, he called a stop.

“Girlfriend, what is going on?” he said. “You’re sloppy and telegraphing. What is happening in your life? It is so screwing you up.”

She dropped her arms to her sides. Was she that easy to read or did Gray just know his women? “No, that’s the problem. There is no screwing. At all.”

“Ah,” he replied, “still fantasizing about your boss and keeping in him the dark?”

“No,” Kara blurted.

“You’ve told him you drip for him each night?” At his words, Kara’s cheeks turned hot, really freaking hot. Oh god. She’d absolutely die if Max had heard that.

“No, I haven’t—I’d never tell him that. God, Gray,” her eyes searched the room, seeing if anyone was paying attention to their corner, “I’m not some hot diva dom who can throw down anywhere.”

Gray dropped a wrist on his forehead. “Lord, save me. A hot Dom would be fantastic. I’d settle for a Tom or even a Shawn.”

Kara bumped her fists onto her hips. “Now who sounds like they need to get laid?” She pointed both index fingers at him. “You.”

Gray’s shoulders slumped, and he rested his forehead against hers. “A sorry excuse for women, aren’t we?”

Kara giggled. Thinking of this gorgeous male body as female seemed so wrong. But it’s what’s inside that really mattered. “I won’t be a sorry excuse for long. I’m quitting when we get back.”

A frown marred Gray’s face. “Who and where are we going?”

“Wait till you hear this,” she started. “This morning, Max informs me—not asks me—that I’m going to South America with him on business.” His frown flipped upside down. “Oh, don’t you even go there, Gray. I’m not interested in a relationship with my boss.”

Her trainer stepped back and shook his head at her. “Oh, there’s interest, all right, girlfriend. Just you wait.” He stepped back and tapped his cheeks. “Pretend this is your boss’s face.”

Kara whipped her leg around so quickly, Gray jerked back and stumbled. “Damn, girl. Now that’s a delivery. Do it again.”

After another half hour of beating up a punching bag, Kara’s anger and frustration had ebbed. “Hey, Gray,” she hollered toward the front of the gym. He stood next to another man making googly eyes. Interesting, she thought. When he got closer, she raised her brows at Gray.

“Girlfriend,” he said, “don’t you say one word. He’s hot but taken.” He looked back and sighed. Kara wondered if the yearning on his face was what she looked like fawning over men. She made a mental note to never fawn again.

Thinking about her empty stomach, she said, “You wanna get some Italian?”

Gray turned and snuggled up to her. “I’d love to have an Italian. Is he dark and sexy?”

Kara laughed. One thing she loved about this man, he could always make her laugh. “I mean the restaurant down the block.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and pushed her toward the door. “Of course, you did.”

Settling in a booth for six with a long white cloth draping over the table to the floor, Kara relaxed and breathed in the oregano and rosemary floating in the air. This was one of her favorite places with her favorite comfort food—pasta, and lots of it. Which showed on her waistline. A rounder midsection just meant you were overflowing with awesomeness.

Seated opposite of her, Gray pushed the items in the middle of the table to the side to make room for his large-size pizza. In the process, he blew out the cozy candle, making the dim atmosphere even darker.

When the front door opened, the person entering caught her eye. Her body stiffened. “Oh my god.”

“What?” Gray looked over his shoulder and peeked through planted pots that formed a private barrier from the booth behind him. “Oh my god is right. Do you see that man walking in? I’m in love.”

Kara kicked him under the table. “No, you’re not. That’s my boss.”

Gray whipped around. “That’s your boss?” His mouth hung open. “No wonder you’re a mental mess.” He looked back. “He’s gorgeous.” He picked up his linen napkin and fanned himself.

Kara watched in horror as Max’s eyes roamed the room, coming her way. Shit, she couldn’t get up or he’d definitely see her. She could hide under the table. It was big enough for a party under the tablecloth dragging the floor on the front end.

Too late. She turned her head sideways and covered the side of her face with her hand, trying to look normal.

“He’s coming this way,” Gray said. Grabbing his unfolded napkin and silverware, he slid beneath the table.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kara whispered, lifting the tablecloth on her side of the booth and staring down at him. The man might have been muscular, but he was as limber as a cat. “How can you fit—”

Gray shushed her and looked up at her from the floor on her side, his legs stretched toward the wall. “How do you expect him to hit on you if you’re sitting with a male?”

