Love Left Behind (7 page)

"Well, thanks for
the free membership. Really." I then sighed. "Let the torture session
begin."

Jackson laughed at the
dour expression on my face. "Don't worry. We'll take this nice and slow.
First, we'll just do some stretches."

Jackson guided my legs
apart and I tried not to blush when his hands touched my thighs. He seemed
determined to take a hands-on approach with the stretches, instead of just
demonstrating them for me.

"Now just lean
down to your right side and let gravity do the stretching for you."

He put one hand on my
waist and put the other on my arm, gently guiding me down so that I was bending
sideways to my right. It felt as though there was electricity running through
his fingertips as he touched me, my body tightening with awareness.

"Okay, now the
other side."

Jackson continued using
his hands to show me how to stretch. It was one of the most excruciating
fifteen minutes of my life. He seemed unaffected as his hands glided over me,
pulling me into different positions. Some of them were so suggestive that I was
starting to feel lightheaded.

"Okay, last
stretch."

Jackson had me sit on
the mat and spread my legs apart. He kneeled in between my legs, pushing them
out with his hands to stretch my inner thigh muscles. I thought I was going to
scream in pent up sexual frustration when I noticed that he was breathing
heavily, each inhale and exhale sounding more and more strained. I glanced up
at his face and saw that his eyes had darkened into a mossy green. Jackson gave
me a half-grin as he released my legs.

"Let's try some
laps on the treadmill." His voice sounded husky and rough.

I released the breath I
hadn't realized I had been holding and nodded my head. "That's a good
idea. And I know what to do on a treadmill," I said with a wry smile.
"You don't need to show me with your hands how to run. I know how to put
one leg in front of the other."

Jackson burst out
laughing. "Duly noted."

He grabbed my bag and
led me to a treadmill, punching the keypad to start the machine.

"How old are
you?"

"Twenty-five."
I watched Jackson input my age into the control panel of the treadmill.

"How much do you
weigh?"

"Nuh uh," I
said emphatically, shaking my head. "There is no way I'm telling you my
weight."

"Girls and their
weight," Jackson said with a quizzical look. "I'll never understand
it. It's just a number."

"Yeah, a number
that you're not privy to," I replied sardonically.

"You win,"
Jackson relented with a cocked eyebrow. "Just input your weight and choose
interval session for twenty minutes. We'll just have you walk today to loosen
up your muscles. I'll be right back. I'm just going to drop your bag in my
office for safekeeping."

I nodded and waited for
him to walk away before entering my weight. Men just didn't understand.

I looked around as I
walked. The gym was pretty full and I couldn't help but notice that almost all
of the people were in fantastic shape. I didn't understand it. The few times I
had stepped inside a gym, it was inevitable that everyone inside was already
fit. Where did the regular people go, before they were able to wear spandex
ensembles with pride? Did they keep them in some dark hidden room of the gym
until they were presentable enough to be unleashed into the main facility?

My thoughts were
interrupted as I watched Jackson striding back towards me. I felt a delicious
curl of anticipation tighten inside me. There was no mistaking it. Jackson was
attracted to me. I was contemplating my first fling with relish when I saw a
woman stop Jackson. She was talking animatedly and laughing. She was also drop
dead gorgeous in skintight spandex and rock hard abs. I started thinking about
my own soft middle and wanted to cringe, but I stopped myself before I let my
thoughts get too wayward. I needed to stop comparing myself to other women. I
may not be in the best shape, but I wasn't a sack of potatoes either. Men,
including Jackson, would accept me as I was or I would find someone else who
appreciated me.

I patted myself on the
back, but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as the woman led
Jackson over to a curling machine, putting her hand on his arm while they
talked and laughed loudly. Jackson seemed engaged in the conversation,
apparently explaining something on the machine and then making some adjustments
to it.

He looked over at me
and I quickly glanced away, kicking myself for being caught gawking at him. I
concentrated on walking on the treadmill until I felt his presence beside me,
but I didn't turn towards him.

"How are you
doing?"

