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Had Sam told Brian about her? Probably not. Too soon for that. They’d only been seeing each other since Friday.
She froze in the middle of another uncounted set of biceps curls. Two days were nothing. Heck, even calling it “seeing each other since Friday” was a stretch. Two nights of sheet-scorching sex didn’t equal a relationship.
Her mature brain knew this. Maturity and sensibility had flown the coop when Sam had suggested they were a couple. She’d agreed faster than a schoolgirl being asked to go steady with the captain of the hockey team.
But nobody should be held accountable for things said while under the influence of sex pheromones. Especially not a twenty-eight-year-old man.
Coming here had been a mistake. She racked the weights, collected her things and crossed the gym, avoiding potential eye contact with Sam by feigning interest in anything and everything else between her and the changeroom. Once inside, she stuffed her gear into her bag and texted Sam.
Looking at your client’s fluffy white hair reminded me that I have an order of meringues to make, so I’m cutting my workout short and going to the bakery. The new club is incredible and you are not only the hottest personal trainer around, watching you work reminded me that you’re pretty amazing at your job. Thank you for the invite today, and for the very personal training you gave me last night. Yum!
He wouldn’t get the message until the end of his current training session. Possibly later, depending on his schedule. The fact that she knew next to nothing about his workload, or anything else in his day-to-day life, banged home the reality of their relationship—it was fledgling, at best. Temporary, most certainly.
She’d asked the universe to send her a hot lover and the universe had generously provided Sam. She’d gotten exactly what she wanted. If only she’d realized she truly wanted more before submitting her request…
Sam’s gaze pinged her awareness radar the moment she exited the changeroom. God, he was handsome. And young. Ugh.
Pointing to the phone in her hand, she gave a little wave while skirting the training zone. That ought to do it. She sent a second wave in Brian’s direction as she passed the front counter. Then she was safely out the door. Alone. And missing Sam’s presence already.
Chapter 6
SAM
“Just reviewing your roster.”Brian looked up from the computer, where he’d been scrolling and clicking for the past few minutes of their shared break between appointments. “Every single one of your clients has purchased additional blocks of personal training since their initial commitments. Multiple times for some of them. Forty percent are on monthly recurring renewal plans. That’s damn good.”
“They’ve had the best, now they’re hooked.”
Brian snorted while shaking his head. “That’ll teach me to pay you a compliment.”
“As long as you keep paying me,” he said, though he’d never once doubted otherwise. “On the subject of getting paid, have you given any thought to hiring another trainer? Retaining clients is awesome, but for Focus to sustain its current income stream and ideally, increase revenue, we need to continually add new members. That’s impossible to do in a personal training studio where all the trainers are currently booked to the max.”
“You’re right.”
“No surprise there.”
Another grunt. “Seriously, though. If you’ve got some time to do your human-calculator thing with Focus’s numbers, I’d really appreciate your input. The club has exploded beyond anything I hoped and I want to make the most of its potential, but I sure as hell don’t want to overextend and lose everything we’ve already built.”
“Of course. Rain Man at your disposal.”
Laughing, Brian reached over the counter, clasped Sam’s hand in the buddy shake they’d created over the past couple of years. “Thanks.”
“Check with Cassie, because I’m sure you’ll want her there when we review all the numbers. Let me know when you’ve got some time available after the club’s closed some night and we’ll make it happen.”
“Will do.” Brian nodded. “You’re the best.”
“Like I said.”
Another laugh and head shake from his best friend. “Your massive ego just reminded me that I want to talk to you about Frances McKenna.”
“What about her, did she come in to say I’m the best too?”
“Jesus, you never stop. No, she hasn’t said anything about you. And before I consider calling her, I need to know whether it’s going to stay that way, or if you’re planning to add her to your little black book.”
“I’m not.” Which is why he’d left her card on the desk, instead of tucking it in his wallet. “Why would you call her?”
“Because even before you mentioned hiring another trainer, I’d been mulling over the idea of adding to our staff. Not with a personal trainer though. I’ve been thinking about how to make the best use of that empty room at the back. Subletting the space would pull in guaranteed rent every month and it’s a good size for a treatment room. Initially, I was thinking massage therapist. But a physiotherapist would be more in line with our work. Makes better business sense to bring in a practitioner whose clients are more likely to be converted to our clients.”
“Good thinking. But, so you know, I didn’t leave that card on the desk as an endorsement. I don’t know anything about Frances McKenna, aside from the fact that she’s Marguerite’s granddaughter.” And single. Which was irrelevant.
