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My new group of coaches and athletic trainers from a small university in Virginia was the perfect collection of personalities to go through one of my training sessions. Responsive, open-minded, and full of questions that create a productive environment for the whole lot of them.

Their teams have been struggling to implement proper recovery programs before their athletes get injured, but we’ve been able to adjust their regimens for their injured parties to get them back to return to play.

It’s one of my favorite topics because so many training professionals tend to push heavy or excessive workloads at the wrong time.

Proper rest is more important than training, although training is vastly important.

Most of it is about timing, so although the new schedule seems light on work and heavy on rest, it has some important factors to push performance progress.

A few days where they have active recovery and should implement longer stretching regimens are my favorite. They’re going to see beaucoup benefits if they can master the mash-up of yoga, pilates, and tai chi I’ve recommended.

Shaking out my arms, I’m pumped as I always am after a good session.

I could use a bit of recovery and downtime myself.

I should put the extra energy to good use and take a quick trip to the beach for a surf before my afternoon meetings.

I have a few planning sessions for some of the top athletes at the university, but those aren’t for a couple of hours.

If I can sneak out of here unseen, I might just get away with it.

I gather my notes together for their file. Stuffing them in my briefcase, I’m struck by a pretty face in the hallway. One I haven’t seen before. And her long, ruby hair, voluptuous curves in all the right places…My blood pumps even harder. Forget surfing.

This woman is exactly my type. There’s no way I’m going to pass up introducing myself.

Taking a deep breath, I check myself. Truly surprised by the strength of my reaction in seeing her. I haven’t so much as looked at another woman since my divorce, but I’m already on the move, catching up to her before she disappears from sight.

She’s peering at door numbers and the directional signs at the end of the hall when I catch up to her. Perfect.

“Hey. Need some help?” Those big green eyes turn on me, and electricity strikes me in the chest. The current doubles when she smiles. It’s so full, so beautiful. God, I’m in trouble.

Her scarlet-tinted lips quirk to the side before she nods. “Yeah, I’m looking for Doctor…Matteo Rivers? He’s supposed to set me up with a lab.”

Lucky dog.

“I can show you to his office. This way.” I point to the left, and she steps to the right to allow me to lead, falling into my lazy cadence beside her. Oh, if I can drag this out, I will. “Are you one of the new research assistants?”

Her arm brushes mine, it’s pale and covered in freckles like her nose and cheeks are. The desire to trace patterns over them is almost too hard to pass up.

“No. Not exactly. I’m working on my own project.” The pride in her green eyes shows me equal parts intelligence and passion. She has to be competent to have earned her own lab in the center. Even more so if she’s meeting with the coordinator for her placement.

“You are?” It’s a teasing question to try to get her to elaborate, but she only smiles at me and nods.

Shrewd.

I like that too.

And the way her hips sway when she walks, nearly bumping into mine.

My fault for sticking so close. I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from grabbing onto her.

How inappropriate. What can I say? I’m not prepared for the fire burning through me at her mere presence. Fuck, I don’t even know her name.

“Can I ask what you’re working on?”

She flips her hair over her shoulder, letting it sway down her back. “You can, but that doesn’t mean I’ll tell you.”

Even though she’s teasing me back, I sense a bit of resistance at the small prod. She’s either lacking in trust over sharing her research—which is understandable, academia is full of thieves—or she’s insecure about her topic.

And to be fair, I am a virtual stranger.

I pause at the elevator, hitting the button to go up, and extend my hand to her. “Name’s Nick by the way.”

When she slips her long, delicate fingers into mine, I get another zap of electricity. “Olivia.”

“Beautiful name for a beautiful woman.” My fingers close around hers, and she gives me a squeeze. I like it. Better than the limp fish I usually get from women, especially dainty ones.

No, there’s nothing dainty about Olivia. I like that so much.

She raises her brow at me when I keep hold of her hand for too long. Can’t say I’m not contemplating kissing her knuckles, but that would certainly be going too far too soon. Letting go of her is a long process as the elevator doors open, and I lead her inside.

“See, now we’re old friends. I’m trustworthy. You can tell me about your project.”

“Mmm.”

Why does that simple sound purse her lips in such a tantalizing way?

“Besides, I’m not in research. I work with coaches and athletes on training regimens.” I hit the button for the third floor and stuff my hands in my pockets before I reach out to touch her again. Manhandling her certainly won’t gain me any confidences.

She doesn’t seem opposed to my flirting though. And she’s got sass. I bet she can give back as good as she takes it.

In fact, she gives me a serious once-over as if she can judge whether or not to trust me based on that second glance. Or is a third?

“Maybe I’ll tell you the next time we see each other. Assuming you’ll be around.”

What a tempting offer. It’s a good thing that this place is practically my second home. “I’m always around.”

The elevator doors open, and I hold the doors open as she steps past. Her citrus scent has me taking a deeper breath than I should. Way to be the creepy older guy in the office.

She doesn’t call me on it though. I extend my hand out straight and walk her toward Matteo’s office at the end of the hall.

Her smile is sultry this time. Knowing.

See, I called it. She’s enjoying this flirty exchange as much as I am.

When I stop us, she turns to me easily. “Then, you can ask me then.”