“We’re working out in the private manager’s gym. I need to make a statement.” I smirk.
“Oh, you will. Is this getting serious?”
“What makes you ask that?” Do I want to admit it yet?
“You haven’t been serious about a man since Cash.”
“I’m happy, but what scares me most of all is the power he holds over me.”
“Just live and enjoy life. You can’t let your past dictate who you are.”
God, I love her.
“I know. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks for your help.”
“Toodles.”
***
ARRIVING EARLY,
I walk in the gym and while I notice a few of Nathan’s clients doing cardio, I head to the office first.
I tell Clayton I’m meeting Nathan here. “I’ll go change.”
“Just go in when you’re ready,” he says. “It’s not locked.” He smiles like he’s in on some secret. “The private manager’s workout room is the last door on your right.”
I nod and head to the ladies locker room.
I undress and pull Gen’s outfit from the bag.
“What the hell?”
It’s a skimpy pink sports bra and white boy shorts that will not cover my God given plump ass. I put it on and slowly walk to the full-length mirror.
“Holy Hell!”
Thank God it’s just the two of us and not the entire gym. This is completely inappropriate. I love it!
After glancing outside the locker room, I make a dash to the last door marked ‘Private. Managers Only’ and slip inside. I find Nathan in shorts and shoes but nothing else. I catch my breath. His body is perfection. Like God decided to create the ideal male specimen just for me. Thank you, God. His tattoo shimmers in this low light, making it stand out.
He’s punching that huge bag and giving it a run for its money. I would much rather stay here and watch this show than participate.
“Bryer,” he says without even turning, steadying the bag. He faces me, and his wavy hair is a sweaty mess that drips onto the mat.
“Jesus.” His eyes travel slowly down my body. He doesn’t speak again, but I see his lips part. His breathing is heavy, and I like to think it’s because of me and not from his workout.
“You came to workout?” he jokes.
I nod. “I’m all yours.”
“Wrong answer.” He laughs. “Dressed like that, you’ll be sweating for an entirely different reason.” He growls as he stalks closer and wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me into a hug. He smells like the woods after the rain. His own sinful scent mixed with musk--a deadly combo. He kisses my neck and sets me down.
“You’re killing me, woman. We need to start working out or…”
“Or?” I tease.
“I think you know.” He closes his eyes to keep his concentration on the workout. “Cardio or weights?”
“Cardio for me. It always warms me up.” Seductively, I brush my body against his as I walk over to the elliptical machine. I feel him watching my ass. It’s more exposed than I’m comfortable with, but it feels powerful at the same time.
“Give me strength,” he whispers.
“The feeling is mutual.”
Nathan gathers his composure and heads to the row of weights. He reaches for the heaviest set on the rack, and I watch his perfect form lifting up and down. His arms shake and his muscles bulge as he sweats. It’s a sight to see. As he moves on to legs, I watch in awe.
“You’re doing wonders for my libido.” I chuckle.
“I’m not going to get much of a workout, am I?” He flashes a panty dropping smile.
Oh God.
“No, I’m on it. Weights for me” I say.
“Do you need me to spot you?”
“Oh no. I was trained by the best.” I wink.
I grab a bar with twenty-pound weights on each end, set it on my shoulders, and squat in front of the mirror. My form is perfect--slow down, pause, and fast up. Each time, I make sure I can go as low as possible. My ass sticks out when I use all my leg muscles for strength. I count as I go, and Nathan watches me while wiping sweat off his brow. It is a total turn on knowing that I have his undivided attention, although the professional in him may be judging my technique. I hope not.
“Sexy, huh?”
“Hell yeah, but nice form too.” He grins.
“Twenty-three, twenty-four,” I count, almost out of breath. “Working out with you is distracting.”
“You can say that again.” He adjusts himself.
I set the bar down and head over to the free weights. There, I lean over after placing one knee on the bench. I arch my back before pulling the weight upward to work my triceps. The position gives Nathan quite a view. Soon, he’s leaning over me, breathing on my neck.
“Bryer, I don’t think I’ve ever shown you this particular move,” he whispers, pressing his sweaty body to mine.
