Teaching a class was harder than he’d thought it would be. The trick was making sure not to push the students too hard but still making sure they got a good workout. Rennen glanced at the clock. Class ended on the hour, meaning he only had another seven minutes. Thankfully. He couldn’t wait to get done with this so he could talk to Ariana. She was a hard nut to crack, but so darn sexy. He couldn’t help but smile thinking about her feisty attitude. On the day of the Tiny Titans Football Camp he’d promised himself that he’d forget about her. Then when he realized she was at the camp, a surge of adrenaline spiked through him, all he could think about was getting out on the field with her. She was determined to shut him out of her life, at least that’s what she kept saying. But her expressive eyes said otherwise. He could tell she liked him. It was crazy that he was so caught up in her. The all-consuming attraction made little sense, but he couldn’t deny how he felt. Heck, he’d joined her gym and taught this class just so he could be next to her. Pathetic, he knew. But he couldn’t seem to help himself.

He took the class through a series of stretching and breathing activities to cool them off. Finally, when the minute hand reached the blessed hour mark, he smiled. “And that’s a wrap, folks. It was a pleasure being here today.”

He was surprised when everyone clapped.

“That was fantastic,” a peppy blonde said, a gigantic smile on her face. “My husband won’t believe it when I tell him you taught the class.”

“Will you be here next time?” a woman asked.

“I was just filling in for the instructor today.”

A twinkle lit the woman’s eyes. “Are you and Ariana an item?”

Briefly, he thought about saying yes, but Ariana would kill him. “No, just friends.”

A few chuckles rippled through the room. “Sure you are,” a woman in the back said with a wink.

Rennen just smiled. As the students filed out, he strode over to the bench along the wall and reached for the water bottle Tina had given him. He opened it and took a long swig. He set the bottle down, then placed his phone and car keys back in his pocket.

“How did it go?”

He jumped slightly as Ariana entered the room. Like him, she was sweaty from her workout. His eyes ran along the lines of her sculpted figure, slender shoulders, cut biceps, tapered waist, lean, muscular legs. “Pretty good, I think. The students seemed to enjoy it.”

“I’ll bet,” she mumbled.

He cocked his head, a smile sliding over his lips. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She was ready to fight him at every turn. He wondered how she’d react if he suddenly grabbed her and kissed her. No doubt she’d have him on the floor faster than he could draw a breath, but it would be worth it.

She frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“You.”

She cocked a sculpted eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Rennen wondered how she could look so glamorous after a workout. She was wearing spandex shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Without her heels, she came to his chest. Her hair was wet where it touched her face. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, giving him a glimpse of her diamond stud earring. He shook his head. “You know, a simple thanks would suffice.”

She perched a hand on her hip. “For what?”

“For teaching the class.” He brought the water bottle to his lips and drained it. Then he crushed it in his hand.

Her dark eyes flashed. “You strong-armed me into that. But thanks,” she said tartly.

“You’re welcome.” A beat stretched between them. “So, what’s next on your schedule? Are you teaching more classes?”

“Yeah, I have another one at four.”

“Anything after that?” He tried to sound casual.

“Nope, that’s it for work.”

His pulse throbbed like a bass drum against his neck. “I was thinking we might grab a bite to eat.”

“No can do. Sorry, I have a date.”

His heart lurched. “Really?”

“Really.” She picked up a couple of empty water bottles on the bench, strode to the garbage can, and tossed them in. Rennen also tossed his bottle in the trash. Ariana picked up a towel someone had forgotten and slung it over her shoulder.

A date. He’d not anticipated that. A hot jealousy surged through him. “With who?”

She chuckled lightly. “That’s none of your business.”

She flipped off the lights and turned to leave. He rushed to keep up with her.

“Who’s the date with?”

She made a face. “What does it matter?”

He caught hold of her arm, a feeling of desperation seizing him. “I’d like to know.” He released her arm when she made a point of eyeing his hand with disapproval. He was coming on too strong, but couldn’t seem to help himself.

She lifted her chin, defiance shining in her dark eyes. “Like I said, it’s none of your business.”

“Is it a first date? Or someone you know?” He felt like a schoolboy who’d just found out his girlfriend was going to the prom with someone else.

She quickened her pace down the hall, her body moving in stiff, jerky movements. “If you must know, it’s with someone I met through Heart to Heart.” She paused, throwing the towel into a box labeled “lost and found.”

His brows shot up. “I thought you were done with that app, after the fiasco at the club.”

She shrugged. “I thought I’d give it another try. After all, I signed a three-month contract. I’d might as well get my money’s worth.” She flashed a wicked grin. “This time, I made a point of stating no football players, so I should be good.”

“Ouch,” he muttered. Out of the corner of his eye, Rennen caught the interested glances from the people they passed. But he kept his focus on Ariana. He kept half expecting her to mention the rematch. Mr. Knight’s assistant was supposed to call her today, but maybe she hadn’t gotten through. When they reached the front, Ariana stepped behind the counter. He leaned against it, not ready to end the conversation.

She drummed her fingers against the wood. “Well, it’s been good seeing you, Rennen, but I have work to do.”

Their eyes met and for a fleeting moment, he got the distinct impression she wanted him to stay longer. Fight for me, she seemed to be saying. He placed a hand over hers. “Go out with me.”

Something shifted in her eyes. He felt the longing pouring out of her into him. A rush of attraction buzzed through him. For one wild second, he thought she might say yes. But then Ariana’s assistant stepped up, breaking the spell. Ariana quickly removed her hand, clearing her throat like she was embarrassed.

Rennen sighed. “Okay, you win. I’ll leave you alone.” A thrill shot through him when he saw the flicker of disappointment in her eyes. He smiled. “But I’ll be back tomorrow and the day after that.”

