Ignoring her unwanted visit, I go back to my computer, finishing the work day out. As soon as the day is over, I go through my closing routine, shutting everything down and asking all the partners, except for McHottie, if they need anything before leaving. When I get to the gym, I immediately spot Rob’s redhead psycho running on the treadmill. When she sees me walking towards the locker rooms to change, she gives me a nasty look that I ignore. I really don’t get how she can be such a jealous cow. Besides, her hostility is out of place. It’s not like Rob is even interested in me anymore. Our sessions have been strictly business.
After I change, I lock my locker and go out to find Rob. He’s leaning against the counter, waiting on me, looking like a wet dream. His eyes roam a heated trail down my body, briefly resting on my baby bump. Feeling slightly insecure about the tight tank top I’m wearing, I cross my arms across my belly, trying to hide as much as I can.
“Are you ready to work out?” he asks.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” I snark.
Instead of answering, he turns towards the weights, leaving me with no choice but to follow. This is going to be a long night.
“You’re being lazy tonight, Jade; where’s your fire?” Rob growls at me and I’m tempted to take this weight and drop it on his foot.
“I am pregnant, you asshole. Pregnant people get tired easily.” It’s not really an excuse but an actual fact.
His pretty face frowns and just when I think he’s about to feel sorry for me, he goes the other route. “Fine, let's get you on the elliptical then.”
“Oh God, no. The last time you had me on that thing, you put the controls up so high I almost passed out, and that was before I had this bowling ball for a tummy in the way,” I whine.
“Jade, you’re six months pregnant, not nine. Stop using your pregnancy as an excuse. You need to keep fit now more than ever. The only reason why you’re not as big as a house is because you come here. Now stop yapping and get on that machine, stat.”
Grumbling all the way to the row of elliptical machines, I choose the one in the middle and climb on. When I get a steady pace going, Rob surprises me and climbs onto the machine next to me instead of putting in his own ‘kill me’ pace with the controls. After ten minutes of silence, I decide now is the perfect time for answers. He’s been avoiding any heavy talk for a month now and enough is enough. The tension between us is thick like a heavy fog and I want to know what he is thinking. Better yet, I want to know just who the fuck he is. Obviously not the manwhore of a trainer I thought he was. I mean he’s still that, but more. I also hated the fact that I want to know what he thinks of me. Selfish I know, since I have Tyson, but I’ve always been a greedy bitch. Plus, I hate unknown outliers. They always seem to jump out of nowhere like the Boogeyman and bite you in the ass when you least expect it.
“So, what’s your deal? You dropped a bomb on me last month and haven’t said shit about it since then."
“Does it even matter? I mean, you’ve obviously already made your choice.”
“Yes, it matters,” I answer.
“Why?” he questions, tilting his head to the side. “You’re with Tyson Garfield now. Does it really matter I’m not the poor chump you thought I was?”
I stop mid-stride, managing to not fall off the damn machine in the process. If this was the treadmill, I’d probably be on my ass right now, but how dare he think so poorly of me. I’m the nobody. The girl from the wrong side of the tracks who used to sleep in public bathrooms and eat food out the dumpster. Half a year ago I had nothing, and he knew this. I have been more than forthcoming about my life when I first started working out with him, so why would he think I’d be so judgy?
“If you believe that, then you never knew me at all,” I comment, moving as quickly as I can off the machine and towards the women's locker room.
I barely get to my locker when he’s pulling me away to the showers with an angry look plastered all over his gorgeous face. I’m pressed against the shower wall with his big body pinning me there, preventing me from moving. “What the hell do you think you’re do…?” I don’t finish my sentence when his lips are on mine, claiming them in an angry soul stealing kiss in which I kiss him back. When he pulls back, I’m dazed, wondering what the hell just happened.
We’re both breathing hard like we just ran a marathon and he rests his forehead against mine. “I knew I didn’t lose you.”
“Why’d you do that? You know I’m with someone,” I tell him once I can find my voice.
“Are you really? Completely and truly with him? Or is there something else you want?” Why did he ask that? No way in Hell does he know my thoughts.
“Some people need more than one person, Jade. He may fill the needs you have now, but can he do it forever? You were right back there. I know your story, which is why I know you think of Tyson as your savior. The same with Grayson, but you don’t owe them anything, Jade. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself.”
“You think I’m sacrificing myself?”
“Maybe you really do care for Tyson, maybe it’s more than that, but I know it’s not enough. Just him will never be enough.”
“You don’t know anything,” I say, pulling away, but he won’t let me. His hold is strong and unrelenting. Why won’t he let go? Let me go? McHottie has already drawn his line in the sand, Tyson makes it hard to refuse him plus he’s good for me, good for my future. Why is Rob trying to complicate things?
“I know that even though you’re with Tyson that this,” he says, moving even closer until not even an inch separates us and rubbing his hard body against mine, “feels good and not just to me.” His lips go to my neck and when he starts to nibble his way down, I have to bite back a moan.
“Don’t,” I gasp out and he stops only to gaze deep in my eyes. Honey brown clashes with my green and I’m so damn lost, like the little girl in Wonderland with the signs pointing all over the place, wondering which way to go.
His voice is husky, alluring in it’s tenderness, leading the moth to flame. Give in and we’ll both be burned. “You don’t want that, now do you?”
Do I???
“Stop, Rob, please. I don’t even know who you are, so stop acting like you know me.” My words have more of a bite to them and the lust clears away from both our gazes.
“Jade, you do know me. I’m the same man you thought I was, just with a tad bit more in my bank account. Nothing I told you was a lie. I already told you that after I graduated from college with my degree in sports medicine, I took on a couple clients. After awhile, I realized that career wasn’t for me. What I failed to tell you was the couple of clients I had then were star players in the NFL. I ended up leaving the field and opened up my own gym here in New York. With their endorsement, my gym grew quickly and I opened up two more with how popular I’ve become, and the rest is history.”
“You could have just told me that. It’s not like I care that you have money. Wallet size is not what I rate when looking for a relationship,” I huff. Now dick size is another story and going by what I feel pressed against me, Rob is definitely a contender.