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I text her back, smiling as I do so.
I’m on my way over right now. Your company is all the celebration I need.
I race over to Tanya’s place, my heart pounding with equal parts nerves and excitement. When she opens the door, the smile that lights up her face is like the sun breaking through the clouds. She throws herself into my arms and I lift her up, spinning her around before bringing her in for a searing kiss.
“You did it,” she murmurs against my lips. “You really did it.”
“We did it,” I correct her gently. “You were right there beside me every step of the way. I couldn’t have gotten through this without you.”
She kisses me again, slow, and deep, and I can feel the love and trust flowing between us. When we break apart, her eyes are shining. “The nightmare’s over.”
I brush a strand of hair from her face, my hand lingering against her soft cheek. Joy swells inside me as I pull her close, our hearts beating as one. The path ahead is clear, and it’s filled with light and laughter and love. Zane and his men are gone, the danger has passed, and our future is ours for the taking.
I wake up slowly, blinking against the sunlight streaming through the window. For a moment, I’m disoriented, unsure of where I am—then I feel Tanya stirring beside me and it all comes rushing back. We’re in her bed, in her apartment. Zane and his men have been arrested. We’re safe.
A smile spreads across my face as I roll onto my side, gazing down at Tanya’s sleeping form. She looks so peaceful like this, her chest rising and falling with each slow, deep breath. I brush a lock of hair from her face, struck by how fragile she seems in sleep and how fiercely I want to protect her. After everything that’s happened, I’m not going to take a single moment we have together for granted. I’m going to cherish each day, each hour, each second.
As if sensing my eyes on her, Tanya’s eyelids flutter open. For a moment she seems disoriented too, then a smile lights up her face. “Hey,” she murmurs, her voice still husky with sleep. “How long have you been awake?”
“Not long.” I lean down and kiss her, slow and deep. “I was just lying here thinking about you. About us. And how I don’t deserve a second chance, but I’m so grateful to have one.”
Tanya reaches up, her hand cupping my cheek. “We both made mistakes,” she says softly. “But we learned from them. All that matters now is that we grow as people.” She leans in to give me a lingering kiss.
When we break apart, Tanya grins up at me. “So, now that we have a clean slate and a whole lifetime ahead of us…how do you want to spend today?”
I grin back, pulling her close. “However you want, as long as we spend it together.”
“Let’s hit the gym then,” she says. “You go ahead home and get prepped for our workout. I’ll see you in three hours.”
“That’s my girl,” I say, giving her a playful smack on the ass, before getting up to head home.
Chapter seventeen
Read the Room
Brian
I step into my private gym, the familiar smell of sweat and metal greeting me like an old friend. Tanya is already here, stretching on the padded floor mats in the center of the room.
She looks up and smiles. “Ready for your workout?”
Woah, she’s gorgeous. Even in her gym clothes, sweaty from her own workout, she takes my breath away. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I reply.
I join her on the floor, bending to touch my toes. She places a hand on my lower back, her touch searing through my shirt. “Remember to breathe into the stretch.”
Her hand travels up my spine as I straighten, eventually resting on my shoulder. Our eyes meet and the air seems to crackle between us.
“So, what’s on the agenda today?” I ask, my voice sounding flustered from her touch. I clear my throat, hoping she didn’t notice.
“I was thinking we could start on the treadmills, then move to some weight training.” She squeezes my shoulder. “Maybe finish up with some ab work.”
Heat pools in my groin at the thought of her hands on my bare skin. I swallow hard. “Sounds perfect.”
We make our way to the treadmills where Tanya programs an interval run for us. The steady pound of my feet on the belt does nothing to ease the ache in my loins. I sneak a glance at Tanya; a light sheen of sweat covers her face and neck, and damp tendrils of hair cling to her skin.
I grip the handrails, my knuckles turning white. How did I get myself into this situation? I’m a heartbeat away from grabbing Tanya and ravishing her right here in my gym. But Diane’s in, I need to be careful.
The timer beeps, signaling the end of the interval. Tanya slows her treadmill, glancing over at me. “Everything okay?”
