“Thought you weren’t interested in quitting weights in favor ofcardio today?” I challenged her, hands circling around her, pressing her arms to her sides and locking her in place. She screwed up her face in annoyance.
“That was before you mentioned skull crushers, obviously.” She glared up at me.
“Well, I changed my mind. I think you’re right. We need to stay focused.” I’m sure I looked satisfied as hell, now that I had the upper hand. It wasn’t me wanting her now, the tides had turned. I could have a little fun at her expense.
She huffed and pulled away from me. I didn’t fight her.
“Fine,” she bit off the word, moments away from a Tessa tantrum—which would be so damn cute that I’d give in quickly. “We’ll do it your way.”
Damn, she didn’t try to pout at me.
She didn’t widen those gorgeous blue eyes in an effort to look oh-so-innocent.
Stubborn. Beautiful. Woman.
Tessa just turned and headed to the floor mat, swaying her hips suggestively, almost cartoonishly.
Completely taunting me.
By the fifth rep,her arms were already shaking. But she never slowed down, never lost form.
I found myself abandoning my own set, just so I could watch her. My discarded dumbbells sat accusingly against the navy-blue mat. But I didn’t care.
God, she was amazing.Never imagined that I’d find myself scent-matched to someone like her. She filled a hole inside my busted heart that I didn’t even know was there. Hollow, unnoticed, disguised by other more important pain. Different from my love for Tray. Different from my deep friendship with Ryder and Mac.
She powered through twenty reps, the full set, finishing with a gasp and placing the dumbbells down with a thud. Tessa didn’t move for at least a minute. She breathed in and out, breasts rising and falling, palms flat against the floor and eyes closed. Then, without warning, her lashes parted, and she turned her head to smile at me. The expression was soft, full of quiet triumph. So much love in her gaze.
Until… she realized I’d not been doing reps myself.
"Caught slacking, I see." She tried to make her voice hard and reprimanding, but the glint in her eyes told me she wasn’t truly angry. She rolled to her side, giving herself an easier view of me. “My drill sergeant of a trainer, laying down on the job.”
“I mean, that is how you do a skull crusher.” I reached towards her, pushing away a sweaty curl trying to plaster itself to her face that had escaped from her ponytail.
“If you were actually doing skull crushers,” she pointed out. “You’re just a slackety-slacker.”
"Who's slacking? I'm supervising." I sat up, cocking one leg and casually resting my arm against it. I waited for her rebuttal. She could banter with the best of us these days.
"Supervising?" She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Is that what you call ogling me instead of doing your own reps?"
"I prefer the term 'quality control observation.' We can’t have you injuring yourself because of bad form." I gazed up and down her body. She was still lying on her side, head supported by one bent arm now.
“Well, then. Since you observed so closely, how was my form?” Tessa arched her eyebrow, waiting.
“Your form was exceptional.” I felt my gaze darkening, heat blooming in my chest. “Textbook.”
“That’s what they call me, Textbook Tessa.”
“If you were a book, I’d split you open and read you so hard that your spine might break.” I meant it, though I wouldn’t break Tessa. I’d never fucking break Tessa.
She gracefully sat up, crossed her legs, then pulled the hot pinkponytail holder out, sending her hair cascading to halo around her in a mass of crazy, dark curls.
"You're impossible.” Were her next words.
"Impossibly into you," I countered. I couldn’t sit apart from her any longer. I reached across the space between us, snagging her and tugging her closer. "I can't help it that you’re so damn mesmerizing that one look locks me in."
Her cheeks flushed pink, a reaction I found myself living for now, when I used to live for drug highs, the scream of a concert crowd, and a mindless fuck.
She tried to be tough as nails on the outside, but inside she was just an Omega who wanted comfort, home, and real love.
