the hell possessed me to agree to a damn CrossFit Christmas workout?
Oh, I knew why. DG was hot.
And he might take his shirt off.
That’s why.
Santa saw your Instagram pics. You’re getting a Bible and clothes for Christmas.
-Coffee Cup
Nola
I was going to throw up.
There I was, holding my most festive gear that I’d had overnighted—yes in hope, partly, that sexy DG would make it to my house—and standing in the doorway of a CrossFit building that scared the literal bejesus out of me, only minutes after I’d gotten off of work.
My eyes took in everything.
It was the Saturday before Christmas—which happened to be in four days—and they had everything decorated. The barbells were wrapped with red and white tape, making them resemble a candy cane. The weight rigs were wrapped in bright sparkly tinsel. There was a massive Christmas tree right inside the door. The bike looking things that had massive fans attached to their fronts were blinking with lights.
It looked like a winter wonderland… disguised hell.
Literally, what the hell was I thinking?
“Hello.” A deep, male voice had me looking up toward where I’d heard the sound.
I found him standing in front of me.
He was dressed in red shorts, a black t-shirt with the words Mad CrossFit on it, and red, white, and blue CrossFit shoes.
He looked absolutely adorable.
“Hello,” I managed to say. “My name is Nola.”
“It’s very nice to have you here.” The gym’s owner held out his hand. “My name is Madden, it’s nice to meet you.”
I held out my hand to Madden and grinned. “Just go easy on me. I’ve never done CrossFit before, and my sister begged me to go after I received an invitation to come to your community workout.”
“Who invited you?” he asked curiously.
I looked for the man responsible but didn’t see him.
“Umm,” I said as I tugged lightly on my scrub pants. “I don’t actually know his name.”
His eyes took in my attire, and his smile widened.
“Soren?” he asked.
I frowned. Soren?
“Umm,” I hesitated. “I don’t know? Like I said, we weren’t actually formally introduced.”
His lips formed into a smile. “Where did you meet him?”
I frowned. “He delivered some packages to me.”
“Soren,” he confirmed. “Him and his brothers own a parcel service in town. Didn’t know that he was delivering with them, though.”
I didn’t know either.
I didn’t know anything about this Soren person.
Soren.
Wow. What a great name.
And it fit him well.
“Blonde, built, sex… uh, attractive?” I asked.
There was a snicker from behind me, and I turned to find another beautiful person standing behind me.
She looked adorable, but she was much younger than me by about ten years at least.
“That describes that sexy beast well,” the girl—almost woman—agreed. “Well clipped beard? Blue eyes that resemble a Husky’s?”
I was laughing with her then, too.
“Ice blue,” I agreed. “Yes, that’s him.”
She nodded as if that was all the confirmation she needed. “Definitely Soren. He’s not here yet. He’s still at work, from what I was told, but he should be here in time for the WOD to start. Do you want to go get changed?”
There was a dark chuckle from behind me, and I turned to see Madden staring at me with amusement.
“This is my daughter, Sophia,” he said. “My son, Jasper, is around here somewhere.”
My brows rose to my hairline. “Your… daughter?”
He did chuckle then. “I had them young.”
Yes, I imagined he would have to.
“That’s impressive. You’re still able to get around and live your life, and you don’t have to chase after toddlers. Go you.” I grinned. “And yes, I will take you up on changing my clothes.”
He gestured toward a door at the back of the room, beside a massive pile of dumbbells that were stacked in the shape of a Christmas tree.
“That door marked ‘ladies.’” He pointed.
I gave him a grateful smile and then went into the locker room to change, surprised to find about ten other women doing the same.
“Oh, hello.” I smiled, waving at each of them like the weirdo that I was. “Are any of the bathrooms available?”
Since they were all literally changing out in the open.
“Those two are free.” A short mocha skinned woman pointed. God, she was muscular. I wanted her arms when I grew up.
I whisked myself away into the stall and came out a couple minutes later to find the entire room empty but for a pile of bags and purses.
Thinking this was where I should leave my stuff, I did, hooking it on to a hook instead of leaving it in the middle of a floor.
When