Chapter 19
What the fuck was I thinking, telling her she could do anything she wanted? Giving her free rein to make a move? Or not.
What I wanted to do was push her up against the wall and have my torrid way with her, make her beg for me to fuck her.
And when she asked what would happen afterward, if she did make a move, I wanted to tell her that she would belong to me, but I couldn’t find the words.
So, I’d stupidly said, “Nothing changes.” As if it wouldn’t mean a damn thing if she gave herself to me.
But it would. It would mean more than I could fathom.
I wasn’t a man who chickened out. I was, however, a man who played aloof. I supposed I’d succeeded in keeping up that facade.
She’d left my apartment close to an hour ago, and her absence toyed with my head.
What did she think about everything that happened?
If I’d answered differently, would she have tried something?
Had I misread the interest on her part? I’d left the ball in her court, but she didn’t step up.
She chose to keep our relationship professional.
After another half hour of pacing in my apartment, I knocked on her door. If she answered in her skimpy pajamas again, I’d be hard-pressed not to dive on her.
Luckily for me, she wore a shirt and sweats when she opened the door, looking as beautiful as ever.
“What’s up?” Her curt tone slithered through me, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit. But I couldn’t blame her.
“I start my workout tomorrow at six. I’d like you there at five.”
“Okay.” A thick wave of silence descended, bringing with it an awkwardness I hadn’t experienced since I was a kid. Sophie shifted her feet. “Is there anything else?” she asked.
“No.”
“Have a good night.” She closed the door before I could say anything else, stealing my choice to either concede or continue a conversation.
Lying in bed later that night, I realized that Sophie had made the right choice by not taking me up on my offer. Yes, I desired her, and I believed she did me, but we’d be working together for the foreseeable future, and nothing good could come of us getting involved.
My head shouted that this was for the best.
Too bad every other part of me pushed against the common sense.
After finishing my breakfast, I left my apartment, fully intending on being the first one downstairs. But when I opened my door, Sophie stood on the landing, about to descend the stairwell. It was a quarter to five. It was the one time I didn’t appreciate someone being early.
With only a nod exchanged between us, I followed her down the steps, watching the way her hips swayed with what should have been a mundane movement.
When she approached the door to the gym, she moved to the side, allowing me to insert the key into the lock.
My arm brushed hers, and she stiffened, as did I.
There was no way we’d be able to work together if this awkwardness between us remained. I needed to nip this shit in the bud.
“I shouldn’t have said what I did last night. That was a mistake. Luckily, you were smart enough to decline.” I’d been staring straight ahead until I turned to look at her. “It won’t happen again.”
An expression I could only describe as a blend of anger and disappointment twisted the corners of her mouth, her eyes narrowing the longer she appeared to absorb what I said.
“Good” was her only response as she shoved past me as soon as I swung open the door.
Her hurried steps brought her toward the back room.
The room where I’d almost assaulted her.
The room where we’d been pressed against each other as I showed her how to defend herself.
The room where she rubbed my affected shoulder.
The room where she was going to give me her undivided attention, touching me, rubbing me, stretching me.
“Sit on the floor.” She pointed toward a black mat, all without looking at me.
Was she pissed at me?
Relieved nothing happened between us last night?
Regretful?
Once I positioned myself how she wanted, she waltzed over, her expression flat, giving nothing away. She sat directly across from me.
Trevor had done this stretch plenty of times, but having to touch Sophie, even in the most innocent of ways, was going to drive me crazy.
Why the hell had I hired her for this position?
If I could go back, I’d… well… I’d… make the same damn decision.
Fuck!
“I want to see how flexible you are.” Her extended hands waited for me to grab hold, and when I did, I pushed the barrage of feelings and images that infiltrated to the back of my mind.
We were heel to heel when she gently tugged me forward.
Because I used my legs a lot, I made sure to work the necessary stretches into my daily routine, but I had no doubt this woman would push my limits.
And I both welcomed and feared it, suspecting she would most certainly push other limits I’d set for myself as well.
“Now open your legs.” With her instruction, the images I’d shoved away knocked at the door, begging to be let in. Again, we were heel to heel, legs spread. She pulled me to the right and down, then repeated the same motion with my left leg. “Good.”
For the next half hour, Sophie checked off a list of stretches: from hamstring and glutes to hip flexors, arms, and shoulders.
The closeness of some of the moves brought her only inches away, but I was proud of myself for not faltering.
I remained professional, as did she. In fact, most of the time she refused to look me in the face, focusing more on the limb she worked on.
We’d just gotten to our feet when someone knocked on the door. Trevor walked in, his brows drawing together at seeing Sophie with me.
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell him I switched her job duties.
“Hi, Sophie.”
“Hey, Trevor.” Her lighthearted tone irritated me. Not because she flirted with him, but because she’d hardened toward me.
“Jackson? You almost ready to start,” he asked.
“I’ll be right out.” Sophie’s attention roamed around the room. I needed her focus, so I blurted the first thing that came to mind. “My shoulder felt a lot better after you massaged me with the oil last night.” Why did I reference last night? Why? Because I was a glutton for punishment, it seemed.
“I’m glad to hear it. I’ll use it again after your workout.”
“Thanks.”
“No need to thank me. It’s all part of my job now, right?” Her eyes finally landed on me, her head slightly tilted. She seemed to be assessing me, but I had no idea why.
“Right.”
Instead of lingering, she walked past me and headed toward the door. “Have a good workout,” she called over her shoulder, disappearing a moment later and leaving me standing there wondering if I’d made a mistake by hiring her after all.