Poison Me by Cami Checketts Page B

angles as he tried not to throw the too-light weights. He caught her eyes on him and grinned.
    “This is tough,” he said to Ellie.
    “Tell me about it,” she muttered. “‘A positive attitude will make exercise easier,’” Ellie mocked Chanel. “Whatever. She’s a freaking slave driver.” Ellie rested the hand weight on her lap and flexed her arm. “But would you look at the results?” The skin on the underside of her arm succumbed to the demands of gravity, but a small biceps muscle rounded out the top.
    Jake tapped the muscle. “Ooh, Aunt Ellie. That’s nice. We men like a firm woman.” His eyes flitted to Chanel.
    “Don’t I know it,” Ellie said.
    Chanel wondered if she could blush any harder. “Okay, ladies. Set the weights down and we’ll stretch those arms.” She caught Jake’s gaze on her as she led the stretching routine.
    When the class ended, the women clapped for themselves.
    “Great job today,” Chanel said. “Tomorrow we’ll concentrate on legs.”
    Several women groaned as they filtered from the room.
    “I hate her leg workouts,” Ellie said. “But I wouldn’t mind the misery if I could have legs like hers.” She jabbed a finger towards Chanel.
    Jake lifted his eyebrows and lowered his voice. “Every woman wishes for a body like that.”
    Ruby snapped her fingers at him. “Jake Merrill, I did not teach you to be crude. Stop embarrassing Chanel.”
    Chanel turned away. They could talk about her all they wanted, but she didn’t need to be gawking at them the entire time. Was Jake really interested in her or did he flirt with every female who was semi-attractive? She reminded herself that smooth-talking men were not her flavor.
    She straightened the weights and bands in the rollaway container, then pushed it into the closet. She didn’t worry about organizing the scattered chairs in the beautiful room, since maintenance would restore things to perfection within the hour. She switched off the CD player hidden in the closet, scooted out of the space, and shut the door.
    Sensing someone behind her, Chanel spun around. Jake was centimeters away. She lost her balance, and when she reached out to steady herself, her palms connected with his solid, warm chest. She quickly removed her hands.
    “Great workout,” he said.
    She giggled like a teenager. “Bet you worked up a sweat.”
    Jake grinned. “No, but I am now.”
    Ellie cackled. “This is better than the movies.”
    “Yeah, and all we can see is his backside,” Marissa agreed.
    “That’s not a bad side,” Ellie countered.
    Ruby stepped forward. “You two leave them alone.”
    Jake turned, staying close to Chanel, and looked at Ellie and Marissa. “You two are a nightmare.” He rested his hand on Chanel’s lower back. Her entire body tingled.
    “Don’t talk about your grandma and Rissa that way,” Ellie said with a wink at Marissa.
    Marissa giggled.
    Jake and Ruby both tossed their heads in disgust.
    The home-health nurse, Tracy Pullman, walked into the room, and everyone’s attention refocused. With golden blonde hair and startling blue eyes, she filled out her nurse’s uniform in a way most people only saw on their big-screen television. She squealed when she saw Jake. “Dr. Merrill. Oh, wow, imagine seeing you here.”
    Tracy rushed to his side, and he allowed himself to be dragged away from the group. He glanced at Chanel, but it was little comfort as she watched Tracy drape herself over him.
    “You work here, Tracy?” Jake asked.
    “Yes. I’m at the hospital in the morning, then here at the old fogies’ home every afternoon.” Leaning into Jake, Tracy fluttered her long, and hopefully fake, lashes. “Aren’t these old people just darling?”
    Ruby grimaced. Marissa frowned. Ellie whipped off the sweatband decorating her forehead and chucked it in Tracy’s direction.
    The nurse didn’t appear to notice the ladies, or the harmless flying object, as she tugged on Jake’s arm. “You just have to come