“I don’t exp—”

He yanked the material from her hand. “Pretend I’m not here. This may be your only chance, girlfriend. Tell him. I want this for you. Besides, I got a great view once he sits.” She tagged him with her leg. She couldn’t believe he said that. A shadow covered the table.

“Kara?”

Feigning surprise, she snapped her head up. “Max? What a surprise. What are you doing here?”

“May I join you?” he asked. When she hesitated, Gray pinched her leg. She jumped and tried to cover the sudden movement by re-crossing her legs under the table.

“Of course,” she said through gritted teeth, trying to kick Gray again. When Max slid onto the bench seat, the jerk on the floor pushed her legs to uncross. Smile plastered on her face, she wondered what the hell he was doing. She got her answer when she looked down to see his bald head scoot between her knees, giving him the perfect view of Max’s crotch.

Oh god, she wanted to die right then and there.

Max clasped his hands on the table. “So, what brings you here?” he asked.

She shrugged as nonchalantly as she could while pushing Gray to the side with her leg. “The food.” The jerk didn’t move an inch. Of course she couldn’t move him. The man was a muscle machine.

Max raised a brow at her short answer and nodded. “Yes, the food is good.”

Jesus H double hockey sticks, could her answer have been any more stupid? Duh, the food.

“You come here often?” Max asked.

She sipped from her cup. “It’s one of my favorites.” Setting her glass down, she kept nodding, mimicking him, feeling like she’d completely lost control of the situation. If she revealed the man under the table, Max would think she was too weird to work with him. Wait a second. That could be a good thing.

Max looked at the second drink in the middle of the table. “Are you with someone? Am I interrupting?” He looked around the area.

Again, she hesitated to answer and noticed Gray twist to look up at her from between her calves. He mouthed, “You are alone,” and scowled.

“Kara?” She popped her head up.

“Yes, I’m alone.” She plastered on another smile while Max frowned a bit. She lifted her phone sitting beside her leg. “Sorry, my phone vibrated, and I glanced down at it.”

“Oh. I wondered with this second glass here.”

She scooted it closer. “Yeah, they brought me another drink because I was really thirsty.” He nodded slowly. This was going to end so badly.

She felt Gray slip her shoe off. What the hell was he doing now?

Then Gray lifted her foot. What the hell—with her leg straightening out, she realized what he was doing. The asshole was trying to rub her toes along Max’s leg. Too bad her legs were too short to reach him. Until he pulled her leg forward, forcing her lower in the seat.

Goddammit, Gray. She yanked her leg back, banging her knee against the bottom of the table, making everything on top jump then crash down. With her other foot she kicked at him to let go. He fought her, still trying to get her toes to touch her boss. She snaked her hand under the table and punched whatever she could on Gray. He finally let go.

Max’s eyes narrowed. “Are you okay?” He leaned back to look down, but she stopped him by grabbing his hand.

“Yes,” she blurted, “I’m fine.” Max sat straight, focusing on her hand on his. Shit, touching him was the wrong thing to do. She felt fire race up her arm. “I, uh, my shoe fell off.” She held her hand open under the table and Gray placed her shoe in her hand. She beat him a couple times with it before lifting it to show Max then slipping it back on, giving one more tag to Gray for good measure.

She slid her hand away from his. “Sorry. I—I—” Gray’s face appeared between her legs again, saying something. Smiling at Max, she put her palm on Gray’s nose and pushed him down.

A different waitress from the one who took their order arrived with the food. She set a large bowl of angel hair and marinara in front of her and the fourteen-inch pizza in front of Max.

Max glanced at her. “You eating both?” he asked.

Oh god. What was she to say to that? There was enough food for four people.

“Mr. Richards,” the hostess came up to the table, “your take-out order is ready up front.”

“Great,” he said. “I’ll be right there.”

As he slid out of the booth, Kara saw fingers creep over his side of the table and search for the pizza. When Max started to turn back to her, she flipped her napkin to cover the hand and part of the pizza.

Max stared at her then the napkin as she kept her smile. “Well,” she said, “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow. Have a good evening.” She waved with her other hand, leaving the cloth unmoved.

Max bobbed his chin, glancing again at the table. “See you tomorrow. Tell whoever is under the table that the pizza looks good.” He walked away, looking back once. She waved and watched as he pushed through the door with his plastic bag in hand.