Chasing Shadows (36 page)

Even though I had only known Celeste for a few days, I had instantly bonded with her. Not only was she helpful, but she was funny and quirky. Despite being my senior, I often felt like I was older than she was.

"It's not really a date," I explained. "It's just this guy I met last weekend. He's a trainer at a gym and I'm stopping by for a free session."

"Ooh, sweating, working out, getting close." Celeste waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Now that's a great first date!"

"It's not a date!" I exclaimed but I couldn't help laughing. "Now I need to finish these RFPs so I won't be late for my non-date."

I spent the rest of the afternoon diligently working on the RFPs until I was finished and I was sure they were perfect. I checked my watch and was happy to see that it was only six o'clock. I would have plenty of time to go home first and change before heading over to the gym.

"Have fun!" Celeste cackled as I waved goodbye. "Enough fun that it'll hurt to come into work tomorrow!"

"Goodbye to you too, Celeste," I said with a grin.

Claire wasn't home when I got to the apartment. We hadn't talked about Jackson again since Monday night, not that it was necessary. She had given me her approval as well as fair warning. I was lucky to have her as a friend.

I sent a quick text to Jackson before changing, wanting to give him a heads up that I was definitely coming tonight.

Be there in about half an hour if you're free.

Before I could start changing, Jackson responded with a text back.

The training session will be free, but I'm not free. I'm looking forward to discussing the terms of payment.

I bit my lip, not knowing how to answer. I couldn't tell if Jackson was flirting or if he meant something else.

I thought this was a no-strings attached training session.

I'm talking about after the training session.

What do you mean, after the training session?

When I take you to dinner, of course.

I wanted to jump up and down with giddiness, but forced myself to reply calmly.

Who said I was going out to dinner with you? Are you trying to mix business with pleasure?

I giggled to myself idiotically, unsure if my flirting sounded teasing or dumb. It had been a long time since I had flirted and I was more than a little rusty.

Who said this was ever about business? Now get over here so I can talk to you in person instead of through a little screen.

Coming.

I quickly changed into workout clothes, grinning the whole time. I wanted to balance looking attractive in my workout gear without being too made up. There was nothing worse than a woman working out with heavy make-up and jewelry jangling with every movement while heavily doused in perfume. On the other hand, I didn't want to look too casual since dinner had been mentioned.

I decided on a pair of black leggings and a blue v-neck workout top with a built-in sports bra that could be mistaken for a regular fitted shirt. I grabbed a short gauzy black skirt that I could slip on over my leggings for dinner and stuffed it into my bag, along with some make-up to freshen up with after the workout. I prayed that I wouldn't perspire too much during the training session. The last thing I wanted Jackson to see when he looked across the dinner table was a sweaty mess.

The gym was only a few blocks away and as I pushed open the front door, I was suddenly nervous. The smell of the gym and the clinking of the machines reminded me that physical fitness was not my strong suit. I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of Jackson.

I approached the front desk where a perennially smiling woman stood behind it. She nodded her head as people filed in and handed her their membership card to scan, smiling so vacantly that she resembled an automaton.

"Hi," I said with a slight smile of my own. "I'm supposed to have a training session with Jackson. Jackson Reynard."

The woman blinked and her mouth shrank to a normal smile, a genuine one this time.

"You must be Emma! I'll let Jackson know you're here."

She picked up the phone and dialed a few numbers.

"Jackson, Emma's here."

The woman smiled as she put the phone receiver back into the cradle. "He'll be right out."

"Great," I said, feeling a bit uncomfortable just standing there. I was surprised she knew me by name, but I assumed that part of her job was knowing all the members on a first name basis. Even prospective members. The woman was looking at me with way too much interest. It was friendly interest, but uncomfortable just the same.

"I'm Allison," she announced, holding out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Allison," I replied, reaching out to shake her hand. Were people always this friendly at gyms? I wouldn't know since I rarely frequented one.

"I heard you just moved into town."

