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“Always so spicy.”
Why hadn’t he let her waist go? Fire burned from his fingers through her thin T-shirt and into her skin. His blue eyes lured her in, and she felt herself swaying toward him. She needed water, a protein shake, and a taste of his lips.
He leaned down, and those eyes became all-consuming.
“Hands off my top trainer, prince among men,” her boss and fellow competitor, Jason, teased as he walked past.
Derek chuckled. The two men were close friends. Jason and his wife Presley owned the gym, and she adored both of them.
Derek sadly did release her, took a step back, and inclined his head to Jason’s retreating form. “Jason, Presley, and I are going to grab some food. My treat. Can you come?” His eyes pleaded with her to say yes.
“No.” She shook her head quickly, wiping her face with a hand towel to avoid the quick flash of disappointment in his eyes. He’d school it quickly. He always did. How many times had she told him no—to lunch and dinner invites and a huge variety of fun date offers?
Free food she could use, but spending more time with Derek? Not a good idea. She saw his handsome face and fit body six days a week. It was too much for her. The intense crush she’d initially had on him had morphed into friendship and a deep-seated desire for more than friendship.
Luckily, she knew her place and responsibilities in the world. She needed to run the five miles home before it got dark, and if it was a bad day, make sure her mom ate and took her medications. MS was slowly robbing her mom of her physical functions and eventually would impair her mentally as well. The symptoms came and went, so some days her mom could fix dinner, do laundry, and even clean a bit. Other days she didn’t get out of bed and her sister Elise had to run over and help her get breakfast and lunch, but Aunt Elise worked from five to midnight most days at the nearby Denny’s.
“I’ll walk you out,” she offered.
“Very gallant of you,” he teased, a twinkle in his eyes.
“I’ve learned from the best, being constantly surrounded by royalty.”
He chuckled. “Don’t let the prince title fool you. I’m just a regular Joe.”
“Not with that accent, you’re not.”
“I hate to reveal this to you, but everyone in my country shares this appealing accent. My voice is actually considered ugly back home.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. His deep voice and luscious accent were always so appealing. Her pulse sped up from him walking up to her at the gym and saying something as simple as, ‘Are you finished with the cable machine?’ Add that special way he looked at her with those gorgeous blue eyes of his and she was in danger of falling for him and saying yes to one of the many invites he issued every day.
The other females at the gym thought she was playing hard to get. If they only knew she was impossible to ‘get.’ She didn’t trust men or relationships, and even if she did, taking care of her mom, staying afloat financially, and winning the million-dollar prize money was her life’s focus.
Maybe after she won… which was a pipe dream anyway…
No. She couldn’t think like that. Taking it one day at a time was more than enough. Dreams of dating the Ninja Prince would sidetrack her and rob her of her focus and her sanity.
Ellery pivoted and walked toward the front entry. Derek stayed by her side, waving goodbye to fans and friends alike. He was so friendly. Did anyone else know he had two Augustine security guards who were his constant shadows, as per his brother General Raymond August’s instructions?
Derek had shared a lot of his princely life with her, even the loss of his ‘mum.’ She’d shared very little besides her mom had MS. He didn’t know her dad had left shortly after her mom’s diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Ellery had been eight. He had a new family now, somewhere in Ohio. She usually received a phone call that she tolerated after she won a televised event. Only when she won, though. She wasn’t good enough for a call if she failed. Apparently her half-sister Chelsea was a fan. She’d never met the twelve-year-old girl, or been invited to visit her dad and his family. When she was younger and had naively asked if she could come see him, he’d gotten uncomfortable and said it would be too hard on his wife. Maybe he’d learned something over the years, as leaving his first wife as a single mom with no skills or income and a debilitating chronic illness hadn’t seemed too hard on him.
Nobody, especially not Derek, knew the pressure she felt to provide, the wish to be loved even when she failed, or the stress that knotted her gut.
Grabbing two water bottles from the fridge behind the receptionist's desk, Derek handed her one.
“Thank you.” She took a long swallow.
“Anything for you, milady,” he said, his blue eyes piercing and saying he meant it—he’d do anything for her.
Would he kiss her? Her entire body heated at the thought. Good heavens. She didn’t accept ‘anything’ offers from any man. Even if he was a prince. She knew if she asked, he’d help her financially. It was just the type of guy he was. Wealthy didn’t begin to describe the prince’s financial portfolio. Not only was his family insanely wealthy, but he had endorsements and sponsors and she’d heard YouTube alone had paid him half a million last year. No wonder he donated his championship winnings to charity.
No way, no how was she asking any man for financial help. She had ‘daddy issues’ nobody could understand. She and Pastor Miles tried to work through them on occasion. To date, it hadn’t been very effective. More faith would certainly help.
All she knew was she wasn’t trusting her future to any man, no matter the connection she felt to him or how perfect Prince Derek seemed to her. She’d tortured herself with home videos and pictures from her parents’ ten years of marriage. Her dad had appeared to be a perfect gentleman and committed husband. Until he’d left because her mom’s body had failed her.
“Bye, Prince Derek.” Alecia rushed back to her station at the front desk with a stack of clean hand towels in hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She blinked prettily at him, hope and desire oozing from her tone.
“Good evening.” Derek inclined his head to Alecia and then held the door for Ellery. They walked out into a warm summer evening. She’d be sweating even more running in the heat and humidity than she had been from Derek’s words and look.
