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A blush blazed across my face as I remembered our incredible night together. The morning had
been just as hot. After some of the things Jack had done to me, I would never again think of breakfast
in bed quite the same way. "We're good."
"Uh-huh," she said with a coy smile. "You know I want details, right? We should go out for a
drink after class. We can swap yummy stories about our men."
Drinks? Swapping stories? I realized that it was the first time another woman had invited me
out for some girl-time since college. After graduation, I had thrown myself into the business. Not long
after that, Granddad had started getting sick and Mattie had run into some minor problems at school.
My friends well, the girls I thought were my friends had slowly disappeared.
"I'd like that," I said, excited by the prospect of rebuilding my social life. "I can't tonight.
Mattie's out with a friend of ours at a baseball game, and I have some laundry and household stuff I
need to catch up on while he's out."
She wrinkled that dainty nose of hers. "You should really think about hiring a housekeeping
service."
I chortled and kept stretching. "That's a bit pricey for me."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. You know what's priceless? Having time to spend with your
family and your friends. Running a small business is no joke, Abby. You're spreading yourself too
thin. Hire help for home. Take off some of that burden."
Was she right? Would spending a little more money each month ease up the stress and time
crunch I constantly felt?
A loud clap startled me. I glanced toward the front of the room where Jack and Finn now stood.
They had entered while we were chatting and had completely bypassed us. Taken aback by the way
Jack had gone out of his way to avoid me, I frowned and wondered what the hell that meant.
"All right, ladies. Let's get started." Jack began the class with his usual review of our previous
meeting, a short lecture and demonstration of the new technique he was teaching. Once we had
watched him perform the maneuver with Finn, Jack had us pair up and practice.
Bee and I squared off with each other. She had the worst form imaginable. I mean it was
shocking how badly coordinated the poor woman was! Normally, Jack stopped by to correct her but
not tonight. He stayed near the front of the class and did everything possible to ignore us.
Finally, Finn stepped in and saved me from taking Bee's knee to the face by grasping her waist
and tugging her back at the last second. "Whoa, killer! Watch it with that knee. You almost bruised
one of my favorite girls."
"One of, huh?" Bee asked with a laugh. "Sounds like you have quite a long list."
"What can I say? I never forget a beautiful face." He winked and then stepped behind me. "You
need to adjust your stance. You're off-balance, Abby."
"Oh!" I issued a soft gasp when Finn grasped my hips, his long fingers spanning my waist, and
adjusted my positioning. His well-defined chest pressed to my back as he clasped my wrist and
showed me a blocking move. The scent of him, the pleasing notes of chamomile and cedar, filled my
nose.
"See?" He made sure to stay close to me so close it was almost inappropriate for a drawn
out moment. When he finally stepped back, he flicked one of my earrings. "You shouldn't be wearing
these hoops, sweetheart. It's dangerous." His amused gaze landed on Bee. "Especially when Miss
Mayhem is your partner."
"Ass!" Bee playfully punched his arm, drawing an exaggerated ow from his mouth.
"Remind me to add a five dollar fine to your account."
"For what?" she demanded.
"Oh, it's a new policy. Mattie suggested it to me, and I ran with it this morning. If we hear you
cuss, you owe the gym five bucks."
"For reals?" Bee asked, eyes narrowed.
"There's a sign at the front door. The new policy is right there in big, bright letters." Grinning,
he left us to continue practicing. "Work on that block, Abby."
Bee and I continued battling each other, but I couldn't stop thinking about the way Jack was
basically pretending I didn't exist. I wasn't stupid. I knew exactly what Finn had been doing. He was
trying to make Jack jealous but why?
A strange sensation crept up my spine, invaded my chest and squeezed my heart. For all of
Jack's beautiful words and sweetness toward me, he hadn't yet taken me anywhere. Since that
explosive kiss in my kitchen, we had spent both nights since at my house. Sure, he had been publicly
affectionate with me at my shop, but why wasn't he reciprocating here at his place of business?
Was that what this cold shoulder tonight meant? Was I going to be his secret? Was there
something about dating me that made him nervous or uncomfortable? I didn't want to think it was that
but anything was possible.
Or was it something else? Was he worried that if his large female clientele learned he was off
the market they would go elsewhere? Was he ignoring me and making me feel this way because of his
bottom dollar?
I didn't want to believe anything like that was true, but as the class continued, I couldn't dismiss
what was right in front of me. Although Jack wasn't openly flirting with the other women, he was all
smiles and laughs. I tried not to be hypersensitive about it but I couldn't stop myself. Self-doubt
welled up inside me until every single pore in my body was saturated.
Bee turned her back on me so we could practice an evasive move, one that required me to put
my arms around her. Going through the motions, I fixed my gaze on Jack and the skimpily dressed
nurse he was helping. With those tiny shorts and too-tight tank top, she looked like she would fit in on
one of Besian's stages. She rubbed against Jack in the most suggestive way, her high, round bottom [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]