Chapter 5
Mel
“Earth to Mel. Where are you?” Shauna asked.
I smiled sheepishly. “Just thinking about my next session.”
It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it also wasn’t the whole truth.
I wasn’t thinking about the session itself but the man: Dylan Gallagher.
I almost couldn’t believe I’d agreed to this.
Our session was starting in ten minutes, and I was on pins and needles.
He was already on a treadmill, completing the warm-up.
“You’re so cute, always so stressed out when you have a new client. You’ve been doing this for years,” Shauna said. “Everyone likes you.” Thank God she thought my nervousness was due to taking on a new client, because that wasn’t it at all—it was most definitely because of the man.
Oh, Dylan liked me, there was no doubt about that. He wasn't trying to make my panties melt; it came naturally to him.
What had I been thinking, agreeing to train him one-on-one?
What had I been thinking, flirting with him in my messages?
Eh, the last one was easier to explain. I’d had a glass of wine while listening to a steamy audiobook, and one thing led to another.
As to the private session? Apparently I didn’t seem to be able to think straight around him, not when he pinned me with that sinfully hot gaze.
“Well, I’m off. Wish me luck,” I said, quickly going to the ladies’ room before the session started.
I inspected my appearance in the mirror.
My dark shoulder-length tresses were firmly up in a ponytail, as usual.
I typically wore no makeup at the gym. Even in my free time, I usually sported a natural look, only using black eyeliner on special occasions when I wanted to highlight my green eyes.
After rinsing my hands, I noticed a message on my phone. I unlocked the screen and gasped.
Elliot: I need to talk to you.
What the hell?
Mel: Forget it. I don’t want to see you. Ever.
Elliot: You think I do? I just need something.
Mel: FUCK YOU.
I leaned my forehead against the cold tiles, drawing in a few breaths, trying to relax. He needed something. I couldn’t believe the nerve of him. My ex was truly a shitty person. I didn’t want to change my number because it was a hassle. With trembling hands, I deleted the messages and his number.
I stayed in the ladies’ room for a few minutes longer before heading to the weight section.
Dylan still had a few minutes on the treadmill, and I snatched the opportunity to drink him in, hoping the view would erase my thoughts of Elliot.
Isabelle’s brother was wearing Nike shorts and a sleeveless tank top—those arms, yum.
He was definitely all man with a build that rivaled any professional athlete.
When he turned around and locked his gaze with mine, I licked my lower lip.
Just like that, all the anger those texts provoked slid to the back of my mind.
Drawing in a sharp breath, I smiled widely, hoping he couldn’t tell how much he affected me.
I clasped my hands together, standing next to the weight station as he walked toward me, and I was determined to keep my eyes on his face.
Do not look down, Melanie. Don’t be obvious. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to check him out later when he’s not looking.
There was a thin sheen of sweat on those delicious muscles.
“Hi. I see you've already done the warm-up. Are you ready for me?"
"I'm ready, Mel."
Just the sound of my name coming from his mouth was doing things to me.
I had goose bumps on my arms. Sweet Lord, I was in trouble if I reacted to him this way already.
I hadn't spent even five minutes with him and I was ready for a different kind of workout.
Sheesh, I was usually not this responsive to the opposite sex.
Men in T-shirts and shorts surrounded me daily. I didn't even really register them anymore. But I sure as hell memorized every single inch of Dylan. I was blaming it on his gentlemanly actions that first day. He'd gotten under my skin, and now there was no shaking him off.
"So," he said, "should I bring up the audiobooks already?”
I tilted my head, smiling. It would seem I had to sort out this flirty situation before I could do my job.
“You can, but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer your questions.”
“That wasn’t our deal.”
“We had no deal. You said you’d bring them up, and I agreed you would.”
He trapped my gaze with his and didn’t reply, but the sheer intensity in his eyes made me squirm.
Oh dear God, it was too easy to get caught up in his seductive smile. I looked around, searching for a distraction before remembering I had the perfect one.
"Do you have the card with your exercises?"
"Yes."
He handed it to me, and I reviewed everything.
It was all pretty standard. I was going to tweak a few things here and there.
Everyone’s body was different; even though we liked to talk a lot about body types in fitness, each one responded differently to exercises.