“Really? I’ve watched you do this move. It’s very memorable.”
“Follow me.” He reaches for my hand and I’m pulled over to the massage table. “Hop up on the stretching table.”
Oh, stretching? A massage would have been so much better.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Lie flat on your stomach,” he commands.
I turn over and my body sticks to the leather. His hands move my hair off my neck. He leans over and kisses me there.
“Yes.” I sigh.
He moves his hands down my arms, massaging until I’m tingling all over. Then he gently works the muscles in my back. I moan and he grabs my ass, but we’re soon distracted by the sound of people arguing. Nathan’s hands leave me, and I get up and swing my legs over the bench.
Camilla storms in, her long, black straight hair swinging behind her. “Nathan, what’s going on? Clayton tells me he’s taking over my sessions permanently. I thought it was a one-time thing. I want an explanation. Is this your way of dumping me and passing me off to your best friend?” She’s fuming. “My father won’t appreciate your rude, unprofessional behavior.”
Clayton stands behind her and shrugs.
Nathan takes charge, leaving me behind. “Camilla, I don’t want to have this discussion here.”
“Well, we are.”
He breathes out in frustration. “We had an understanding. Don’t pretend we didn’t discuss it. As far as anything else, we were friend’s having a good time. You knew that. Clayton was free to take over your account. I’m unavailable. You have no choice.”
As I watch her expression turn from anger to pain, a part of me wonders if I’ll be the next Camilla.
“Is this the reason you’re booked so tightly, Nathan?” Camilla waves her hand in my direction. “Your new flavor of the week?”
Spoiled, rich bitch.
Nathan has seconds to react before my claws come out.
“She has nothing to do with what happened or didn’t happen between us,” he tells her. “It was a temporary thing and it’s over. Training you now would be a conflict of interest.”
“Seriously? Where was the conflict when you were rolling around in my sheets? And now you’re all professional? I think my father will appreciate this little update. You can go straight to hell.” Camilla looks at me. “Oh and, honey, this is your future.” With that, she storms out and slams the door.
Clayton looks back and forth at both of us. “This just keeps getting better,” he says, before turning and walking out the door.
I absorb this disruption, especially the rolling around in the sheets comment. Not to mention her remark about this being my future. She just awoke my deepest fear--to be just another notch on this playboy’s belt.
“Bryer.” Nathan walks towards me. I’m looking at the floor. When he reaches me, he takes both my hands in his. “I’m so sorry, babe. I wish you never had to hear that. Talk to me.”
“Nathan.” I take a much needed breath. “Confronting your past isn’t easy. But I understand why she’s upset. You’d be a difficult man to let go.” I speak with as much confidence as I can muster. “I would fight for you too, but to be honest, it does bring up some insecurities.”
“It’s over with her, Bryer. It never really began.” Nathan keeps his eyes on me. “I’ll handle my father.”
He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I know differently. This will upset his father.
“Let’s go back to your place and take it easy,” he says. “I know it’s a work night, but we both need this.”
I agree.
We shower and change quickly in our separate locker rooms. Not long after, we arrive at my doorstep as he takes the key from my hand and opens my door.
“Go on, babe.” He guides me in with his hand on my back.
After taking my hand, he sits me in my favorite corner of the couch and slides in as close as possible. He puts his arm around me and continues to hold my hand. His thumb moves back and forth over my knuckles, soothing me, comforting me.
“Bryer, what we have is based on honesty. There’ll be no lies.” He pauses and I’m suddenly nervous. “As you know, Camilla and I have a past. I was honest from the very beginning about the fact that it was casual.”
I nod.
“But I also knew she wanted more. I should have stopped it, but I didn’t.” He drops his head. “It didn’t mean anything.”
“It doesn’t surprise me that she’s still holding on.”
“I’m only with you, Bryer. I’ll fix it. Can I just hold you for a while?”
I nod and our bodies melt into one another.
Scenarios go through my mind. Is what Camilla said something I should worry about? Will I be the next disaster after he has his fun?
