Syd
I had no idea why Luke had shown up out of the blue at the half-marathon. But when I spun around and saw him glaring at the old man who had been kind of rude toward me, I couldn’t contain the excitement that filled my body. I’d had to remind myself over and over that, technically, I was Luke’s employee. My job was to train him, not become attracted to him.
Those were the reminders I gave myself repeatedly as I entered the American style restaurant that was only about a five-minute drive from ParaSquad’s business offices. I’d eaten at this place plenty of times, and even though it was a Saturday, early evening, I had no trouble getting a reservation for a table of two when I called after leaving the race.
“Syd Quinn,” I told the hostess as I entered the restaurant.
“Oh, your date’s already here,” she told me, smiling.
“He’s not my—” the words fell from my mouth as I saw Luke’s large and looming frame rise from the wooden chair he’d sat in.
He was dressed in a dark V-neck and dark denim pants. His usual outfit outside of workout clothes in the gym. Yet, even though the muscles of his chest and abdomen were covered by the shirt, the muscles of his biceps and triceps bulged, drawing even closer attention to the colorful tattoos that resided there. The ones peaking above the collar of his V-neck also drew my attention to his upper body. Finally, I let my eyes lift to meet his handsome, yet grim face.
There were so many things I found intriguing and yet difficult about this man. As I approached the table, the fact that he’d had manners enough to stand and wait for me to be seated before he sat again was one of the many things I found drew me to him. His eyes were another.
Those dark brown orbs carried ghosts of a past he let few people in on. They spoke volumes, but the main command they gave was fuck off. Like a freaking moth to a candle, I found that look irresistible. Then there was the beard that surrounded his pink lips. Thick, shiny and perfect for—
“I’m hungry as a fat chick at an all you can eat buffet. I took the liberty of ordering hummus and pita chips before I pass the hell out,” he said, pulling me from my reflections.
Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. Leave it to Luke to open his mouth and make me forget all the nice stuff I had been thinking about him.
“There’re better ways you can relate your hunger.”
He snorted. “What? I don’t have anything against fat chicks. Some of the best one nighters I’ve had have been with the pleasantly plump.”
Glaring at him across the table, I parted my lips and said, “You’d be so much more appealing if you just didn’t open your damn mouth.”
He chuckled. “Believe me that’s not the first time someone has told me those exact words.”
Rolling my eyes, I lifted the menu the hostess had placed on the wooden table in front of me. “Whatever, hummus and chips sound good. I’m pretty hungry myself.”
There was silence as I stared down at my menu, but I could feel Luke’s eyes on me. He did that from time to time. Silently watching, observing me. For what, I didn’t know. I got the sense my presence in his world confused him. Truthfully, the space he’d begun taking up in my thoughts confused me. I’d started this job to get my foot in the door as a trainer and to seek a part of my history that’d been taken from me.
“Thought you’ve been here before.”
That was when I lifted my gaze to meet his. He didn’t look away as he usually did.
“I have.”
“The way you were eye fucking the menu, I would’ve thought you didn’t know what the hell they served.”
I tilted my head to the side. “You say the craziest things.” I shook my head, smirking.
He lifted one broad shoulder and dropped it, so casually, it too, was a turn on.
“What’re you getting?” I asked when I realized he’d pushed his menu to the side.
“Portabella burger with the fixings and sweet potato fries.”
“I’ve had that before. Their fries are delicious. I think I’m going to go with the steak and potatoes with a side of string beans.”
Luke’s face crumbled into a frown. “How the hell are you going to sit there and eat steak in my face while I eat a damn mushroom and pretend it’s a burger?”
Laughter burst out from my mouth at the incredulity I heard in his voice.
“Quite easily, actually,” I responded in between bursts of laughter.
He groaned. “This shit better be worth it.”
