Twisted (4 page)

"So when did you get so buff?" Aliah said, finally giving
me a hint.

He smiled arrogantly, acknowledging his accomplishment, but I
didn't get the impression that he was an egotistical ass, like most of the
muscle heads who worked out at the Westmount.

"Come on now, I've always been buff."

She snickered.  Yes Aliah snickered.  Then a huge, honest
grin formed on her face.  Oh, she had it bad.

"I work here you know.  Have for like six months now. 
I'm a personal trainer in my spare time," he said.

"No way!  I've been coming here for years.  Can you
believe I've been coming here for the past six months and never ran into
him?" Aliah asked me, superficially shocked, but not expecting an answer. 
She couldn't remove her eyes from him.

He poked her in the belly jokingly.  "Maybe you should
come here more often then," he said, teasing.

Aliah absolutely had no need to be at the gym, being blessed
with a petite frame and slim build.  Now feeling the awkward silence, as they gazed
all starry-eyed at each other, I turned toward the classroom, just as the door
began to close.  I know how mad Jasmine gets when someone comes in late and
disrupts her class, and it looked like class was starting without us.

"Well… I'm gonna go to class now," I said,
interrupting their trance.

 Aliah huffed.  "Yeah, I better go too, but it was nice
seeing you Hunter.  We should get together and catch up real soon," she
said, batting her eyelashes.

"Absolutely.  Here, let me get you my card."  Hunter
swiftly headed for the reception desk and pulled a card from a hidden
compartment.  He scribbled a number on the back and reached it out to Aliah. 
“I put my cell number on the back.  You can get me on there anytime.”

Aliah flipped over the card and smiled, then turned it face
up.  It read: Rose Arbour Fire Department, Rescue Division.  Aliah stared at
the writing then flashed him an even more seductive smile.  She was absolutely
glowing.  "I'm impressed," she said.

I knew she was only saying what he wanted to hear, since she
had a handful of hot firefighters waiting on her doorstep, but he didn’t know
that.  Her attraction to him was blindingly obvious and there was no doubt in
my mind that their previous relationship was nothing more than friendship. 
Regardless, I was sure I’d be seeing this guy around again, if Aliah had
anything to do with it.

"I'm Abigail by the way."

"Good to meet you Abigail."

"It's nice meeting you too, and I do apologize, but I
really have to go.  Sounds like maybe I'll see you again soon."

"Looking forward to it."

That comment was blatantly meant for Aliah.  He smiled at her
once again and she wiggled her fingers in a cute little wave as we paced quickly
to our class.  Late.

The warm-ups were in full swing and Jasmine flashed us an
evil eye when we interrupted their count.  "Nice of you ladies to join
us," she exclaimed, scowling into the mirror for the whole class to see. 
We joined in at the back of the classroom, and stretched out our tight muscles.

I knew I should wait, but I had a bundle of questions for
Aliah.  "What was that all about?" I finally asked her with a whisper.

"I know right?  Damn he looks good, eh?  I haven't seen
him in years.  He’s really filled out."

"Ladies," Jasmine called, raising her voice.              She
raised one eyebrow at us in disgust.

We took the hint and zipped our lips.

After class, Aliah told me that Hunter was a long-time friend
of hers.  Apparently they hadn’t seen each other in six or seven years.  I
didn't have to ask Aliah to know that she was attracted to him, now that he was
all grown up and in his physical prime.  By the time we had our yoga mats
rolled up, I was convinced that Aliah was officially on a mission, and she
wasted no time putting her plan into action.

She exited the classroom ahead of me and came to a dead
freeze in the hallway.  "What is that bitch doing with Hunter?"  Aliah’s
eyes were red with rage.

Of all people to interrupt her game, Maddison Walker was
chatting Hunter up in the weight room.  It was obvious to me that Hunter was
only giving Maddison a private session, but Aliah didn’t seem to care why she was
with him, only that she was.  If it were physically possible, daggers would
have been blasting from her eyes.

"Maybe we should go," I suggested.

"Yeah, let’s get out of here.  I can't stand to watch
that girl another minute," Aliah snorted.  She pulled out the business
card that Hunter had given her and looked it over carefully as we moseyed to
the door.  She flipped it over to make sure the cell number hadn't
disappeared.  I struggled to keep up with her as she heatedly rushed to her
car.  Sure enough, before she even got the key in the ignition, her cell was
being drawn from her purse.  I watched her feverishly press his number onto the
keypad and wait impatiently as it rang off the hook.

"Hey Hunter, it's me Aliah.  I was actually calling
because I have this party coming up.  It's just a little promotion party for
Abby's boss and I was thinking that maybe you'd want to come.  It could be the
perfect chance for us to hook up; I mean catch up.  Anyways, give me a call
back.  Talk to you soon."  She ended the call and slapped herself on the
head.  "I have serious issues.  He is so going to see right through that message."

"Transparent?  Yes.  But honestly Aliah, I don't think
it's gonna be a problem.  He seemed pretty happy to see you too."

"You think?  I hope so.  He's so hot.  I can't believe
how much he's filled out.  And that growly voice.  It's so sexy."  As I
laughed at her obsessive remarks, she motioned her hands back toward the club. 
"I just have to invite him to the party before
that
witch
does!"

When I looked up, I saw Maddie already making her way toward
us, her bag slung from her slim shoulder.  I put the window down to be
friendly.

"Hey Maddie.  What's going on?" I asked, though I
knew exactly what was up.

"Oh I just got done a really tough workout session with
my new trainer.  Did you see him?  Damn he’s fine."

I ignored the ghastly remarks Aliah made under her breath and
nodded my head at Maddie smiling.  "Yeah I saw you in there with him.  He
is cute.”

