Spencer felt his back go up.“There didn’t have to be.Why’d you leave this all for the last minute?”
“I didn’t plan on it!I thought I’d do it last night or get up early and do it before I left, but you saw how that turned out.”She leaned on one side of the suitcase and fumbled for the zipper on the other.
“Why didn’t you say?I would’ve understood and come over to help.”
Before she could answer, his phone went off with an alert.“Tell me later.A black Civic’s downstairs.”
He found the other half of the zipper to close the suitcase, then picked up the handle and wheeled it to the elevator.Misty followed him with a tote bag that might be too big to carry on and a chagrined expression.“I didn’t mean to bite your head off in there.I just—”
“Doesn’t matter now.Let’s just get you to the airport.”The words came out through clenched teeth.Spencer knew he was strong, but Misty’s suitcase was proving to be a challenge.Had he misread the message, and she’d actually be at a three-and-a-half-month combine instead of a three-and-a-half-week one?It was the only thing he could think of that made sense for all this, and it was a relief to get to set it down in the elevator.They didn’t talk, just watched the floors tick down like a pair of anxious strangers.
True to the app’s word, a black Civic was waiting in front of the building.The driver popped the trunk at the sight of the luggage, and Spencer hefted the suitcase inside.Misty added her own bag before turning to him.Her blue-gray eyes looked huge.“I—”
He touched her shoulder.“Go.I’d hate to see you do all that work and not make the team because you got there late.Text me when you get there.”
She threw her arms around him in a hug so quick he barely had the chance to respond before getting in the car.Spencer stood on the sidewalk watching it even after he couldn’t see it anymore.He felt kicked in the gut and at loose ends.The sensation wasn’t unlike blue balls, but that was ridiculous considering all the sex he’d had yesterday alone.
Besides, as nice as a morning fuck would’ve been, that wasn’t what he wanted the most.He wished he could have hugged her for real, kissed her goodbye...Was emotional blue balls a thing?It sounded silly, but it was also the closest he could come up with to describe how he felt.
And yet, it was silly to feel that way.They’d gone from trainer and client to sleeping together in the span of an afternoon, and hadn’t discussed taking things beyond sex.There hadn’t been much discussion lately, come to think of it.Just displays of affection that they hadn’t even been able to think about when he was training and getting to know her.
His phone buzzed with a text.
Lawrence:I’m here.Where are you?
Spencer’s heart lurched into his throat yet again.He’d forgotten all about this session in the rush to get Misty to the station on time.
Spencer:On my way.Be there soon.
It wasn’t totally inaccurate.The one upside to this was that Misty didn’t live totally out of the way, and he wasn’t too late to his client’s appointment.
“Where’s Lawrence?”he asked the receptionist when he arrived at the gym.
“Warming up on the treadmill.But are you sure you’re okay to be back?”
“Fine.Why?”The answer came automatically.
“You called out sick yesterday and don’t look so good now.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“I mean it.You know the policy.”
“I do, but I’m ready to work now.”If trainers weren’t feeling well, the gym’s management allowed sick days with no questions asked.In place since a norovirus outbreak in the eighties, the rule kept germs at bay, kept employees happy, let clients come back with confidence after lockdown, and gave Spencer the out he’d needed yesterday.
The receptionist squinted at him.“Maybe change first.What the hell are you wearing?”
“Never mind.”Spencer had all but forgotten about how he’d chosen to carry the extra clothes and could only imagine how he looked.He rushed to the locker room to take off his upper layers, then headed to the training floor.
****
Misty:Did they announce the gate yet?
Tish:A14.Should be boarding soon.
Misty’s already tense back tightened even further at the sight.On the one hand, at least she knew exactly where she was going once she got there.But on the other, it didn’t bode well that they were already getting ready to board.
The one upside to this was that midday on a weekday didn’t seem like the most popular time to go on a plane trip.The Uber pulled right up to the drop-off area, and Misty bolted out of the car.The driver had popped the trunk so she could get her luggage out, and she rolled it inside with her right hand, balancing her carry-on on her left shoulder.She felt like a pack mule, but it wasn’t for much longer as she checked her suitcase.
