Chapter 4
I pulled up a block away, and walked to the address she gave me. A small park in the middle of Storm Valley. The perfect place for a personal training session. And a safe place for people who didnt know each other. Not to mention, people working out tended to leave other people alone, even if they recognised them. I was just another person ready to get sweaty.
I mean, exercise.
I slowed down my steps as I neared the park, trying to play it cool. Walking quickly might look suspicious, like I was too eager to see her. Which I was. I hadnt thought about much other than her since we met.
Lucky for me, I didnt have training this morning, because the coach would have bawled me out for not concentrating.
Could I help it if an incredibly gorgeous woman stole all my brain cells? Okay, Id have to claw back some focus, or Id be off the team. That would suck, but I couldnt stop her from occupying my thoughts.
I was early, but she was already there, waiting. Her red hair was tied back in a ponytail. She wore an oversized T-shirt over black leggings which hugged her long, long legs.
As far as I could tell she wasn’t wearing a drop of makeup. She didnt need it. She was easily the most beautiful woman I ever saw. Just watching her doing warm up stretches…
She took my breath away. My cock strained in my shorts. He was eager to point her out.
I already noticed. Down boy.
I didnt think shed seen me until she said, Are you just going to stand there or are you going to train me?
She looked up at me then and smiled.
My heart was a football. Someone grabbed it and ran all the way across the field to the touchdown line. They did a victory dance and punched the air for good measure.
It took me a few moments to get it to stop racing so hard.
I managed to smile back. Hey. I walked closer and tried not to stare too much at her perfectly rounded ass. Rule number one, dont start training until the trainer turns up. I gave her a teasing smile.
She snorted. Rule number two, the trainer should turn up on time. Her eyes shone, A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
I was early, I protested.
Not early enough, she said immediately, but with a laugh in her tone.
Ill bear that in mind, I said. Ill turn up an hour early next time. I lowered my bag to the ground beside a bench.
Now that would be a bit excessive, she said. I was still asleep an hour ago.
Me too. I pictured her asleep. Okay, I pictured her in my bed, but we could take some time to sleep here and there.
I swallowed hard. I needed to stop thinking this way, because my football shorts would do nothing to hide a raging erection.
So, where do we start? she asked.
Um, actually, the stretches you were doing looked pretty good. Let’s do a few of those. I could do them in my sleep. In fact, I often did. Especially at this time of year, when the pressure was on us so hard. I dreamed about football and training. It was nice to have a break from that for a while. The Rapids wouldn’t suffer if I only thought about them twenty-three and a half hours a day.
Okay. She bent into a stretch, head turned, watching me.
I had a feeling she was waiting to see if my muscular arms and chest would burst out of the t-shirt I wore under my unzipped hoodie. I wasn’t sure if she was hoping they would or not.
If she was, I was fine with that. I was hoping the same would happen with hers. Maybe not in public though. I didn’t want her to run off in embarrassment.
You’re very limber, she remarked. I guess you’re on your feet all day.
Yeah. I turned my face so she couldn’t see my guilt at lying to her. Or at least, not telling her the whole truth. They keep me running around a lot.
I bet you have to keep a lot of balls in the air at once, she said.
My head jerked back around. Balls? Did she know who I was after all?
Yes, balls, she repeated. You like football, so I figured…
Oh. I laughed nervously. Right. Yes, they certainly do keep me busy. What about you?
Oh, me too. You never know when a photo opportunity will arise. She stretched her arms over her head.
You keep a camera on you all the time? I asked. I didn’t see one around, so I guessed not.
No, but I have a phone on me most of the time. Not while I’m working out. She lowered her arms and did lunges beside me.
I figured, I said. I mean, I’d see it through your lycra. I swallowed. I mean, I wasn’t looking, but I…
I was totally checking out her ass, but I was trying to be subtle about it. Now, I might as well have taken out a full-page ad in the local newspaper. Or on their website anyway. Or on Bec Writes, the blog belonging to Hawk’s girlfriend.
Rubie chuckled. It’s okay, I get it. For the record, I’ve been looking at your ass too. It’s cute, but you probably hear that all the time.
I grimaced. I actually did, but I wasn’t going to admit it. For one thing, Id sound like an arrogant asshole. For another, it would raise more questions I wasn’t ready to answer yet.
Besides, I could think of a million things I’d prefer to talk about than my ass. Like her ass.
Let’s go for a warm up jog, I said.
Way to change the subject, she teased.
I grinned and started a slow jog around the perimeter of the park.