"Cute doesn't even begin to explain it.  I just wanted
to touch his muscles.  It's so distracting.  Isn’t he gorgeous?  I tell you, it's
hard when you're trying to work out without sweating.”  Her smile was wicked.

Aliah’s narrowed eyes left no room for question.  She was getting
more annoyed by the second.

"Well we have to get going,” I said.  My car’s still at
the office and we haven’t even eaten dinner yet.  See you tomorrow?"

“Kay, laters,” she said.

Aliah put the car into gear and sped off rudely, before I
even got my window up.  "Ugh, can you believe her, ogling my man like
that."

"So he's your man now is he?" I teased.

"You know what I mean.  Besides, if I have anything to
do with it, he'll be my man before the summer is over," she stated
unmistakably. 

"Don't be the crazy lady, calling Hunter a million
times.  He will call you back."

After a few minutes of bantering back and forth, I was getting
tired of hearing her many ideas for plotting against Maddie.  For once I was
happy that Aliah was a wild driver.  Before long, she pulled up to the office
where my lonely car sat in the empty parking lot.

"You really need to consider taking some anger
management classes or something," I said, as I got out of her car.

"Don't you start on me…"  Suddenly her phone began to
ring.  She lifted her cell and a massive smile instantly formed on her lips
when she saw the number.  “Hah!  He'll be mine sooner than you know!" she
cheered, proud and buoyant.  She answered her phone in a sweet tone, all too
sweet for Aliah.

Good luck,
I mouthed leaning into the car.  I nudged the door shut and
retrieved my keys from my bag.  She was busy and I’d give her some privacy.

It was a cool night and so I zipped my pink yoga jacket to my
chin the second I stood up.  The sun had decided to disappear behind the
clouds, making it feel even cooler yet, so I hurried inside my car and sped off
toward home.

At home, Edwin was hanging out in living room listening to
music, already out of his suit.  What a shame.  I tiredly plopped on the couch
next to him to hear about his first day.  "And so?" I asked.

"What?"

"How was your day?" I asked.  Obviously.

"It was alright."

"That's it?  It was just alright?"

"What do you want me to say?  I had so much fun
researching the
Ontario Corporations Act
today," he said
sarcastically.

I laughed and smiled.  "Okay, okay.”

"No it was good.  Jake seems like a good guy to work
for."

"Jake?  Nobody calls him that," I teased.

"Well get used to it, because I do.  He told me to call
him that."

"Whatever you say Eddie."  I smirked at him as I
undid my fitted jacket.

Edwin, easily distracted, quickly changed the subject.  "Look
at you all sweaty."

"Hey, I worked hard.  What do you expect?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong.  It's hot," he said smiling. 
"I have to come check out your class some time and see you all shaking
your asses.  I hear your teacher is pretty hot too."

I narrowed my eyes into a scowl that spread across my face,
as Edwin humped the air, mocking our sassy dance class.  "You're such a
perv!”  I got up from the couch and made my way to the fridge.

Edwin followed me casually to the kitchen.  "So I'm not
getting in your way at work?"

Oh, he’s suddenly concerned with what I think?  "Please. 
I saw you for like two minutes.  Besides, I like having you there."

"Yeah, it’s hard not to like this,” he said, groping his
own hard body.

I rolled my eyes and guzzled a bottle of water.

“No, I think I'm going to like it there too.  My office is
huge.  At least it will be, once they get those damn boxes out of there."

"Yeah, that room was originally built for an associate,
but it's turned into more like a storage room.  I don't know where Owen's gonna
to put all those files."

"What about that empty office near yours?"

"Well, it may be empty now, but it won't be vacant much
longer.  Ever since Connor Stevens left, we're drowning in work.  Owen has to
hire on another lawyer like yesterday."

"No shit.  That sucks."

"Yeah, especially for my social life.  That's why I've
been working so late these days."

"I see you had time to hit the gym tonight though."

"Hey, be fair.  I need some me time.  I haven't even
eaten dinner yet!"

"What are we having?"

"What d’ya mean we?  You're on your own Eddie boy.”

"Come on.  I haven't eaten either.  We might as well go
in on something."

"Why don't you get us Chinese then?" I demanded,
pressing my finger on his chest to poke him as I passed.

"Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of your exercise class?"
he teased, following me again.

I twirled around instantly to face him and pushed him back.  “Do
you want to eat or not?  I went to that class for fun.  Now go order the damn food."

"I'll order it, but why don't you come with me to pick
it up?"

"Aw, is Eddie feeling lonely?" I teased, flattening
my hands on his chest and gently brushing my fingers across the solid muscles. 
It’s fun to play.

His blue eyes darkened and his mouth widened with excitement,
much like another body part awakened by the trickery.  “Very,” he growled.

"Too bad.  You’ll have to go it alone.  I want to get in
the shower," I said, as I pulled away from him and peeled off my jacket. 
I started toward the bathroom and Edwin followed me like a lost puppy.

"Okay.  If I order the food now, we'll have time for
that," he said, vulgar and certain.  He stripped of his shirt in one swift
motion and chased me up the stairs.

"Has anyone ever told you you're obsessed?"  I
seriously wondered if he ever thought about anything other than sex.

"Um, yes.  You do all the time," he reminded me,
looking up with dark dazzling eyes.  His chest muscles flexed, capturing my
attention and testing my resolve, but he made no move to continue up the
stairs.

Phew!
  “Not gonna happen,” I said, regaining my composure. I walked away,
tearing my eyes from his delicious hand-out.  Yes I
want
to touch.  I am
alive.  "I'm having a shower.  You're gonna get me some Chinese."

I slipped into the bathroom and listened carefully.  I was
satisfied that he finally gave in when I heard him stomping down the stairs.

"You're no fun!" he hollered, scooping up his shirt
and pulling it back over his head.