“I hear you thinking, Bryer. Don’t doubt us.” I look into his beautiful blue eyes. “Trust me. I won’t let her come between us. You mean too much to me.” He smiles and kisses me. “I had a completely different ending planned for tonight, babe.”
“Ditto.” I kiss him and we hold each other.
All it would take is one move on his part and I’d be willing to move this to the bedroom, but he’s holding back, trying not to fix everything with sex. Maybe that’s a good sign.
As he leaves, he holds me at the door. “I’ll call you soon. Don’t over think this.”
“I’ll try.”
He kisses me again and then he’s out the door.
***
THE CALLER ID
flashes. Father. I answer the phone and I don’t get a chance to say hello.
“Nathan, I just got a disturbing call from Montgomery Hayward. You were training his daughter, Camilla?”
“Clayton’s training her now. Remember, I mentioned it at dinner the other night?”
“But what you neglected to tell me is that you were seeing her. Camilla was under the impression you had a committed relationship. She’s distraught over you breaking it off.” Disappointment rings clearly in his tone.
Sonofabitch.
“Dad, it’s complicated, and that’s not exactly what happened.”
“I would never pry into your personal life, especially when it comes to women, but this is different. You’ve put me in a precarious position with a colleague. He thinks my son is a playboy who just used his daughter and broke her heart.”
“Dad, I’ll fix it.” This is just fucking great. “I never misled her, and to be honest, she wanted more than I did.
“You have some work to do, son.”
“I’ll end this on a professional note.” I try to maintain my composure. Camilla is a fucking mess.
“I don’t want another call from Montgomery.”
“I understand.” I sigh after I hang up.
***
LATER, I NOTICE
a missed call from my Uncle Mac, but I text him back, since I’m in no mood to talk.
Nathan: Sorry I missed your call uncle. What can I do for you?
Uncle Mac: Hi buddy. You free tomorrow? I need to give you some info.
Nathan: Sure, I can manage noon at the coffee shop?
Uncle Mac: See you there.
I arrive early the next day, grab a black coffee, a water, and choose a seat in the back. Only a few minutes pass before Uncle Mac walks in. When he notices me, he’s all smiles. What a great man. I always liked his laid back, easygoing style. Then the world hands him this? Life is so fucking unfair.
“My boy. So great to see you again.” He reaches out to shake my hand and his firm grip doesn’t surprise me.
“How are you, Uncle Mac?”
“Good. The doctors try to consume more of my time than I’m willing to give, but I’m adapting.”
“I’m sure it’s all in your best interest. Is there somehow I can help?”
“Now that you mention it, I have a board meeting set up and I wanted you to attend so you can meet some of the key players. We have several satellite offices that will be conferenced in.”
“Of course. I’d be happy to do that.” Though I’m still a bit confused about what my role will actually be.
“Does the middle of the week work for you?”
“I can work that into my schedule. Is there anything I should do to prepare? Maybe research the company?”
“Hop on our website and check out the ‘About Us’ section. That’ll give you the basics.”
“Easy enough.”
“I have some paperwork for you to go over. My attorneys will help you. There’s some red tape involved.”
I shake my head, feeling uncomfortable over how relaxed he is despite the reality he faces.
“I’ll handle it, Uncle Mac.”
“We have time to make it legal. I just want to prepare you. So, if you have questions, I can answer them now, or in the next few months.”
“I know I’ll have questions,” I say, trying not to show sadness.
“I expected that. There’s so much to tell you, but all in good time,” he says. “I have to cut you short today. Another doctor’s visit I didn’t expect, but I’ll see you soon.” He gets up to leave and, as I stand, he embraces me. “You’re a good man, Nathan. Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself. Oh, and never negotiate with a woman. You’ll lose.”
I laugh, and, with that, he’s gone.
***
DAY BY DAY,
my walls slowly deteriorate. That I can let Bryer in so easily is a surprise. I’m not the same man I was. She’s changed me. I need her so much. I need to hear her voice, touch her daily, but I also don’t want to scare her away.
So call stupid. Pick up the phone.
“Girlfriend speaking,” she answers.
“You don’t say.” I smile.
“All true, plain and simple.”