Page 34 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
The fog clears after I take a long, cool shower, and when I come out, there’s a plate of breakfast on my desk. I pick at it a bit while I try to formulate a plan for the day. I don’t think I want to drink that tea again, so I’m back to square one. I really need to get my phone back.
I pace around the room. Stare out the window. When no great strategy comes to me, I venture out of the room.
A strange, rhythmic sound comes from somewhere downstairs.
I follow it until it leads me to the gym. The door is cracked open, and I peek inside to see Giorgio working on a punching bag.
My mouth goes dry as I take him in. I’ve never seen him in athletic clothes before. He’s wearing a pair of dark-navy joggers and a fitted black shirt that molds to his athletic build. As he moves around the bag and throws punches, his back muscles flex, highlighting his sculpted physique.
A quiet sigh escapes past my lips. God, he’s sexy. I could watch him move all day, and for a few minutes, that’s exactly what I do. He seems oblivious to me, so I get bolder with my gaze, letting it drift over his back and down to his butt.
Firm.
Round.
Probably as hard as a rock.
Images of him on top of me and my nails digging into that butt assault my imagination. Heat swirls between my legs. I’ve never felt this kind of an attraction to a man before.
It’s the hormones, remember?a weak voice says inside my head.
I clench my fists. Whatever it is, it’s making me lightheaded again.
With considerable struggle, I manage to tear my gaze away from Giorgio. I’m about to walk away when something else catches my attention.
In the corner of the gym stands one of those wooden jump boxes, and laying on top of it is a set of keys.
The haze of my inappropriate arousal parts to make way for excitement.
I’d bet my left arm those are Giorgio’s keys, and one of them leads to his office.
Suddenly, the punches cease. “Are you going to lurk in the doorway all day or are you finally here for our lessons?”
My attention snaps to Giorgio. He arches a brow in challenge and presses one gloved hand against the bag to keep it from swinging.
“Um…” I swallow, my mind still fixated on those keys. Given how crazy he is about security, I wouldn’t be surprised if he only takes them out of his pocket here and in his bedroom. What if training with him is the best chance I’ll have?
“Well?” He drops his arm from the bag and prowls toward me until he’s only inches away. I resist the urge to take one step back. He’s close enough for me to notice a single drop of sweat roll over his collarbone.
“I’ll go easy on you,” he says, the words rumbling inside his chest. When our eyes lock, he serves me one of his barely-there smirks. “At first.”
I drag my damp palms over my thighs. Should I do it? It’s the only semblance of a plan I have. I can’t rely on that tea to sleep. It makes me feel too weird.
Decision made, I let out a breath. “Okay. I’ll give it a try.”
Satisfaction flashes across his expression. “Good. Go get changed.”
“Right now?”
“You’ve already spent days humming and hawing. Let’s go,” he says roughly.
Looks like I need to brace myself for the worst. I get the distinct feeling Giorgio’s going to be a tough instructor. “All right. Give me ten minutes.”
“Five.”
I shoot him a glare, but he doesn’t notice, as he’s already walking back to the bag.
When I return in my gym clothes, he’s still throwing punches, so while I wait for him, I examine the gym a bit more closely.
