Chapter Grayson
GRAYSON
Although he couldn’t remember the last time someone had asked him to ‘hang around’, he didn’t think too hard about why Lexi asking made him so damn happy. And whatever she’d used in the shower was making his mouth water. Not wanting to look like an excited puppy, he just nodded.
“Yeah, that sounds nice. I can see some of your day-to-day here.”
Lexi smiled up at him, and even though he’d let her hand go, he felt the smile physically.
“That’s one of the things I love about this place,” she said, walking across the mat towards the free-weight section. “Every day is different, and there’s always something else I can be doing.”
Grayson struggled not to frown. It did sound like she took care of this place on her own, and like everything was on her. Maybe Eddie had a point. Still, he needed to know more.
“And you’re the manager? Of everything?”
She nodded as they approached a few of the people lifting.
“Is everyone okay with me taking pictures for social?” she asked loudly. Everyone around them nodded. “If you don’t want to be in it or want to look different, you have one minute. Any questions, ask.”
Her announcement got a few grumbles and a few cheers.
Girls grouped together to fix hair, he watched one run across the gym for lip gloss, and several men fixed their own hair and a few even took off their shirts.
This must be a common enough occurrence, but it made him frown when he realized Lexi was surrounded by ripped guys all day, every day.
He watched as she pointed and placed people here or there.
It took the next forty minutes, and several people moved with her, all around the gym.
Last, she put several people in the fight ring at once, in a simile of a ‘takedown’ demonstration.
To get the shot, Lexi stood at the top of one of the corners of the ring.
Uncomfortably aware of how easily she could fall, Grayson quietly stepped up behind her, knees braced and arms at the ready. Just in case. Eddie met his eyes for a heartbeat before turning back to the front desk, and Grayson wasn’t sure what he’d seen in them. It might have even been approval.
Lexi led him back to a cramped office past the locker rooms and sat at her computer, uploading the photos.
From the happy expression on her face, she got some good ones.
Grayson stood up from his visitors’ seat and moved it over next to her chair.
He watched as she clicked through, adding little edits here or there. Great shots, he corrected, impressed.
He side-eyed her, measuring, but she didn’t notice as she finished the last of her coffee and tossed the cup in the trash without looking.
“Nice job,” he commented. It was an understatement, but he wanted to keep things light with her; easy, friendly. He grimaced a little on the inside. Friendship wasn’t exactly what he was after, but until he could be sure of her state of mind, they’d keep it light.
Lexi leaned towards the computer, and his eyes fell on the side of her neck. He’d like to bite right there, and when she moaned he could-
“Do you know where Marshall left the box from Mama Troisi?” Lexi asked, interrupting his thoughts. He frowned. The cop?
“I brought them in,” he said. “I think they made their way up to the front desk.”
She pouted, and he wanted to lick her bottom lip.
“Damn,” she said without any heat. “I wanted another one.”
“I’ll go see if there’s any left.” Grayson stood and left through her open office door. Away from her for the first time in a couple hours, he realized the entire gym didn’t smell like candied apples; it was her. His dick twitched at the thought of getting her alone with some caramel.
No one approached him on his way to the front desk, and he found it refreshing.
At the club, he was constantly sought out by everyone who needed everything.
Around the side of the blue-haired girl, he spied the white bakery box.
He reached an arm to the side of her while she was on the phone, and snagged it a second before she realized he was there.
Grayson met her scowl with a smile before walking back to Lexi’s office. It felt like there were still some of the donut things left. Good. His Lexi had gotten a little too thin.