by Ward, Penny
All the numbers on the page were starting to run together in my mind, signaling that it was time for a break. Yeah, definitely time for a break.
My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten since devouring a muffin with Ryan. A knock at the door made me look up to see who required my attention.
A groan erupted from my throat as I saw it was the one man I’d been avoiding all day.
Oh, he looked delicious though.
He grinned as soon as he saw me look up at him, as if he knew the effect he had on me. Maybe he did.
“Hungry?” he asked.
I pursed my lips and gathered some papers in an attempt to prolong speaking to him.
There was only so much I could do before he realized I was ignoring him though.
“Yeah, kind of.”
“How about you and I go get some lunch then? I can show you the best little café on this side of New York.”
Upon hearing that, my stomach growled loud enough for us both to hear. I flushed in embarrassment, but he just laughed, the sound a rich baritone in my ear.
“I guess that’s a yes. Grab your coat and we’ll go.”
I couldn’t say no.
Not when my body had already betrayed me.
I sighed and pulled on my coat.
Now was as good a time as any to talk with him more about this place and learn just what was going on here.
Still, I didn’t want Ryan to think this was a date or something. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye as we walked out of Mitch’s office and I closed the door behind me.
He seemed confident and at ease, the way he had from the moment I’d met him.
Following him to the front door, I pulled out my phone and saw I had a couple of text messages. One was from Mom, one from Kate, and one from Michael.
A growl emitted from my throat as I read the happy birthday text Michael had sent.
He’d dumped me on my birthday, but he still had the nerve to contact me a couple of weeks later and say it? He must have not realized it was my birthday. What a prick.
“Who the hell does he think he is?”
“Who?” A glance up at Ryan told me I’d said the words I’d meant to keep in my head aloud. There was no mirth in his dark eyes as he looked at me, replaced with the starting blaze of anger.
“My ex.”
It was answer enough and seemed to satisfy him.
He turned away, his jaw hard.
Confusion flooded through me.
What did it matter anyway?
Who was I to Ryan except another co-worker?
I shook my head and kept close to his side.
Near the front door, I saw Jill smiling at us, waiting with her coat already on.
“Going to the café?” she asked, a knowing grin on her face.
Ryan opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, I said, “Yes. Want to join?”
My reply startled both of them into silence. Jill recovered first.
“I don’t think that was the plan.”
Figures. “Which is exactly why I insist. Sorry you two, but I’m here to work, not find romance. I just got out of a relationship with a guy who broke up with me on my birthday. Thanks, but no thanks.”
Jill laughed and linked her arm with mine, her eyes twinkling. “Girl, I like you.” She winked at Ryan. “Looks like you can’t win ‘em all, Ryan.”
He shook his head, but there was a smile on his face and he chuckled at Jill’s voice. I was glad he was in good humor about everything because what I had said was really how I felt. I was attracted to Ryan, but I really wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with anyone—especially someone I worked with.
Lunch was as good as breakfast, better really.
I had never been a big fan of breakfast.
I’d rather eat a cheeseburger any day.
I was glad to see that such was on the café’s menu because I was starving. Jill ordered a salad, and I wasn’t surprised to see Ryan order a large cheeseburger with everything on it.
“How can you eat that?” Jill asked, but her sparkling eyes told me she was teasing him.
He grinned and rolled up his shirt, revealing a well-toned body without an ounce of fat. He patted his stomach with affection.
“Got to get carbs somehow. I burn them off too fast at the gym to eat that rabbit food you ordered.”
Jill’s salad showed up, a small plate piled high with lettuce, red onions, cut-up pieces of chicken, grated cheese, croutons, and cucumbers. There was a small container of dressing on the side.
Watching Jill pour the small amount of dressing on her salad and use her fork to take a small bite, I had to agree with Ryan.
My mouth curved in a frown as I shook my head.
“Rabbit food,” I heard Jill mutter with a scoff, and I bent my head towards the table to hide my grin.
Ryan didn’t even bother to hide his mirth. As he tugged his shirt back into place, he laughed outright. “Come on, Jill, you know I love you.”
She grinned at him, her humor back in place. “Yeah, me and every other woman who walks through the door. I think the only reason you haven’t tried asking me out is because I’m more interested in Claire here then you.”
When she spoke, I’d been drinking soda, and I coughed as I realized what she was saying. “You’re a lesbian?” I asked.
Jill grinned. “Got it in one, Claire.” She winked at me. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to paw after you. My girlfriend and I have been together for four years, and we’ll probably get married. Someday.”
Her chasing after me hadn’t been what worried me.
It just shocked me, as I hadn’t realized she was interested in women.
I shook my head as the waitress placed a plate before me with a burger on it, a circle of fries surrounding it like a moat. Ryan’s burger was twice the size of my own with the same amount of fries. Ugh.
