"Let me get you some water."

When he steps away, I'm finally able to look up. Sweet mother mercy, he's ridiculously sexy. What the hell was I thinking agreeing to accompany him every day? I've done lots of stupid things in my life. This has to be one of the worst.

He returns with a guilty smile and passes me a bottle of water. My heart's still pounding, and of course, he notices. He reaches out and traces his finger down my neck and over my collarbone. "You sure you're okay?"

This time it's more than concern I see lurking in his gaze. For much longer than I'm comfortable with, he studies me, and it makes me wonder.

For the second day in a row I've got a happy buzz stirring inside me. I enjoy having Trinity in my gym with me.

Of course, a lot of lustful urges are also stirred up watching her bend over and store her purse in my bottom desk drawer.

I made a stupid decision once she agreed to help me. After thinking about my conversation with Rock, I decided Trinity and I wouldn't be having sex. Unless she initiates it. Yes, I gave myself that out. I'm not completely insane.

It seems like the best way to show her how I really feel. That she means more to me than a way to get off. That I like her and want to be with her no matter what.

Against my will, my eyes track her every movement in my office. Going through those self-defense moves with her yesterday had been a mistake. It put my "no sex" rule to the test. I spent half the night jerking off under the cold spray of my shower.

She bends at the waist and picks up the bag she brought with her. "Can I use the locker room?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, you brought me to a gym. Am I allowed to use it?"

Inwardly, I groan. Just what I need. "Sure. You want to wait until later?" When the gym will be clear of my nosy pervert colleagues.

"Uh, yeah. I can wait. Can I use your computer today to do a few things?"

"You don't have to ask. You can use anything you need, Trin."

Her lips curve into a smile. "Thanks."

She drops into my chair.

I like the way she looks behind my desk. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

We don't see each other much after I leave her to do her thing in my office. I spend my time in the gym going over moves with Jake. As much of a pain in the ass as he can be, he's a great trainer. He's smaller and quick on his feet, so he's a good sparring partner for me to work on a couple issues. He also knows exactly how to needle me to keep me motivated but not kill him.

"Trinity's a pretty girl. She still single?" he asks while I'm busy hanging from a pull-up bar with a stability ball tucked between my ass and ankles.

"No," I huff out. The reason I'm not dropping the ball and kicking his ass is I know he's just fucking with me. If he were serious, he wouldn't have described Trin as a "pretty girl." Something along the lines of "hot piece of ass" would be more his style.

Trinity wanders over while Jake's unleashing his inner sadist by pushing me through "one more set" of bear crawls. My skin prickles the second she's within reach, and I power up off the mat.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

Jake raises an eyebrow at me. "Did I say you were finished, son?"

Now he's asking for an ass kicking.

Trinity snickers but runs her hand over her mouth to hide it. It's an endearing gesture and makes me want to grab her and kiss her.

"He's training you?" She glances between the two of us, and I shrug.

"Don't worry. I'll spar with him later and knock his ass out."

Her eyes widen in surprise, and she glances at Jake again. "How can you go up against each other? You're not evenly matched."

The corner of Jake's mouth curls into a smirk.

"Go ahead, Snake Charmer, lift your shirt."

Jake loves showing off his abs and how cut he is.

"It's not always about size, Trinity," Jake explains, dropping his shirt.

"Yeah, I know." She glances at me. "You ever have him spar with Teller?"

I can only guess why she's asking, and it burns my ass. "Yes."

Jake nods in agreement. "He's a scary little prick. So's his Irish buddy."

Trinity laughs, and I understand why. She's only ever really seen one side of them.

My attention is finally drawn to the papers Trinity has in her hands. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I didn't realize Jake was already You asked me to put some stuff together So never mind."

She folds the papers in half before I snatch them out of her hands.

"Ow! Thanks for the paper cuts, asshat."

Jake chuckles and grabs her hands to look them over. I can't wait to get in the ring with him later and kick his ass while Trinity watches.

I'm impressed with what she printed out. I knew she'd be good at this. She's got a week's worth of circuit training exercises broken into different ones on each day. Each circuit includes a balance of strength and endurance exercises. I glare at Jake, and he takes the hint to get lost.

"You've done your homework," I say, handing the papers back to Trin.

The corner of her mouth twitches down in disappointment. "You don't think it's any-"

"Is that what I said?" I hate snapping at her, but sometimes it's the only way to get through her self-doubt.

"No."

