Page 21 of Love at First Rep

Not yet.

“That reminds me of those two guys we met in training,” Rafe said. “Remember? The ones who snuck into each other’s beds every night? They said they were conserving body heat, but that was hard to believe in the summer.”

Garrett chuckled. “Oh yeah! Uh… Jeremy and Robbie. I forgot about them.”

“Do you still talk to anyone from the unit?””

“Nah, we… we all drifted apart. I didn’t have as strong a relationship with anyone like I did with you.”

Warmth settled in Rafe’s gut as he remembered the cold nights when he and Garrett had to huddle together for heat. It was for survival, but Rafe always felt a bit safer in Garrett’s arms.

He glanced over at Garrett as they ran, watching his chiseled arms move with his tall, lean body. His feathery, blond hair blew in the wind. Garrett had always looked like sex on a stick, and Rafe wanted to get manhandled by him again.

Garrett had a few inches over Rafe, while Rafe had thicker muscles. But Garrett was strong enough to take control, exactly the way Rafe liked it.

“What’s Tobias Moyer like?” Rafe asked as he tried to refocus on running rather than ogling Garrett. “It must be cool to hang out with an NHL legend.”

Garrett scoffed. “Tobias is an enigma. He’s dating our new yoga instructor, Chase, and that’s been pulling him out of his shell a bit. He’s super introverted and shy so he comes across as a bit of a grump, but he’s really a softie underneath it all.”

“That’s hard to believe, but if there’s one person I trust, it’s you.”

Rafe felt Garrett’s eyes on him. When he turned, Garrett’s stare destroyed his defenses. Rafe wondered how much trust Garrett still had in him, if any. Although, Garrett must have some since he let Rafe into his life again so easily.

Okay, maybe not easily, but Garrett did let him in.

“I know you might not trust me completely yet, but I’m hoping we can get there again,” Rafe said as he jogged, his gaze bouncing between Garrett and the path they ran on.

A thousand emotions played on Garrett’s face, but Rafe caught the one he wanted.

Garrett had hope too.

“So, how often do you go to the gym?” Rafe asked, trying to bring the conversation to a lighter topic.

“Usually every morning except Sunday, when the gym is closed.”

“Sweet, so we’re going tomorrow?”

Garrett’s head snapped over to Rafe.

“You want to come to the gym with me?”

“Yeah, of course,” Rafe said. “Why wouldn’t I? I want to meet your friends.”

“Do you think it’s a good idea with everything going on?”

“I would never put you or your friends in danger. I’m just going to a gym to work out with my old buddy from the Navy. No big deal at all.”

“Except for the fact your Navy buddy thought you were dead this whole time,” Garrett snapped.

“Well, sure, but now that I’m not being hounded by the CIA, I’m not bound to anyone. No one but you.”

Garrett studied Rafe’s face for a moment and seemed to make peace with his words. Ruefully, anyway, but it was a start. And Rafe wouldn’t give up anytime soon.

9

GARRETT CURSED UNDER HIS breath as he and Rafe walked into the gym the following morning. His worlds were colliding and he wasn’t sure how to handle it.

Thankfully, getting his ass kicked by one of Tobias’ workouts always improved his mood. It was a good thing it wasn’t a yoga day, because Garrett desperately needed to take his frustration out on some weights.