Page 47 of I see you Beauty

“Hi, you two. Ready to work up a real sweat?” Ezra greets us, looking at me with a mischievous twitch of his mouth at his last remark. Damn you, Ezra King!

“Where’s Tobi?” I answer his question with a counter-question and look around with feigned interest to avoid looking Ezra in the eye.

“He canceled at the last minute—something with his girlfriend. I’m sorry, you’ll have to make do with me tonight,” Ezra replies, his tone carrying a hint of mischief.

He probably didn’t even tell Tobi and is happy that he can train alone with us. He thinks he can be close to me. But he hasn’t done the math with Kelly. She won’t let him out of her sight for a second if there’s no one else here to distract her. Well, tough luck…

“Oh. Well, why don’t you two get started? I’ll watch you, and if you still have energy left afterward, you can teach me something,” I reply with a cute smile until I realize what I’ve just said; then it quickly collapses, and I look back and forth between the two of them, who are both staring at me differently. Oh crap!

“So…” Kelly begins, stretching and turning her irritated gaze away from me. “…if that’s the case and my training partner isn’t here, I’ll let Cora go first. After all, I’ve arranged this training session for her so that she can blow off some steam. Maybe you can help her with that, Ezra,” Kelly asks him, batting her eyelashes, ignoring my stoic shake of the head.

The corner of Ezra’s mouth twitches suspiciously again before he nods at her.

“I think I can manage that for Mrs. Shepherd. Take away some of her excess energy,” he replies, and the double entendre would have been obvious to anyone. Stupid ass!

The two of them discuss me as if I’m invisible, and Kelly glances at me after Ezra’s comment, clearly puzzled. Fantastic—now she’ll be even more persistent, bombarding me with relentless teasing and comments about the young, attractive neighbor.

“Have fun,” Kelly whispers to me as she’s about to turn away and leave the club.

“You… can’t just leave now, can you? This was your idea, Kelly,” I snort indignantly and follow her.

I pay no attention to Ezra. I can’t bear to look at his arrogant grin right now. Kelly turns to me at the door, sighing once more.

“What’s your problem, Cora? You’re the most loyal soul I know. So what are you so upset about? He’s delicious to look at. Look at him and pine over him. Let him, as he said, make you sweat, and then go back home to your husband and take it out on him. The end,” she replies with a shrug.

I bite the inside of my cheek at her words to stop myself from screaming. She has no idea what a dangerous and stupid situation she is putting me in. She doesn’t even know what I’m capable of in his presence.

“And how do I get home to my husband? And what do I tell him when it’s not your car but a cab or I don’t know what that takes me home?” I huff, hoping to change her mind.

“How convenient that your current coach is also your neighbor and can give you a ride. Anything else would be strange, wouldn’t it? Why would I drive across town to take you home when you spent the evening with your helpful neighbor?” Kelly winks at me with a grin and hangs her sports bag on my shoulder before kissing my cheek and disappearing.

Sighing, I lean my head back and look up at the high ceiling, thinking feverishly about the best way to get out of this.

“Do you want to work out, or do you want to explain to me first what happened at the window the other day?” his deep yet amused voice sounds close—very close—behind me.

“I don’t even want to be here,” I snap over my shoulder, trying to suppress the shiver that runs through me from his close proximity. I can feel his warm breath on my cheek as he leans in slightly

“Is that so? Then why is your breathing getting heavier, Beauty?” he murmurs in that intense and provocative voice, the sound of which vibrates deep into my core.

I gasp as he brushes my loose curls over my shoulder and gently bites my neck.

“I’ll… I’ll change,” I stammer, marching off without turning around again and hurrying up the stairs.

Leaning my back against the closed changing room door, I try to get my pulse back under control. I can’t do this! I can’t spend the evening with Ezra, whether we train or he continues playing games with me. Either way, I know I’m lost in his presence and about to make an unforgivable mistake if I’m alone with him now. I have to get out of here!

Because I feel like my mouth is drying up and I still need a good battle plan on how to get out of here without sleeping with my neighbor, I set the bag down on a bench and pull out one of the water bottles Kelly packed. That rotten traitor!

After moistening my dry throat, I put the bottle back in the bag and cast a quick glance at today's workout clothes.

“No way!” I exclaim loudly, talking to myself. “She’s out of her mind!” Shaking my head, I continue to vent about my now definitely not-best friend.

Kelly has packed me a pair of black sports shorts that are, quite frankly, more like a belt, and a pink sports bra. Pink!

“You’re dead, Kelly!” I mutter angrily to myself and am about to stuff the clothes back into the sports bag when it’s whisked out of my hands.

My head jerks toward him. Of course, he followed me here and just saw these embarrassing clothes.

“Nice. But I think I like you better naked, Beauty.”

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