“Not surprised.”
“Why isn’t that surprising?”
“You don’t look like you work out much.”
My jaw dropped. “Wow. Thanks a lot.”
Gavin scoffed. “Don’t get all offended, baby. I’m just saying you’re not a gym rat like me.”
“Dude, no one is a gym rat like professional athletes. It’s your job.” There was a flicker of surprise in Gavin’s face at that. Maybe he hadn’t expected me to start taking him seriously, but it was hard not to when he was so life-or-death about food and fitness. “Although I will say, you walking around mostly naked is starting to give me a complex. I feel pathetic in comparison.”
Gavin’s eyes swept over me. Once. Twice. Then he snapped out an arm too fast for me to evade and squeezed my side. It wasn’t sexual in the least, but his hands were so fucking big.
“You’re too skinny,” he concluded. “Gain twenty pounds.”
“I’m not dedicated enough to gain twenty pounds and have it turn into . . .” I pointed at his sculpted chest. “That.”
“I’ll be your trainer.” Gavin grabbed a towel from a rack by the wall and wiped his face. “Whip you into shape.”
“Are you that invested in me getting swole?”
He made a face. “Don’t say ‘swole.’ You sound like an asshole. And no. You’re good the way you are.”
I was good or I looked good? The difference in those two were endless.
“But we’ll have every night together soon. May as well put it to good use.”
Getting sweaty with Gavin every night for six months was not what I’d call good use if we were doing it in the weight room. And holy shit, I needed to stop lusting after him. STAT. Although, I’d spoken about this with Jasmine and we’d concluded it was okay if his hot-and-cold ass never caught on to the fact that I was superficial enough to ogle his abs.
“Speaking of nights, I just got off the phone with Joe. I read the contract.”
Gavin’s movements slowed as he dried himself. His face went serious. “You got a problem with it?”
“No. I agreed.”
“To staying here?”
“Yes. You knew I couldn’t say no to that bonus.”
“Yeah, I did know. Is that a problem?”
“No. I could use the money even if it means being trapped in this castle for the next six months. But we need some ground rules.”
He’d been giving me that ultra narrow-eyed side eye, but now his mouth twitched again. “You have some big balls on you. I threw thousands just to get your ass to not show up late, and you’re still trying to give me orders.”
My face grew warm, but I didn’t back down. “I guess you could say that after the experience with my last boss, I’m trying to make sure I protect myself. Even if that means hard-nosed bargaining with filthy rich athletes and their managers.”
He sobered. “Gotcha. Spit it out.”
“Okay. If I’m going to be staying here, I want you to know that my job still ends at a reasonable hour.”
“It says that in—”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean you won’t start sending me out at, like, eleven o’clock for random items. Condoms, ice cream, I have no idea, Gavin. Also? No more harassing me about my personal life.”
“I told you. I’m not being serious.”
“You did, but if you start actually trying to intimidate me whenever you get into one of your moods, no amount of money in the world will make me stay. I already had reservations about this job after our first interview, and the way you got in my face. If that happens again, I’m out.”
His face was unreadable, but this time there was no immediate defense or denial.
“I need a verbal agreement,” I said. “I know you probably think I’m being dramatic, but I’ve been in shitty situations in the past, and you have a lot of power in this arrangement. Over me.” When he maintained his silence, I sighed. “Please, Gavin. I just want to feel safe.”
Gavin’s unflappable countenance shifted with a slight bowing of his brows and a press of those pillowy lips. “You are safe. I won’t lose my temper with you. I swear.” He cleared his throat, the twin golden rays of his eyes flicking away in a manner that was almost guilty. “And I’m not used to having power over myself, let alone anyone else, so I didn’t think about it that way before. I’m sorry.”
I nearly passed out. “Accepted. Oh, that reminds me—your therapist—”
“No.”
“—is coming at four o’clock. Do you want me to be here when she arrives or is there anything you need me to take care of before I go home? I need to pack.”
“I don’t want to deal with a therapist today, Noah.”
“Oh, well. It’s happening.” I pointed to my watch. “Do you need me here or to run any errands? If you forget something, I can ask Joe if he can come by. He has a key.”