Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101758 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
She’s starting to breathe faster, and it only makes me want her more. I want to be the reason she’s out of breath. And she’s the only breakfast I want.
“You’re perfect. Ignore the fucking scale.”
“Says the man who’s naturally”—she has to pause because she’s panting—“perfect. Mr. Hotshot Hockey.”
“But I’m your favorite, though. Right?”
Come on, Red, tell me I’m your favorite.
“Right now, you’re a pain in my ass.”
I like this side of her. This sassy, funny side.
“That’s not me, that’s all the running.”
She huffs out a laugh and works hard to ignore me as I move to arm curls. I’m not a complete psycho pervert, I’m not staring at her, but I do keep an eye on her.
Because she’s amazing. And she can never wear that outfit to a regular gym. I’d end up being arrested for murder.
“You can work out here from now on,” I say casually as I return to the lat pulldowns. I should do some bench presses, but I’ll be fucking damned if I’ll let her out of my sight. “Consider this a lifetime membership.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t usually have time to work out.” The treadmill slows, and she walks for a few minutes before grabbing a towel to wipe off her face and then moving over to the squat rack.
Because of course she fucking does.
“Here’s the thing, Hendrix,” she says as she adjusts the plates. “I’d rather you didn’t watch me do this.”
“I’m just also getting a workout in, Red.”
She smirks. “You’ve been ogling my ass.”
“It seems to be a side benefit to using the gym today.” I grin at her, and she rolls her eyes, but I sober. “But if I’m really making you uncomfortable, I’ll leave.”
She pauses and props her hands on her hips.
Ivy really does have amazing tits. I want to do unspeakable, dirty things to them. I want to bury my face in them, suck them.
Come on them.
“It shocks the hell out of me, but I’m surprisingly not uncomfortable,” she says and slips under the bar, makes sure her feet are planted under her, and begins doing deep squats.
For fuck’s sake.
Her legs flex, her ass is nothing but perfection, and I have to look away before I fuck her right there in my squat rack.
“It’s your turn,” she says after she racks the bar.
“I beg your pardon?”
“It’s ten,” she replies and reaches for her tumbler. “Time to work.”
“Let’s do it together today.”
Ivy narrows her pretty blue eyes and then surprises me with “Okay.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
IVY
How have I not dissolved into a puddle of absolute humiliation by now? I’m shocked that I’m not only okay with Xander watching me work out, but I kind of love it.
He’s watching me with lust. With admiration. Not pity or humor. Okay, there’s a little humor because we’re teasing each other, and the banter is fun.
But I don’t want to freak out or run for the hills, and that’s a huge improvement because my anxiety would never have let Xander see me in these glasses, let alone stay to watch me work out. Especially when what I’m wearing leaves nothing to the imagination.
I’m enjoying the hell out of him. I don’t feel self-conscious at all, and I don’t feel the need to cover myself up.
“I bet you can’t do pull-ups,” I say to him. Okay, so mostly I just want to see him do pull-ups because his shoulders are insane.
“I’m sorry, but did you just lay down the gauntlet, Ms. Ivy?”
“Less talk, more action.”
He lets out a surprised laugh, and then he walks over to the pull-up bar, easily jumps up and executes ten reps, his back flexing deliciously, before gently falling to his uninjured foot.
“Your turn.” His face is so damn smug.
I lift an eyebrow. “Oh, you think I can’t?”
“I didn’t say that.”
I narrow my eyes, walk over to the bar, and the next thing I know, he’s behind me with his hands on my waist to give me a boost up because it’s high.
“Go for it, wildcat.”
I adjust my grip and then pull myself up five times before my arms start to shake, but then he’s behind me again, gripping my thighs, helping me.
“This is cheating,” I grit out.
“No way, this is me helping. You’ve got this. Fuck, your back is awesome, Red.”
I want to smile. I need to squeeze my thighs together, but I manage to concentrate for another five, and then he lets me fall to my feet.
“I, too, like your back.”
He smiles and reaches out to drift his finger down the ball of my shoulder.
“You’re sexy in those glasses.”
Shaking my head, I walk over to the lat pulldown bar and adjust the weight before sitting on the bench.
“I didn’t plan for you to see them. But I also didn’t want to put my contacts in until after my shower.” I pull the bar down, watching my form in the mirror. “I hate working out.”