Unbroken: A Second Chance Romance

by Aria Ford

  “Hmm, what will my punishment be?” I said it in a voice dripping with sexual connotation, and I knew the instant it had the desired effect.

  His hands dropped from my waist, and he stepped back. “Get changed. I’ll be at the pool waiting.”

  I laughed and quickly went inside to put on my suit.

  When I got out to the pool, he was in trainer mode. His shirt was off. It made my heart leap and my stomach do flip flops. When had he become so fucking manly? He wasn’t that gangly teenager I remembered or the kind of cute, older college guy. He was a man in every way. I couldn’t help but stare at the defined pectoral muscles that flowed into his washboard stomach. His arms weren’t overly muscular but perfectly defined. The tattoo wrapping around his bicep practically had my mouth watering as I thought about holding that exact area while he drove into me.

  “Uh, Linds?”

  I looked up at him, and he was staring back at me with those green eyes that said he knew exactly where my mind had been going.

  “Sorry,” I squeaked.

  “Please, feel free to worship my body, but I get to do the same without you slapping me or your brother kicking my ass.”

  I shook my head. “I wasn’t worshiping your body. Get over yourself.” I said it with as much disdain as I could interject into my words. I doubt it worked, but I walked closer to him. “Train me.”

  He eyed me up and down in my plain one-piece blue swimsuit.

  “I plan to. Get in and let’s see what I’m working with here.”

  I instantly felt apprehensive. Today was an off day. If I couldn’t pull better times than I had at swim practice, he would probably laugh at me for even trying to make it on the Olympic team.

  He sensed my hesitation. “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yes, sorry. Remember, I need a trainer because I need to improve, not because I’m a gold medalist—yet.”

  He looked at me, cocked his head to the side and said, “I only train the best, Lindsey. I want to train you because I know you’re the best.”

  The way he said it inspired me. His words gave me the confidence I needed to try. I wanted to be the best to make him proud of me.

  Chapter 3

  Tanner

  “Lengthen your strokes. You’re not extending your arms like I told you to,” I yelled across the pool.

  My client wanted his kid to be the next Michael Phelps. It wasn’t going to happen, but the dude was paying me double my normal fee to try. The extra income meant I could send more to my mom. Maybe I’d buy her a new Beamer. The kid wasn’t terrible, but he just wasn’t as good as Lindsey.

  Dammit. Again. I couldn’t get Lindsey off the brain. Yesterday had made me a little crazy, watching her swim across the pool, turn and move through the water back to where I stood on the side. Her lean body stretched with every stroke. She wasn’t as tall as most professional female swimmers, but she was just as fast—maybe faster. I knew I could take her all the way to the Olympics. Her body was perfect.

  Stop! She was Brian’s sister and a client. I don’t know what had changed, but every time I thought about her or looked at her, my mind jumped to me buried deep inside her. I wanted her more than I have ever wanted another woman. It was harder than hell to concentrate on anything else. Even now I could feel my dick hardening at the thought of running a hand over her tight ass, squeezing and pulling her into me.

  My young client jumped out of the pool at the opposite end. “What are you doing?” I shouted, my frustration level growing.

  He didn’t listen quite like Lindsey did. I could admit I was kind of an ass when I trained. I pushed people harder than they liked, but the results were always what they wanted. Some people pushed back. Then there were those, like Lindsey, who took everything I said and used it to get better. This kid was struggling. He refused to take my advice and continued to do what he thought was best. The kid was a pain in the ass.

  “If you can’t listen to what I say, you aren’t going to get better,” I told the kid stalking toward me, leaving wet footprints on the perfectly smooth cement in his wake.

  “I don’t care. My dad will hire a different trainer. Maybe I can find a hot chick to take over. You’re a dick,” he said, glaring at me as he grabbed his towel.

  We were at his mansion, training in his Olympic-sized pool his father had put in on the grounds. The brat was spoiled. The pool was, of course, indoors and outfitted with every amenity, including a well-stocked bar. I needed a drink.

