Worshipping Vines: Preacher’s Kid
Chapter 1
Leah Vines huffed as she finished her last set of Romanian deadlifts, being sure to place the barbell on the padded floor instead of dropping it as she was inclined to do. Her hamstrings and ass were screaming, and she loved the feeling. Roller skating already helped to keep her thighs toned, but with summer on the horizon, she wanted to make sure her lower body was ready for when outside opened up. After resting for a moment, she started to remove the plates from the bar when Eric, one of the trainers, stopped her. “Nope,” he said, gently moving her to the side, “you’re gonna be a gym princess today whether you like it or not. I saw you working out today and you deserve it.”
She watched as the tall red head pulled the plates from the bar and placed them back on the storage rack. “You stay spoiling me,” she laughed. “If it wasn’t for that wedding ring and the way you look at Brett, a girl might think you were interested.”
“I’m married, not dead,” Eric said. “And that’s one of the benefits of being pan. No matter how you identify, it”s a possibility I find you attractive.”
“Let me get on this treadmill so i can get this torture session over with.” Quickly wiping the sweat from her face and neck, Leah stepped on the pad and pressed the up arrow until the machine was at the speed she needed to help her wind down from her workout. Once she was done with her cool down, she planned to go home and chill out for the rest of the evening. Maybe watch some trash TV with a charcuterie board accompanied by the half bottle of Moscato she had in the refrigerator.
She was struggling to get through the cool down session, her earbuds having died just as her strength training session ended, leaving her without her usual workout playlist to keep her motivated. Leah had neglected to charge them last night and was now being punished with the whirring drone of her own treadmill and the clanging of the weights being pushed and pulled by the other patrons. “Just fifteen minutes, girl,” she coached herself up. “After that, we can hit the door.”
At about ten minutes in, Leah wanted to tap out. She made a mental note to buy a second pair of earbuds so she could always have a pair charged and ready to go. The last three hundred seconds without her cool down playlist was sure to be as painful as pulling teeth, but she knew this was a problem that would never be repeated. It only took one time for Leah to learn a lesson. And she never forgot them. Hypervigilance is the one good thing she could say her father and his wife stamped on her psyche.
“Noah!” Leah looked up from the glowing red numbers on the display that mocked her as they slowly counted down, peering towards the front desk of the fitness center. She could see Stacie, one of the Pilates instructors walking towards a brick wall of a man in dark sweat shorts and a loose-fitting tank. Rolling her eyes as she watched the resident yoga mat saunter up to the dark blonde-haired man, Leah prepared herself to see the scantily clad blonde tuck herself close to the well-built tattooed gym patron.
Leah couldn’t hear the conversation once Stacie reached the desk, but the way the man took a step back, his face telling her and anyone else around that he didn’t recognize her made her giggle. It was obvious that Stacie knew of him or wanted to get to know him, but his body language came off as uninterested, something the lithe blonde wasn’t used to.
The pad of the treadmill slowed then stopped under her feet, but Leah wished she had a few more moments to play voyeur as Stacie seemed to be floundering in getting this newcomer’s attention. The young woman fed on the attraction of the men in this mecca of testosterone and to not captivate this one with her purchased lips and spandex wrapped body had to be vexing.
Leah realized she would get at least a drive-by of the conversation as she had to walk past the desk to exit the gym. In actuality, she could have exited by the side door, but seeing Stacie possibly getting curved was too good to pass up. With each step that brought her closer to the desk, Leah felt familiarity tickle the recesses of her mind. She knew this man, but couldn’t seem to remember where from. “Come on, Noah,” Stacie almost whined. “Jokes over. You know we know each other.”
“I’m sorry, miss. I don’t recall ever meeting you before.”That hint of an east Texas twang wrapped around his words sent her rocketing back to high school. Noah Wesley. He looked to be even taller than he was when they attended Leddel High and definitely bigger. He’d been on the varsity wrestling team and was a physical specimen at seventeen. He’d certainly packed on more muscle in his adult years.
