“Aw, she’s just looking out for me, isn’t that right, sweetheart?” Beau said, mischief sparkling in those deep brown eyes as he bent his head towards her and waited. Taylor looked around awkwardly. What is he doing?Then it dawned on her and she tilted her head reluctantly and he pressed a very quick, uncomfortable kiss to her cheek. She had already forgotten what they were supposed to be doing.
“Yes!” she shouted, feeling so awkward she wasn’t able to control the volume of her voice. “I needed to make sure you weren’t all over my…my man,” she said unconvincingly and uneasily patted his shoulder.
“Are you a couple then?” Pink Streaks asked, and every pair of eyes in the entire gym swiveled to Taylor, silence echoing so loud you could have heard a pin drop.
“Yep, all loved up now,” Beau replied enthusiastically and put an arm around her, pulling her into his body so her face ended up caught between his chest and armpit.God, even his sweat smells sexy, for fuck’s sake!She elbowed her way free before she ended up burying her face in him and licking his damp, salty skin.
Ruby eyed her sharply and raised a suspicious eyebrow that said she definitely would have questions later.
“Come on, we need to get going,” she said to Ruby, needing to get away from all those unfriendly eyes staring at her like she wasn’t nearly good enough for their precious personal trainer.
“See you tonight, I can’t wait,” Beau called, his voice managing to be sickly sweet and rich with promise all at the same time. Every woman in the gym sighed deeply.
Jesus, how did he do that?
Taylor grabbed Ruby’s hand, dragging the pensioner from the gym. They made it to the car and Taylor managed to avoid any interrogation until they had buckled their seatbelts.
“What the fuck was that?” Ruby asked.
“Language, missy,” Taylor scolded.
“Well pardon my fucking French, I’m too in shock from the fuckery I just witnessed. Care to explain that at all?”
“Absolutely not,” Taylor replied evenly, pulling away from the curb and heading towards the doctor’s office.
“Ouch!” Taylor shouted as Ruby pinched her arm. “What the hell?”
“Tell me or I’ll do it again,” Ruby threatened. Taylor pressed her lips tightly together and shook her head, scowling at the road.
“I don’t know about you, but I feel a little nippy in here,” Ruby said, then the old bat reached over and began pinching Taylor all over with both hands.
“Ow, ouch okay! I’ll tell you,” Taylor cried, half in pain, half laughing at her crazy antics.
“Spit it out then, I ain’t getting any sexier.”
“Beau and I are pretending to be in a relationship to get Dale to realize I don’t love him, that I’ve moved on and we won’t be getting back together.”
“It won’t take much pretending with that one,” Ruby snorted.
Taylor bristled. “What does that mean?”
“That man is perfect for you. Why you’re so mean to him I’ll never know!”
“Me?” Taylor cried indignantly.
“Yes you! If you didn’t push men away all the time, I wouldn’t worry so much that you’ll end up alone!”
“Well that man, that you love so fucking much, is the reason that I probably will end up alone. He’s the reason I can’t have children!” Taylor shouted.
Ruby was the only person who knew she couldn’t have children, but she didn’t know the full story. Ruby’s sharp intake of breath sent guilt crawling through Taylor.
“Okay so that’s not strictly true. It’s my fault, I know what happened is my fault.”
“Do you? Because it sounds to me like you’re blaming someone else for something that happened to your body.”
“If it wasn’t for Beau breaking my heart I never would have gone running to Bobby and gotten knocked up!”
“So that’s it, is it?” Ruby said, folding her arms over her luminous leotard. “He broke your heart?”
