Page 30 of Outspoken

My genuine, flirty grin slips through and she wets her bottom lip, glancing at my mouth. Butterflies cycle through my stomach. This is a dangerous game I’m playing.Well, she’s playing it, too.

“Dork,” she says under her breath.

I never knew such a simple word could set my heart on fire.

Someone steps on the treadmill on the other side of Amber's, snapping us from our bubble.

“We’ll start light today,” I say, stopping my treadmill and moving to help with hers. “Since you’re abusing the free session, I’ll teach you a simple workout you can do at home with hand weights or just body weight.”

Her fingers lightly caress my arm. “Thanks, Miguel. I appreciate this.”

I glance at the spot where our bodies are connected. The way she says my name is too enticing.

Friendly. Professional. Play it cool.

“Over here,” I say, leading her to the large blue mat near the free weights.

For the next forty minutes, we go through a simple home workout. I try to focus on her form and help her make adjustments, but when we get into squats, it takes every drop of my willpower not to admire her ass as it moves and flexes in those tight, black leggings.

Near the end of our session, she grabs a two-pound weight and does a few bicep curls. “I don’t think I have the right form. Like this?”

I watch her arm. “Looks perfect.”

“Are you sure? Come check. I need to get all I can out of this session.” She tries to hide it, but I catch her brief, inviting half-smile as I step closer.

She wants to play it like this, huh?

I touch her shoulder, using my other hand to cup her fingers curled around the weight. “Like this,” I say, guiding her arm up, then down. Up and then down.

“Mmm, okay. And what was that other one? Chest press?”

“Yeah.”

As soon as I step behind her, she moves her feet together, and Iknowshe knows to have a wider stance and soft knees.

Using my leg, I widen her stance, scanning the gym to make sure no one is watching a personal trainer gettoopersonal with a client. Thankfully, this corner of the gym is fairly empty. She holds the weights in front of her, then I guide her arms up until they’re shoulder level.

She closes her stance again and leans back, her body heat searing me and testing my restraint. “Show me again,” she says. “I don’t think I get it.”

Instead of responding to her request, I lean closer to whisper in her ear, “I think you get it.”

Inhaling her floral perfume, my hands inch up her shoulders. Her breath is heavy, moving the soft curves of her chest. If only we weren’t in public…

She presses fully against me, her ass teasing my groin. “Is our session over, or do I get more?”

“Do you want more?”

She lowers her voice to a seductive, breathy level. “You said I could use you as much as I want.”

My pulse is out of control. I brush the loose strands of soft blonde hair from her glistening shoulder, opening my mouth to say somethingwaytoo suggestive.

Someone clears their throat loudly behind us. I bolt from Amber and turn to see Larry, an amused coworker who works at the front desk.

“Manager is walking the floor,” he says, giving me a knowing nod.

“Thanks, man.”

When I glance back at Amber, she has distanced herself from me—her body rigid and her face pale. She returns the weights to their stand.

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