by Lacey Black
Grabbing the unit in the front row, I set my water bottle in the holder and head over for a hand towel. Before I can turn around and do a few stretches, her annoying voice pierces the air once more. This time, bellowing the one word that causes me to stop in my tracks. “Latham!”
Spinning around, I find the man I loathe standing at the doorway, a look of surprise on his face. His eyes meet mine, and even though I wish I wouldn’t, I feel the intensity of that gaze all the way down to the apex of my legs. Stupid female hormones. Why must I be attracted to the one man who makes me want to pull my hair out and scream at the top of my lungs? He’s the only one to ever get this kinda postal reaction out of me. Well, him and maybe Felicity.
“Are you joining us?” she coos, hopping off her machine and heading his way.
He looks like he’s two seconds too late to make a break for it, but relents and gives her a smile anyway. “I was heading to the treadmill and some free weights,” he says, glancing at her, but returning his eyes to me. I pretend not to care, instead heading to the front of the room to join a few others in stretching. I make sure to turn my back to him.
And squat.
A lot.
I know my ass is one of my best features, so why not use it to my advantage and show him what he can’t have?
“Oh, you totally need to try spinning. It’s the best workout you can get!” Felicity practically yells. I try to ignore them, but also can’t help to glance their way. Of course, in order to do that, I have to look back at them while I’m stretching – from between my legs. Yes, they’re upside down, but it still works. At least it did until Latham’s eyes land on mine. Even from this position, I can see how dark and full of desire they are, and I can’t help the little tingle of excitement that gives me.
With his eyes still locked on mine (which is really weird now because I’m bent over and looking at him from between my legs), a predatory smile crosses his smug face. “I’d love to join you.”
Shit.
“Come on, then. There’s an empty machine right next to me!” Before I can look away, she grabs his large forearm and pulls him farther into the room. The movement severs our eye contact, and that’s probably for the best. I was starting to feel all warm and tingly for the devil, and that can’t happen. Especially after the realization I had when I was leaving work tonight. There’s no way I’m letting Latham anywhere near my libido, at least not until I have proof he’s the one who made the other bid.
When I’m all stretched out, I return to my bike. Yes, the one positioned right in front of Latham. He gives me a confident, cocky grin, one I return immediately. “Hello,” I say, turning around and giving him my backside.
“Hey,” he replies, even though he can’t see my face anymore.
“Good evening, friends! Are we ready for a workout?” Staci says into her headphones, the sound of her voice carrying through the speakers. “Welcome to Ladies Spinning to Pop Divas. Let’s get those leg muscles burning, shall we?”
“Pop divas?” I hear Latham ask behind me as I start to move my legs, a victorious smile spreading across my face, just as Cher starts to blast through the sound system. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” he grumbles.
“Oh, stop being a ninny,” Felicity coos. “It’s fun! And besides, after our workout, I’ll buy you a drink.”
I roll my eyes so big, I’m sure the instructor can only see white. Doing everything I can to push Felicity and Latham out of my mind, I start to move my legs, loving the way the burn starts in my calves and spreads to my thighs. I lean forward, positioning my forearms on the handles and start to push through the pain. I’ve taken this class for a few years now, and have no problems following Staci’s instructions. It doesn’t take long until we’re pumping our arms and thrusting our hips upward, pedaling like hell and starting to sweat.
“Come on, ladies,” Staci bellows, “and gentleman. Let’s get those hips thrusting!”
I do as instructed, and even though the music is loud, I can clearly hear Latham’s moan. It sounds almost…orgasmic.
“You okay?” Felicity asks, and I can’t help but glance over my shoulder.
If the ass goes down and has a stroke from spinning, I kinda want to witness it. What I wasn’t expecting was to find his eyes glued firmly on my ass. He’s pedaling just as fast, thrusting his own hips upward in a manner that can only be described as sexual, and watching me move. A sliver of pride bursts through me, along with something else that settles between my legs.