She let out a squeak and hurried to catch up.
By now, several other people were warming up, but no one gave us a second look. It was possible they weren’t football fans, so they didn’t recognise me. I knew a couple of people like that existed, other than Rubie. Personally, I thought they didn’t know what they were missing, but that was their choice.
I kept the pace slow, until I saw she was capable of keeping up with me. Of course she was, the woman had legs for days. I went a little faster, but still light. I didnt want either of us to pull a muscle before we even started. That would end my personal training career before it began.
Worse than that, she might never talk to me again.
You were right about the coffee at Fleurs, I said conversationally.
Of course I was, Rubie said. Im right about a lot of things.
I chuckled, Really? Like what?
I like you, she said slowly. But…
But? My heart sank. Of course there was a but. A woman like her wouldnt be interested in a guy like me. She probably thought I was a meathead football fan. She was half right. I was a meathead football player.
I cant tell you all my secrets straight away, she said lightly. I need to get to know you before I tell you everything about myself.
My heart soared. Did she mean what it sounded like she meant? I hoped so.
Had I only met her yesterday? It felt like Id known her forever.
I feel the same way, I said. I mean, Id like to get to know you better.
She flashed me a grin. Great. You should know I’m very competitive.
I returned her grin. Oh, you are? Thats funny, me too.
Is that so? Her expression suggested she was up to something. That was confirmed a moment later, when she said, Race you to the bench.
Before she even told me which bench, she was off and running, her ponytail flying out behind her.
Laughing, I started after her. I was a fast enough runner to catch her easily, but showing her up wasnt the point. I wanted to let her win. Besides, I had a feeling that if I reached any bench before her, it would be the wrong bench.
I was okay with that. I liked that she was playful. Us Rapids were good at razzing each other, but any time things got too lively, there was usually a prank at the end of it. Especially if Bam or Chase were around. Like the time one of them put garlic in my locker. I grimaced at the memory. It stank for weeks afterward.
Rubie reached the bench at the end of the park and tapped it with her hand. I win!
I trotted to a stop a couple of metres from the bench. I guess you did. What did you win?
I was hoping shed ask for a date or a kiss, but that might be moving too fast. I was content to take this at exactly the pace she was comfortable with. The last thing I wanted was to scare her away.
She gave me a speculative look. I dont know, Ill think of something. Lets call it an IOU for now.
Deal, I said. I didn’t mind owing her. I was sure she’d come up with something fun. Now, can you use a skipping rope?
A shadow passed across her face. Only if I use it alone, she said, her voice tight. I didn’t spend much time skipping rope with the other girls at school.
I wanted to reach out to her, to wipe her pain away. Me either, I said awkwardly. Little girls can be so mean.
She snorted, but only with a hint of humour. Yeah, they can. She frowned. You meant alone, right? Unless someone else is coming to join us?
Just us. I crouched and unzipped my bag. From inside, I drew two skipping ropes. I tossed one to her and gripped the handles of mine in each hand.
I remember the silly songs they sing when they skip, I said. Something about counting potatoes and boyfriends with sixty-nine toes.
That sounds familiar, she said. She started to skip slowly.
After a moment, I joined her. Let me guess, you were the kid in the corner with a book?
I might have been, she said. Dad’s PT says if you can talk while working out, you’re not working hard enough.
Touché, I said. My coach says the same thing. I mean, said. From, you know, high school. I looked over to see her giving me a funny look.
From high school. Right. You were a jock? She spoke without missing a beat.
You could say that, yes. Once I grew out of the gangly, pimply phase. For a while there, I thought that was my life. Then one growth spurt and a bunch of hard work on the track before and after school and everything changed. I went from awkward Ollie to pro-ball player Ollie all the girls stared at. And the guys too.
Looking back, maybe nerdy me wasn’t so bad. I bet Rubie never had a nerdy phase, not really. She would have been queen of her class. Cheerleader, class president, the works.
Only, I had a feeling that wasn’t how it was. Hopefully some day she’d feel comfortable with me and open up about it. And everything else in her life. I wanted to know all of it.
Yeah, I thought that when I first saw you, she said. But there’s more to you too.
I chuckled. I hope so. I was getting breathless from exertion, or maybe from being near her.
I know what I’d like to have as my prize, she said. Take me dinner.
Fuck yes, of course I would. I’d happily take her anywhere she wanted to go. Anywhere, any time.
Okay, it’s a deal, I replied, as cool as I could manage, given my heart was racing out of control.