Tempted

She wasn’t there to impress—she was there to work.

God, that was a turn-on.

Instead of choosing the treadmill closest to her, Teagan climbed on the original one he’d picked, looping his towel over the handle and putting his water in the holder.

His head was still pounding but he would just have to power through. Once he was in the zone, the pain would fade.

After about ten minutes, he upped the pace and started running at a good clip. It felt great to move with the pent-up tension bunching his muscles.

Maybe afterward he’d find the masseuse and really live it up with a good rubdown.

Before too long, he realized he and Harper were running at the same tempo. Their steps were synced even though neither had timed it purposefully. Harper would be a good running partner.

J.T. always bitched that Teagan was trying to leave him behind. J.T. preferred a more leisurely pace whereas Teagan liked to move.

Apparently, Harper liked to move, too.

He glanced over at the exact time that Harper did. Their eyes locked. Sweat trickling down their faces, arms and legs pumping. She’d been running longer than him and yet her pace was as strong.

Fatigue started to eat at his stamina but he didn’t want to slow before her.

Harper dragged her gaze away and returned to her focal point, ignoring him.

But it was an act. If he could sense the energy between them, then she could, too.

Like it or not, they had something between them that wouldn’t go away.

And while Teagan had never considered running some kind of aphrodisiac, he was fighting an inappropriate arousal as they ran in tandem.

He couldn’t stop wondering how well they’d sync up if they were pressed skin against skin.

Working up a sweat in a different way.

Ah, hell. Now is not the time to get a stiff one.

As much as Teagan wanted to win this endurance race, he knew Harper had beat him.

Dialing down the pace, he caught a minute twitch of her lips and he could practically hear her crowing in victory.

Teagan smothered his laugh and, after a cooldown, moved to the weight machines.

Only this time, he purposefully selected a machine in Harper’s direct eye line.

Clearly having won that round, Harper slowed her pace and started her cooldown.

But Teagan wanted to keep her heated.

Pushing the weight bar overhead, he started his reps, knowing full well that his muscles were glistening and swelling as he worked.

He bit back his own victory crow when she couldn’t keep her focus. Her gaze kept darting to his arms and away again, as if she couldn’t quite help herself from taking a peek even though she didn’t want to.

Yeah, she could try and deny the attraction all she wanted.

Proof is in the pudding, darlin’.

Finished her workout, Harper wiped her face and stepped off the treadmill, risking a glance at Teagan one last time before she left the gym, practically running away in her haste.

He chuckled. Maybe the chase was worth the aggravation he would encounter.

Harper was fast becoming his favorite part about this trip.

Now, the question was...how did he get Harper to feel the same about him?

6 (#u09b05772-6b88-5bd3-a31e-7c25db34b4c1)

HARPER WIPED THE sweat from her face and hurried to her room to shower.

Her pulse raced even as she closed her door and stripped.

The nerve of that guy, to insert himself into her workout.

As if all that sweaty muscle would impress her.

Like she’d never seen a well-built male.

Harper barked a short laugh as if that alone would bolster her argument with herself.

But she was still shaking.

Her fingers were trembling and her insides felt twisted into knots.

She had too much restless energy and no outlet.

Get in the shower, start the day, just as you would have if Teagan hadn’t shown up.

Sound advice.

Eventually, she’d settle down and everything would go back to normal.

Harper turned on the water and stepped into the spray, gasping when the cold water hit her skin.

Yesss! A cold shower was exactly what she needed to cool down.

Why was Teagan so... She didn’t have the word for what Teagan was.

A distraction, that’s what he was.

She closed her eyes and drifted into the spray, letting the water pelt some sense into her head.