Page 15 of Quake
“No,” I replied. “Not usually. I train a couple of boxers looking to go pro, but I don’t usually take on any other people.”
“You’re a boxer?” she asked, beginning to open up to me.
“Was,” I said with a shrug. “So… When are you free? I assume you’re going to say yes.”
The hint of a smile ghosted across her pink lips. “I don’t know.”
Glancing away, she looked outside, her expression hardening once more. Following her gaze, all I saw was the darkening street outside.
She was still hesitating. Turning to the notice board, I picked up the pencil that was tied to the frame with a bit of string and tore a sliver of paper from one of the posters. She watched me closely as I scrawled down my mobile number, my personal one, and her brow creased in confusion.
“Here,” I said, offering it to her. “Take my number. If you change your mind, just give me a call. Or a text. Whatever. Anytime.”
Juliette took the paper from my fingers and stared at it. Knowing the conversation had turned into uncomfortable waters, I backed away, leaving her be.
She took the opportunity to gather her bag and scurry away, trying her best to get away as fast as possible. Had I scared her off already?Fuck.
I could tell myself it was about helping her all I liked, but it wouldn’t erase the fact that the more I thought about her, the more interested I became. It was a fine line between being chivalrous and something else entirely. If I was going to do this, then I had to walk the talk I’d given Tommy.
Hands off.
7
Juliette
After two weeksof self-defense classes, it was clear I sucked. I sucked so hard, it forced someone to approach me for personal training, and not with just anyone, but with Caleb.
I must be a special case if he never took on outside clients. It only made me feel worse about my lack of coordination. Mel had been the sporty one. She was the surfer chick with the toned abs, and I was the twin with the flabby thighs and a book in her hand. Mel would be all over this, complete with an elbow in my guts to push me out of the way.
Sitting at my desk in the Slattery Press offices, I stared at the piece of paper with Caleb’s number on it, my to-do list for the day completely forgotten. In my other hand sat my phone, my thumb poised.
Why the hell did I clam up and stutter like a fool every time I stepped into Beat? What was it about the place that had me quivering and afraid to open my mouth? I wasn’t like that at work. I was a different person entirely here. Maybe it had something to do with facing my inner demons or something.
I jumped when I saw Hayley hovering in my peripheral vision.
“Jules…” she began, eyeing me suspiciously.
I turned off my phone and stared at her. “What?”
Her lips curled into a wicked smile. “Okay, you held out on us the other week. Now I know someone’s got you all hot and bothered.”
“I don’t know what—”
“Did you get his number?” Dom asked, appearing out of thin air and picking up the piece of paper Caleb gave me last night.
Flailing miserably, I attempted to snatch it back. “It’s not like that,” I complained.
“Then what’s it like?”
“Give it back!” I swiped the paper from his hand and shoved it into my pocket. “I’ve got to go out for Jade in a minute, and I don’t want to leave you unattended with a poor guy’s number.”
“So it is a guy’s number!” Hayley squealed in delight. “Who is he? Where’d you meet him? What’s he look like?Spill.”
“It’s not like that,” I said again. “I’ve been going to self-defense classes, and he asked me if I wanted personal training.It’s not like that.” Even as I said the last part, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed. It would be nice if a guy paid that much attention to me and didn’t want money at the end of it. Great, now I was comparing personal training to another kind of gymnastics. Caleb wasn’t a gigolo.
Dom snorted. “Well, he’s obviously hot. I say call him.”
“I can’t call him,” I wailed.