"Where'd you find some of these?"

"Are they too advanced for you?"

I tilt my head and stare at her. "Seriously?"

She chuckles. "Good, then call me when you're going to try the Front Lever. It looks sexy." She spins away and heads back to the office.

I'm stopped from following her by a rush of kids filling up the place.

Three o'clock is our busiest time. Lots of guys and a few girls from the local high school stop in. Some are punks. Some actually have potential. All their parents have deep pockets. There's a reason I stuck my gym in this suburban armpit.

Jake works with most of them.

At five today, I have a class of kids that come from downtown Empire. Each one of them has potential. None of them have a spare dime. Am I training them for free out of the goodness of my heart? No. It's an effective way to find potential prospects. Whisper's here by this point and usually helps out, when he's not seeking out lonely housewives to stick his dick in.

Maybe ten minutes before class ends, I glance up and find Trinity standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest and a solemn expression in place.

Unfortunately, Whisper notices her too.

When the class ends, I still have to spend some time talking stuff over with a few of my kids. Normally, I don't mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Trinity approaching and wrap things up.

"I had no idea," she says.

I take the towel out of her outstretched hand and rub it over my face. "What's that, babe?"

"You. Teaching kids. Being civil."

Whisper chooses that exact moment to join our conversation. "Lookin' good, Trinity. What're you doing here?"

"She's with me."

Trinity turns pink. "I'll be in the office."

When she's gone, I poke my finger in Whisper's chest. "Stay the fuck away from her."

His eyes widen and he steps back, hands in the air. "Chill. What's up?"

"Nothing. She's helping me out with some stuff. That's all."

Nerves have been rattling through me ever since I handed Wrath those exercise drills. He knows what he's doing. I don't. I probably insulted him.

I don't know what to make of the ten kids I caught Wrath teaching self-defense moves to. With his impatience and general dislike of most of the human population, he's the last person I'd expect to spend an hour a week with a bunch of sullen teenagers.

Who knew?

A thump against the door makes me glance up. Jake's filling the doorway, a mischievous grin curving his ridiculously sexy mouth. "How's Wrath's girl doin'?"

Stunned, I sit there with my mouth hanging open. "I'm not Wrath's girl. Why would you say that?"

He stands straighter and enters the room. "Come on. It's so obvious."

"How? Did he tell you that?"

Jake chuckles and shakes his head. "He doesn't need to say anything. He's never brought a woman to work with him. Never threatened to dismember me over one." He jerks his chin at the desk. "Never lets any of us use his office."

Wrath's a quiet, sneaky fucker when he wants to be. One minute, Jake's standing in front of me sharing his asinine theory, and the next, Wrath's behind him with an elbow around Jake's neck. "You've got your own office, dickhead," he growls at him. Jake's apparently as stupid as he is good looking because he laughs.

I shoot out of the chair so fast it hits the back wall. "Wyatt, stop before you hurt him."

"I can get out anytime I want, Trin," Jake assures me.

Wrath tightens his arm, and Jake's smug face vanishes. "You sure about that, Snake Charmer?"

Jake gasps. "Don't. Want. To embarrass you in front of your girl."

"Keep telling yourself that," Wrath grumbles, releasing him.

Jake stumbles forward coughing and laughing.

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at Wrath. "What's the matter with you?"

His eyes widen into this boyishly innocent face he makes when he knows he's been up to no good. "What? Just practicing my choke hold."

Jake flashes a thumbs-up at me as he leaves.

"Feel better, caveman?"

"Much. Why was he bothering you?"

"He wasn't. We were just talking."

He stares at me in disbelief. "About what?"

"How to get a quickie in without you noticing," I snap. "I'm getting tired of you acting like I'm going to jump on every guy I see."

He drops the cocky smirk. "That's not what I was thinking at all, Trin.

He's full of shit, and we both know it. "How come I never knew about your soft side?"

He makes a big show of patting himself down and checking over himself. "Nope, nothing on me's soft."

"No? So what do the kids in your kiddie class call you?" I prompt with an exasperated sigh.

His forehead wrinkles. "Mr. Ramsey, what else?"

I don't know why, but I find that insanely funny.

As I keep laughing, he smirks at me. "And they're hardly kids. Most of them are an arrest away from prison."

"Please. One of them looked barely old enough to shave."

He chuckles. "That's Twitch. He's very skilled at lock-picking and breaking into safes."

"People still do that?"