Hot Pickle - J.J. Knight Page 0,39

see you,” I warn her. “Or the evening show may be a lot more X-rated than intended.”

She laughs as she kisses my cheek, then runs her tongue along my jaw to my ear.

I let out a groan. “Do that again, and these chairs will get a show.”

She laughs. “A preview of coming attractions.”

I set her legs to the floor. “I think I better stay here with my nonjudgmental company until things are more under control.”

She gives my arm a quick squeeze and hurries out the door. Only when the door is closed behind her do I press my hands against the wall, willing myself to get control again.

Whatever’s going on between us, it’s starting to flare hot and fast.

18

Camryn

I should be exhausted as I empty the remaining brushes from my belt and pack up the tanning supplies in the trunk of my car. It’s been a long day, starting with Max before dawn and splitting my hours between two competitions.

But I’m headed to the evening show to see Max compete, and my body jitters like I just drank an entire pot of coffee.

I race over to the second arena and enter the auditorium right as the lightweights leave the stage. Good. I can settle in and take a breather before Max’s class arrives.

The competitors may be fiercer at this level of competition, but the fans are the same. They wave giant signs and screech when their favorites come out.

The physique class walks on stage, and I watch carefully, wondering what keeps my brother from moving up.

Franklin has good symmetry, and when I tanned him this morning, he had good tone and vein reveal. But I think it’s something more than pure musculature. Franklin doesn’t have that presence on stage. He’s forgettable.

Not that I would tell him. He’s got enough cause to be annoyed with me without my critique. Surely Amy has tried to help him. She must be a good posing coach, because the work she’s done with Max has been phenomenal.

My phone buzzes against my hip. I don’t want to be rude and look at it in the middle of the competition, so I wait until the competitors have left the stage to take a peek.

It’s Franklin, of all people, wondering where I am. I didn’t tell him I wasn’t staying for the evening show at the open where he was competing today.

I type out a quick tied up with clients and shove the phone in my pocket again.

The first heavyweight strides out. He’s outrageously developed, shoulders so broad he probably doesn’t fit through doors, and his lat spread looks like wings unfurling.

A lot of cheers go up for him, so he’s probably used to winning. He has great presence. He’s someone to beat.

The next three don’t impress me quite as much. One is well-developed, the other two less so, more Max’s size. But they don’t have much going for them other than their tanned, oiled muscles.

Max comes out to a smattering of applause, and I can’t help but shriek his name and scream, to make sure the judges know he is supported here. I wonder if he hasn’t told anyone that he does this, or if his friends aren’t supportive. I’ll have to ask.

I realize we don’t know a lot about each other outside of our jobs. I want to change that.

Max strikes his first pose with confidence and grace. His megawatt smile reaches out to the audience, and soon quite a few are clapping along to the music as he moves through his routine.

By the time he has finished, I don’t need to shriek for him, he’s gathered tons of new fans during his brief time on stage.

That’s good. Really good. The energy he gives off will move him up, help him close the gap between him and the competitors with bigger physiques.

I settle back in my chair, preferring to only have eyes for Max. But I promised him I would help him figure out what might be different between him and the others at this level.

So I drag my gaze from him and watch the other men do their routines.

The judges request only a short comparison round, suggesting they have already decided the winner. When all twelve men hit the Most Muscular pose, the roar of the crowd makes my ears ring.

That’s fun. I hope Max is enjoying himself up there.

Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s going to win. As much as I love his stage presence above the others, the first one who came out is