“It’s not your fault, sweetheart,” she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. “We’re wildly understaffed, and our detectives aren’t the most patient. I’ll ask you to reserve the two last hours of your time for paperwork, if it’s possible, to make sure you don’t go over it. I’ll also give you a few days off soon and put you on call to make up for the past overtime.”
I nod. “Sure. But, what do I do when I’m done with my paperwork?”
She lifts her eyes off her paper, narrowing her eyes.
“You can socialize. Go to the gym downstairs. Come gossip in my office. Whatever you want, actually. And maybe, we can talk again soon about a full time position?” I wince, turning my eyes away. “Not now. Got it.” She stands up. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be thrilled to count you among our team.”
And with that, she walks away, leaving me at my desk, with a little over an hour to go and no more paperwork to do. Matthew is out following a lead, and he’s the only one I actually befriended so far. I haven’t taken the time to exercise in a few weeks, maybe it would be a good thing…
And I do have a little bag of fitness clothes in my locker from the last time I said I was going to use the Gym but didn’t because I didn’t have the time…
That was a cataclysmic mistake.
The worst idea of my life.
I’m frozen on the threshold of the gym, my bottle of water and towel clutched against my chest, questioning my life choices.
Because facing me, holding each other really inappropriately on a workout bench, are Raphael and Meredith. Both glaring at me. Both looking like they werenotabout to use that bench the correct way.
The bookcase god fails me again.
“I—uh…” I take a step back, fully prepared to apologize and run away, when my back hits a wall.
“There you are, sweetheart. I thought we were meeting outside the locker rooms?”
I turn abruptly—another bad decision—and my face collides with his hard chest—or the wall previously mentioned.
Ouch.
“We—uh?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, checking for injuries. There’s none. “I’m—”
“Seeing that the workbench is currentlyoccupied, what do you think about yoga?”
What?“Yoga?”
He arches a brow, a playful smile pulling at his lips.
“I’ll get the mats.”
He pinches my waist and I jolt in surprise as he strides towards the back of the room, ignoring Raphael and Meredith throwing daggers at his back.
But that makes me move towards him until I reach his side, placing my towel and bottle on the floor next to the mirror. He unfolds the two mats with ease and places his hands on my hips from behind me.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look today?” My mouth opens only to close, the words stuck in my too dry throat. “I don’t think I have, which is a mistake on my part, because you look absolutely delicious.”
I’m being ushered to the side and pushed softly until my ass meets a metallic bench.
Nate kneels in front of me, and the only thing I’m apparently able to do is gape. No words. My head swirls a little.Fuck, no breathing either.I force my lungs to open and inhale sharply in a gasp, my hands grasping the edge of the bench as Nate unties my sneakers and takes them off my feet.
“No shoes on the mat, sweetheart.”
A weird sensation flutters in my lower stomach. “Don’t call me sweetheart,” I breathe out, my voice barely audible.
He tilts his head to the side in amusement. “You’re awfully difficult when it comes to nicknames. I’ll find a better one.” He stands up, giving me his hand, ignoring the heavy glances coming from the workbench a few feet away.
“Nicknames are stupid,” I mutter, but the butterflies in my stomach clearly say otherwise.
“I’ll make you change your mind.”