  “Hire another trainer. I don’t care. Maybe you’re not good enough for me. I’m the best. My clients are the best. You won’t be the best if you go elsewhere, but that’s not my problem.”

  “Dude, you’re such an asshole.”

  I chuckled. “I am. You’re right.”

  I was, and I really didn’t care. I had worked hard to get to this point. People thought I was arrogant—I was. There was no shame in striving to be the best at what you did. It was something Lindsey and Brian’s dad had told me more than once. James Scott was a self-made millionaire and knew all about working hard to achieve your dreams. I’d heeded his advice, and here I was, well on my way to making my first million.

  “We’re done for the day,” I told him, grabbing my keys off the small table. “If you’re dad wants to fire me, please have him leave me a message. I’m not up for wasting my time or his money.”

  With that, I walked out of the covered pool area and headed down the long circular drive. I jumped in my big F-350 and drove toward the gate at the end of a long driveway. Once there, I waited for the guy in the little guardhouse to open the gate.

  My phone rang, and I checked the screen to see it was Brian. “What’s up, man? You still around?”

  “Yeah, I decided to stay for a couple more days. Is that cool?”

  “Of course. I’m happy to have you around. Is everything okay?”

  “I just want a break. Want to grab lunch?” he asked.

  “Sure, I’ll be back in the city in about fifteen minutes. That work?”

  “I’ll meet you at the pub.”

  “Okay, see you in a few,” I said, ending the call.

  The pub was one of our favorite haunts. Good food and even better beer and it was low-key. Brian usually visited every weekend, but he hadn’t been around for a month. I missed the guy I considered a brother. It would be nice to catch up. Hanging out at the bar with him over the weekend was not the same as actually sitting down and having a conversation we could both hear.

  I pulled into the pub parking lot and walked inside the dark restaurant. The lights were low, and the place had the stench of decades of cigarette smoke clinging to the dark walls. I found Brian sitting in a booth, drinking a draft beer.

  “I already ordered for both of us. I figured you probably had more clients, so I ordered you a Coke. I get to drink beer,” he said, grinning.

  I nodded. “Actually, I do have another client but not until later today. It’s Lindsey,” I said, waiting for his reaction.

  “What?”

  I cleared my throat. “I’m training Lindsey. I offered when she told me her other trainer up and left, and she accepted.”

  He nodded. “Good. How’s it going?”

  “Fine. She’s an excellent swimmer. Takes direction well,” I said, doing my best to sound like a professional and not like a guy who had been having inappropriate thoughts about the client.

  “Do you think she has a chance?” he asked me, taking a long pull from his beer.

  “Yes. Absolutely.”

  “Good. I hope you can take her all the way.”

  He had no idea what those words did to my body. If he knew I was lusting after his little sister, he would probably throw that bottle at me. I would keep it to myself. Be the consummate professional.

  “What about you? What has you hiding out in San Diego instead of getting your butt home to Orange County?”

  He rolled his eyes. “My job. Some days my job makes me crazy. Actually it isn’t the job. I
t’s the interns my dad insists we keep around. He’s all about giving people a chance to get started and everyone can benefit from getting their feet wet.”

  I chuckled. “No naughty interns to take your mind off things?”

  “God, I wish. No, I’m stuck with a bunch of whiny brats who know everything and deserve it all but don’t want to put in the time or work to actually get it.”

  I shook my head, doing my best to empathize. If we kept the conversation on him and his issues, we didn’t have to talk about Lindsey. I didn’t want him to pick up on the fact my feelings for her were not quite as brotherly as they should be. Not even close. I wanted her in the worst way, and if she gave me even a hint she was down for it, I would jump at the chance. Brian didn’t need to know.

  Our food was delivered. We chatted about nothing important, the topic thankfully staying away from Lindsey.

  “You could always move here,” I told him.

  He laughed. “I like making real money.”

  “I make real money.”

