Flirting with Destiny

by Christyne Butler

  “We’ve been sitting for a while,” she said, keeping her voice low. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “Meaning you wanted a front row seat when I took a face plant?” Dev gripped the cane’s curved handle so tightly his knuckles turned white. “Maybe I should have let Liam stick around to witness that. Not that he hasn’t seen me in worse moments.”

  “I won’t let you fall.”

  Dev went still and stared at her. His eyes locked with hers and Tanya could almost see the wheels turning inside his head.

  What was he thinking?

  “Thanks,” he finally said. “But I’m okay. Let’s go.”

  They exited the diner and headed for the nearby parking lot. They were just about to get into his Jeep when they heard Dev’s name called out, this time from across the street.

  He stopped and turned, a muttered curse falling from his lips. “Just what I don’t need right now.”

  Tanya looked past Dev and saw two men and a woman, all wearing matching dark blue outfits, heading their way.

  “I’m guessing you know them?” she asked.

  “Yeah, they’re friends...and former coworkers.”

  “They used to work for your family’s business?”

  Dev blew out a breath. He then angled his body so he could rest against the side of his vehicle, taking some of the pressure off his leg. “They’re members of the Destiny Fire Department.”

  Another surprise today. “You’re a firefighter?”

  Dev reached for the sunglasses he’d tucked into a shirt pocket when they’d first sat down to eat. Before he shoved them into place, Tanya saw a wounded expression in his eyes, ten times worse than what had been there when he’d first come out of the changing room at the clinic after his tortuous physical therapy session.

  “Was,” he said quietly. “I was a firefighter.”

  Chapter Five

  Two days later, Devlin pulled into an empty spot in the parking lot of the Destiny Fitness Center, shut off the Jeep’s engine and sat for a moment, admiring the view. The almost two-thousand-square-foot building was less than a year old, but it looked like it’d been a part of Destiny since its founding in the late 1800s.

  For a town this small, the place was impressive, with full-service locker rooms, separate cardio and strength training areas, a calendar full of fitness classes and two indoor pools.

  The center had been the last project Dev had worked on before the crash.

  He’d supervised the installation of the high tech security system he’d designed as best he could from his hospital bed, but had taken a pass on the grand opening back in January, even though he’d been home by then.

  With both arms in casts from his elbows to his wrists and a leg he’d still been learning how to work again, he’d quickly become a hermit.

  At least until last week.

  As part of the building contract, the entire Murphy family had received complimentary yearlong memberships to the center. His brothers raved about the place, and his folks, officially retired from the family business, were here almost every day.

  Which is why Dev hadn’t told anyone about his appointment this morning with Tanya.

  He thought back to Monday afternoon when they’d run into his former coworkers. He had to admit he’d been surprised she hadn’t heard about his volunteer work with the fire department.

  Mac hadn’t told her about him being in AA, he got that, but he’d figured his buddy had at least told her the rest of it. Then again, the man wasn’t too happy about Dev’s interest in his granddaughter, so Dev guessed he hadn’t come up in conversation much during Tanya’s first few days in town.

  Or maybe she hadn’t been interested enough to ask any questions about him.

  Before that thought could take hold, his friends had joined them and he’d introduced her. Then he gave noncommittal answers to their questions about his recovery and when he was going to return to the department.

  By the time he and Tanya were alone again, he’d been so stiff from standing there, it’d taken all of his strength to crawl into the driver’s seat.

  That’s when she’d told him his volunteer work with the fire department had given her the perfect idea for how to help him.

  He’d asked if she planned to set him on fire, earning him a husky laugh that made him feel like he’d just won the lottery.

  Then she’d said, “Just the opposite—aquatic therapy.”

  Dev had pointed out he could barely walk. How did she expect him to swim? But she’d only said he wouldn’t actually be swimming and to just leave everything to her.

  After dropping her off, he’d done some research online, finding out this type of therapy was popular because people felt weightless in the water and didn’t have to worry about falling and getting hurt. He still hadn’t been too sure about this idea.

  Hell, he’d thought about calling her back and canceling the whole thing, but then he realized if he was going to be in swim trunks Tanya would be similarly attired.

  And that made it almost worth it.

  What could it hurt to give it a try?

  Grabbing the duffel bag from the passenger seat, Dev got out of his Jeep before he let his mind fully form the mental image of the sexy brunette wearing a one-piece bathing suit.

  He debated leaving the cane behind, but figured he’d better bring it along, considering how much he’d needed the damn thing after Monday’s PT session.

  He enjoyed the coolness of the spring morning as he crossed the parking lot. It was supposed to get quite warm later, though, especially for May 1 in Wyoming. The grounds surrounding the building were in full bloom with native wildflowers, courtesy of his sister-in-law, Fay, the local florist who also did landscaping.

  His admiration for the building increased tenfold when he entered the reception area, seeing for the first time how his brother’s architectural plans had come to life in the airy, open space. The log walls were lighter in color inside and lots of floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of sunshine. Plotted plants and comfortable furniture filled out the area, making it warm and welcoming.

