Page 95 of The Temporary Bride

Sure enough, as I step out of the locker room, there she is, surrounded by her entourage of friends, gossiping and giggling as they walk on treadmills. My heart sinks slightly at the sight, but I square my shoulders and steel myself for the inevitable interaction.

I head for the rubber mats opposite the cardio equipment to stretch. As I extend my hands to the floor, I try to focus on my stretching routine, hoping to block out any potential negativity from Iris. But before I can fully settle into my stretches, I see her approaching out of the corner of my eye.

Shit.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I lift my chin.

“Well, if it isn’t the new Mrs. Thorne.” Her lips curl in a sneer. “How’s the newlywed life?”

“Fine.” I keep my tone neutral, refusing to engage.

Iris opens her mouth to say more, but before she can get a word out, she freezes in place, her eyes locked on the entrance. I turn to follow her gaze, shocked to see Tristan standing there, dressed in a tailored suit and tie, looking out of place surrounded by exercise equipment.

Iris’s demeanor changes at once, the bitchy expression vanishing from her face as she smiles at him.

“Tristan,” she says brightly. “It’s so nice to see you! What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I just bought this place.”

He gestures with one hand, and Iris’s jaw drops a little in shock. Honestly, I think mine might do the same.

“You… what?” she asks, still smiling through her confusion.

He shrugs. “My family’s business is focused on media, but I prefer to venture into other avenues in my personal investments. I’ve been considering purchasing Ashbury Athletic for a while now.”

I know that’s a lie, and judging by her expression, Iris does too.

“That’s quite an interesting investment strategy.” Her tone is laced with skepticism.

Tristan makes a noncommittal noise, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Be that as it may, as the new owner, I’m going to have to ask you all to leave. The gym is being temporarily closed down. All membership fees will be refunded.”

She gapes at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Tristan’s voice turns cold. “And you’re on my property. So get out.”

Iris stands frozen, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. The shock is evident on her face, and for once, she seems at a loss for words. Eventually, she regains enough composure to grab her things and stalk out of the gym, her entourage trailing behind her, casting bewildered glances over their shoulders.

The Ashbury staff efficiently usher everyone else out and then disappear as well, leaving me staring after them in stunned silence.

I turn to Tristan, still trying to process what just happened. “What are you—why did you do that?”

“I thought it was obvious.” He glances at the now-empty space around us. “I’m making sure you can work out in peace.”

His words take a second to fully land, my brain struggling to process the fact that he actually went and bought a high-end gym just so I could work out without having to deal with Iris.

It’s absurd. It’s the kind of thing that only makes sense if you have more money than you know what to do with and a complete disregard for the normal way people solve problems. It’s also one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.

“I…” I swallow, struggling to come up with the right words.

But I don’t think the right words for this moment exist, so after a few seconds, I give up on trying and kiss him instead.

He makes a noise against my lips, his arms banding around me. My own arms wrap around his neck as I rise up on my toes in my sneakers, fingers sliding through the short hair at the back of his neck. His hands move over my back and down to my waist, then lower, mapping the contours of my ass as the kiss deepens. It’s definitely not a gym-appropriate kiss—although that hardly matters now that there’s no one here to see us.

When we finally break apart, his lips are swollen and his eyes have gone a shade darker. He’s still got his arms around me, I can feel his cock hard against my lower belly, which sends a small, satisfied rush through my chest. The fact that I can do that to him with just a kiss makes me feel powerful and desired in a way I never knew was possible.

He releases me and steps back, clearing his throat. “So you like it?”

That draws a laugh out of me. “I can’t believe it. But…” I bite my lip. “Yes. This place always felt like a sanctuary, and I missed that. It wasn’t the same when I had to dread seeing Iris every time.”