  “Orange County is where the office is. I like it there. I really don’t mind working for my dad. It’s just a bad batch of interns. They’ll only be around another month, and then I can kick them to the curb.”

  I had to chuckle. “Only to have another batch come in.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  We finished our meals before I stood. “I need to get going. I have to run some errands and then meet Lindsey at the school.”

  “Okay,” Brian said, standing as well. “I’ll see you back at your place. I’ll order a pizza for dinner.”

  “Sounds good. I won’t be home until after nine. Your sister is a machine.”

  He laughed. “Yes, she is, and don’t even think she’ll quit a minute early. She will dock your pay if she thinks you aren’t giving it your all. She’s like my dad—a bit of a slave driver.”

  I was excited to train Lindsey. She was a champion, and I wanted to be the one she hugged and thanked when she won that first medal.

  Chapter 4

  Lindsey

  I loved this particular pool. It was at a local high school. My dad had pulled some strings and made a healthy donation to the school’s swim program for me to get private use rights. It wasn’t an Olympic pool, but it was good for my needs.

  “I thought you were going to change your mind, and I was going to be out another trainer.”

  I stood on the cement surrounding the high school’s pool, stretching my arms over my head. First one and then the other.

  Tanner was walking toward me, that sexy smile on his face.

  “I had to sign about a million waivers to train you here. I even got this,” he said, dangling a key in the air.

  “Wow, you move fast. I’m surprised they handed it over so quickly. It took my last trainer several weeks to convince them to do that.”

  He stopped in front of me. “I have a certain charm,” he said with a wink. “And I have a kick-ass reputation. Of course, they were more than willing to hand it over. Ready?” he asked.

  “Yep. I want to shave off at least a second today. I went easy in practice, so I don’t feel as spent as yesterday.”

  “Jump in and do a few warm up laps,” he instructed.

  I did as he asked, slowly swimming the length of the pool, priming my body for the grueling training I knew was coming. I flipped and began making my way back to where he was standing. I could feel his eyes on me. It wasn’t the same as being watched by a trainer who was watching my form. Tanner was watching me. My body. It sent delicious heat racing down my spine, causing me to involuntarily shudder and lose my rhythm.

  “What was that? You have a cramp?” he shouted.

  I ignored him. I wasn’t about to tell him he was throwing me off. I made a few more laps, focused my attention and was ready by the time I made it back to the edge of the pool.

  “Today we’re going to keep working on your speed in the pool. Tomorrow I want to spend some time in the gym, working your core,” he was saying, all businesslike.

  “Okay, sounds good to me,” I said, looking forward to getting out of the pool. I loved to swim, but being in the water four to five hours a day, swimming back and forth like a fish tended to get tedious. I loved meets, but I didn’t love the repetitive laps that came with training to improve speed and form.

  “Let’s go!” he said, clapping his hand, pulling up the stopwatch he wore around his neck.

  I spent the first hour listening to him shout at me and feeling like a complete failure. Every time I thought I was getting better, he had another complaint. Tanner was a terror. A good terror, but he bordered on Nazi.

  When I made it back to the edge of the pool, ready to take a breather, I looked up to see him pulling off his shirt. He always wore shorts, like he was ready to jump in a pool or the ocean at any second. The next thing I knew, he jumped in.

  “What are you doing?” I asked in surprise. My eyes were stuck on his muscular chest. He was casually swimming toward me, his eyes holding mine.

  “I’m going to show you what I want,” he said.

  The words were full of heat. I nodded my head, ready to do anything he asked.

  “Watch,” he ordered a second before he took off, springing away from the wall.

  I watched but probably not at what he was asking me to watch. I watched his strong arms cut through the water, the muscles in his back, stretching and pulling with every reach. His legs, long and muscled, stretched out behind him.

  He was making his way back to me, where I was standing in the shallow end. He was staring at me in a way that made my belly feel like warm honey.

  When he was within reach, he stopped, his green eyes still holding mine.

