Page 18 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

Perfect? Steve and I had a little moment of simpatico, our eyebrows shooting upwards.

“Gorgeous.” Rhys bit that word off. “Stunning. Beautiful and most of all, not interested in your little spiel. Steve, did we or did we not talk about you giving unsolicited advice in our gym?”

“Look, mate, I’m just trying to build my client base,” Steve replied.

“By being a complete dick? What, you thought you were going to neg Katie into signing up with you?” Rhys looked back at me. “If there’s anything you need help with, you just ask me, but no one, and I mean no one, is going to hassle you about anything in my gym. We clear?”

I nodded on automatic as my brain tried to process what was happening right now.

“As for you.” All that gentleness was gone when Rhys turned back to Steve. “Get your shit and get the fuck out.” He stabbed a finger at the door.

“But I’ve got seven months left on my membership!” Steve snapped, and I was stunned to see him try to front up to Rhys.

“Not anymore you don’t.” Drew appeared with a receipt in hand. “Refunded to your account.”

“But—”

“You’ve been warned, more than once, and we told you what would happen if you kept pestering women,” Rhys said with a shake of his head. “So go, or don’t.” That casual lift of his shoulder had my eyes widening. “Drew’s been on me to take out the trash and I’d be happy to start with you.”

Steve seemed to come to his senses, turning on his heel and marching away. The jeers and claps from the guys working out just seemed to intensify Steve’s shame, the man’s face an alarming shade of purple as he stormed out the front door.

“Well, good riddance to bad rubbish.” Rhys’ expression changed when he looked at me. “How we doing, love? You OK? I should’ve kicked him out long ago. Steve shouldn’t have gotten within ten feet of you.”

“I…” Words failed me. While my family was fiercely protective of me, the outside world? Not so much. I blinked as my throat worked, knowing I needed to say something. “Thank you?”

“No need for that. I should’ve headed Steve off before he even got within ten feet of you.”

Rhys held out a hand, and I thought it was to help me off the treadmill, but when I got close, both hands went around my waist, picking me up and setting me on my feet.

OK, then.

“Were you finished with your workout?” Now that Rhys was close, his voice dropped down into a deep rasp. “I can stand by the treadmill and make sure no one bothers you.”

“I’m done.” I needed to get it together, that was clear. Step away from the hottie and go and get changed before heading home in time to kick my sister’s butt for flaking on me. “I might get a retaliatory cheeseburger on the way home as a big fuck you to Steve, but I’m fine.”

“Burgers are what you want, huh? Ever had the smash burgers in Unley?” he asked, moving closer so all I could see was that chest and his tank top. “They’re pretty amazing.”

“Um… no.” I cleared my throat. “But I hear good things about them.”

“Let me buy you dinner,” he said, hands rising, but not touching. “To make it up to you.”

Was he for real? I half wanted to reach out and touch every inch of him, just to reassure myself he wasn’t a figment of my overheated imagination. That low growl he used to put Steve in his place? It healed something in me that had been hurting since high school. Trouble was, that rush of feeling had me wanting to get closer, closer, eradicating the gap between us. That was the same impulse that had me running towards my ex the moment he crooked his finger. I sucked in a breath, ready to refuse, when he shook his head.

“Don’t say no. Well…” He shook his head. “Not unless you really want to. Look, this isn’t a date or anything. Not unless that’s what you want.” The German Shepherd was fraying to pieces before my eyes, a much less cocky Golden Retriever replacing him. “I… It’s just a burger. We could be just two people grabbing a really good feed, as friends.”

I looked up then, meeting his eyes, but this time it wasn’t the strange colour that had me transfixed. There was a warmth there, one that drew me closer, had me nodding, right as my focus dropped down. He hadn’t shaved this morning, maybe not for a few days. His full lips provided stark contrast to the coppery stubble around them. Would that scratch at my skin if I kissed him? Suddenly, I really wanted to know the answer to that question. New year, new me, that’s what I’d promised the night of New Year’s Eve, so that’s who I’d be. Maybe I could be the girl who could go and grab a burger with a really hot guy and not make it into a big deal.

“Um… yeah,” I replied, then snorted at my inadequate reply. “That would be amazing.” His big grin had my lips twitching in response. “I should get changed first, though.”

“No need.” He stepped back, and did those eyes sweep me from head to toe and then smile like he was really happy with what he saw? “The place is pretty casual. Do you know the address?”

I worked it out,gripping the steering wheel tightly all the way over to the burger place. Part of me expected Rhys to not even be there when I arrived, but as I pulled up just down from the burger place, I caught sight of him standing on the curb, staring into each car as it went by. I smiled for a second, the dog metaphor unable to be avoided, but if that’s what he was, he went into alert mode when he saw me. Perfectly still for just a second, then running over to my door and opening it for me before I had a chance to do it myself.

“Milady.” I looked around in alarm as he swept me a bow while standing on the street, but there were few cars around this time of night. “Ready to eat the best double cheeseburger with extra cheese known to man?”

“That sounds like a heart attack ready to happen.” His grin didn’t dim for a second. “So, obviously the answer is yes.”

“Well, come this way.”

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