Taryn held out a bottle of water, her movements a little stiff, almost awkward. “Rivers gave me this, but you probably need it more than I do.” She nodded at the mat. “That was…something.”
So she’d seen him tumbling. Shit. He never did that stuff in front of anyone but Rivers anymore. The risk of people putting two and two together was too high. He searched Taryn’s face, looking for any hint of recognition, but her expression was simply curious. He accepted the water and took a long swig. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he finally said, “Thanks. Just getting the blood pumping before I get started today.”
“That’ll do it. I love that song.”
He took another gulp of the water. “You should add it to your set list when you do your next big show at the Tipsy Hound.”
She laughed in a self-conscious way that was so endearing it made a smile jump to his face as well. She shook her head. “Um, so that won’t be happening. There’s no encore show, and I’m not sure I could pull off that kind of vocal anyway.”
He narrowed his eyes. After hearing her sing, he had no doubt she could pull off some Eddie Vedder and nail the emotion of it, too, but he let it go. “So, is there something I can help you with?”
“Right. Reason I’m here. I should’ve probably led with that.” She rubbed her lips together, smoothing the pink gloss there. “My very loving yet pushy friend Kincaid has signed me up for sessions here. They start today, and I have another scheduled on Friday. With you.”
A record scratch sounded in his head. “Wait, what?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, I figured you didn’t know. I think she set it up with Rivers. I’m supposed to come in tonight after work.”
Shaw swallowed. Hell. In every other universe, this would’ve been a boon. An attractive woman wanting hands-on training from him? Yes, please. Sign him up. But he already felt like this was barreling into dangerous territory. He liked Taryn a little too much. Had thought about her a little too often the past few days. Had thought about how sexy she’d been when she was singing, then how down-to-earth she’d been when they’d talked. How she’d looked at him like she wanted him. She was temptation personified, and that was the last thing he needed. “Right. Okay.”
She gave him a chagrined smile. “So, I’m here because I kinda sorta asked you out twice, and both times, you bailed right after. And I just wanted to let you know that I’m not, like, stalking you or anything.”
He stared at her for a long moment and then burst into a laugh. “What?”
She crossed her arms and cocked her hip as if affronted, but a small smile peeked through. “It wasn’t until after I agreed to do this with Kincaid that I realized how it might look to you.”
He coughed over the last of his laugh. “How it might look. Like you were a stalker. Like that is a thing I would actually think about you.”
Now she was in full grin. “Well, you could! I don’t know. I’m just here to state for the record that I am not a woman who throws herself at some guy. I’m simply coming here for a workout and some stress relief. No ulterior motives.”
He nodded in mock seriousness. “So you haven’t tattooed my name on your shoulder or anything yet?”
“Of course not,” she said, smile falling, eyes wide and solemn. “Only your initials.”
She delivered it with such a serious tone that it took him a second to get it. When it clicked, another laugh, a sound he’d almost forgotten, rumbled out of him and shook his shoulders. “Well, that’s a relief.”
Her smile returned. “But seriously, you’re okay being my trainer?”
No. Absolutely not. Danger! Danger! “Of course. As long as your doctor has cleared you to exercise.”
She gave him a thumbs-up. “All clear. Apparently getting sweaty is the best prescription for what happened to me on Sunday.”
“Getting sweaty is…” His mind wandered off leash, and dirty pictures unfolded in front of him—Taryn’s smooth skin glistening with exertion, his hands tracing paths along her curves, slipping off clothes, tasting the salt on her skin, feeling her heat wrap around him. He cleared his throat, trying to shove the images into a deep closet in his mind. “Yeah, it’s good stuff. Sweating’s good.”
She adjusted her glasses, still smiling, but something unreadable flickering in her eyes. “Great. Well then, I guess I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yep. See you then,” he said, managing to keep his voice casual. “Looking forward to it.”
She gave him one last glance and then headed back toward the hallway that led to the offices and the entrance. He let his gaze follow her all the way out—every damn swish of her hips, every click of her heels. As soon as she was out of view, he took the ice-cold water and dumped it right over his head, hissing at the sting.
Just a pretty woman. Just a pretty woman.
He could handle this.
This was nothing more than hormones and being hard up and pure physical reactions. Nothing he couldn’t wrangle. He’d tamed a lot worse demons.
By the time Taryn walked in tonight, he’d have these reactions on lockdown. He slicked his hair back and groaned. But first, maybe a really long shower.
Chapter