  “Lindsey,” he said in a husky voice. His gaze roamed my body before coming back to hold my own.

  I slowly walked toward him, the water lapping around my chest as I moved. I had no idea what I was doing. I knew it was wrong, but this invisible pull had me in a vise I couldn’t break free of.

  His arm reached out, below the water, grabbing my waist, pulling me toward him. He kept pulling me in until my body was pressed into his bare chest. I knew it was coming, but I couldn’t have possibly been prepared for how good it felt when his lips touched mine. It felt like I had been waiting forever to taste him. I wasn’t about to let the opportunity pass me by.

  His arms snaked around me, holding tight before his hands moved to my butt, squeezed and yanked me closer to his groin where I could feel his hard length. I moaned when his tongue drove between my lips and began a duel with my own tongue.

  “Tanner,” I breathed when he pulled back.

  “Lindsey—”

  I stopped what he was going to say by running my hand into his hair and shoving his head back down to mine. I devoured him, telling him with my actions that I wanted this in every way.

  “Don’t stop,” I said in a clear voice when his mouth left mine.

  “I have no intention of doing that,” he said before slamming his mouth into mine. Heat coursed through my body. His erection was pushing against me, and I wanted to feel it in me. I dropped my hand between his legs and massaged him through his swim trunks.

  He pulled back, staring into my eyes a second before he started yanking at my swimsuit. He yanked down one strap, my breast popped out, distracting him from his task. His mouth came down on my nipple, suckling before using his teeth to gently nibble.

  “Oh.” I fought back the shout that nearly erupted when his teeth grazed over my breast before moving up my neck.

  His hand worked at the other strap, yanking it down my arm. At the same time, his leg moved forward between mine, demanding I spread my legs. I obliged and was rewarded with his hard thigh pressed against my pussy. I moved forward, rubbing against it, relishing in the feel of his hardness.

  His hands were on my breasts, “Ride me, Lindsey,” he demanded as he squeezed and cupped my breasts before putting his mouth on my other nipple.

  My back arche
d as I rubbed against his leg, pushing harder and being rewarded with a lovely sensation that spiraled through my body. I was wet. I was ready.

  “Please,” I groaned, my head back, my breasts pushing up and out, begging for more.

  He stepped back, “Take off the suit, Lindsey.”

  I opened my eyes. His demanding tone had me on fire. I nodded my head, moved my hands to my suit and pulled it down, bending over, my breasts brushing over the water. The sensation sent another chill over my body as I quickly pulled the suit off.

  I tossed it on the cement and waited. He stared but didn’t move toward me. My body felt as liquid and flowing as the water we were standing in.

  “Touch me,” I breathed.

  He moved forward, one hand went between my breasts, his finger running a trail through the valley as it ran down my stomach. My bare sex tingled, waiting for his touch. Instead of doing what I expected, his hand splayed out, gripping my waist and yanking me into him. His mouth was on mine again.

  “You’re fucking amazing. I want to fuck you hard and fast,” he was saying. The words were making me dizzy. I nodded, giving him permission as if that was what he was asking. “Are you going to let me fuck you, Lindsey?”

  “Yes, yes, fuck me, Tanner,” I said in crazed passion. My hands were gripping his cock through his shorts. It wasn’t enough.

  “Take them off,” he demanded.

  I quickly obliged, yanking the shorts down over his hips. His cock sprang free, and I moaned. It was big and engorged, and I couldn’t wait to have him in me.

  I used my foot to push his shorts down to his ankles. He casually stepped out of them, his hand on my ass in a possessive manner the whole time, making me wetter than I had been. I reached down to grab his dick, guiding him to where I needed him. The difference in our height made it impossible for it to work. I groaned in frustration.

  His other hand reached down, both on my ass, he yanked me up his body. My arms went around his neck and my legs around his waist. In one smooth motion, he plunged into my body. The invasion stretched me in sweet agony. I threw my head back, arching my back and pushing my hips against him, trying to take him deeper.