  “Hi, you must be Devlin Murphy.” An older woman, her gray hair pulled up in a bun that made her look like a skinny Mrs. Claus, stood behind the front counter. “Ms. Reeves said to expect you this morning.”

  “That’s me.” He looked around again, this time searching for Tanya. “Is she here yet?”

  “Oh, yes. She’s probably changing. Here’s your membership packet for the center. If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you to the locker room.”

  Dev shoved the packet into the side pocket of his duffel and followed her through the expansive building, noticing through interior glass walls there were already a number of people working out on various pieces of equipment.

  “What time do you open in the mornings?” he asked.

  “Five-thirty during the week.” She looked back at him over her shoulder. “Seven a.m. on weekends.”

  Great. Was there going to be an audience for this little experiment?

  He’d remembered reading that the center had two indoor pools. Maybe Tanya had reserved one of them for the hour she’d said it would take to do the therapy?

  “The general member’s locker rooms are farther down, but I was told to bring you to the private area used by the owners and their guests.” His guide paused outside a simple door and quickly entered a code on the keypad. “Once you get inside you’ll see the entrance for the men on the left. You can choose any of the empty changing rooms and then just follow the signs, and your nose, to the pool area.”

  Dev thanked her and entered, impressed again with the attention to detail in the men’s locker room.

  There were six private changing rooms, each with its own toilet, sink and shower, as well as a common a
rea outfitted with the same stylish furniture he’d seen out front and a refreshment area.

  He checked his watch, noticing he was running late. Entering one of the rooms, he quickly changed into a pair of dark blue board shorts, catching his reflection in the mirror.

  The twenty-five pounds he’d lost since the accident was noticeable, and while the surgeons had been masters at stitching him up every time, he’d always have the surgical and metal pin scars on three of his four limbs.

  Dev dug into his bag for a T-shirt and pulled it on. The nylon fabric wasn’t skintight, but it hugged his body from his shoulders to his waist, the three-quarter sleeves coming down to his elbows.

  He wasn’t sure if he’d leave it on for the entire session, but for someone who’d always prided himself on keeping his body in top physical condition, it bruised his ego to see how different he looked now.

  Grabbing one of the center’s towels from a nearby rack, he slipped into his flip-flops and left the changing room, pausing to switch the sign on the door from vacant to occupied since his street clothes were in there.

  Once out in the hallway, he noticed a doorway that led from the ladies’ locker area and headed for the pool, the faint smell of chlorine not as strong as he’d expected it to be.

  He reached for the handle on the glass door, the moisture clinging to the glass not entirely obscuring his view.

  What he’d feared was true. A crowd. He quickly counted at least a dozen people standing around on the pool deck with another smaller group already in the waist-deep water.

  All female and all old enough to be his grandmother.

  What the hell was this?

  His gaze locked with Tanya’s through the glass and she excused herself from the women she was talking to and started for him.

  No turning back.

  He pushed open the door and stepped inside, the sound of the female chatter reverberating inside the warm, humid space.

  “I know this probably isn’t what you expected.” Tanya spoke before he could say a word. “Our reservation time for the workout pool was double-booked with the Wet Nanas. I only found out when I got out here, but this might be a good thing, if you’re willing.”

  Willing was the only word that came through loud and clear.

  The rest of what she was saying came out as a muffled echo because all Dev could concentrate on was her outfit.

  Or lack thereof.

  She wore a long-sleeved, lightweight sweatshirt that clung to her curves. Zippered, it covered her from her cleavage to the tops of her thighs. Common sense told him she wore a bathing suit of some sort beneath the clingy material, but the sight of her long legs—and her toenails painted bright red—had him thinking thoughts wholly inappropriate for the moment.

  Like watching her slowly pull that zipper downward.

  Thank goodness for the towel he held at his waist.

  “Dev? Did you hear what I said?”

  She gave his arm a gentle squeeze and a hot flare of awareness flashed through him. Her eyes widened for a moment before she released him, but he knew she’d felt that same electric charge he did.

  He offered her his best, charming smile. “No, I’m sorry. I was a bit distracted by my...” pausing, he couldn’t resist another leisurely exploration of the perfection in front of him “...surroundings.”

  “Well, the class starts right now.” Tanya backed up a few steps as she brushed her fingers across the front of her sweatshirt.

  Huh?

  “Are you aware there’s a group of bingo-playing grandmas into water aerobics who consider themselves your personal fan club?”

  His lust-filled fog was slowly dissipating as her words sank in. “Fan club? What are you talking about?”

  “Devlin!”

  Moments later, Dev was in fact surrounded by a group of familiar ladies, regulars at the weekly bingo nights run by the town’s fire department.

  Of course, they looked a whole lot different without their clothes on, and there went his need for the towel. Keeping his gaze entirely on their faces more than erased his body’s first reaction to seeing Tanya this morning.

