And watching Dex stretch is like watching living art. He’s so fucking well-defined, like he’s been carved from marble. And it doesn’t help that his shorts are far too short. I swear, if I squint, I can see the imprint of his balls.
My mouth waters, thinking about dragging my tongue along one of those sacs when suddenly he spins around, and his hands meet in front of his chest.
For a moment, my heart leaps at the thought of seeing my language on his hands.
Is he…? No.
He isn’t signing. He’s just speaking animatedly as he guides us out of the warm-ups and into the first set.
Ten reps of barbell hip thrusts. God, what the fuck was I thinking, coming to this class? I know I have a bit of a masochist streak. I always have. It was why I tortured myself with being in love with Robbie for so many fucking years.
But watching Dex do this?
I’m about to die as his hips fuck the air.
Next, it’s the donkey kicks. I stare with a half-open mouth as he gets on all fours and extends his leg backward.
When he hops up, his cock jiggles in his shorts as he begins cable kickbacks, each movement backward showing off his dick.
Fuck. It’s too much. I’m sweating, and it’s not even halfway through. I’m better than this, god damn it. I’m so much better.
Water, I think. I need fucking water. I need to cool down.
I say nothing as I move out of the room, and it takes everything I have to keep my eyes forward.
CHAPTER NINE
DEX
As much asI don’t want to be constantly aware of Rome’s presence, I can’t help it. I swear I can feel him, like he’s a second heartbeat inside my chest. I don’t know why I’m surprised to see him in the class. Not just because he hated himself for stalking me at the gym three years ago, but also because last night, he’d been fucked-up beyond reason at his welcome home party, and I didn’t expect him to remember there was a class today.
Seeing him last night was…there were no real words for how it felt. It was comforting being in a room full of people I’d gotten to know well over the last few years, but it was emotional torment because the party was for the man who had iced me out without remorse.
The place he was renting was furnished, so none of the things there were his, and yet, his mark was all over it. His scent, his energy—all of it was so…him. I could feel it almost suffocating me the moment I walked through the door.
I had no idea what to expect from our little reunion, but Ihadn’t expected him to be cross-eyed, blinking rapidly, and on the verge of either hyperventilating or passing out. I told myself to let him be—to let his actual friends take care of him.
Yet, somehow, I found myself guiding him to his bed and tucking him in. I fell just short of kissing his forehead as I knelt beside the bed and watched him drift into a restless sleep.
Eventually, Thom wandered in and gave me a strange look. ‘What’s happening?’
I shook my head. ‘He was passing out. Drunk, I think?’
Thom grimaced. ‘No. Robbie gave him a gummy.’
Oh my god, Robbie and his fucking gummies. But it made sense, so I left him there and went back to the party, and now, once again, he’s here. In my space. Watching me.
I try like hell not to look at him, but I can feel his gaze on me with every move he makes.
And as soon as I finally give him a peek, he turns and leaves.
I want nothing more than to chase him into the gym. I have no idea why he left class early, but I can’t just follow him out and demand answers. It’s not going to turn out like last time if I do, and frankly, I don’t think I want it to.
Besides, I have to finish the class, so I quickly guide everyone into the cooldown a couple of minutes early.
I gulp down my electrolytes as everyone rolls up their mat, and out of the corner of my eye, I see the guy who’d been chatting up Rome earlier.
Unreasonable jealousy rushes through me, and I want to hit him.
