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Yep, even the threat of getting burned doesn’t seem to keep me from being pulled in by his heat.
Brenden
“All right, guys, that’s it for today,” I conclude the class. Then I jump back to my feet, eager to get to Lizzy. It’s been hard as hell not to stare. “Good job. I’ll see you all next Saturday.”
Everyone begins to file out of the door, and my muscles twitch as I force myself to stay at the front of the room. One of my regulars watched Lizzy a little too aggressively during class, and I want to be sure he leaves her alone. Ryan has always seemed like a bit of a creep to me, hitting on all the newbies who come through that door. I’m not about to let that shit fly with Lizzy. The mere idea of him trying to speak to her makes my stomach twist in anger.
So when he moves to approach her, my feet shuffle their way, carrying me through the herd of people. They don’t notice me approach. Lizzy is doing her best to brush him off in a polite manner, keeping her focus on her gym bag. He hedges closer, invading her personal space, his gaze roaming over her body.
I take a deep breath and shove down the bubbling rage inside me. Then I tap on Ryan’s shoulder with a little more force than necessary. “Ryan, they need to see you at the front desk. I think there’s been some kind of issue with your payment.”
They both turn their heads toward me. Lizzy’s gaze locks on mine, a smile playing on her lips. For a moment, I lose myself in her, my heart beating at a slower tempo as I bask in the serenity her presence brings.
“Sure, man. Give me a second. I’m sure it’s a mistake. I’m introducing myself to the new member here.”
I clamp my hand down on his shoulder as he turns his attention to Lizzy, tugging slightly to bring it back to me. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist you go now,” I warn, voice low.
Ryan narrows his eyes at me, then looks at my hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, okay. No problem.”
Removing my hand from his shoulder, I position myself between him and Lizzy. As he tries to make eye contact with her again, I stand straighter and cross my arms.
With a curt nod and a tight smile, he spins on his heel.
I keep him in my line of sight until he exits the room, then I turn to face Lizzy.
She’s standing there with her arms crossed, biting her lip to hide the smile still trying to illuminate her face.
“Hi.” I take a step closer and notice the tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks. They make her look even more angelic. A strong urge to kiss every single one of them rushes through me as I admire her beauty.
“Hi,” she says, chuckling. “They didn’t really ask to see him up front, did they?”
“Nope.” I grin. “Did you have any interest in talking to him?”
“Not even a little.” She shakes her head, her lip curling in disgust, and my chest swells.
“Thought so. The guy is a creep. I didn’t want him bothering you.”
Her cheeks redden as her eyes dart to the floor. “Well, thanks for coming to my rescue. Again.”
“So, want to join me at the juice bar? You know, put that whole face-to-face conversations thing into action?”
“Like, right now?” Her eyes widen as she fidgets with her clothes.
“No time like the present, I always say. Time waits for no one.”
“But I look…” she trails off, motioning toward her body with her hands.
“Beautiful,” I interject, winking.
“Yeah, sure.” She rolls her eyes.
“Did you seriously roll your eyes at me?” I sneer. “How can you think you look bad? You had a guy trying to hit on you a few seconds ago for Christ’s sake.”
“Oh, please,” she says, waving my comment off. “He probably hits on everyone. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Why can’t you accept a compliment?” I shake my head, not understanding how a woman so beautiful can be so clueless. “You look incredible, trust me. I’d go into greater detail, but it would break your friendship rules. Now, will you please join me?”
“Okay, okay,” she concedes, holding her hands up in surrender, a slight blush making an appearance.
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and lead her out of the room. “Lizzy, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Her laughter fills the air, making me feel giddy. It’s officially the best sound in the world.
“Did you seriously use a Casablanca quote on me?” she asks, lifting an eyebrow.
“Maybe.”
“You’re such a dork,” she teases, shaking her head.
