Recognition lights his face but provides little else to go on. “Danny. Hey.”
I hate it when people call me Danny. “Daniel.”
Max shrugs. “Here for a session?”
“Just finished.” Oh shit. Will he be pissed that I’ve switched trainers?
“With Andy?”
“Andrea, yeah.”
He nods. “Cool.” His expression is difficult to read until his gaze travels south. “She give you a good workout?”
The flirt in me wants to waggle my brows and say, not as good as you, but I rein it in. I can’t pull off swagger anyway. “My abs sure seem to think so.” I’m not lying either. It’s gonna hurt to sneeze later.
His lips curl to a smiling leer. He glances at the lockers. “I brought condoms.”
My jaw drops, and my dick twitches as if it has been listening. Not a one-off after all? “Aren’t you working?”
Max checks his phone. “My next client isn’t due for another ten minutes.”
He’s got to be joking. “Ten minutes.”
“A lot can be achieved in ten minutes,” says a man who clearly doesn’t bottom.
I remember how massive his cock is, and he’s either selfish or stupid if he thinks we can achievethatin ten minutes. Not to mention I definitely need a shower first. And I don’t have clean clothes. I let him down gently. “Mmm, tempting, but I’m gonna have to pass this time.”
“Suit yourself.” He adjusts big-and-beefy in his gym shorts, giving it a squeeze. “Might not give you another chance.”
My brows arch of their own volition. He’s hot, but no one is that hot. Like I can’t get it elsewhere? What an asshat. “Right, well. On that note.” I walk past him.
Another arrogant shrug from Max. “Your loss, beanpole.”
Normally, I’d let it go. I don’t know this guy. He doesn’t know me. Who cares? But it’s Christmas, my Dad’s gone, I’m just trying to take better care of myself, and who is Max to insult me like that?
“Name-calling? Really?” I stomp into his space and jab his rock-hard chest with my pointer finger, nearly bending it backward. Ouch. “It doesn’t matter what you look like. No one will ever want a repeat with you if that’s how you treat people. So I’m skinny. You think I don’t know that? You think every bully from sixth grade to senior year didn’t pick on me for it? That you’re somehow more clever than the rest of them? Well, you’re not. You’re just mean and doomed to be lonely.”
While he’s stunned stupid, I storm out, angry and breathless. Confrontation gives me hives.
At this point, I might as well cancel my membership and find another gym. If I never see Max Masters again, it’ll be too soon.
* * *
Max
I stareat Daniel’s perky ass as he walks away in a huff.
What was that about?
Geez, try to offer a guy a proper fuck, and he chews your head off for it. A shame too. I’ve been daydreaming about round two since round one. So what if he’s skinny? Clearly, Ilikethat about him. His body turns me on. That much was obvious, wasn’t it? But I guess he’s the sensitive type.
Whatever. If he’s going to be dramatic about it, screw him.
I use the restroom, wash my hands, then dig through my bag for the protein bar stashed in there. There’s the condom I won’t be needing. Pity. And bingo, the snack I’m looking for. I want to be sure Danny is gone before I head back to the lobby, so I take my time.
As I bite into the cookies-and-cream-flavored brick, that unwelcome feeling comes back. I whip my head around, searching the corners. If something’s watching me, I can’t see it. Nothing hiding in the shadows because this bathroom is lit up like a surgery with no shadows to lurk in. No one but me in here, but that sensation is my cue to leave.
Maybe I’m just jumpy because of the season. I’ve always hated Christmas, and our lobby looks like Santa’s sack exploded: covered in glittery tinsel, golden sparkling lights and, worst of all, brightly colored presents. The picture it paints is a lot like what I used to wish for as a kid and never got. “Keeping the lights on and food in the pantry is more important than presents, Max,” Dad used to say. And he was right. I just didn’t know it then.