"Yes, I just moved here from Maryland." It was a bit discomfiting to realize that Jackson had apparently been talking about me to Allison.

"They have great crabs in Maryland." Allison continued, nodding at me and smiling. I started feeling a little creeped out.

"Er, yes. Maryland's known for their crabs." I prayed Jackson would appear soon and save me from this awkward conversation.

As if on cue, Jackson walked out from a door behind the front counter, giving me a wide smile as he caught sight of me.

"You made it." Jackson walked out from behind the counter and nodded to Allison as he grabbed my hand, drawing me down the hall closer to all those intimidating metal machines. "I was worried that you were going to change your mind."

I eyed the workout machines with trepidation. "I still may. I wasn't kidding when I said I don't really work out."

Jackson grinned, looking down at me. His green eyes were sparkling with amusement and a lock of brown hair fell onto his forehead, making him look rakish. He was much taller than I was and I had to tip my head back to make eye contact. Wearing athletic shorts and a t-shirt, he should have looked nondescript. Instead, with nothing to detract from his handsomeness, the blank canvas just made Jackson look all the more gorgeous. He was leanly muscled and I had to stop myself from reaching out and stroking his muscular arm and squealing like a preteen.

"We'll take it slow and easy today. The more sessions you get under your belt, the more I'll challenge you."

I let Jackson guide me over to a large mat in front of a mirror but protested at his words.

"The more sessions I get under my belt? I'm not planning on having more sessions. I'm not even planning on joining this gym!"

"That reminds me." Jackson slipped his hand into the pocket of his shorts, pulling out a membership card. He grabbed my bag and slipped it in, then placed my bag against the mirrored wall and out of the way.

"Wait, what was that?" I exclaimed, moving to grab my bag. Jackson pulled me in the opposite direction and stood behind me, putting a hand on each of my arms and holding me in place. The warmth of his hands was distracting and I was keenly aware of the close proximity of his body behind mine, but I was undeterred.

"Jackson, what did you just put in my bag?"

Jackson looked at me in our mirrored reflection and shrugged. I felt dwarfed by his size, the top of my head just shy of reaching the top of his shoulders.

"I pulled some strings and got you a year's membership to the gym."

"Wait, what? What do you mean you pulled some strings?" I narrowed my eyes at Jackson's reflection. "Did you pay for my membership?"

Jackson looked at me innocently. "That's not how it works. We don't pay people to come to the gym. Otherwise, we'd be out of business."

"Jackson," I warned. As flattered as I was by the idea that Jackson would get me a free membership to the gym, it made me uncomfortable to think that he had paid for it. I had just met him. I wasn't looking for a sugar daddy.

"I just have some pull around here. The owner was more than happy to give out a free membership when I told him I was thinking of increasing my hours." Jackson smiled at me winningly.

"You must be in high demand if you're able to give out free memberships willy nilly by promising to work a few more hours." I was still suspicious, but decided not to push it. It seemed churlish to throw Jackson's generosity in his face.

"Well, thanks for the free membership. Really." I then sighed. "Let the torture session begin."

Jackson laughed at the dour expression on my face. "Don't worry. We'll take this nice and slow. First, we'll just do some stretches."

Jackson guided my legs apart and I tried not to blush when his hands touched my thighs. He seemed determined to take a hands-on approach with the stretches, instead of just demonstrating them for me.

"Now just lean down to your right side and let gravity do the stretching for you."

He put one hand on my waist and put the other on my arm, gently guiding me down so that I was bending sideways to my right. It felt as though there was electricity running through his fingertips as he touched me, my body tightening with awareness.

"Okay, now the other side."

Jackson continued using his hands to show me how to stretch. It was one of the most excruciating fifteen minutes of my life. He seemed unaffected as his hands glided over me, pulling me into different positions. Some of them were so suggestive that I was starting to feel lightheaded.

"Okay, last stretch."