You could only be sure they were the right ones by observing your client as they performed them.
And I planned to watch Dylan very, very close; I had no problem with that.
"By the way, thank you again for helping me out the other day. Isabelle always said you have a gentlemanly streak, but I have to say, I never believed it until I saw it." Truth be told, I thought chivalry was long gone.
"You're welcome, Mel. So, what else did Isabelle say about me?"
"Lots of things. Such as how she was hoping you and your brother would bring someone to the wedding. But I think she's given up all hope now."
"Good. I was worried that she still had her hopes up, and I’d have to do something about it."
Sadness passed over his eyes. He looked away, but I'd caught it, and my heart hurt for him. He deserved to be happy. Every instinct in me wanted to fix whatever was wrong, and although I couldn’t do that, I could make him smile.
“Do you always tease your sister?” I had to crane my neck to look up at him; I was tall, but my five feet seven to his over six feet made me crane my neck a bit.
“Yes. But she teases us right back, so don’t feel too sorry for her.”
“Oh, I don’t. I find it all very funny.”
He grinned. “She decided she wanted to be a counselor back when we were kids, so she played everything from the family’s peacemaker to the bad cop.”
“That sounds like so much fun,” I said wistfully. I was an only child, and my mom left Daddy and me when I was one year old. I didn’t even remember her.
Back then we lived in Harrisburg, and Daddy always said Mom longed for a bigger life than he could give her.
We only moved to New York City when I was in college.
Dad found a job in construction here shortly after I came to town.
He said he didn’t want to be far away from me.
Thank heavens he was close by. It made it easier to help him through the recovery after his stroke.
Dylan kept entertaining me with antics from their childhood once we started the weight training.
I was doing my best to keep my eyes off him and only slipped a couple times.
Thankfully, he didn’t notice. Fortunately, I kept my professionalism throughout the entire circuit.
Dylan did three sets of everything. I offered him some additional mat work to incorporate, and he managed it all with ease.
"Okay, that's it. We're wrapping up this session," I said an hour later. Glancing at the giant clock at the back of the room, I grimaced.
"Damn. I’ll be late,” I muttered.
“For your next session?”
“No, I’m done for the day. I’m heading out to help a friend with her shelter, and I’m supposed to be there in forty minutes.” Crap, I’ll really have to hustle.
"Where is it?" he asked.
“Queens. I’ll never make it in time. And it’s raining too. I hope the gym has a spare umbrella.” We kept a few for clients, but they were typically gone as soon as it started raining.
"I have a company car that’s going to take me to my next meeting. You can ride with me, drop me off, and then he can drive you there."
“There’s no need.”
“It’s raining, Mel.”
“Ah, there you go, being chivalrous again.”
The corners of his mouth tilted up. He took one step closer. “Besides, it will give us more time to talk. I still haven’t heard about all those secrets. Not even one.”
I laughed. “I’ll add cunning and tenacious to your list of attributes.”
“Always,” he confirmed. He trapped my gaze in his. Holy shit, the man was intense and so hot that I felt my body temperature rise just because I was around him. He smelled like a spicy-scented deodorant and even a bit salty, but not sweaty. Perfect.
“Okay, thank you. I’ll change quickly. Thank you so much. I don’t want to be late, and my friend is counting on me. Otherwise I wouldn’t bother you.”
“You’re not bothering me, Mel. Quite the opposite.”
That was the only reason I was saying yes, I told myself. I didn’t want to be late, and it was raining.
I was lying to myself, and by the way he was looking at me—with a mix of smoldering heat and amusement—he was thinking the same thing.
Dylan
I showered and changed in fifteen minutes, and to my astonishment, Melanie was already waiting for me at reception.
I was wearing a suit, and by the surprised look on her face, I could tell she liked what she saw.
Her round green eyes perused me from my shoulders down and then back up.
I cocked a brow when our eyes met. She looked away quickly, biting her lip.
She was wearing a white dress that reached her knees, and the neckline showed a lot of cleavage.
She was so damn sexy that I could barely keep my thoughts straight.
“I asked about umbrellas, but we don’t have any left,” she said.
“No problem. I asked my driver to wait for us in the underground garage. Shall we?"