His hands are warm as they guide me gently. I’m suddenly acutely conscious of every point of contact—hell, every breath.
Who knew working out when you’re ridiculously attracted to your workout partner is a challenge in itself?
Adam’s reassurance is like a balm to my jittery nerves, but it doesn’t quite stop the heat from flooding my cheeks.
“Thanks,” I mutter softly, trying to focus on the stretch rather than the way his fingers are sending jolts of energy straight to my lady bits.
“We’ll start with a total body workout today,” Adam explains as we move to the next stretch. “Nothing too intense, just some light movements to get you acclimated. Plus, this way it should help you with soreness tomorrow.”
“Good.” I nod, following his lead as we go through a series of lunges and squats.
Each movement is accompanied by Adam’s gentle guidance, his voice calm and encouraging. It’s a stark contrast to the militaristic drill sergeant—aka Jillian.
Adam’s approach is patient, almost ...intimate.
I can’t tell if it’s because it’s us—and we’re in his house. Or if this is the way he’s always been with me. My head’s a whirlwind of citrus and sweat and it’s messing with all operational systems of thought, if I’m honest.
As we move into more complex exercises, I find myself alternating between trying to impress him and trying not to fall flat on my face. Neither is going as I’d hoped.
“I didn’t realize I signed up to be on stage for a comedy show,” I quip, nearly losing my balance during some forward lunges.
“You’re doing better than you think,” Adam assures me, his hand at my back steadying me. “Remember our first session at the gym? You’ve come a long way.”
His words bring a genuine smile to my face, and for a moment, I feel a sense of pride. Me, Carlie the Clutz, actually making progress. Who knew?
We move into a series of squats, and I’m half expecting my knees to give out, but surprisingly, they hold up.
“Hey, look at me, not collapsing into a heap. That’s progress, right?” I say, trying to keep the mood light.
Adam laughs, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Definitely progress. You might be a natural at this one.”
I roll my eyes playfully. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
My stupid brain goes back to what Vivian said about him getting turned on by squats and I can’t help but sneak glances at Adam to see if he’s watching.
Of course, he is.
But I’m too afraid to sneak glances elsewhere.
Next, Adam introduces me to some dumbbell exercises.
“We’ll keep the weights light. It’s all about form and control today. We can increase the weight later,” he instructs, demonstrating a bicep curl and pointing out the correct form.
I mimic his movements, feeling slightly less awkward with each rep. The dumbbells are light, but I start to feel the burn, a sign that my muscles are actually doing something.
“I feel powerful. Like I could take on the world ... or at least a small cat,” I mutter through my reps.
Adam chuckles, his gray eyes sparkling with encouragement. “You’re doing great. Feeling powerful is exactly what we’re aiming for. That small cat doesn’t stand a chance.”
I can’t help the way my lips twitch and a full smile spreads across them.
When we wrap up the weights portion, Adam announces, “Let’s finish with some light cardio to boost your heart rate. Then we can cool down.”
“Okay,” I say, suggesting he show the way.
He leads me through a series of exercises that feel more like a dance than a workout—step touches, light jogging in place, and even some playful jumping jacks.
I can’t help but laugh as I try to keep up, feeling like a flailing octopus.