Stacie’s frown and thin arms folded under her ample chest told anyone who gave the pair a glance that she was not happy at the way the conversation was unfolding and Leah couldn’t be more pleased. Stacie was the type that was accustomed to having all eyes on her, and with Noah not playing along, it seemed to annoy her. With the way the pretty woman was pressing him, most men would go along with her just for the chance to fuck her. Now Leah was really intrigued. Which must have been the reason for her next move.
Walking up behind him, Leah wrapped her arms around his thick chest, pressing her cheek against his back. Damn, he smells good. “Hey, Texas.”
***
Noah jolted, then looked down at the slender dark fingers that lay spread across his pecs. When she gave his chest a little squeeze then loosened her grip, he turned to face her. Goddamn. From the top of her head to her sneakered feet she was perfection. Dark braids, highlighted with a few pink and lavender strands were pulled into a bun on top of her head. His gaze was immediately drawn to her plush lips that were now pulled into the prettiest smile across even white teeth. The brown beauty stood 5’ 10” or so, but she still needed to look up slightly to meet his 6’ 4” gaze. Although he didn’t know her, he planned to rectify that oversight posthaste. “I thought we were meeting at your place for dinner, Wesley.”
She knows me. The beauty had referenced his home state and called him by his last name. And unlike Stacie, she wasn’t on his “dead to me” list. As he let himself get lost in those dark eyes, he racked his brain to figure out where he knew her from. When she threw him a wink, he realized she was trying to use her knowledge to help him out of the sticky situation with Stacie. Noah was more than willing to play along. He didn’t need the assistance, but he needed to get to know her. He watched as her eyes widened when his arm snaked her waist and pulled her into his body. Noah could have sworn he heard the softest moan escape her when his large open palm settled on her spandex encased hip. She felt even better than she looked. Obviously, the time she spent in the gym had yielded results. He wouldn’t take any further liberties, even as his body urged him to. But he wouldn’t let her go either. Not until he knew her name and got reacquainted with the mystery woman. “I had to pick up my gym bag, Foxy,” he said, the impromptu nickname originating from the cute little animal printed on the sleeve of her purple cropped hoodie. “Now that I have it, we can get out of here and I can feed you.”
“And I am starving,” the beauty in his grasp gushed. “I worked out super hard. It was leg day.”
Noah flashed a smile, giving her a little squeeze. Fuck she felt amazing tucked into his side. ”Foxy, your legs look amazing.”
The woman in his arms laughed, seemingly enjoying the playful banter. ”Well, thank you, Wesley. I”ve been working on them.”
”You know what would make those legs feel even better?” he added. Being thrown over my shoulders was his first thought. “A massage. I happen to give fantastic massages.”
She giggled, her eyes dancing with amusement at their continued pretense. ”Oh, do you now? Well, that”s a tempting offer.”
Noah hid a smile as Stacie observed their interaction, her expression a mix of annoyance and discomfort. It was clear that his pretense of not recognizing her and his being enamored with another woman was getting under her skin. As the fitness instructor walked away in a huff, Noah and the woman in his embrace exchanged mischievous glances, his playful charade having achieved its intended effect.
As they walked out of the gym, their laughter bubbling over, they found themselves standing in the parking lot, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun. Noah”s gym bag dangled from one hand, while his other arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close. As they arrived at what had to be her car, Noah leaned casually against the car door, still wearing a warm smile. ”So, Foxy,” Noah began, his voice friendly and inquisitive, ”how do we know each other? I mean, I”m pretty sure we haven”t met at the gym before. I would have definitely remembered you.”
She chuckled softly as her gaze met his. ”No, we didn’t meet here,” she replied. ”We actually went to Leddel High School together. My name’s Leah Vines.”
Scanning his mental rolodex, trying in vain to recall the beauty but falling short. “We must have run in different circles. I am sure I would remember you.”
“I was a late bloomer so I didn’t stand out. But if you must know, you changed my life, Wesley.”