Page 15 of Melted by a Man

Zaid laughed and shook his head at the ground.

“Your partner?” Taylor asked Zaid.

He nodded, scratching his beard and keeping up the conversation mid-jog without sounding winded, “As long as she’ll have me.”

I smiled at him, trying to ignore a small ache forming in my chest. It was odd, because I had no intention to settle down any time soon. I wasn’t even dating anyone. The last time I was with a person was right before I moved to this country, and even then, I wasn’t as into it as I had hoped to be.

Brown, scowling eyes behind gold thin-rimmed glasses filled my mind, and I shook my head once to get Jacqueline Williams out of it.

“One more!” Taylor called out, “Then we practice for our first game on Friday!”

Cheers echoed throughout the team, and I turned back around to try to focus on the workout. On the team, there were new friendships I hoped to gain. I wanted to think about almost anything else besides the small brunette who only looked at me with irritation and disdain.

* * *

The following morning,I flicked the kickstand open with my boot, parking my bike. I rolled my head on my shoulders, letting out a pained groan because my body was so stiff.

Taylor Desmond really pushed us yesterday. For a rec team, they took exercise seriously. I didn’t realize how out of shape I was until then. Thank god training was only twice a week.

I turned off my bike and grabbed my work bag before wincing off of the vehicle, standing tall and stretching my back and shoulders out.

“You, too?” I heard Signe ask from my side, and I turned to see her and Jacqueline walking toward the office building. Jacqueline gave us both a polite nod before continuing onward, but Signe approached me to walk into the building together.

“Is Zaid sore?” I asked.

Signe nodded, her bottom lip jutting out a little as she replied, “He had to take some ibuprofen this morning. He is feeling very humbled.”

“He and I both,” I grunted in agreement, hearing the doors open ahead. I resisted the urge to lift an eyebrow at the sight of Jacqueline propping one open with her foot for us.

“Thanks,” Signe smiled as I gestured for her to step through first. I turned to Jacqueline and reached above her head to hold the door open, so she could follow after Signe.

“After you,” I offered with a tilt of my head.

I glanced down at Jacqueline, which is how I saw that she blushed. It made me do a double-take.

It wasn’t a subtle double-take either. I looked like a cartoon, getting ready to keep up my small talk with Signe when my head jerked back at our Human Resources representative, to double-check that her cheeks truly were filling with a warm color. Her gaze was on my arm that hovered near her head as I held the door.

Jacqueline blinked once, then frowned and turned away from me to march forward.

I was left with a subtle whiff of her perfume, something floral and mouthwatering.

After I followed the women inside, hearing Signe press the call button for the lift, I glanced over my shoulder as I wondered what made Jacqueline’s cheeks turn that flattering shade.

Was it the leather jacket I wore? Was it my proximity?

Was it not related to me at all?

I stood behind the two women, the conversation lost on me as Signe chatted animatedly and Jacqueline politely listened.

I glanced down and stifled a groan.

Jacqueline was wearing another pencil skirt.

A khaki-colored thing with a pink blouse that complimented her warm skin tone.

It wasn’t inappropriate for the office, but as the doors to the lift opened and the women stepped inside, I indulged myself in the movement of Jacqueline’s arse moving under the form-fitting fabric. Allowing myself a few seconds to remember how my pale English hands looked against her California sun-kissed skin. Holding her hips just right for me. How I still wondered if she wore a cheeky swimsuit to keep up her tan, or if the tan lines I had seen all those months ago were faded now.

The women turned around, unaware of where my thoughts went. I forced those memories to the back of my mind while I pressed the button to send us to Sun Steer Technology’s floor.

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