streamed through
the front glass windows, making the exercise room overly bright.
Ally watched Marissa finish her twenty minutes on the treadmill.
There’d be another appointment in two days, not enough time for
Marissa to recover fully.
Ally moved through the crowded cardio area
towards Marissa. She stepped over a pile of weights and her foot
caught the edge of a mat. She pitched forward, crashing solidly
into a muscled chest. The imprint of her makeup streaked the man’s
shirt.
“ I am so sorry.” She wiped
at his shirt with her open palm, smearing the mess
further.
A low chuckle took her by surprise. She
whipped her head up to focus on his face. Brilliant blue eyes
shocked her, sending a stab of heat between her legs. High-sculpted
cheeks and tanned skin, paired with his amazingly muscled body,
gave him the look of Adonis.
Why hadn’t she seen him earlier?
“ I’m sorry about your
shirt.” With her palm flat against his solid pectoral muscles, a
burning sensation tingled up her arm and through her body. Ally
pulled away. Wrapping her arms around herself. She wanted to hold
the tingly feeling inside of her and remember it
forever.
“ You’re blushing, I like
that.”
She smiled sheepishly. Few men approached
her, and fewer complimented her. The muscles intimidated them.
She’d had a few dates, but most of them just wanted to prove they
were more powerful than her. Few were.
“ So, do you come here
often?”
Ally giggled. The musical trill of her laugh
sounded strange to her ears. Unaccustomed to flirting, she ducked
her head, composing herself best she could.
“ Okay, that was a horrible
line.”
“ I work here.” Ally smiled
up at him.
“ That’s good to
know.”
Ally’s face grew warm, her heart raced and
her breath became shallow. She gulped in air, trying to clear the
fuzzy feeling that had taken over her brain. “I’m Ally.”
“ Ally, I’m Michael,
Michael Rains.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Marissa
step off the treadmill. “Oh God, my client is done. I’ve gotta
run.”
“ Wait, when do you work
next?”
She stalled, mesmerized by Michael’s stare.
“Tomorrow and Saturday, about the same time.”
“ Maybe I’ll see you
then.”
Ally smiled and ducked her head. She rushed
over to Marissa and caught her reflection in the mirror. It was
frightful. Her hair was plastered to her skull and her face was
blotched with makeup. Had she dreamt her encounter with Michael
Rains? She turned and saw him walk out the door. No, she most
definitely didn’t dream that.
“ Ally, everything
okay?”
“ Yeah, I’m sorry. I was
just a bit distracted. You did great today. Come back day after
tomorrow. We’ll do more work on your arms. Go for a walk on the
beach tomorrow. It’ll be good for your calves.”
“ Thanks, Ally. I know I’m
going to like working with you.”
“ Same here.” She watched
as Marissa left the building. A year ago she wouldn’t have believed
that she’d be Marissa’s personal trainer. But stranger things had
happened.
****
The cool breeze blew through the curtains in
Tony’s kitchen, pushing a napkin to the ground. He bent and
snatched it from the floor. The breeze was a good sign, something
to cool the city off and bring in a hint of the sea breezes.
Lunch with Marissa would be just fine. He
could feel the change in the air and was hopeful she could too.
Whistling a bouncy tune, he poured coffee into his tall blue mug. A
great cup of coffee in the morning and lunch with the love of his
life. He had plenty of reasons to smile.
The drive into work was easy and relaxing.
Most of the tourists had vacated town, heading back to their
mundane lives after an exciting holiday at the beach. Life in
Juniper could get back to normal. At least it could for those
individuals who weren’t embroiled in a double homicide case.
Tony pulled his police issued Crown Victoria
into the parking lot and turned off the engine. He sat for a
moment, staring
the front glass windows, making the exercise room overly bright.
Ally watched Marissa finish her twenty minutes on the treadmill.
There’d be another appointment in two days, not enough time for
Marissa to recover fully.
Ally moved through the crowded cardio area
towards Marissa. She stepped over a pile of weights and her foot
caught the edge of a mat. She pitched forward, crashing solidly
into a muscled chest. The imprint of her makeup streaked the man’s
shirt.
“ I am so sorry.” She wiped
at his shirt with her open palm, smearing the mess
further.
A low chuckle took her by surprise. She
whipped her head up to focus on his face. Brilliant blue eyes
shocked her, sending a stab of heat between her legs. High-sculpted
cheeks and tanned skin, paired with his amazingly muscled body,
gave him the look of Adonis.
Why hadn’t she seen him earlier?
“ I’m sorry about your
shirt.” With her palm flat against his solid pectoral muscles, a
burning sensation tingled up her arm and through her body. Ally
pulled away. Wrapping her arms around herself. She wanted to hold
the tingly feeling inside of her and remember it
forever.
“ You’re blushing, I like
that.”
She smiled sheepishly. Few men approached
her, and fewer complimented her. The muscles intimidated them.
She’d had a few dates, but most of them just wanted to prove they
were more powerful than her. Few were.
“ So, do you come here
often?”
Ally giggled. The musical trill of her laugh
sounded strange to her ears. Unaccustomed to flirting, she ducked
her head, composing herself best she could.
“ Okay, that was a horrible
line.”
“ I work here.” Ally smiled
up at him.
“ That’s good to
know.”
Ally’s face grew warm, her heart raced and
her breath became shallow. She gulped in air, trying to clear the
fuzzy feeling that had taken over her brain. “I’m Ally.”
“ Ally, I’m Michael,
Michael Rains.”
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Marissa
step off the treadmill. “Oh God, my client is done. I’ve gotta
run.”
“ Wait, when do you work
next?”
She stalled, mesmerized by Michael’s stare.
“Tomorrow and Saturday, about the same time.”
“ Maybe I’ll see you
then.”
Ally smiled and ducked her head. She rushed
over to Marissa and caught her reflection in the mirror. It was
frightful. Her hair was plastered to her skull and her face was
blotched with makeup. Had she dreamt her encounter with Michael
Rains? She turned and saw him walk out the door. No, she most
definitely didn’t dream that.
“ Ally, everything
okay?”
“ Yeah, I’m sorry. I was
just a bit distracted. You did great today. Come back day after
tomorrow. We’ll do more work on your arms. Go for a walk on the
beach tomorrow. It’ll be good for your calves.”
“ Thanks, Ally. I know I’m
going to like working with you.”
“ Same here.” She watched
as Marissa left the building. A year ago she wouldn’t have believed
that she’d be Marissa’s personal trainer. But stranger things had
happened.
****
The cool breeze blew through the curtains in
Tony’s kitchen, pushing a napkin to the ground. He bent and
snatched it from the floor. The breeze was a good sign, something
to cool the city off and bring in a hint of the sea breezes.
Lunch with Marissa would be just fine. He
could feel the change in the air and was hopeful she could too.
Whistling a bouncy tune, he poured coffee into his tall blue mug. A
great cup of coffee in the morning and lunch with the love of his
life. He had plenty of reasons to smile.
The drive into work was easy and relaxing.
Most of the tourists had vacated town, heading back to their
mundane lives after an exciting holiday at the beach. Life in
Juniper could get back to normal. At least it could for those
individuals who weren’t embroiled in a double homicide case.
Tony pulled his police issued Crown Victoria
into the parking lot and turned off the engine. He sat for a
moment, staring
Similar Books
