“You okay?” I ask.
“Yeah.” She clears her throat, tugging down the sleeves of her jacket. “Long day.”
“I feel you. I helped Cooper attempt to break a colt today. It wasn’t pretty.” I turn for the step, motioning for her to follow me.
“Excuse me?” A soft gasp comes from behind me. “You can’t be on a horse, Parker. Dr. Whitaker hasn’t released you to be on the back of any animal.”
“Relax.” I peer at her scowl over my shoulder. “I only got bucked off once.”
Her eyes widen and I can’t help the laugh that bellows from my chest. She’s so serious. Such a rule follower. It’s fucking cute.
“Firefly,” I deadpan. “I didn’t get on a horse. I mean, I was there for moral support and to drive the truck if he needed the ER.”
Her eyes narrow. “That’s not funny.”
“It was kind of funny,” I tease, holding open the door for her. “You get all flushed when you’re mad.” As she walks by, I drop my head to be close to her ear. “You know what else that flush reminds me of?”
She stills, her breath hitching when I grin against the shell of her ear.
“There you are!” Ivy smiles, waving us into the kitchen. “Dinner is almost ready.”
I take off my hat and hang it on the rack as Laiken flashes me a look. One that is supposed to be a warning, but I see behind those baby blues. She remembers. And she misses it too.
Chapter twenty-nine
Laiken
“We’re going to incorporate some light weights. Just some dumbbells to really start testing your strength. It’s been two weeks. I think you’re ready.” I pick up the dumbbell, still avoiding looking directly at Parker.
I know he’s looking at me because I can feel his eyes burning a hole in the side of my face. The same as the last three days. I’ve been distant and he can feel it. But my run-in with Rhodes has me off-kilter. Especially knowing their history. I don’t want to lie to him, so I’ve just avoided him. Kept the sessions professional and ran the second it was over.
“Whatever you think.” Parker stretches his neck before he walks over to the living room.
My mom’s living room because my house is still currently torn to shreds. And thanks to Parker leaking that private information to my brother, I got an earful last night during dinner, along with a lecture on being moreopen.
“Let’s start with lateral raises,” I direct, handing him the weight.
His fingers brush against mine and I ignore the tingle. The same one that ricochets through my nervous system every time we have any sort of contact.
He gets into position, his arm lifting. I keep my eyes trained on the angle of his arm. The strain in his muscles. Things I should be noting as a hired professional. I don’t focus on the way his T-shirt rides up to show that delicious muscle that disappears beneath his waistband. A location I am familiar with. Orwas.I’m sure he’s different now. He’s not a teenage boy anymore. Which has my brow furrowing. He says he wasn’t with Tori. But he’s a man. A famous bull rider at that. There’s no way he’s been celibate for all these years. A nauseating feeling coats my stomach at the thought of how many women are nowfamiliarwith that part of him.
“You okay?”
His voice pulls me from my momentary spiral. I clear my throat, then force a smile. “Fine.” I motion with my hand. “Two more, then we will try to push press.”
He studies me but never breaks his movements. “I can see your mind reeling, Laiken.”
“Well, I’m a single mom, work a full-time job, and my house is a money pit. I have about a million things to deal with. So yeah, I’m typically reeling.”
I hate that I’m being snappy, but I’m in a mood again. I swear being around him is like going through menopause. The mood swings are unpredictable and the hot flashes embarrassing.
He drops his dumbbell on the carpet, then shoves his hands in his pockets.
“Will you let me take you somewhere?”
His question catches me off guard. We’ve breached nothing personal since the weekend. “That depends.” I tilt my head.
“On what?”