“So, Claire. What brings you here to New York? I know that you aren’t from around here. The truth is in your eyes every time you glance up. One would think you’ve never been here before.” Jill picked at her salad before choosing a red onion and eating it by itself.
“I haven’t,” I told her. “I finished grad school during the five years I worked as an accountant in Los Angeles. Until a couple weeks ago that is. Then I was let go and I came here to live with my Mom, except she’s out of town with her boyfriend.”
I smiled as I remembered her text message. She asked how I was doing and let me know she was doing fine herself.
We finished our individual meals in relative silence after that, and then returned to the gym.
Sated, I groaned at the thought of returning to the mountain of paperwork that awaited me, but I did so, telling myself that I just had a few more hours before I could go home for the day.
Chapter 4
The rest of the week passed in a blur, as did the rest of the month.
Every day, it seemed Mom and Kate would call or text to ask how I was doing. When I told them I’d found a job as a gym accountant, they seemed shocked but enthusiastic.
Kate was the worst. “Oh, there must be hot guys there, right?”
Leave it to her to think with her hormones first.
“There’s a couple,” I admitted, although I really didn’t want to.
I thought about Ryan, as well as Boris and Tyres.
All three men were drool worthy, but I couldn’t help thinking about Ryan and the way his eyes always seemed to bore into mine whenever he caught me staring at him.
He was mouth-watering, no lie, but as I’d already explained, I was there to work, not for wild, passionate, life-changing sex.
Maybe…
“Tell me about them!” she shrieked, so I did, not leaving out any details.
Ryan with his I-get-everything-I-want-and-more attitude.
Boris, who was built like a tank, but a real sweetheart in the end.
Even Tyres, who while smaller than the other two, still
managed to look sleek and poised for a fight all the same.
“They all sound dreamy,” she said after I finished, and I could almost hear her drooling.
“They’re all fighters,” I told her. “You know that they are definitely not my type. I’m not into that testosterone-driven macho male type.”
She laughed. “I keep forgetting how soft you are.”
“I’m not soft,” I defend myself. “But you know I don’t like confrontation.”
“Now that I remember right, I never saw you and Michael fight. Ever. About anything.”
Her words had my mind spinning.
She was right, of course.
In the two years Michael and I had spent together, we never fought about anything.
Maybe it was because as soon as he suggested something, I just flat-out agreed to it.
No fuss.
No worries.
That is just the type of girl I am. I frowned, thinking about it.
“Maybe that was why you two didn’t work out,” Kate said, and I wondered for a moment if she could read my mind. “Your relationship was never really a challenge.” I could hear the smile in her voice. “Maybe Ryan can challenge you.”
“Ha! As if. No thanks.”
“Come on, sis. Admit it. He makes your panties wet.”
Since when did she talk like that?
“No. He does not.”
“Uh huh.” Her disbelief showed in her voice. “Keep telling yourself that.”
I sighed, but dropped the matter, not wishing to think about the gorgeous man anymore.
She was right, of course.
I’d watched him training only the day before.
It was hard not to from the office Mitch had finally cleared out for me. The training mats were just outside the door. Scattered around them were various training equipment he and Derrick sometimes used during their sessions.
Ryan was a hunk, pure muscle and poetry.
He always stripped to his waist and always wore a pair of black slacks for his training session, but wow, was he delicious to look at.
Bronzed skin stretched taut, flat abs that had my eyes begging for more.
More often than once I’d seen a flash of golden hair trailing down into the waistband of his pants, and I’d had to lick my lips to wet them as my mind played out various fantasies of what I’d like him to do to me and I to him.
To distract myself from the way Ryan made my mouth water, I often talked with Jill, until I developed a close kinship with her.
She was a lot like Kate - young and full of life.
It was almost like having Kate around. Together, Jill and I laughed at the men at the gym, and made plenty of remarks on their behalf.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun working.
Yes, I had enjoyed my last job, and I still missed it, but as time wore on, this particular job and these people grew on me more and more.
Before, I’d worked alone, taking breaks at a specific time every day.
Now, I took a break when I wanted to and had real conversations with those I worked with. It wasn’t all work, all the time, as it had once been, and I enjoyed that the most.
Who would have thought that I, a pacifist, would enjoy working in a mixed martial arts training gym?
The only downside I saw about the new job was how often Ryan tried to convince me to go out to lunch with him alone—or dinner after work.
No.
I couldn’t deny that I was attracted to the man, but there was no way I was going to have a relationship with a fighter. I didn’t want that. It wasn’t me.
Plus, we worked together.
I’d heard enough tales of woe about work-place relationships gone sour to know that I wasn’t interested in such a thing.
I was more worried about keeping my job.
I didn’t need a man.
And I certainly didn’t need a fighter.
Of course, that didn’t stop me from wanting him.
Nor did it stop him from aiming heated looks my way when he thought I didn’t notice.
Oh, I noticed.
With a single smoldering glance, he had me wet like it was nobody’s business and all I really wanted to do was drag him into my office, lock the door, and let him fuck me until I went blind with orgasm.
