Chapter Fifteen
Fifteen
Atlas
We had already gone way over the one-hour training session I’d planned, but I was in no rush for this to end.
Tegan crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing me warily. “It depends on what your idea of light cardio is…”
“Thirty-minute walk on the treadmill?” I asked.
“Just a walk. No running?”
I laughed. She must really hate cardio. If she was ever going to run under the full moon with me, we were going to have to work on that.
The thought caught me off guard.
Where the fuck did that come from?
“No running,” I reassured her.
She let out a slow breath, making a show of checking her watch. “I think I can do thirty minutes.”
An extra thirty minutes with her wasn’t a lot, but I’d take anything at this point.
Tegan and I made our way back upstairs, and I chose two treadmills that overlooked the gym floor below. I didn’t want to watch TV while we walked. I needed her full attention.
I explained the settings and how to adjust the speed, and we started our treadmills. Tegan set hers at a snail’s pace—at least for a wolven—while mine was much faster, more of a light jog than a walk.
“You’re making me feel bad,” she said, glaring at me as my feet pounded against the belt.
“What? I’m just walking.”
“You’re going like”—she waved her hands in the air wildly, and fuck, it was cute when she was flustered—“ten times faster than me.”
“It’s because I have a long stride!” I laughed. “I can’t help it.”
“Yeah. Yeah,” she huffed.
I slowed my treadmill to match her pace, nearly tripping over my feet in the process. Her laughter was worth it, though.
“Better?” I asked.
“Much better.”
Things were going so well between us. But soon our training session would be over. I really wanted to spend more time with her, and if I was reading her right, she wanted that, too.
Fuck.
I had her phone number. I could ask her to hang out. Or—I could ask her out on a date right now. A tight knot of anxiety formed in my stomach. I hadn’t asked someone out in over a decade. How did you even bring that up? And what if she said no?
No. I had to get that thought out of my head. There was no way she was going to say no. I had no idea what we were going to do for our date, but I’d come up with something later. I had to just go for it.
“So—I was wondering—do you have any plans this weekend?” I tried to play it cool but I’m pretty sure my voice wavered, giving away how fucking nervous I felt.
“I’m working at the bakery in the morning, but I’m free later in the afternoon once my assistant comes in.” She shot me a smug smile that made my chest feel tight. She was totally onto me. “Why?”
“If it wasn’t painfully obvious by now, I’m really into you and I was wondering if you’d like to go out on a date with me.”
“Can I tell you something?” she asked.
Not an answer, but sure. I could sweat it out. “Of course.”
“The reason I joined the gym was because I wanted to see you again. I was hoping you’d stop by the bakery, and when you didn’t, I decided to take matters into my own hands.”
She took initiative to make it happen. I loved that.
I laughed. “The reason I offered to train you was because I wanted to spend more time with you, so I guess we’re even, then.”
“After what happened at the wedding, I thought you wouldn’t want to see me again,” she said quietly.
“Why would you think that?” I asked.
“Because of how my brother acted.”
Yeah, that was awkward. But it wasn’t her fault.
“You’re not responsible for his actions,” I said. “He doesn’t have to like me. What matters is if you like me.”
“I do like you.”
Her admission made my tail wag so hard, I thought I was going to take flight. “Then let me take you out on Saturday.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” I asked, slightly shocked at how easy this was.
She nodded, fighting back a smile. I felt like I was on top of the world.
“Text me your address and I’ll pick you up around three if that works.”
“All right.”
“Why don’t we call it quits for today? I’d hate for your legs to be tired for our date.”
She giggled, her brows drawing back. “Oh yeah?”
“Oh gods.” I ran my hands through my fur. “Sorry—I didn’t mean it like that.” But if I did—what would her response be? I’d fantasized about her so much and I wondered if she’d done the same about me. The way she looked at me made me think she had.
“I’m just teasing you,” she said, slowing the treadmill to a stop. “Thank you for today.”
“You did a great job.”
“It’s because I had a great teacher.”
Tegan hopped off the treadmill and grabbed her bag and water bottle. We walked back to the front desk and she tugged her phone out of the tight pocket of her leggings. A second later my phone chimed in my pocket.
“That’s my address,” she said. “It’s back in the woods, so call me if you have any trouble finding it. The GPS can be kind of spotty.”
“Will do.”
“I’ll see you this weekend.”
“See you then.”
“Bye.” She gave me a coy wave before she turned and walked out the door.
If I wasn’t standing in the middle of the gym—my gym—I would have fist-pumped and jumped in the air. It was finally happening. After dancing around Tegan for over a week, we were finally going out on a date.
I headed down the hall to my office, humming to myself. It felt like I was walking on air.
“Shit, dude! Who the fuck was that?” Fallon’s familiar squawk echoed out from my office.
Dammit.
Nosy fucking bird.
“Fallon!” I growled. “What did I tell you about watching the cameras?”
He walked out to greet me, his talons held up in front of his body submissively. “I didn’t mean anything by it! I just saw you working out with a hot girl and got curious, that’s all.”
I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down.
“Is that the girl from the wedding?” He made the best kissy noises that his beak would allow and batted his beady little bird eyes at me.
I was going to kill him.
Without warning, I pounced and pinned Fallon against the wall, my muzzle just inches away from his face. “That hot girl is Tegan, and if I ever catch you spying on us again, I’ll chop off your wings and throw them in the air fryer for a snack. Got it, you smug fucker?”
He swallowed hard, blinking a few times. “Got it, boss.”
I took a few deep breaths and rubbed my shoulders, forcing myself to relax. I knew Fallon didn’t mean anything by it, but spying on your best friend/boss and his lady friend on camera was not cool. Fucking voyeur.
“How long were you watching us?” I asked, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.
“Just the cooldown. I swear on my life, dude.” He shrank back from me submissively. I’d never physically fought Fallon—or anyone, for that matter—but I knew I could be intimidating.
My ears tucked back against my head and my tail swayed lightly, my body attempting to apologize for my lack of restraint. “Sorry, man. I just lost my cool for a second.”
“It’s all good,” he said, following me into the office. “Are you training her?”
“Something like that.”
“Damn, she has an ass on her.” He whistled. “You didn’t mention that.”
A low growl crept out of my throat, my eyes narrowing.
Fallon broke into a fit of high-pitched laughter. “It’s too fucking easy with you. I’m totally kidding. She’s cute, though, and it seems like she’s into you.”
“Thanks,” I muttered under my breath.
“So are you, like, dating her?” Fallon asked, cocking his head to the side questioningly.
“I mean, we’re going out on a date on Saturday, so I guess?”
It had been so long since I’d last done this that I wasn’t sure what the exact terminology was.
“What are you going to do with her?” He picked up the little basketball I kept on my desk, tossing it in the air while we talked.
“I was thinking of heading over to Rock Harbor.”
“The cherry blossoms at the waterfront should be in bloom. I saw a bunch of posters advertising it when I was at the club last weekend.”
Cherry blossoms.
I could see it now. Tegan walking along the water as the petals swirled around her.
It was the perfect first date.
I couldn’t believe Fallon thought of it. Maybe he was more of a romantic and less of a womanizer than he let on.
“That’s a great idea. Thanks, Fal.”
“Happy to help.” He paused for a second, holding the ball in one of his scaly hands. “Hey, do you know if she has any single friends?”
I grinned, showing off the sharp points of my fangs. “There’s no way I’d subject one of Tegan’s friends to that sort of torture.”
He shrugged, throwing me the ball. “Fine. Be that way. But when I make a speech at your wedding, I’ll make sure I tell everyone your first date was my idea.”