It’s also the first time I really notice his appearance. He’s wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off and basketball shorts, but it’s the hard, corded muscles that draw my attention. Well, that and his tattoos. Yes, tattoos. As in multiples. There’s several on his arms, which I’m surprised I hadn’t really noticed before, but also one on his right calf. When he moves, they all jump and flex under the hardness beneath, making my mouth go dry and my panties wet.
“Focus, ladies!” Staci hollers, drawing my attention back to the front of the room. It made me realize I had slowed down considerably, wasn’t even close to the same pace as the rest of the class. These are the kinds of distractions I can’t allow myself to have, and that’s exactly what Latham Douglas is: a distraction.
Returning my focus to the class and the workout, I catch back up with the instructor and pedal twice as hard, determined to not let him have one more ounce of my attention. It’s hard though, when Felicity continues to annoyingly talk and compliment the Devil as if he were the spinning master. It almost makes me throw up in my mouth.
When the thirty minute session is finally complete, I sit back on my seat, letting my legs begin to slow their forward motion. I squirt a little water into my mouth, noticing how out of breath I am. I’m never this winded, yet I feel like I just ran a marathon in the rain. Sweat is definitely not attractive.
My legs are a little wobbly when I stand up, so I immediately start to stretch them out. As I’m bent over, a shadow falls over me. “Did you enjoy your first Ladies Spinning to Pop Divas class?” I ask without looking his way.
“I did. The view was phenomenal.”
I glance up and meet his bright eyes. “Pig.”
That only makes him laugh. “Guilty,” he says as he takes a drink from his bottle. “I didn’t know you took spin class, though I’m not surprised. Your ass is definitely well worked,” he says, the sexual innuendo clear.
“Well, I do enjoy a good workout on my ass,” I quip, giving him a smug smile.
“I just bet you do,” he whispers, his voice deep and husky.
He takes a step forward, his large body impeding in my personal space, and my eyes look up to meet his. It’s suddenly hard to breathe. He’s right there, his body pressed against mine, when that annoying voice breaks the silence. “Are you ready, Lath?”
I jump back, stumbling into my bike. I’m saved from taking a tumble when his big arms reach out and grab me. Shockwaves of lust slam into me, filling my senses with his scent and his touch. My wide eyes meet his equally shocked ones, but that look quickly disappears. It’s replaced by a cocky smile.
Righting myself and shaking off his hands, I say, “Well, Lath, you don’t want to keep her waiting.”
His smile slips a bit and his eyes sober. “Why don’t you come with us?” he asks, the look on his face clear he doesn’t really want to go have drinks with her.
“Sorry, I can’t. I have to head home and take care of my dog,” I say, grabbing my towel and wiping my neck. I reach for my water bottle, but don’t see it in the holder. That’s when I realize it’s in the Devil’s hand. The asshole has been drinking my water.
“Oh, too bad,” Felicity says, clearly not upset at all I can’t go. “Maybe next time.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I reply with a sweet smile. “Anyway, you two have fun,” I add, reaching for my water. He doesn’t hand it over right away. Instead, slowly brings it to his mouth and squeezes. He takes a long drink, his eyes locked on mine as his throat muscl
es work to swallow the liquid, before handing it back to me. I feel his gaze as I bring it up to my mouth and place my lips in the very spot his just sat. A shiver sweeps through my body.
“Well, let’s go, Lath. We can celebrate my new position underneath you!” she exclaims, making me choke on the water I’m swallowing.
My eyes meet his as he pats my back. “You okay?”
“Fine,” I gasp. Turning toward Felicity, I can’t help but ask, “New position?”
“I’m Latham’s new girl!”
“At the hardware store,” he adds quickly, the slight hint of reservation in his voice.
“Yep. I start tomorrow morning and get to spend all day shadowing him and working beside him. It’s going to be sooooo fun,” she says, threading her arms through his and plastering herself against his side.