It was a wonderful fantasy to play out in my head, but I refused to make it a reality. I had more important things to do.
“Hey, Claire. I’m out for the night. Need anything before I take off?”
I pulled out of my silent musings and looked up to see Jill standing in the doorway to my office. Behind her, I could hear Ryan and Derrick talking about possible matches, but I tuned them out and focused my attention on Jill.
She was the one asking me a question, not too-hot-to-handle Ryan.
“No thanks, Jill. I’m good.” I flashed her a smile to let her know I meant it. “I’m finishing up for the day myself and will be heading home soon. Go on. Don’t worry about me.”
She didn’t looked convinced, but she nodded. “Don’t work too hard, okay?”
With a nod, I waved her out. “I promise I won’t. Get out of here before Mitch returns and puts us all back to work.”
Jill laughed and gave me a wink. “Oh, yeah. Mitch? Telling us to work?”
Mitch had to be one of the easiest people I’d ever worked with.
He allowed music and talking and pretty much had no real rules about the workplace. As long as you were on time and did your job, he didn’t care what you did.
It was nice.
I joined in with her mirth. “Hey! You never know!”
She gave a final wave as she left my office.
As I gathered up my paperwork for the day and filed it, I heard the front door open and shut. A few moments later, I heard the knob jiggle as she locked the door using her key.
A chuckle escaped my throat as I finished cleaning up my office and getting ready to leave myself. Satisfied, I closed up my office and headed towards the door myself.
“Have a good night guys!” I called out to Ryan and Derrick.
“Good night!” Derrick called out.
The sound of a quick curse hit my ears before, “Claire,” rang out behind me.
I turned around and saw Ryan heading my way.
He was still dressed in his workout clothes, a light sheen of sweat making his abs glisten and my mouth water.
Man, I just wanted to touch him.
Just for a moment.
Just one touch…
Chapter 5
Shaking my head, I couldn’t take my eyes off Ryan’s bare chest as he approached.
Yum…
“Claire,” he said again. “Let me walk you home. It’s not safe for you to walk home in the dark.”
Of course.
All he wanted was another chance to ask me out.
“I’m fine, Ryan. I’ve been walking home every day since I started here. Besides, Jill just left and I haven’t heard her cries for help.”
He frowned at my jest. “Jill always has a taxi waiting to take her home.”
Well, that was news to me.
In all the time we’d worked together, I’d never known that.
Still, that didn’t change my opinion.
“I’m going home, Ryan.”
It was hard to remain firm when my mind was slowly stripping his pants off him and letting him run his fingers through my hair.
“Alone,” I added for emphasis.
“Claire,” he started, but I cut him off.
“Ryan, I am not a child. I can take care of myself.” I rolled my eyes at him, and watched as his mouth hardened in annoyance.
Good.
Maybe he’d leave me be now.
“I don’t like it.”
Placing my hands on my hips, I replied, “You don’t have to. You’re not my boyfriend, not my brother, not my father, not my keeper. I’m going home, Ryan, and nothing you say will stop me.”
A
s if my words had triggered his anger, he stepped closer to me.
I had little choice but to back up or risk touching his skin.
I chose the former choice even though my mind wanted me to pick the latter.
Even this close, I could smell the heady mix of man on him. I licked my lips and looked up at his face, determined to stand my ground.
His mouth twitched into a knowing smirk and I saw the heat in his eyes as he looked down at me.
“Fine,” he said, “But I have a sneaking suspicion that I could stop you.” He leaned closer until he could whisper in my ear. “And you wouldn’t be at all opposed to it in the long run.”
A lump formed in my throat and I tried hard to swallow it.
“I need to go, Ryan,” I whispered, angry that in less than five minutes he’d reverted me to nothing more than pudding on legs.
Ugh!
Exactly what I hadn’t wanted.
He smiled again, as if he knew the effect he had on me.
He probably did, the smug bastard.
“See you tomorrow,” he said and before I could protest, he leaned forward and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Get home safe.”
Confused with his actions, I could only say, “You too.”
I opened the door and slipped out before he could attempt another kiss and waited as he locked the door behind me.
My brow furrowed as I tried to figure out the possible hidden message in his words. Did he know something I didn’t?
Shaking those dark thoughts from my head, I pulled my jacket tighter around me and started off toward home. It wasn’t a terribly long walk, and I’d done it many times in the past without incident.
There was no need for me to worry.
Glancing at my phone, I saw I had a missed call from my mother—probably to tell me about the next stop in her travels, although I already followed her boyfriend’s sports team well enough to know their next stop without her input.
Still, it was nice that she called to tell me about it.
There was no voicemail, but I hadn’t expected one.
My mother was one of those people who believed that if what she had to say was important, she’d leave a message.
Otherwise, she’d just try again later.
Apparently, whatever she had to say to me didn’t rank in the field of what she considered voicemail message important.
