City of Champions (15 page)

Now
this
was a woman he liked to think was jealous on his behalf.

"Of course not, I just wanted to get my notes written and get on the bus with the rest of the staff," she said sternly, clicking closed her pen and stuffing her notes into her purse. He heard her take a breath and when she looked back at him, her face had turned unreadable. She put her hand out for him to shake it, and said, "Well, I have all the information I need. That means this is it for us, Wyatt. Good-bye."

Like hell, this was it,
he thought.

She had to see how much better he was doing. She couldn't just disappear. How could she be so cold? None of this was going as he'd planned.

He took her hand and jerked her more closely to him, making her eyes widen a bit.

"I'll see you later, Doc," he said, with more of a growl than he'd intended, before dropping her hand and walking away from her to the visitor’s locker room.

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Wow, I can't believe it's just us in class today," Jenna said to Aubrey as she rolled out her yoga mat, shocked to see there weren't any other attendees in the class with them. She'd been stressed out ever since she'd returned from New Orleans. Every time she tried to analyze Wyatt's case, her thoughts would focus on
him
, rather than his condition, and it was beyond maddening.

What Jenna really needed was a peaceful hour of twisting her body into positions she hoped would distract her from her stupid hormonal desire to twist-up sheets with the man, who happened to possess the most important shoulder of her career so far.

"I don't know, Christmas is only a few weeks away, maybe everyone is doing a downward facing dog into the bargain bin for gifts tonight," Aubrey answered, as she darted her eyes to the door quickly.

"Are you looking for Tea? I swear, she's been running late so much lately…" Jenna began, but when the door opened Jenna's words caught in her throat at the sight of Wyatt McCoy wearing a pair of basketball shorts and holding a yoga mat still in its packaging in his masculine hands. If he didn't look gorgeous no matter what he did, he would appear completely ridiculous.

"Will you look at that, isn't that Wyatt McCoy? I wonder what he's doing here?" Aubrey said awkwardly, as she took far too long to roll her mat on the floor.

"What did you do, Aubrey? You tell me
right
now because he is almost here and I only have about ten seconds to kill you."

Wyatt grinned and waved to her before walking to the instructor to introduce himself.

"What makes you think I did something? Don't you believe in coincidences? Now be nice, he's coming over."

"Hey, Doc. I'm glad to see you made it home from the airport okay. Not that I would know, seeing as you didn't respond to my very worried text checking up on you."

"Text? Oh my, is there something going on here, Jenna?" Aubrey asked, raising her dark eyebrows intently.

"Yes," Wyatt answered quickly.

"No," Jenna said brusquely, at the same time.

Jenna took a breath and looked at Wyatt as calmly as her roiling emotions would allow her.

"So you're stalking me now?"

"It's only stalking if you're unhappy to see me. And I know you're glad I'm here."

"Oh, so should we add lawyer and mind reader to your list of talents?"

"Nope, just being honest."

"Since we are being honest, tell me, why are you here, Wyatt?"

"You invited me," Wyatt answered.

"I did not."

"I'm pretty sure you did," he corrected her. "You're the one who said going to a yoga class would be good for me."

"I didn't mean
my
yoga class."

"Hmm, that's not the way I heard it."

"Fine, but you do realize this is extremely inappropriate, right? I still have to deliver my opinion to your team."

"So?"

"Nice comeback, Wyatt," Aubrey teased. At least she wasn't on his side completely. Aubrey was generally more on the side of what would entertain her most, but that didn't help assuage how unsettling his presence was to Jenna.

"Fine, then how did you even know I was here?" she asked him.

Aubrey quickly looked away, but her guilty eyes told the tale.

"Aubrey! Seriously?"

"He promised me a photo spread. That's a can't-miss opportunity for me and you know it. Besides," she added on a whisper into Jenna's ear, "it wouldn't hurt you to do your
own
spread with him."

"Now
that
sounds like a great idea," she heard Wyatt say in her other ear.

"Aubrey you are the worst whisperer, ever," Jenna sputtered out. "Both of you, out of my ears, now."

"Is everything okay over there?" Kimberly, their yoga instructor, asked with a soft, tranquil voice.

"Yes, it's fine. Sorry, I'm just trying to sort something out," Jenna said, before turning back to Aubrey and growling out, "like how I am going to make you pay, girly."

"Oh, come on, give her a break. And give me one, too, while you're at it. Why are you always fighting me, Doc? This isn't a competition."

"It's not? I don't buy it. The only people who say something's not a competition are the ones that always win. I've been on the losing end of things enough for one lifetime."

"Oh good, we're learning about each other now. My sister tells me that's important to women."

"See, he's showing he's sensitive, Jenna, or at least that he's genetically related to a smart female, so that's something." 

"I already knew he has a sister, Aubrey."

"Then why are you being so pissy? You seem to be old buds now."

"Hey, guys," Tea ran up to them breathlessly. "So sorry I'm late, today was crazy and… What
in
the
hell?"

"Tea, you remember Wyatt McCoy from the Denver game, right?" Jenna offered with a resigned tone.

"Of course, but I'm just surprised to see him here is all."

"Well, Aubrey…"

"Oh, that explains it," Tea said, in that easy, goofy way she had with things, before putting her hand out for him to shake it. "How nice of you to join us, Mr. McCoy."

"My pleasure. It's great to see you again. Althea, right?" he asked.

"Oh, Lord, only Griffen calls me that. Please, call me Tea," she said, smoothing her hair back with her left hand.

"Wow, that is some rock you've got there, Tea."

"Oh, thanks. How sweet of you to notice."

