The next morning, Iwoke up at seven o'clock, as usual. The house was eerily quiet. I took in a deep breath, walking over to my window and opening it wide. The breeze fluttered in. The air was salty and fresh and just a bit chilly, but mostly, it was simply beautiful. I showered quickly and put on jeans and my thickest shirt, which, to be honest, wasn't very thick. I wondered if Jake would give me his jacket again.
God, the man was such a contrast. I couldn't get a good read on him. On the one hand, he was guarded to the point of being rude. I could handle that side of him. On the other hand, he was surprisingly thoughtful, and a gentleman, and so damn attractive. I couldn't handle that side of him at all. The contrasts between Jake and my ex were vast, yet there were similarities too. Both were career focused, but Jake’s drive was straightforward and intense. Vince was a climber and liked to take advantage of people. I learned that the hard way.
I tiptoed through the house, unsure if he was still asleep and possibly a light sleeper. My shoes clacked on the marble floors, so I took them off, holding them in one hand. The marble was cold on my bare feet. I descended the stairs, looking around and wondering if anyone else was up.
Jake was nowhere to be found, and as far as I could tell, no member of his staff was here either. This house was so gorgeous. If it belonged to me, I’d never leave it, much less go back to New York. I'd visited the Big Apple a couple times and decided it was an exhausting city with too much noise.
I put on my shoes just before stepping outside. I breathed very deeply, crossing my arms over my chest to keep myself warm.
Where to begin? Where to go?
I was tempted to head back to the spot Jake had shown me yesterday, just to see how it looked in plain daylight, but I couldn't waste any time. I wanted to scour the property and decide if I wanted an outdoor tent as well, though it was a shame to cover any part of the beautiful lawn with a tent. I wanted to consider all possibilities so I could present them to Jeannie.
I took a few steps to go around the house when I stopped, rooted in my spot, taking in the sight before me. Jake Whitley was working out.
He was wearing jogging pants and absolutely nothing else, and I was in love with his outfit. The polite thing to do would’ve been to turn around and head back from where I came. I wasn't a Peeping Tom, and yet I couldn't move. My eyes were fixed on him. Even from this distance, I could tell his body was absolutely insane. What did he do, hire a private trainer to get every muscle into the best shape possible? No one looked like that. At least, no oneIsaw naked ever looked like that, especially Vince. But Jake...Oh my. He came closer to swimsuit models on a magazine cover, but even those where photoshopped, weren't they? Jake Whitley was real. I was partly regretful that he chose to work out in jogging pants. Why not naked, if he was usually alone? Or maybe he usually did it naked but had put on the pants for my benefit.
Nat! Get a hold of yourself!
Currently, he was doing push-ups, and even though I should’ve let the man do his thing, I couldn't help but get closer. His dark hair was slicked back with either sweat from his workout or water. Droplets of moisture were dripping down his forehead. Maybe he’d showered first?
"So, this is what you do at your retreat?" I asked. "Wake up at seven o'clock and work out?"
He stopped mid-push-up, looking up at me, then put one foot forward, standing up and coming face-to-face with me.
Holy shit. I didn't think this through.
Up close, he wasn't just sexy. His sex appeal was out of this world. A thin sheen of perspiration covered his torso, but that somehow only contributed to his masculinity shining through every pore. His blue eyes looked brighter in the morning sun. His cheekbones seemed more angular than they had last evening.
I hadn't seen his shoulders properly before while he was in a push-up position, but now they were practically in my face. Luckily, I could inspect them under the pretense of looking behind him. I wasn't obvious, was I?
"I woke up at six. I swam for half an hour before the workout. It's what I do when I'm here, you're right. I wake up early. I train. And then I start my day."
"Mm," I replied, dragging my gaze from his sculpted right shoulder to his eyes. "You're very thorough, even in your free time, aren't you?"
"I believe discipline should be maintained at all times."
"Maintained?" I teased.
"You have a problem with my use of the English language?"
"No, you just like to use formal words."
He looked at me like I was nuts, then said, "I'll walk around with you. Just give me ten minutes to take a shower."
"You don’t have to. You're a busy man."
He tilted his head. Was it my imagination, or was he looking at my mouth? It was hard to tell. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but imagination or not, my body reacted just at the thought that he could possibly be interested in me. Heat pooled between my thighs.
Great, Natalie. You’re now attracted to your client's grandson, who’s kind of a jerk.
“I said I’ll do it.”
"Fine, I’ll wait."
He nodded. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him he didn't have to shower on my account. I found the sweat on him incredibly sexy, but even I knew that would be completely inappropriate, so I kept my mouth shut.
As he walked up to the house, I didn't even pretend not to look at his ass. It was impressive. That was the only way to describe it. My mouth watered.Yum.