AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You new in town?” a male voice asked from behind me. Turning, I glanced over my shoulder to see a guy maybe a couple years older than me—twenty-four or so—sitting on his bike, ready to work out.
“Good morning,” I said, putting my drink in the holder and draping my towel over the handlebars. “Born and raised in Hamilton.”
He lifted his brow. “Really?”
“Yep. You?”
“Moved here about six months ago when my then-fiancée decided she wanted to live in the mountains.”
“Then-fiancée? What happened?”
He laughed. “She hated it, I loved it. She moved back to New York, and I stayed here.”
“Wow. I’m sorry things didn’t work out with you guys.”
Flashing me a dead-sexy grin, he winked. “I’m not.”
The smile and the wink were nice, but they didn’t make my insides want to melt like butter on a hot roll. I politely offered my hand. “Morgan Shaw.”
His handshake was firm yet not tight to the point where he was trying to prove he was the more dominant one. “Pete Bennet.”
“Nice to meet you, Pete Bennet.”
“The same goes for you, Morgan Shaw.”
I smiled at him before I turned to climb onto my bike. I glanced over at Ryan, and he looked away when our eyes met. Katie was going on and on about something, but it didn’t appear Ryan was paying attention to a damn thing she said.
“Okay, class! Let’s get ready to move those bodies! And if you’re new, I don’t do well with complainers!” the animated instructor announced.
An hour later, I slid off my bike and nearly fell to the ground. Good ol’ Pete was right there to lend a helping hand.
“Wow, I take it you haven’t been to a spin class in a while.”
“What gave it away? Me in dead last on the board, or my wobbly legs?”
Pete laughed. “Both.”
“Thanks, I’m good now,” I said as I looked down at where his hand was still on my arm.
He quickly pulled away. “Right, sorry.”
“No worries.”
Pete was about to say something else when Ryan walked up. “How’d you like the class?”
Turning my attention to the handsome man I’d been lusting over for years, I grinned. “It was great. But I’m afraid I haven’t got my bike legs steady just yet.”
Ryan laughed, and I wanted to close my eyes and memorize the sound. “Need help?”
Pete, nice guy that he was, stepped between me and Ryan. “I’ve got this.”
When Ryan raised a single brow, I almost started to laugh. “You’ve got what?” he asked.
Pete looked confused.
“Thank you, Pete,” I said, “but I actually know him, so you don’t have to hang around.”
Pete looked surprised that I’d told him to leave. “You…know him?”
I nodded.
Looking back at Ryan, Pete scowled before focusing back on me and smiling. “Okay, well…if you’re sure you’re alright.”
Crossing my heart, I held up two fingers. “Swear, I’m fine. Thank you, though.”
He smiled again and gave me a bob of his head before he turned and headed out of the room.
Ryan watched him leave, then looked back at me. “Do you need help?”
Rolling my eyes, I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I think I’m fine now. I’m sure your friend Katie never has this problem.”
Oh. My. God. Where had that come from?
“Katie?” Ryan asked, seeming confused.
“Did you forget her name already?” I said with a smirk. He stared at me for a moment, and I hated that I sounded like a jealous idiot.
“She’s been coming here as long as I have.”
“Well, don’t let me hold you up from…um…from…anything.”
“Did you walk here?”
An obvious change of subject. “I did.”
“How about you let me give you a ride back to your place, and maybe next time you don’t come to the advanced class.”
My mouth fell open. “Is that why it was so freaking hard?”
Ryan laughed once again, and goodness, did it do things to my lady parts.
“Were you going to take a shower?” I asked.
“Nah,” he said, motioning for me to walk ahead of him.
With a shaky start, I soon got my legs working. “I think I’m okay now. Note to self: check the classes.”
“Offer’s still on the table if you’d like a ride back.”
I chewed on my lower lip for a moment before I shrugged. “Yeah, I think I’ll take you up on it.”
The corners of his mouth rose slightly, and we walked out of the spin classroom and through the gym. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but it felt like people were watching us leave together.
Shaking off the weird vibe, I waved goodbye to Sylvia with a promise that I’d be back tomorrow.
Ryan walked to the passenger side of his truck and opened the door. He held out his hand, and for a moment I wanted to ignore it—girl power and all—but knowing my legs were about to cramp up, I took his offer of help. Nothing wrong with accepting a little chivalry.
