Chapter 20
JOSH WAS FLOATING THROUGH his morning with a smile nothing could wipe away, even when Tobias made them do an excruciating workout.
He was next to Riley on the rowing machines, unable to focus on the numbers climbing on the screen in front of him because Riley was right there, breathing heavy, the muscles in his arms and legs flexing as he pulled the handle over and over and over again.
It was almost hypnotic watching him, seeing his skin glisten with sweat, imagining what those strong arms could do to him—
“Josh, focus,” Tobias barked, interrupting his thoughts. “You’re gonna hurt your neck if you keep twisting that way.”
He shot the man a smile in thanks for not shouting he’d been distracted and staring at Riley.
After that talk they’d had in his office, and now how his and Riley’s relationship had… changed, Josh thought he finally understood what Tobias was trying to tell him.
He tried focusing on the nice parts, and not the part where he called him and Riley idiots.
The way you look at him, I thought you were head over heels in love with him, and I thought he felt the same about you.
Josh was well aware he wasn’t the smartest man alive, but how did he miss how much he loved his best friend?
Was he already in love with him and didn’t realize it?
How would he even know the difference? Riley would probably know.
He was always helping Josh understand the difficult things, and Riley would never let him get hurt.
He didn’t think Riley was even capable of letting that happen.
The counter on his rowing machine finally hit one thousand meters and he jumped off, moving on to the next part of the workout, fucking thrusters.
He had to hold his barbell at chest height and squat with it. Then once he was standing he had to thrust the bar overhead, before going down to repeat the damn movement. Fifty fucking times.
Why did he do this again? Oh yeah, because it made his body look good. And it made Riley’s body look good. Mostly, it made him feel good. Not during, not at all. But after? He always felt more powerful, like he could accomplish anything.
As he readied for this first thruster, he peeked again at Riley, watching him drop into a squat and pop up with the barbell. It was hard to pull his eyes away from him, but he forced himself to do it. The faster he finished this workout, well, then he’d be done faster.
He let his mind continue to wander as he moved the barbell up and down over and over, and wondered if he and Riley would keep working out like this forever.
Even if they stopped and Riley gained a hundred pounds from eating too many of Josh’s dumplings, he’d still love him.
Sure, Riley’s body was gorgeous, but not as gorgeous as his insides.
Not like his stomach and liver and lungs, but his personality, his soul.
He was perfect, in any shape or size. Maybe Josh should let Riley know that.
Once they were all panting on the floor, having collapsed immediately after their workout, Chase called them to attention and had them sit in child’s pose until their heart rates settled.
He led them through what he called a flow that would help them cool down with a revitalizing stretch to keep them from stiffening up too much when they walked outside into the cold.
Chase was such a great addition to the gym. Josh had always enjoyed Tobias’ workouts, but adding the yoga practice to their post-workout every day, plus adding a full yoga session one to two days a week, helped Josh feel limber after a workout rather than tense.
They were going to begin their yoga classes for kids soon, and Josh was tempted to go and watch, but he realized how creepy that might be. He should probably check.
“Chase, is it creepy to go to the kids' classes to watch?” he shouted, the sound echoing through the gym.
Chase had stood, ending their practice for the day, and blinked at Josh for a moment.
“I mean, yeah, a bit,” Chase said. “Why don’t you take the class and show the kids how even big, strong men do yoga, not just moms? So far, we’ve only gotten moms to sign up.”
Everyone started packing up the equipment around them, but Josh was excited to discuss this more.
“Really? I can participate without a kid?”
Chase glanced at Tobias, who shrugged noncommittally, and turned back to Josh. “For the first week, sure. Although, be prepared in case some of those moms flirt with you.”
“Me? Why wouldn’t they flirt with you?”
He shrugged. “They might, but they’ll probably just think I’m cute whereas they’ll be drooling over you.”
A loud scoffing noise came from Tobias’ direction. He froze when he realized it had gained everyone’s attention. Josh thought Tobias had a point. No one ever drooled over him, but now he wondered if Riley ever would…
“You don’t think they’ll drool over Josh, Tobias? Or are you saying Chase isn’t cute?” Riley asked, his eyebrow raised, which always meant he was ready to cause trouble.
Tobias sputtered. “I-I didn’t— Of course, he is. I mean… Urrgh.” He stormed off toward his office without a backward glance, leaving Chase amused and blushing.
