Chapter 11 #3
“That’s it! Ooooh, it’s giving ‘supportive but slightly possessive boyfriend’ vibes.” Maya ran around them taking shot after shot. “I can see it now #SheLiftsHeLusts.” Quickly he removed his hand and stood back. Surely Maya had enough photos by now.
Maya looked up from her phone. She caught Finn’s eye and for a moment he thought that she could read his mind. The twinkle in her eye, the smirk she couldn’t suppress, it was all too much. He crossed his arms and waited for Maya’s appraisal. She was scrolling through the photos.
“See?” Maya looked up with a grin. “I knew it’d work—there’s not one bad photo.
Not one. This needs to be a carousel. You look strong and fit, the two of you, which obviously you are being fitness freaks, but also …
” she paused and clapped “… you both look hot in these—like sizzling, like an erupting volcano, no—more! Like hotter than whatever hot sauce Jennifer Lawrence ate when she kept saying what do you mean? This is going to blow up big time!”
Sam danced on the spot. “Let’s hope it spurs Salvaro into action!”
“Just you wait,” Maya teased. “You guys will be even more famous before the day is out. Another pose before you go—I want to give your fans choices! Finn—pick up that skipping rope thingy and do what you were doing when I came in earlier. Not gonna lie—you looked hot as hell and if I thought it, well, you can be sure everyone else will too.”
“Yes, sir!” Finn picked up the ropes, his head shaking.
Skipping rope? How long has it been since Maya was in a gym?
He gripped the battle ropes, muscles tight in his forearms, veins prominent as he began to slam the ropes in rhythmic waves against the padded floor.
His T-shirt clung to him, darkening in patches between his shoulder blades as he worked the ropes.
He grunted and felt a flash of heat cross his cheeks at the sound.
His arms burned but it felt good to be doing something physical.
He kept the rhythm steady, his eyes locked on Sam who seemed to be doing her best not to notice his occasional grunt or groan.
It all sounded a little too … primal … raw. Sexual.
He felt the muscles burn in his chest, almost as hot as Sam who was nearby on the balance ball, pretending to stretch.
Her eyes kept flickering to his, then to his arms, his thighs.
It was hard to concentrate on the ropes with her eyes on him like that.
Her lips parted and he caught the quick dart of her tongue on her lower lip.
Damn. Was she checking him out? Spurred on, he threw the last of his energy into the moment as Maya danced around them.
“That’s it! YES! Sam! That face—hold it! Oh, hell yes—you’re looking at your man like he’s the last protein shake in the universe—now this is what I got up early for!”
Sam blinked as Finn gritted his teeth behind a smile. Laughter building up inside him as Sam tried to straighten her face.
“I was not!” Sam cried out, picking up her towel from the floor.
“Yes. You. Were.” Maya was relentless. “The camera saw everything. You looked like you wanted to climb him like a rock wall.”
“Maya!” Sam buried her face into the towel.
“No point in hiding now,” Maya said. She whipped the towel from Sam. “It’s okay to think your boyfriend’s arms should have their own Insta account.”
“I do not!” Sam burst out laughing, as Finn guffawed and dropped the ropes. He lost it. Laughter burst from him so hard he couldn’t breathe.
“These arms?” he said between chuckles. He flexed dramatically and walked slowly toward Sam.
She was grinning so wide now his heart was about to burst with joy.
There was nothing better than having her look at him the way she was looking at him—as if she was his—as if this was real. “Their own Insta account?”
Sam’s eyes widened, dancing, as he moved quicker. “Finn! Don’t you da—”
He chuckled again, loving the way her eyes sparkled at him, as if she was full of fire—and daring him to do it.
With a playful growl, he swooped in, employing his old ballet school technique to lift her from the floor as if she weighed nothing.
God, she felt good in his arms. Soft, warm, and precious.
This was everything he’d ever wanted. He spun her around once, his eyes on her as she threw her head back and laughed, her hands on his shoulders, her body pressed against his chest. Sam squealed as he set her down, half laughing, half scolding him as he gently set her on her feet.
His hands lingered on her waist as she caught her breath.
“This is gold!” Maya shrieked, practically vibrating with joy.
“I think we can call it a done deal—if someone doesn’t sign you guys up after these, I will quit my job because …
” she paused and looked at them, her brown eyes glinting; she held up her phone “… these are unreal. You two are officially illegal levels of adorable.”
“Do you hear that?” Finn said softly to Sam. “We’re adorable.”
“Yes, yes,” Maya interrupted. “I said it first though, and I also said illegal. Now listen—I have to go do a few press interviews, maybe line up a few for you two.”