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He moved closer to the edge of the foam pit and saw her slowly making her way towards the edge. Her breath was fast, but not particularly strained. Sweat barely beaded on her skin. Once again, he was amazed by this dynamic woman. She’d overcome things in her life that would have turned others into defeated wrecks. Even today, when she was obviously worn down and stressed, she created joy for others. He needed her in his life.
Jade’s eyes caught Ink’s for a brief moment and lit up with excitement. She was a temptation that would easily turn into addiction. It was no wonder Hannibal was already obsessed.
The moment passed, and her expression dimmed. The smile was still there but now held the rehearsed cheer reserved for customer service, not genuine joy. When she was close enough, he offered her a hand out of the pit. She grabbed it and he pulled her up next to him. Ink pressed his body against hers.
The surrounding crowd interrupted and pulled her away with questions and comments on the different tricks she had done. Her eyes tracked him as he moved away and settled himself out of the way against a wall. He could be patient.
This was her business, and he had to respect that. Just like she would have to respect, if she came to visit him unexpectedly at his shop, that he might have to finish up some things before giving her his full attention.
It took about five minutes before she broke away from her admiring fans. The crowd dispersed throughout the gym. Some stayed in the free run area she’d used. Others moved over to the obstacles and the mountain climbing area.
It was an interesting mix of people. The ages ranged from late teens to someone who looked like they were in their late 40s. He counted five other people wearing the gym’s polo, and he guessed they were her staff.
“This is a surprise.” Her smile was tight. Did she not want him here?
She had appeared to be happy to see him, but now he was questioning himself. “This is a pretty impressive setup you’ve got here.”
“You saw it the other night.”
“Yes, but I was a bit distracted,” he teased. “How you work the crowd is impressive. You can tell by the way your staff moves between the areas making sure everybody is being safe that they are well trained.”
She looked back over her shoulder, studying the room, and her smile grew real again. “It took a while. But my staff is great. All of them aren’t only good at what they do. They also love it.”
That sense of exhaustion seeped back into her body, and her shoulders slumped. What was weighing her down so badly that she couldn’t let go of it for more than a moment?
“What’s wrong, darlin? You look like you’ve had a hard day.”
“Is that a polite way of saying I look like shit?” Her joke fell flat.
Ink ran his gaze up and down her body, letting her see his admiration and desire in his eyes. “No. Still looking as sweet as stolen honey. Doesn’t mean I can’t worry.”
A blush filled her cheeks. “I had a bad night that lasted far too long and bled into morning. Then I had to spend all day setting things in place to clean up the mess. Honestly, I really need to relax.”
Ink stepped closer and cupped her cheek. He ran his thumb along her cheek with a gentle sweep. “The pleasant woman at the front desk said you’re fully staffed tonight. How about you cut out early and let me take you for a ride?”
She gave a small shake of her head, but then seemed to reconsider. “You know what? That sounds like an amazing idea.” Mischief lit her eyes. “Is that an offer to ride on the back of your bike or something else?”
Ink chuckled, loving how even when stressed she didn’t lose her playful spirit. “It sure is.” He teased back, leaving the choice of how to interpret his answer up to her. He would be happy to help her relax in any way she wanted.
Jade leaned into his touch. “Well, I’ve never actually been on the back of a bike.”
“Now that is a right shame.”
She hesitated for a moment, then stepped back. “Give me a minute to set everything up and get changed. I’ll meet you outside.”
* * *
The feeling of Jade behind him on the bike was surprisingly comfortable. In the past, he rarely let anyone ride with him. If someone they were with needed a ride, he left that to Hannibal.
The way she wrapped around him was wonderfully tight without being restrictive. He was glad she had agreed to go for a ride. Bringing her back to Hannibal and his house hadn’t been a plan, so much as an impulse. He wanted her to see the place they had created for themselves.
Like her gym, their house was important to the two of them. More so than even the shop since they had designed it from the ground up. The purchase of the land had been the first thing he did once they knew they were staying.
A few years ago, something had settled inside his soul. The success of the business and the amount of money in his account hadn’t been as satisfying as the first time he slept in the house that they owned. He glanced back to catch Jade’s reaction as they pulled up the driveway. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the shock on her face. He pulled up near the walkway and parked.
“Wow, this place is nice.”
He helped her off the bike as she turned her head trying to take everything in. “Not what you were expecting, darlin?”
