Page 81 of Downforce

His smile widens. “No, but I’m a big fan.” He sticks out his hand, and I want to dismiss it and him.

Instead, I allow my media training to take over as I extend my hand, shaking his. “Always a pleasure to meet a fan.” I pause.

“Charles,” he supplies his name.

“Charles, a pleasure to meet you.”

“I was so happy when I heard you signed with Amato.”

“Long-term fan, I assume.”

He nods. “Since I was a little boy.” His eyes move to Annalise, who’s remained silent throughout this exchange. “Annalise said she didn’t know if you lived in this building when I asked.”

I turn my attention back to her. “You didn’t know?”

We both know she knew damn well.

Annalise answers with a shrug of her shoulders. “I hadn’t seen you,” her mouth says, but her tone sounds as if it’s begging to know why I’m here now.

“Here I am, in the flesh.” I hold out my arms, making myself available for assessment. It doesn’t escape me when she tucks her bottom lip in between her teeth before averting her gaze.

A small pearl of sweat clings to a strand of her hair at her temple. It reminds me that she’s in the middle of a workout. I should be gentleman enough to get out of her way, to allow her to complete her session with her trainer.

But that would require me putting space between us and allowing Charles to step in again. My body refuses to budge.

“Did you need to use the squat rack?” Charles asks. “We’re almost finished.”

Annalise darts a gaze over his way as if she preferred he hadn’t shared that information.

“I can wait,” I say, reluctantly stepping back. “The last thing I want to do is interrupt.” The lie comes out smoothly.

Annalise eyes me suspiciously but then turns to the barbell.

In order not to look like a creep, I move across the weight section and begin with my warmup. All the while, I keep an eye on Annalise and Charles.

The urge to pull him away from her when they move from the squat rack over to the mats, and he puts his hands on her to aid in stretching her out, overwhelms me.

Before I can gather my restraint, I’m walking over in their direction.

“I’ll see you next week,” Charles is saying to Annalise. He looks behind her and waves at me. “So good to meet you, Max. Good luck in Canada and the rest of the season.”

He’s a fan, I tell myself in order to calm the images of his hands touching Annalise in my mind.

At this, Annalise turns to me, eyes wide, surprised.

“What are you …” She doesn’t finish the question because she’s too taken by surprise as I lightly grip her arm and lead her out of the main weight room into a smaller room of the gym used for private classes. The room is empty.

“Max, why did you bring me in here?” she hisses.

“For this,” I say. Throwing my hands against the wall behind her, I press my body into hers before crashing my lips down onto hers.

The moment our mouths connect, all of the air leaves my body. Her lips are as soft as I remember and the tiny sigh she emits is as enthralling as the sigh she let out in Miami. I allow my body to relax into hers as I savor her.

Her naturally sweet taste has mixed with the saltiness of the sweat from her workout, creating a unique flavor that I want more of. But when I press her back farther into the wall, Annalise breaks the kiss.

“What are you doing?” Her gaze darts to the still open door, even though we’re alone in this room. She moves her hands to my shoulders but doesn’t push me away.

“Isn’t it obvious?”