“I think you broke him, Riley,” Cole said. “That’s usually my job.”
They all chuckled.
“One of these days, he’s gonna start canceling your memberships,” Hunter said, cracking himself up.
Carson chuckled softly while Garrett rolled his eyes.
“Please, he loves us, he just won’t admit it,” Cole said.
“You keep thinking that,” Chase said, laughing.
Josh could tell how much Tobias cared about them, even if he hated showing it.
For starters, theirs was the only class he taught.
He didn’t like leading the crowded classes throughout the day, but he always made sure he was there for their six a.m. group.
And there was definitely a softness there, which was especially noticeable when it came to Chase.
On their way out of the gym, Garrett approached Josh and Riley.
“Have you guys heard from your crazy client at all?”
“Nah, not since we told you about it,” Josh said.
“I may, um, have forgotten to send you one email that I wanted your opinion on. I’ll send that over today,” Riley said.
Josh could have sworn he’d already sent Garrett everything.
“Sounds good,” the detective said. “Keep me posted if he sends anything else, especially if he escalates.”
“Escalates?” Josh asked.
“Yeah, like if his emails get worse. If he starts sending you photos that aren’t taken on public property, or if he makes threats or something.”
“Shit, you really think he would?” Dizziness hit Josh as he thought about the possible danger they could be in, but a strong hand wrapped itself around his waist. He turned and immediately felt safer with Riley supporting him.
“Don’t worry. That’s why we’re talking to Garrett, to make sure it never gets to that point,” Riley said.
“Yeah, no need to worry. Mostly, it sounds like he’s being a dick so far,” Garrett offered.
“Did someone say dick? I have a name, you know,” Cole said as he joined them.
“Not you, the client of ours who keeps emailing us creepy things,” Riley said.
An amused smile took over Cole’s face, and he came closer so he could whisper. “Why don’t you guys ask him to meet somewhere public to find out who he is?”
Josh sucked his lips between his teeth as he thought through the suggestion.
“What if he’s dangerous, though?” Riley asked.
“What if you guys end up being best friends? You never know,” Cole said.
“That makes no sense,” Riley said.
“Yeah, that doesn’t typically happen with people and their stalkers, but I guess you never know,” Garret said, rolling his eyes at Cole. “I wouldn’t be worried about your safety, though. I think the guy is harmless and probably insanely weak, and likely an idiot.”
Cole scoffed. “Geez, tell us what you really think.”
Garrett gave Cole a pointed look and said, “I just did.”
All Cole did was smile.
“You know what you should do? Tell him about Elena and say that you’ll sic her on him if he causes any more trouble,” he said. “That would get me in line.”
“I really don’t want to know about your mating habits, bro,” Riley said.
A loud voice from inside Tobias’ office made them all flinch.
“Take Cole and his mating habits out of my gym.”
“Aye-aye, coach!” Cole called back, and they all walked outside to face the freezing January morning.
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Josh finished getting dressed, checking himself out in the long mirror in his room. He deemed his look good enough, but he’d let Riley have the final approval.
It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to dress himself, but sometimes he misunderstood the assignment.
When their group planned a night at an escape room, that didn’t require him to dress in black from head to toe while wearing a balaclava to cover his face.
Then there was the time they went horseback riding.
He didn’t need to wear chaps like the cowboys in the movies did.
They’d only planned on going to PJ Shanahan’s tonight, an Irish bar that turned into a decent spot for dancing the later it got.
In the past, Josh and Riley had always prepared for possible hookups, which meant he didn’t realize what he was saying when he popped into Riley’s bedroom doorway and asked his usual question.
“Hey, Ri, would you do me in this outfit?”
It was something he started asking in college, wondering if he looked good enough to attract members of the opposite sex. He totally forgot that he didn’t need to do that anymore because he had Riley, which made his reaction make a little more sense.
He stared at Josh, mouth gaping open as he appraised him from head to toe.
“Um, well…” he said, clearing his throat a couple times as his face reddened. “Y-yeah, you look great. Of course, you look great.”
Josh peered down at his outfit, a somewhat tight henley top with jeans, and brought his gaze to Riley’s.
“You think so?” he asked, the smile on his face growing as he walked slowly toward Riley.