“Well, congrats to you,” I say to her with a smirky smile. “I mean, there’s no one better to sell wood and screws than you. You’re an expert.” Felicity’s mouth flies open and Latham chokes on air, but tries to cover it quickly with a cough. “Anyway, you two have fun.”
Chapter Six
Latham
“Can you believe she said that? How rude! I mean, it’s not my fault Joey cheated on her. Though, do you blame him? She’s awful!” Felicity bellows as she slides into a booth bench I was just about to sit on. The moment she does, I switch gears and move to the opposite side.
“Joey?” I ask, hoping and praying she isn’t about to say the one name I dread she’s going to say.
“Joey Trudeau. They were dating, I guess. I mean, it’s not my fault! I didn’t know he was seeing her when we hooked up. He never mentioned her,” Felicity argues, reaching for the menu and skimming over the drink list. I’m sure he didn’t have time to mention that piece of info, you know between ramming his tongue down her throat and his dick in her pussy.
Joey fucking Trudeau. I can’t believe she dated him. What the fuck? The guy is as douche-y as a douche nozzle. Of course he’d cheat on her. He screwed every girl in school, not giving one shit he was usually in a relationship at the time. “Harper dated Joey?” I ask, trying to confirm this tidbit of detail.
“I guess. Rumor has it they were talking marriage,” she shrugs, not looking up from the wine list.
“And you screwed him?”
Her eyes finally meet mine. I expect to see guilt or something, but I find no trace anywhere. “I didn’t know they were dating. He came into the bar I was hanging out in and started flirting with me. Next thing I know we’re in the bathroom going at it when the owner walks in. Did you know Mara ran straight to Harper and told her?” she asks, her eyes wide with shock.
“You don’t say?” I reply, dryly. “Mara’s still around?”
“She owns this bar with her husband, Brent,” Felicity adds absently, checking her nails. Of course she’d recommend the same place where she was caught screwing a taken man.
“So Harper and Joey obviously broke up?” I ask, not even the least bit concerned I’m using Felicity to gain a little intel.
“Obviously, he was bored. No happy man cheats on his girlfriend. He complained all night about his girl working crazy hours and some shit. Something about trying to get her business off the ground.”
What a fucking dick. “And he couldn’t deal with her making something of herself and working hard to make her business successful?” I’m super annoyed right now, wishing Joey Trudeau would walk through the door so I could put my fist through his nose. The guy was always the biggest tool in school. I can’t even begin to wonder what Harper saw in him.
“I guess,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, enough about Joey and Harper. Let’s talk about us!” She practically jumps up and down in her seat.
“There is no us,” I remind her as the waitress approaches.
“What can I get you?”
“I’ll have a Bud Light bottle,” I say, already knowing it’s a one-beer limit for me tonight. One beer to be polite, and then I’m out of here.
“And I’ll take a Sex on the Beach,” she croons, throwing in a giggle for good measure. Something tells me if I offered, there’d definitely be some sex later. But there’s no way in hell I’m offering.
Not happening.
I wouldn’t even touch that with someone else’s dick.
“So, what have you been up to since graduation?” I ask as my beer is placed in front of me. I’m not super curious, but needed something else to talk about besides Harper and her ex.
“Well, I went off to New York for a while. I worked on Broadway for a bit, starring in a few shows. At the beginning of the year, I was just getting burnt out, ya know?” she asks, flipping her hair. “I missed home, so I moved back.”
“Broadway, huh? That’s pretty impressive,” I reply, chugging half my beer in one gulp.
“It was soooo amazing,” she bustles. “And New York was a dream come true,” she adds, her eyes bright with excitement. I try to recall phone conversations with my mom, and I don’t recall her ever mentioning Felicity and Broadway. Not that I would have retained the intel anyway. I was usually halfway around the world when I’d get a few minutes to talk.
“Good for you,” I reply, drinking another big gulp.
“And how about you? Are you seeing anyone?” she asks, not very subtly.
“I’m not, but also not really interested right now. I just got home from the military and am taking over my family business.”