  “Oh, we’ve missed you so much at bingo!”

  “Wednesdays just haven’t been the same without you calling out the numbers for us!”

  “You look wonderful, dear!”

  “So glad to see you up and moving! You just have to join us this morning!”

  The ladies’ words jumbled together, their excitement growing until Dev finally held up a hand and they all quieted down. He looked over their heads and found Tanya standing there, watching him with a bemused smile on her pretty face.

  “Ah, thank you, ladies. It’s good to see all of you, too.” He had to admit their enthusiasm was nice, but while he had enjoyed their banter and harmless flirting, it didn’t mean he was interested in getting into the pool with this crowd. “It seems I’ve disrupted your class, so I’ll go and let you—”

  “Oh, no! You’re going to join us.” The leader of the group, Esther Dimpleton, gray curls and huge purple earrings bouncing together in perfect rhythm, cut off his escape, both physically and verbally. “We’ve already cleared it with that charming young lady friend of yours. She is going to keep an eye on you because as we all know you are still recovering from that dreadful accident, but we promise to take it easy on you.”

  Knowing it was better to give in than try to win a losing argument, Devlin smiled at the ladies and gestured to the pool. They all cheered and headed for the water.

  Dev headed for Tanya.

  “Do you have any idea how much ammunition my brothers are going to get out of this? I’ll be hearing about this moment until I’m as old as these ladies.” He handed her the towel, staring at the mesh-and-rubber-soled shoes she in turn handed to him. “What are those?”

  “Water shoes. They will give you traction in the pool. They should fit.”

  Dev took the shoes and moved to a nearby bench to sit and put them on.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” Tanya asked, joining him but keeping the towel a barrier between their bodies.

  “Now’s a great time to ask that question.”

  “I asked you earlier, but you didn’t seem to be listening.”

  He caught sight again of her painted toes. “I was distracted. Red is a good color on you.”

  He grinned when she tried to tuck her feet out of sight.

  “Listen, I want to cover a few things before the class gets started. The water aerobics usually run about forty-five minutes, but you don’t have to stay in the pool the whole time,” Tanya said. “After the warm-up, the instructor will lead the group in a series of moves, like arm and leg swings, side bends, front and side kicks, but only do what you can. Don’t push yourself.”

  Yeah, like he was going to let a bunch of old ladies show him up.

  “The water temperature will be warmer than what you might be used to, but this pool was designed specifically for these kinds of classes and your muscles will stay relaxed. The depth of the water goes from three-and-a-half feet on the right end to four-and-a-half feet on the left. You should go for the deeper end because of your height. I’ve already told the ladies that you’ll stand in the last row near the pool’s edge.”

  Dev looked at her, annoyed at what she was implying. “Why? In case I need to grab hold to keep from drowning?”

  “Yes.”

  Her frank answer defused his irritation instantly. He looked away from her and out at the grandmas already warming up in the water.

  Tanya was probably right.

  He’d never done anything like this before, but most of the ladies had at least thirty years on him and some looked as if all it’d take to knock them over was a stiff wind.

  How hard could this be?

  “I
told the ladies you being in the back was best because of your height. You wouldn’t want to block any of them from seeing the instructor.”

  “Thanks.” Then a thought came to him. “Wait, you’re not taking the class, too?”

  She shook her head and reached for a nearby clipboard. “Normally I would be right there in the water next to you directing your session, but this way I can track the movements you do, the number of reps and make notes for the next time.”

  All this and he’d still have no idea what she wore beneath that sweat jacket when he was done.

  Life was not fair.

  * * *

  Poor Devlin. Those old ladies kicked his ass.

  He was still in shoulder-deep water, leaning against the pool’s edge. His breathing was more even now that the class was over, but Tanya could see the discomfort and fatigue on his face. Still, he spoke with each of the ladies and made sure they got up the pool’s ladder safely.

  He was determined to be the last one out.

  Tanya was proud at how he made it through the entire class, even if her notes reflected how his range of motion had narrowed considerably toward the end.

  That was good.

  He’d worked hard, probably harder than if it had just been the two of them. Determined not to be shown up by a bunch of grandmothers, he’d kept going. She’d monitored him closely, using slight hand gestures to remind him to keep track of his heart rate and control his breathing.

  She was proud of him.

  “Is the coast clear?”

  Even though Devlin and she were now alone in the pool area, she made an exaggerated effort to look around while grabbing his towel from the nearby bench.

  “Yes, I think it’s safe to get out of the water,” she said in a hushed whisper.

  “Very funny.” Dev straightened to his full height until he stood waist deep, the water sluicing off his shoulders making the material of his shirt cling to his body like a second skin. “Damn, I’m hurting.”

  Tanya tried, but it was impossible to look away.

  She had read in his medical records about how much weight he’d lost in the past eight months, but the man was still the image of perfection. He had a naturally tan skin tone and the pale patchwork of scars on his lower arms and leg only stood as a testament of what he’d survived.