Jackson had me sit on the mat and spread my legs apart. He kneeled in between my legs, pushing them out with his hands to stretch my inner thigh muscles. I thought I was going to scream in pent up sexual frustration when I noticed that he was breathing heavily, each inhale and exhale sounding more and more strained. I glanced up at his face and saw that his eyes had darkened into a mossy green. Jackson gave me a half-grin as he released my legs.

"Let's try some laps on the treadmill." His voice sounded husky and rough.

I released the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and nodded my head. "That's a good idea. And I know what to do on a treadmill," I said with a wry smile. "You don't need to show me with your hands how to run. I know how to put one leg in front of the other."

Jackson burst out laughing. "Duly noted."

He grabbed my bag and led me to a treadmill, punching the keypad to start the machine.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-five." I watched Jackson input my age into the control panel of the treadmill.

"How much do you weigh?"

"Nuh uh," I said emphatically, shaking my head. "There is no way I'm telling you my weight."

"Girls and their weight," Jackson said with a quizzical look. "I'll never understand it. It's just a number."

"Yeah, a number that you're not privy to," I replied sardonically.

"You win," Jackson relented with a cocked eyebrow. "Just input your weight and choose interval session for twenty minutes. We'll just have you walk today to loosen up your muscles. I'll be right back. I'm just going to drop your bag in my office for safekeeping."

I nodded and waited for him to walk away before entering my weight. Men just didn't understand.

I looked around as I walked. The gym was pretty full and I couldn't help but notice that almost all of the people were in fantastic shape. I didn't understand it. The few times I had stepped inside a gym, it was inevitable that everyone inside was already fit. Where did the regular people go, before they were able to wear spandex ensembles with pride? Did they keep them in some dark hidden room of the gym until they were presentable enough to be unleashed into the main facility?

My thoughts were interrupted as I watched Jackson striding back towards me. I felt a delicious curl of anticipation tighten inside me. There was no mistaking it. Jackson was attracted to me. I was contemplating my first fling with relish when I saw a woman stop Jackson. She was talking animatedly and laughing. She was also drop dead gorgeous in skintight spandex and rock hard abs. I started thinking about my own soft middle and wanted to cringe, but I stopped myself before I let my thoughts get too wayward. I needed to stop comparing myself to other women. I may not be in the best shape, but I wasn't a sack of potatoes either. Men, including Jackson, would accept me as I was or I would find someone else who appreciated me.

I patted myself on the back, but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as the woman led Jackson over to a curling machine, putting her hand on his arm while they talked and laughed loudly. Jackson seemed engaged in the conversation, apparently explaining something on the machine and then making some adjustments to it.

He looked over at me and I quickly glanced away, kicking myself for being caught gawking at him. I concentrated on walking on the treadmill until I felt his presence beside me, but I didn't turn towards him.

"How are you doing?"

"Good." I glanced at him through the corner of my eye. "I guess Claire was right. You're pretty high in demand."

Jackson laughed. "That's one of my clients. One of my
married
clients."

I shrugged as if I didn't have a care in the world. "Doesn't matter to me." But I realized it did matter. I rationalized that while I wanted a fling, I didn't want a fling with a man who was flinging every other woman.

"If you say so," Jackson said casually. He watched me finish my twenty minutes on the treadmill without comment.

"Is that it?" I asked hopefully as I stepped off the machine.

"My training skills haven't even been on display yet," Jackson replied. "I'll just take you through a few muscle strengthening machines and then we can go to dinner."

"Where are we going for dinner?" I asked, accepting the cup of water Jackson offered and draining it. I held my breath as Jackson took a towel and gently dabbed my face with it. I had hardly perspired during my walk, but I didn't protest. His gesture seemed intimate and seductive.

"It's a surprise."

"Okay," I said, willing to play along. "It just can't be anywhere too nice since I'm not really dressed for it."

"You're dressed perfectly."

Jackson showed me how to use a few machines and had me go through a few reps. The last one was a leg extension machine and as I struggled to pull up the weight, I realized how weak I was. Maybe it really was a good idea to start working out regularly, especially since I now had a gym membership.