“But what if the right girl comes along? I mean, then you won’t be able to deny the chemistry,” she adds, leaning forward and pressing her chest together. The grin she gives me is hopeful and alluring, but does nothing for the male parts of my brain.
Now if we want to talk about male parts, let’s go back to that spinning class from hell, where I had to stare at Harper’s perfect ass for thirty minutes. Talk about a boner-inducing nightmare. I was afraid I was going to injure myself when I got off the bike. I spent half the class hard as stone and wishing I could throw her down on the mat and pound her like nails.
And now I’m getting hard again…
“Well, I should head out,” I say, adjusting my pants and sliding my beer bottle to the front of the table.
“What? You can’t go yet! We’ve only had one drink,” she pouts, jutting out her bottom lip like a toddler.
“‘Fraid so. I have an early day tomorrow.” I don’t, but I don’t need her to know that.
“Fine,” she whines, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “I guess it’s okay since I’ll be seeing you at eight tomorrow morning!”
“Yep,” I reply, sliding from the bench seat. “See you in the morning.”
Felicity springs out of the booth, throwing her arms around my shoulders and plastering her fake tits to my chest. “I’m so glad you’re home, Lath,” she whispers just before placing her lips to my cheek. She had just painted them a dark shade of pink, so there’s no doubt in my mind I now have a lip mark to match.
A throat clears over my shoulder and I turn to find Freedom. She’s glaring, but not at me – at Felicity. “Out slumming it tonight, Latham?” she asks me, but doesn’t take her narrowed eyes off the woman who’s still plastered to my chest.
“Oh, zip it, Free. We were just having a drink, for ol’ times’ sake,” Felicity retorts, her arms still tangled around me.
“Mmhmm, I bet. Watch out, Latham. Rumor has it, this one has crabs,” Free whispers just loud enough for half the bar to hear.
Felicity gasps. “That’s not true!”
Free shrugs her shoulders. “That’s what I heard,” she says, turning her back to us and walking over to the bar. She slides onto the empty barstool to the right of Harper, who’s talking to Mara on her left. Harper looks freshly showered, her damp hair pulled up on top of her head in one of those messy bun things. Her face has minimal makeup, and if I do say so myself, she looks probably more beautiful right now than ever before.
Felicity is babbling beside me, probably trying to convince me sh
e doesn’t have something itchy between her legs, but I completely tune her out. Instead, my attention is focused solely on the beauty at the bar, pretending to ignore me. But I saw the way she watched me out of the corner of her eye. She’s wearing a blue fitted tee and a pair of shorts that should be deemed illegal to wear outside of the home.
Not that I don’t enjoy them.
Hell, I think I’m enjoying them a little too much, if the sudden tightness in my pants is any indication.
Every dick in the joint is suddenly focused on the trio of women at the bar, or more accurately, at the pair of seemingly endless legs on the woman in the middle.
Jealousy rears its ugly green head, and I don’t like it.
“Ladies,” I say, sliding in between Harper and Free, essentially blocking the view of her from the rest of the assholes in the place.
“Satan,” Harper replies without even glancing my way.
“Aww, Harp, are you still upset your brother had to come fix your car?” I tease, reaching over her shoulder and grabbing a handful of popcorn. When she finally glances my way, an evil glare on her beautiful face, I offer her a smirk and a wink. Nothing gets Harper’s blood boiling like that deadly combination of male ego. I say deadly because several times she’s tried to maim me or threatened to cut off an appendage.
“You’re such a dick,” she grumbles, repeatedly stabbing me with her blue eye daggers.
“You want my what?” I can’t help it. I say it just to see if flames will actually shoot out of her ears.
“I want to cut off your dick.”
Leaning forward once more, I inhale her sexy, sugary, clean from the shower scent. “Sounds kinky. I’m not usually into BDSM, but for you,” I stop, glance down and take a long look at her exposed legs, “I’d be willing to give it a try.” Standing up straight, I take her beer bottle and bring it to my lips. “But I’m tying you up, love. I like to be in charge in the bedroom.”