"Good." I
glanced at him through the corner of my eye. "I guess Claire was right.
You're pretty high in demand."

Jackson laughed.
"That's one of my clients. One of my
married
clients."

I shrugged as if I
didn't have a care in the world. "Doesn't matter to me." But I
realized it did matter. I rationalized that while I wanted a fling, I didn't
want a fling with a man who was flinging every other woman.

"If you say
so," Jackson said casually. He watched me finish my twenty minutes on the
treadmill without comment.

"Is that it?"
I asked hopefully as I stepped off the machine.

"My training
skills haven't even been on display yet," Jackson replied. "I'll just
take you through a few muscle strengthening machines and then we can go to
dinner."

"Where are we
going for dinner?" I asked, accepting the cup of water Jackson offered and
draining it. I held my breath as Jackson took a towel and gently dabbed my face
with it. I had hardly perspired during my walk, but I didn't protest. His
gesture seemed intimate and seductive.

"It's a
surprise."

"Okay," I
said, willing to play along. "It just can't be anywhere too nice since I'm
not really dressed for it."

"You're dressed
perfectly."

Jackson showed me how
to use a few machines and had me go through a few reps. The last one was a leg
extension machine and as I struggled to pull up the weight, I realized how weak
I was. Maybe it really was a good idea to start working out regularly,
especially since I now had a gym membership.

I strained to complete
the last two reps, closing my eyes and unable to suppress a soft moan due to
the exertion of trying to extend my legs with the weight.

"Stop."

I opened my eyes and
breathed out, looking at Jackson. I was more than happy to stop, but Jackson
was looking at me funny. "Are you okay?"

Jackson grinned
self-deprecatingly. "Not if I have to keep hearing you make those sounds.
They sound way too close to other sounds I imagine you making."

"Jackson!" I
squealed, appalled at his comment, yet feeling pleasure by my ability to turn
him on.

Jackson winked at me.
"It's definitely time for dinner."

I got up from the
machine and winced as my legs protested against the sudden movement. I really
was out of shape. I reached down and massaged my thighs, trying to relieve some
of the ache. "Let me just freshen up. Can I get my bag from your
office?"

Jackson didn't answer
me as he watched me rub my thighs. I stopped mid-rub as I caught the look in his
eyes. "Jackson?" My voice sounded way more breathy than I wanted it
to.

Jackson shook his head
as if he was mentally clearing it and looked up at my face. "Sure, follow
me."

We walked to an area
where there were a cluster of doors and Jackson opened one, waiting for me to
step inside first and then closing the door behind him. I waited for him to get
my bag, but he just stood there, watching me.

I cleared my throat.
"Are you trying to make me nervous?"

Jackson shook his head.
"Why? Am I making you nervous?"

I laughed faintly.
"A little."

"Why's that?"

"Because...because
you're looking at me like you're going to swallow me whole."

My breath caught as a
dazzling wide smile stretched across Jackson's face.

"You didn't tell
me you could read minds."

"Jackson-"

Whatever I was going to
say was cut off as Jackson pulled me towards him until my body was pressed
against his. He leaned down, his lips hovering over mine.

"Do you know how
turned on I was watching you stretch, feeling your body straining beneath my
hands?"

I shook my head, my
ability to speak having disappeared.

"Do you know how
beautiful you are?"

Jackson didn't wait for
an answer as his lips met mine, gently coaxing and grazing my mouth. I wrapped
my arms around his neck, reaching up as I balanced myself on the tips of my
toes to increase the pressure of the kiss. Jackson grunted in approval as he
kissed me harder, his lips more demanding as he traced the seam of my closed
lips with his tongue. My mouth opened automatically at his silent request and I
felt myself drowning in desire as his tongue invaded my mouth, tangling with
mine as the intensity of our kiss increased.

Jackson reached up with
one hand, grasping my ponytail and anchoring my head so that I was helpless
against the onslaught of his mouth. Not that I wanted to protest. The thought
of breaking contact didn't even cross my mind as I eagerly matched his passion.