Her head shot up. “Don’t you have something else better to do?” she snipped. “What about training?”

“Over by lunch every day. See ya tomorrow.”

She gritted her teeth. “You’re impossible.”

His eyes caressed hers. “Yeah, I know.”

When he reached the door, he glanced back over his shoulder. Ariana was watching him with an enigmatic expression. When she realized she’d been caught, she blinked a couple of times, quickly looking down at her paperwork.

As Rennen stepped out of the gym, a brilliant idea took shape. Something that would guarantee him a date with Ariana. Yes, it could work. What was the use of being a celebrity if he couldn’t pull a few strings? He reached for his phone and called his PR rep at the DaVinci Agency. “Hey, Lainey, this is Rennen,” he said when she answered. “I need you to work on something for me.”

* * *

With each passing day, Ariana’s willpower was weakening. She’d even taken to watching the clock, counting the hours until Rennen came to the gym. A couple of times, he’d taken her classes, which was unnerving. It was hard to concentrate on teaching when all she could think about was him, watching her with those magnetic eyes. The last thing she saw each night when she went to sleep was a flash of blonde curls and Rennen’s devastating grin that melted her defenses. It was good she was dating other guys. That was the only way she’d be able to put Rennen out of her mind for good.

Rennen hadn’t mentioned a word of their rematch. Mr. Knight’s assistant called with a date for the match. It would take place two weeks from today. The time of day was yet to be determined. Reporters were still swarming the gym, especially since they’d learned that Rennen had joined. Ariana was worried her clients might be upset with all the attention, but they seemed to be okay with it, so long as they got to keep rubbing shoulders with Rennen. Enrollment had increased ten percent over the past week alone, and Ariana knew that was owed to having an NFL player there on a daily basis.

Ariana checked her reflection in the mirror, then picked up a makeup brush and gave her cheekbones a dusting of blush. Next, she applied lip-gloss, fluffed her hair, and put on a pair of gold, dangly earrings. Her past two dates with Heart to Heart had been okay, but nothing to write home about. Tonight, she was going out with a guy who had potential. She’d been texting back and forth for a couple of days with an attorney, Scott Jones, who seemed like a sharp guy. Ariana hinted that she’d like to see a photo of him, but he told her he wanted to keep her in suspense. It was good to have a distraction from Rennen. Scott seemed like a witty guy, and he enjoyed doing outdoor activities. They were meeting at a trendy Tex-Mex restaurant in Ft. Worth and were going to an indoor climbing wall afterwards. She figured any guy brave enough to go climbing on a first date must be in decent shape. She smoothed her hands down the red sundress and slipped on a pair of wedge sandals. Last, she reached for her perfume and pumped out a couple of squirts, stepping into the mist.

Scott offered to pick her up at her apartment, but she opted to meet him at the restaurant instead. She’d learned it was better to have her own car, in case she needed to make a quick get-away.

The restaurant was brimming with people when Ariana arrived. She’d only eaten at The Red Table once before, but remembered the food was good. If things went well with Scott, Ariana would have to take him to Los Tios to meet the family. Ace would be relieved to see that she’d moved past Rennen.

Ariana stepped up to the hostess. She was a little early. Scott wasn’t due to arrive until seven and it was a quarter ’til.

“How many?”

“Two.”

The hostess nodded. “Your name?”

“Sanchez.”

The girl handed Ariana a buzzer. “It’ll be about ten minutes.”

“Okay, thanks.”

She sat down in the waiting area, scoping out the restaurant. Scott told her he was blonde, tall, and would be wearing a blue, button-down shirt and jeans. His description sounded great. Ariana was a sucker for tall blondes. Obviously, her mind screamed as an image of Rennen rushed through her head.

Rennen had not come to the gym today, leaving a huge void … and not just for Ariana. Beth, along with several of the instructors and clients, asked where he was. It was a little unnerving how quickly the staff at the gym, and many of the clients, had bonded with Rennen. Then again, he was a rising star. Maybe Rennen’s absence today was owed to him finally getting the hint that she was off limits. Was he giving up? Her stomach tightened, disappointment shooting through her. She pushed the thoughts away, willing herself to focus on her upcoming date.

The buzzer went off. She stood and handed it to the hostess. That was fast. She’d only been waiting five minutes.

The hostess smiled, motioning to a girl standing beside her. “This is Nicole. She’ll show you to your table.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as Ariana got seated, she sent Scott a text.

He texted right back.

Flutters went through her stomach. She needed a win. Oh, how she hoped this would go well. A server in his early twenties approached the table. “Hello, my name’s Mike. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you something to drink?” He pointed to the menu Ariana was holding. “We have a large selection of wines. And we have fountain drinks, raspberry lemonade, coffee, tea. Our beverages are listed on the back section of the menu.”

“I’ll have water with lemon.”

He nodded. “Of course.” Mike glanced at the empty seat across from her.

“My date will be here shortly,” she said. “Would you bring him a water with lemon as well?”

“Certainly.”

Ariana figured Scott could order something else if he wanted.

“Would you like to order an appetizer while you wait?”

“No thanks.”

“I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

The ambiance of the restaurant was nice—trendy but not so modern that it felt cold. The lights were dim with soft music playing in the background. Ariana looked at the menu. Her stomach rumbled. She’d not eaten since lunch and was starving. The downside to teaching several classes each day was that she was a bottomless pit. She tried to remember what she’d gotten here before. The chicken enchiladas, maybe? The teriyaki salmon with wild rice looked good. Maybe add a side salad to go with it. Her mouth watered as she looked at the sweet potato chips with chipotle salsa. She remembered that from before because it was outstanding.

She glanced up to see Rennen striding toward her.