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“Why didn’t you say something? I’ll let you go. Slade’s having a meeting with all the department heads in a few minutes anyway,” she said, her voice lighter now.
“We should do drinks one of these days,” I suggested, standing up and checking my reflection in the full-length mirror attached to the closet door.
“How about this weekend?” she offered.
I frowned slightly, adjusting the waistband of my black Lycra pants. “Not sure. I have several showings lined up. No sleeping late on Saturday.”
“Aww, I’m sure that’s killing you,” she teased, knowing full well how much I valued my rare days off.
“My next day off, I’ll be up at noon,” I joked, flashing a smile at my reflection.
“Talk to you later.”
“Later, Kincaid,” I said, ending the call.
I glanced at myself one last time in the mirror, appreciating how the black Lycra pants and sports bra fit like a second skin. I knew I’d catch a few eyes at the gym, but I wasn’t there to turn heads. I needed to clear my mind and work off this restless energy before I did something I’d regret.
Asshole, I thought as I pushed through the elliptical session, my legs moving in rhythm with the machine. The guy behind me clearly had no clue that I could see him ogling my ass in the mirrors lining the opposite wall. His eyes were glued to me, and a weird chill crawled up my spine as I imagined the thoughts running through his head. He probably wasn’t dangerous, but with guys like him, you could never be sure.
I kept my legs moving, ignoring the cramp that was starting to tighten in my right calf. It threatened to interrupt my workout, but I wasn’t about to let it stop me. My gaze flickered around the gym, catching a few other men glancing in my direction. But none of them were as transfixed as the guy behind me. Finally, he looked away, his focus shifting to his monitor just as I started my cool down. A few minutes later, I was done, but I could still feel his eyes on me as I walked away.
Trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling, I stopped by to say hello to Peter before heading to the showers. He’d mentioned a few weeks ago that he was trying to lose weight, and judging by how his gray sweatsuit hung more loosely on him, it seemed to be working. We chatted briefly about his progress.
“You’re looking good,” I said, offering him an encouraging smile.
“Thank you,” he replied, grinning back. I noticed then that one of his front teeth was chipped.
“What happened?” I asked, nodding slightly toward his mouth.
Peter ran a hand through his thinning black hair, his smile fading. “A little too much enthusiasm during my kickboxing session. The heavy bag swung back and caught me in the mouth.”
I could easily picture it—Peter, with his usual clumsiness, misjudging the swing of the heavy blue bag and ending up with a chipped tooth. His large white sneakers, always with laces too long, were probably just as much a hazard.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” I said, genuinely feeling for him.
He shrugged it off. “I’m getting it fixed on Friday. A nice shiny white veneer.”
“Sounds great. I hate to cut this short, but I really need to take a shower,” I said, glancing toward the locker rooms.
“No problem. The treadmill’s calling my name,” he replied, shifting his weight as if preparing for his next round of exercise.
I looked down and noticed his lace was untied as usual. That familiar sensation prickled at the back of my neck, reminding me that the guy from the elliptical was still watching. I decided to have a little fun with it. I knelt down and began tying Peter’s laces, double-knotting them to keep them secure.
“You don’t have to do that,” Peter protested, surprised.
“I don’t want you to get hurt. You could trip,” I said, finishing the knot.
He chuckled, the corners of his brown eyes crinkling with amusement. “Sweetie, even with my laces tied, I’d probably still trip.”
I laughed, giving his sweaty shoulder a light pat as I stood. “Well, at least you’ll be safe for now.”
With that, I walked through the heavy dark steel door into the women’s locker room, feeling the guy’s eyes on me until the door swung shut behind me.
Asshole, I thought as I worked away at the elliptical. The guy behind me obviously had no idea I could see him staring at my ass in the mirrors against the opposite wall. He was grossly mesmerized, and a weird chill crept over me, making me shiver at what was likely going through his mind. Although he was probably harmless, you never knew with these guys.
The rest of my day was a blur of client calls, prepping apartments for sale with clueless owners, and showing Colvin the ropes. By the time I wrapped everything up, I was completely drained. All I wanted was to go home, soak in a hot bath, and enjoy a glass of white wine before the inevitable onslaught of evening calls from clients and agents wore out my phone.
“Colvin, it’s time to knock off for the day,” I said, shutting down my laptop.