"I'd have to get my eyes checked if I missed that," he teased, and Jenna could kick him for being so charming. Instead, she fidgeted with her yoga mat with her big toe, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm still getting used to it myself," Tea answered.

"Congratulations. He's a lucky guy. Well, I better get myself settled in for my first yoga class," he said, winking at Jenna, until she had to roll her eyes at him to control her own desire to smile.

"Wyatt…"

"Yes, Doc?" he said, turning and looking at her in that intense way that always managed to make her forget all of her words.

"Um, uh…"

"Good point, Jenna."

"Shut up, Aubrey. Wyatt, I meant to say, please be careful with your shoulder, okay? Use some of those blocks and a strap from the back of the room, and if you feel any strain in any position, just ask the instructor for a modification, okay?"

"You got it, Doc," he said, with a sweet smile that made her feel gooey in the worst way. Jenna turned away.

"So, Jenna, does this mean you're finally breaking your no-athletes-ever policy?" Tea asked her quietly.

"Oh, it's a whole no-athletes thing? I get it, so it's not about me?"

"Wyatt, you need to stop eavesdropping," Jenna spun around and said to him sternly.

"It's not my fault. Tea is bad at whispering, too."

"Okay, enough of that, all of you. I assume no one else is coming to class today?"

"That's true," Wyatt answered. "The instructor was nice enough to let me purchase all of the remaining slots, except for you three, of course."

"Of course. Fine. Wyatt, you can join the class, but stay in your area."

Wyatt simply smirked and rolled out his mat directly behind hers, situated perfectly to have an hour-long unobstructed view of her butt.

"This room is almost empty and you put your mat there? Wyatt, that is not your area."

"But the view from behind you is good for my Zen."

She tried to be furious, but a smile was quirking her lips and she had to hide her face.

"But you realize you're messing with my Zen, right?"

"I've been trying to mess with you for weeks now, I thought I made that clear?"

"Let's begin with Cobbler’s Pose today," Kimberly intoned from the front of the room, effectively silencing the four of them.

To his credit, Wyatt took the class very seriously, even though Jenna was pretty sure he was staring at her ass more than was necessary, but it did make her glad she'd worn her tightest yoga pants. Just because she couldn't ever have anything to do with him didn't mean it wasn't nice to know he enjoyed the view she presented in Plow Pose.

As the class ended and they packed up to leave, she turned to give him a polite farewell.

"Did you enjoy it, Wyatt?"

"I did. It was great advice. My shoulder feels better already."

"Did you feel more centered and focused like we discussed?"

"I was very focused on your body. Does that count?"

"That's not the kind of outlet I was talking about when we discussed this part of your recovery."

"Why not? It's an outlet I am very interested in."

"Wyatt, please…"

But he ignored her and leaned closely, and with an
actual
whisper, he gently informed her, "You and me? We're going to happen, Doc. I'm not afraid to wait. I'm pretty sure you'll be worth it." He let his lips brush her earlobe, sending a shock wave through her body. Then, before Jenna could even fight to get her bearings back, he leaned away and stood to his full height. "See you later, Doc. You too, ladies." As he walked out, Jenna clutched her yoga mat and tried to appear under control.

"Well, well. Now
that
was hot," Aubrey said to her, making her jump.

"Oh, he's got you all worked up, girl. I love it," Tea said, clapping her hands together.

"Stop it, you two."

"Why aren't you playing with that bad boy? You deserve to have some fun."

"Even if it weren't everything I don't need right now, it would be inappropriate."

"Aren't you giving your opinion soon? So it won’t be an issue after that, right?"

"I will, any day now, and technically no, it won't be an issue then — but it wouldn't look right. I can't risk losing whatever chance I have at that fellowship. It's everything I've ever wanted."

"Not
everything
."

"Shut up, Aubrey."

"Good argument, Jenna," Tea said, with a harsh chuckle.

"Get your mat and let's go or I'll tell you to shut up, too," Jenna teased.

"Ooh, I'm scared!" Tea laughed out, with her hands waving comically by her face.

"I'm going to kill you both. Slowly."

"Oh, come on,
sugar
, oh wait, now he calls you Doc, right?" Tea said, as she and Aubrey both began to laugh hysterically.

"Stop it. At least he doesn't call me "gorgeous" nonstop."

"She's got you there, Tea."

"Hey, Jenna, that's not nice. It's so sweet when Griffen says that."

"For you, maybe," Aubrey responded, as she slipped her yoga mat into her bag. "But for the rest of us — blech."

"All right, Brey. It's not that bad, Tea. I think it's cute," Jenna said gently. She may be annoyed, but she also wanted to let Tea enjoy her new life without torment.

"Anyways… Quit changing the subject, Jenna. You know that Wyatt's yummy," Aubrey cut in. "And you've been so crabby lately. I think you should let yourself have a taste of somebody. If not him, what about Griffen's bud, Trey? He seems to like you."

"Trey is a friend and that’s all."

"Man, you have a lot of rejections ready, woman. I think you should try out a 'yes,'" Tea suggested.

"Good point, Tea," Aubrey said. "Especially because Trey is hella hot. He makes me want to break my computer just so I can have him come over and fix it."

"I hate you both," Jenna muttered.

"Oh, stop. You know you really do need to relax, Jenna. You're too wound up."

"I'll find another way that doesn't involve opening those cans of worms. Now I really do need to go."

"Okay, honey, calm down. But this conversation isn't over," Tea said, waving her finger at Jenna.

"It never is," Jenna muttered to herself, as she flung her mat under her arm and made her way to the back of the room where they all collected their coats to bundle up for the blustery walk to their cars.