She’s going to think you’re a total creep.
When she got to the front desk, she looked up at me through her lashes, flashing me a smile that made my heart race.
“Hi, Atlas.”
Ten
Tegan
“Uh, hi,” Atlas said inthat low, growly voice, his body swaying slightly with each wag of his tail. “I never got a chance to thank you for hanging out with me at the wedding the other day.”
I launched right into the apology I’d rehearsed in preparation for this moment. “Look, about that. I’m sorry my—”
He held his hands up, stopping me mid-apology. “It’s totally fine. If I had a sister, I’d be protective over her, too. I get it.”
“Yeah, but that’s no excuse.”
“It’s fine.” The soothing way he said it conveyed that it was, in fact, fine. It made me feel a little silly for dwelling on it so much. “I had a great time,” he added.
“I did, too.”
A beat of silence echoed between us, like we weren’t sure where to go from here.
“Is there something I can do for you today?” Atlas finally asked. “Did you need help with a cake?”
I snorted a laugh and placed my hands on the desk, leaning closer to him. “Actually, I wanted to sign up for a membership.After what happened with the cake the other day, I figured I should probably try to build some muscle.”
His eyes widened and he stood straight up, still as a statue, before speaking. “Oh, uh, sure. Yeah, I can definitely help you with that.” He crouched down behind the desk before passing two sheets of paper and a pen across the counter.
He leaned closer to me and pointed at the paperwork. “This one is the liability waiver. It basically states that if you’re injured at the gym using the weights, equipment, or facilities, we aren’t liable.”
A tantalizing aroma distracted me.
It was Atlas.
He smelled exactly like he did at the wedding—like smoked patchouli and sandalwood. He was musky and masculine in the most delicious way. In a way that made me want to rub my face all over him and purr like a contented kitten.
That, or climb him like a tree; I couldn’t be too sure.
I scribbled my signature and the date onto the paper and turned my attention to the next sheet.
“And these are the packages we offer,” he said, pointing to a table with prices and amenities. “You get a two-week free trial, then your card will be charged monthly depending on what package you pick.”
I scanned the list of options. I didn’t want to seem cheap, but who knew if this whole gym thing would even stick?
It was a well-known fact that when it came to working out, I was a quitter. Physical fitness just wasn’t my jam.
It’s who I was.
And wasn’t this really just a way for me to get closer to Atlas?
“I think I’ll start with the silver package,” I said, signing my initials. It was the second-cheapest option, and honestly, it seemed like a good deal for twenty bucks a month. “I’d like to try some classes, but I need to be sure I can make this a habit.”
His thick tail started to wag again. “Well, you know. I’m here every day. I can help keep you accountable.”
“Oh yeah? You’d do that for me?” I laughed and batted my eyelashes.
He had a team of personal trainers who worked for him. There was no way he offered this to everyone who signed up.
