“Like you’re pissed off and ready to make someone pay.”
She grinned back and set her water bottle down on the bench. The punching bag made her practically drool with anticipation. A good workout always cleaned out her head and drained her of all the negative emotions. It was the best form of therapy she’d ever invested in. “Maybe I am. Whatcha got for me?”
“We’re doing drills.”
She couldn’t help the groan. “I hate drills! I’d rather work on my uppercuts and kicks.”
“Tough shit. We’re doing drills, and you’re gonna smile through every set or I’ll give you extra.”
Oh, she despised Xavier when he was in beast mode. Her body trembled slightly at the thought of what lay ahead. Raven gritted her teeth and forced a grisly smile. “Good enough for you?”
His laughter rang out as he shook his head. “You’re such a brat. We have company today. He’s at your level of fitness, so I’ve decided to combine the sessions. You cool with that?”
“As long as he holds his own.”
“Here he is. Hey, man, good to see you again.”
“I appreciate you fitting me in last minute.”
Raven froze. No. No, no, no, no.
She turned around slowly. Then almost swallowed her tongue.
It was him. Dalton. And he was dressed in clothes that should be illegal, even if it was the gym. The gray tank with large cutouts barely covered him, showing off the corded lengths of gleaming muscles. He stretched, lifting the tank, and revealed the ultimate eight-pack. He actually towered over Xavier, but his thighs and calves were still thick and powerful, dusted with golden hair. He wore his lion mane in a man bun that showed off his sharp cheekbones and scruff-covered jaw and highlighted his dimples, which were currently flashing at her in an innocent gesture that reeked of duplicity.
Her heart stuttered, stopped, and then raced on. She ignored the little drop in her tummy and glared at him.
“Raven, this is Dalton.”
“We’ve met.” She practically snarled the words, her fingers curling into claws.
Dalton looked delighted at her response. “Raven, what a surprise! I’d heard you worked out here but didn’t realize it was with Xavier. Thanks for allowing me into your session.”
“Yeah, this is such a coincidence, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is. Almost fated to be, right?”
“Yeah, like one of those epic disasters that destroys the planet.”
“Or one of those chick movies like Serendipity.”
She glared. He grinned wider.
Xavier glanced back and forth between them, his brow slightly raised. The tension cranked a notch tighter.
“Huh. Okay, enough chitchat. Let’s head to the obstacle course and warm up.”
Raven took up the rear, which afforded her an unobstructed view of Dalton’s perfect ass, framed in tight gray shorts. She imagined gripping that ass while he pumped in and out of her, like he had so many times in her dreams.
She guzzled more water.
The course had been personally constructed by Xavier for the ultimate in cross-training, which combined strength training, flexibility, cardio, and endurance. Each stop had a specific exercise with a timer, and if she failed one, Xavier forced her to repeat it. She usually got through it by imagining her trainer experiencing a torturous death.
“Okay, children. Let’s warm up.” They completed a series of stretches, some tai chi, and a closed-eye meditation.
“This is not a competition; go at your own speed.” A nasty grin curled Xavier’s lips. “But bragging rights are afforded to the person still standing at the end.” Raven glanced at Dalton, who seemed relaxed and at ease. Oh, yeah, she planned to demolish him. “Begin.”
Raven didn’t really remember at what point her limbs began to shake, or her heart to gallop so fast she could’ve won the Kentucky Derby. She realized faintly that she’d become a dripping river of sweat and every muscle begged for surrender, but then she caught Dalton’s figure in her peripheral vision and pressed harder.
Xavier’s voice was a whiplash of command, not allowing them to rest in between intervals, yet also the driving force behind her need to continue. She scaled the dreaded wall and the rope of doom, pushed and rolled weights, climbed on her hands and knees over and under a long obstacle course, and jumped on and off chairs that she wanted to rip apart with her bare hands.
The intensity was sparked deeper by Dalton’s presence. With grunts and growls, he kept pace. They were evenly matched going into the final round, a timed sprint that tested endurance and the mental will needed to not only survive but flourish.