To distract myself, I ramble on about maintaining a steady pace and proper form, but my words feel hollow—secondary to the thrumming pulse of curiosity and draw I feel towards this woman.
Maybe the woman from the club was just a kick in the pants—one I needed to break out of my comfort zone and date women who aren’t my typical style?
God knows, I now seem to have a thing for redheads.
Carlie looks over, catching me mid-ramble about incline, and her smile shifts. It’s almost as if it becomes something more knowing—like she sees through the façade of the fitness trainer to the man beneath who’s reeling from some internal revelations.
“Do you go out much?” The question slips out, a poorly veiled attempt at nonchalance.
She slows her pace slightly.
“Not a whole lot,” she replies softly. “I guess I’m more of a homebody. I’d rather sit out the couch with a good book. You know?” She scrunches her nose. “Thus the need for you.”
The confirmation shouldn’t come as a relief, but it does. It simplifies everything, and strips away the complexities.
“Same,” I whisper, unsure where to go after that. “I mean, I like staying home, too. Good book and all.”
We fall into a comfortable silence, the only sound is the rhythmic beat of her footsteps on the treadmill. I find myself studying her profile, the way her eyelashes cast long shadows down her cheeks, the slight parting of her lips as she breathes.
Then, without warning, the treadmill jolts, a sudden malfunction that has nothing to do with her at all. Yet, her footing stumbles.
I lunge forward, instincts taking over, and my arms wrap around her waist to steady her as she hops off. For a moment, we’re locked in an unintended embrace, her body pressed against mine, and the room’s remaining sounds fall away.
“Holy shit,” she breathes out, her voice a husky whisper that grazes my senses.
“Are you okay?” I manage to say, even as I gently step back, aware that the heat I feel isn’t solely from the proximity of our bodies.“Equipment can be unpredictable. That was totally not your fault.”
“Unpredictable,” she laughs, shaky but recovering. “That seems to be a recurring theme for today.”
I take another step back, physically putting more space between us.
“Let’s call it a day,” I suggest. “I think we’ve had a good start. Don’t you?”
Her agreement is soft as she nods.
At first, it seems like she plans to move around me, but she pauses, her gaze lifting to mine. There’s a question in her eyes—something she wants to say and I inhale sharply, waiting for it.
“Thanks, Adam,” she finally says with a ghost of a smile. “I appreciate you getting me through this mortifying day. If there’s a gym blooper reel, I’m pretty sure I just filled up the annual quota. So, uh, enjoy.”
Before I can say anything to that, she stalks off, leaving me standing there, surrounded by the hum of cooling treadmills and the echo of my racing thoughts.
CHAPTER4
Carlie
Irush out of St. Mary’s, desperate to escape the humiliation still clinging to me like the sweat running down my back.
The warmth in my muscles is a testament to Adam’s training session, but it’s the warmth in my cheeks that quickens my strides.
God, I’m such a mess. What Adam must think of me …
Sunlight glares down on me, a stark contrast to the gym’s bright indoor lights. I slip on my sunglasses and hike my gym bag up further.
My phone vibrates in the hip pocket of my leggings.
I bet it’s Lily, wondering if I’ve survived my first day with Ada.
I snicker under my breath.