He slowly rolled my fist in a circle, gentle but appraising.
Damn it. I remembered those hands.
The way they fumbled with the buttons on the front of my dress, finally resorting to popping a few off in our frenzy to get the thing off of me. How they burned into the bare skin of mywaist as he lifted me on top of him. The way his fingertips traced a gentle trail from my lips, down my neck, to the peak of each breast, teasing downward until he hit—
“Range of motion is okay,” Andrew said, releasing me from his grip. “Describe the pain for me.”
“Um.” I wobbled a little when he let go of me, like he was a kickstand that had been flicked away. “It feels like it’s always there. Sort of like a bruise.”
Andrew nodded. “Because that’s what it is. A strain.” He paused and finally looked away from my arm and up to my eyes. “I could help you with that.”
“Huh?”
Up close, the Gibson Glare was lethal. I slapped my mouth shut and exhaled through my nose, willing my body to unclench.
“A little rehab, a little strengthening.” He softened and gave me a half smile. “I know a place that’s convenient for you.”
Andrew wanted totrainme? That went against every rule I’d outlined the night we’d crashed back into one another. And there was no way I wanted to be indebted to him.
But... I also wanted to make him pay for what he’d done. Although Andrew probably wouldn’t consider it payback. He’d use training me as an opportunity to show off, to wow me with his gym prowess. Find a way to preen so I’d be forced to admire him.
Well, two could play that game.
“Only if you let me train Dude,” I shot back before I could think better of it. “Or, let me trainyouto train him.”
If I didn’t know better I would’ve sworn the boxer heard his name and decided to seal the deal by running past us anddonkey-kicking against my legs midstride, knocking me backward again.
I pointed after the retreating dog as evidence. “I mean...”
Andrew fixed those damn black eyes on me and fired off another half smile, making me wait a full uncomfortable five seconds under the heat of his gaze before finally nodding slowly.
“Yeah, that works.”
“Three for three,” I suggested quickly. “Three sessions with you and the same with me.”
I wasn’t sure I could tolerate him for my standard six sessions.
“Okay.” He nodded. “Three for three.”
The silence stretched on until it became uncomfortable, but neither one of us seemed willing to walk away. Despite everything we’d been through, in this moment it felt like there was something invisible tethering us together.
“Chelsea!” Patricia’s voice echoed through the yard. “Where are you? I finally found my checkbook.”
“She’s over here,” Andrew said, still staring at me from close range.
I crossed my arms and stared back until Patricia rounded the corner, holding the checkbook up victoriously.
“The first of many more sessions to come,” she proclaimed as Andrew and I locked eyes again.
chapter ten
I didn’t like the looks of the guy skulking around the building.
Edith and I had arrived just before eight and I was giving her a quick potty break in the grass beyond the parking lot when I spotted him. He was walking around the building and taking pictures. Edith locked on to him and let out an adorably squeaky bark.
“I know,” I said to her in a low voice. “I don’t trust him either.”
I looked at the door to Roz’s now empty space. Mike still hadn’t hung a For Rent sign in her window, but it was possible the guy was an early bird scoping it out. I scanned him to try to figure out what sort of business he could be affiliated with. He actually looked sort of fancy for the location, in dark dress pants and a checkered shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
