Page 4 of Gym With Benefits

David answered the phone on the second ring. “You’d better be calling from the treadmill to tell me how much of a good influence I am!”

“Not yet. First, I need an emergency injection of positive reinforcement.”

David was a good friend, and he needed no other context. “Jess baby, you’re a fierce, gorgeous—no,smoking hot sexy—and capable woman who’s about to kick ass at the gym and become the best version of herself! Now get off the phone and go raise that heart rate!”

“Thanks!”

I held my head high and strode toward the gym entrance. My mood still had a dent as big as the one in my bumper, but I was ready to turn that all around. Some jerk-face in the parking lot couldn’t derail my new gym habit.

That dent in my mood disappeared the moment I walked inside.

I pushed open the heavy glass doors, the blast of cool, sweat-tinged air hitting my face like a wake-up call. My heart was already thudding from everything that happened in the parking lot, but it ramped up even higher thanks to my nerves. I’d never set foot in a place like this, with bodies grinding through reps and the metallic clang of weights echoing off mirrored walls.

But I hardly noticed any of that, because standing behind the check-in desk was the most boyishly-handsome guy I’d ever seen, and he was smiling at me like he’d been waiting his whole life for me to arrive.

“Welcome,” he said in a voice that matched the smile. “You must be Jess.”

3

Jess

I stared at him as if I were under a spell. Tousled dark hair fell over his forehead, and his piercing blue eyes remained locked onto me. Lean muscles shifted under his fitted black tank top with the Capitol Fitness logo over the heart. His name tag said Hunter. He leaned forward, easy confidence radiating from him, stirring something hot and unexpected low in my belly.

Wrinkles tightened at the corners of his eyes as he frowned. “YouareJess, right?” he asked in a voice that was smooth and warm, like honey poured over steel.

I gave myself a shake. “Jess. I mean, yes. I am Jess. I’m… she. How’d you know?”

I groaned internally. Nothing about today was going how I expected.

“The intake form you filled out,” he explained, as if everything was fine and Iwasn’tmaking a total ass out of myself. “You said you’d be coming in for a tour of the gym.”

“Yes! Right!” I said. “That’s why I’m here.”

He smiled like everything was fine and Iwasn’tmaking an ass of myself. “Perfect. My name’s Hunter. You can usually find mehere at the front desk or over at the bar. It’s ajuicebar, with coffee and some other snacks. Sorry, but no alcohol.”

Hunter chuckled, and I laughed with him.

“I just need you to sign this liability waiver before the tour. It’s all basic stuff, protecting us in case you trip on a machine and try to sue us.”

I couldn’t stop staring at the way his biceps flexed when he handed me the waiver. I imagined those strong hands gripping a barbell, or a towel.

Orme.

The thought flooded me with a rush of heat that had nothing to do with any potential workout.

“Okay, let’s get the tour started,” he said when I filled out the waiver. He started walking while talking to me over his shoulder. “Welcome to Capitol Fitness. We have four locations around the D.C. area, and your membership gives you access to all of them. Before we start, can I ask what you’re interested in here? Or what your fitness goals are?”

“Oh, it’s dumb,” I said with a nervous laugh.

Hunter slowly shook his head. “I’ve been working here three years, and I’ve heard it all. Trust me: there’s no dumb reason to come to the gym. But if you don’t want to share, that’s cool, too.”

“I have a wedding to go to in four months. I think. It’d be nice to lose a few pounds before that. I’ve kind of let myself go since college.”

Hunter stopped and pointed a finger at me. “I’m not really supposed to comment on customers’ bodies, but I’ll just say I wholeheartedly disagree with your assessment.”

Swoon. Shower me with compliments, Hunter.

“You’re probably required to make customers feel good about themselves,” I said.