I’ve never seen him here before. Why would he have a gym membership when I know for a fact he works out at the Foxes’ facility? I do my best to ignore him, not glancing at him in the mirror or giving him any attention. Which is proving to be more and more difficult as I watch him lift his weights.
He’s wearing a tight, white T-shirt, and I can see his nipples and the outline of his muscles through it. This is definitely not fair. Alexi is seriously using everything in his arsenal to break me.
I can’t lie. Wouldn’t it be nice to fool around with someone and release some of this tension? Having a few moments where my mind will just shut up and my body takes the wheel sounds like bliss. But I’m not sure it could just be physical with Alexi. Maybe I should go back to the coffee shop and run into that cute Beta.
It’s not that I think Beta’s are disposable. I love Beta men for many reasons, but none of them have captured my attention the way Alexi Bandnin seems to, and it’s fucking terrifying.
I’m in the middle of doing a weighted squat, and I can’t help but notice how much Alexi is looking at my ass while I do it. Should it feel as satisfying as it does? Probably not, but the way this man looks at me,fuck.
I drop the weights on the ground and spin around. “Alexi, what are you doing here?”
He puts his headphones around his neck, and I do the same. “I heard this gym was the best, so I wanted to try it out.”
“Likely story,” I say, about to turn around, but he takes a step forward, and while my mind is telling me to take a step back, I don’t. I can’t help but lean closer to him. Alexi smells like clove and ginger. It’s masculine and thick, and I’ve never been so attracted to a scent in my life. He smells extra fucking good right now because he’s been sweating.
“You know, there is a good smoothie place down the street.”
“I’m not getting a smoothie with you, Alexi.”
“Why not?” he asks with an arch of his eyebrow. The veins on his forearms and biceps are popping and fuck, I can’t think around him. I’ve never felt less confident around a man in my life.
“It’s not a good idea, Alexi.”
“Why not,malyshka?”
“I don’t have time for a relationship right now,” I blurt out, and I watch as a huge grin slowly takes over his face.
“I was asking about a smoothie, not going steady.” I shake my head at his outdated term. I know my face is probably red from working out, but he’s just made it even redder. I’m not sure what to say, but he speaks again. “It’s just a smoothie, Piper.”
“Okay.” I’m not sure why I give in.
Maybe it’s because Alexi is endearing and extremely hot, or because I’m so uncharacteristically flustered over this man the answer just slipped from my lips. He smiles and puts his weights down. There’s a nice trail of sweat from the collar of his shirt to his belly button, and it takes everything in me to not lick my lips. It really should be illegal for a man to be this big and attractive.
“I’ll meet you at the entrance in fifteen minutes?”
I nod my head like an idiot, and with a parting look, we head to our respective changing areas.
I’m quick with getting showered and changed. I’ve at least been genetically blessed with thinner, pin straight hair. So I wash it and half blow dry it; it will dry on its own shortly. I debate putting on makeup.
Fucking hell, Piper. Get it together.
I’m wearing my scrubs so I can head right to work afterwards, and I look at myself in the mirror. It’s hard for me not to notice the bags under my eyes or how pale I look. When’s the last time I just spent the day outside? I shake off the feeling and compartmentalize everything, just as I always do.
Daddy issues are in their very own large box. The need to please is in another. My career box has been the most daunting box lately, but I keep it locked up tight. I’m already on this course. There’s no way to… fuck.
I mentally wrap a chain around the career box and seal it tight. I take a breath and walk out of the locker room to the front door.
When I spot a wet haired Alexi smiling broadly at the front entrance, I can feel the relationship box rattling in my head. I smile back at him and wonder how I’m supposed to stop Alexi Bandnin from ripping that box wide open.
* * *
Alexi and I fight over who will buy the smoothies. He said that since it was his suggestion, he obviously should be paying, and well, I can’t fight with that logic.
I got the espresso high protein vanilla, and Alexi ordered something extremely healthy. We sit at opposite sides of the table together, and I sip my smoothie, not knowing exactly what to say. He breaks the silence before I do.
“I like your scrubs,” he smiles.
I shake my head and smirk. “I think you have the better uniform.”