Jackson was the one who
finally broke the kiss, his harsh breathing showing how much he had been
affected by the kiss.

"Jesus," he said
with a hint of amusement in his voice. "You don't need any training
lessons in kissing."

I laughed as I leaned
back so that I could look at him. "I think we should go to dinner before
we scandalize the gym patrons."

Jackson quirked his
mouth. "The walls are so thin here, it's not exactly the best place for
privacy."

Jackson walked over to
his desk and opened a drawer, pulling out my bag.

"Bathroom's right
down the hall. I'll wait for you in the lobby."

I gave Jackson a quick
smile. "Okay."

"Don't take too
long." Jackson gave me a slight tap on my bottom and I gave him a look of
censure. I couldn't help laughing when he just shrugged his shoulders with a
grin.

I had slipped on my
black skirt and was freshening up my makeup when Allison walked into the bathroom.

"Hi!" she
said cheerily when she saw me. "How was your training session?"

"Good!" I
said, flushing a little. "Great, actually. I'm looking forward to working
out here."

"I'm sure you
are," she replied with a wink. "I knew something more than a training
session was going on when Jackson had me clear his schedule for tonight."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he said he
wasn't sure what time his new client was coming in so he wanted to make sure he
was available. Of course, that's not normal protocol for a client so I was able
to weasel out of Jackson that it was actually a date."

I felt a flood of
pleasure at her words. The fact that Jackson thought I was important enough to
clear his schedule was flattering. Then I frowned as I thought it through.

"I hope he doesn't
get in trouble," I said, worried. "I'm sure it's not looked highly
upon to clear your schedule for just one person. Especially for someone who's
not even paying for a training session."

"Oh, don't worry
about it," Allison said airily as she leaned closer to the mirror to
reapply lipstick. "Jackson is such a popular trainer that he brings hordes
of clients in. The owner's just happy to have him on staff."

"I guess that's
okay then." I was relieved because I didn't want to cause Jackson any
grief in his job. I knew that he was a struggling actor and this was probably
his main source of income.

"See you
later," I said, packing up my things and heading out of the bathroom.

"Have fun!"
Allison said enthusiastically, not looking at me as she concentrated on applying
mascara.

I couldn't help feeling
a tingle of excitement when I saw Jackson waiting for me in the lobby. He had
changed into jeans and a blue button-down shirt that was untucked and cuffed at
the sleeves. He looked casual and delicious, and it thrilled me to no end that
this hunk of a man was waiting for me.

Jackson grinned as he
caught sight of me. He reached down and rubbed the fabric of my sheer skirt
between his fingertips.

"I like
this."

"Thanks."

Jackson looked up and
smiled. "My imagination is getting the better of me."

I looked at him with
mock sternness. "Dinner, remember?"

"Oh, I
remember," he replied, letting go of my skirt and grabbing my hand.
"Let's go."

Chapter Four

"Wait a
second," I protested. "I thought we were going to a restaurant."

"Welcome to Chez
Reynard," Jackson said with a devilish grin.

We were standing
outside his apartment building as I struggled with whether it was a good idea
to go inside Jackson's apartment. As much as I was planning on having a fling
with him, I wasn't sure if I was ready for a one night stand considering the
only person I had ever slept with was Sean.

"I'm not sure this
is a good idea," I said hesitantly.

"I'm not a serial
killer, honest." Jackson held out his hands in supplication. "Just
ask Claire."

I rolled my eyes.
"That's not what I'm worried about."

"Concerned that
you can't keep your hands off me?" Jackson asked with a wolfish grin.

"No one can say
you don't have a healthy ego," I retorted, but I couldn't help smiling.
Jackson's playfulness was charming.

"Scout's honor
that I really just want to have dinner. I promise to cook you an amazing meal.
You can decide when the night ends."

"Well, okay,"
I relented, knowing that it had never been much of a debate. Regardless of my
reservations about going up to Jackson's apartment, I knew that I would
eventually agree. It was hard to resist him.