night that they needed to rescind his membership because he would be trouble. It was obvious to her that he was a staunch womanizer. A man who thought he could have any woman he wanted.
Unfortunately, her parents were too kind. They said there was no way they would rescind his membership when he hadn’t done anything. In fact, both her parents had met him Friday and thought he was a nice man. Her mother even accused her of being paranoid because of what Westley had done to her, and stressed to her to be nice to Tanner Jamison.
From the moment he’d strolled into where the treadmills were, everyone’s focus had been on Tanner. And the sad thing was, everyone’s attention was still on him after he’d done an hour on the treadmill at top speed like it was nothing. He’d barely broken a sweat. He had moved from the treadmill to the stair-climber and still no sweat. Now he was at the weight bench. Seeing his firm thighs and bare chest while working out on the bench was enough to send any female’s thoughts into overdrive. Even hers.
“So, who is the hottie?”
Lyric glanced over at one of the gym’s regular members, Hattie Grover. “He just signed up.”
“Umm, I would love trying some of him.”
The woman’s bold declaration was not surprising. Hattie was attractive. At least Lyric knew a lot of the men who frequented the gym thought so. She also knew Hattie was looking for hookups. After a nasty divorce, she was against a serious involvement and had confided in Lyric plenty of times she just wanted to enjoy great sex. A part of Lyric wished she could have that same attitude when it came to men. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about another heartbreak.
“I’ll chat with you later, Lyric.”
Then as Lyric watched, Hattie strutted over to use the exercise bike—the one that happened to be across from the weight bench Tanner was using. Refusing to give either Hattie or Tanner any more of her attention, she decided to go relieve Liza at the front desk for a while.
* * *
“MS. EVANS?”
Lyric turned from where she had been wiping down some of the equipment to find Tanner Jamison dressed and ready to leave. He had gone through every piece of equipment on the list she’d given him, not once but twice. He was leaving in good time since the gym would be closing in less than thirty minutes. It was hard to believe he had stayed the entire time. She knew the moment Hattie had given up on him when it became apparent that he obviously wasn’t interested in the hookup the woman wanted.
“Yes?”
“I’m leaving and was wondering if you’ll be here tomorrow?”
She wondered why he would be interested. “No one will be here tomorrow. Evans’s Gym will be closed for Labor Day.”
“You have plans?”
She wondered what business of it was his if she did? She crossed her arms over her chest, then wished she hadn’t when she noticed his gaze followed the movement and seemed to be zeroed in on her breasts. She was convinced that was why she suddenly felt her nipples harden. “Why would you want to know that, Mr. Jamison?”
A smile curved his lips and she wished it hadn’t. It seemed the air shimmered around that smile. “First of all, I prefer you call me by my first name. I’m Tanner. And I hope I can call you Lyric, which is a pretty name, by the way.”
She had no problem with calling him Tanner and him calling her Lyric since she was on a first-name basis with most of those who came to the gym. “Fine. Now why would you want to know about my plans for tomorrow, Tanner?”
“Because I’d like you to spend Labor Day with me. Call me if you can.”
His statement surprised her and before she could recover from what he’d said, he had placed a business card in her hand, turned and walked out of the gym.
* * *
TANNER ENTERED HIS condo and tossed his duffel bag on the chair. He had gotten a good workout at the gym. Sunday was usually his day to unwind and watch a preseason football game on the tube. However, teaching Lyric Evans a lesson was more important.
Why?
He shrugged off that question as he headed for the kitchen to grab a beer from the refrigerator. Why, of all the thousands of women he’d met in his lifetime, did she get under his skin? At least