Page 35 of The Boss and the Wedding Mess

I whip my eyes away and finish my bottle.

“Yeah, so… I’ll be going home now to throw a steak in the pan,” I announce.

“Don’t you want to ask me about your best friend?” he tempts, making me freeze.

“I completely forgot!”

“Not enough electrolytes,” he jokes with a grin.

“What did she tell you? About my brothers?”

“That you have three. Older ones. Then she fell asleep.”

“Nothing else?”

“She apologized. Put you in a good light.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”

“Then why are you grinning like that?”

“Oh, I think I’ll keep that to myself.” Smiling broadly, he turns away, sets his bottle down, and gets back to the punching bag like nothing happened. He looks stunning even from behind.

“Okay, I’m really leaving now!”

No, I shouldn’t be staring at his back or his firm ass. Or those muscular calves.

Bad. Stop. Shame on me.

I should be ashamed of myself. Totally ashamed.

“See you tomorrow,” he calls, still punching while I head out.

Better hurry.

I grab my stuff and rush to the locker room, and shower as quickly as humanly possible.

One ice-cold shower later, I stand in front of the locker room mirror. My cheeks are still bright red, like I just ran a marathon in 104-degree heat. I sigh, patting my neck dry. The cold droplets feel soothing. I drink more water, then slump onto the bench, sigh loudly, and dig my phone out of my pocket. Stillnothing from Nessa, of course. I’d love to call and wake her up, but she should probably sleep off her hangover.

I finally go through her messages in peace. She went to the doctor and got a two-week sick leave so she wouldn’t have to show up at school with swollen eyes from crying. I get that all too well. If it had been me, I’d feel the same.

I type back:Hey, I talked to Alex. Everything’s fine. But please—no more spontaneous stunts, okay? Especially not after drinking. Better yet, stay away from alcohol altogether, alright? Hugs.

I get dressed, leave the studio, and head home—already planning to cook myself something good to eat. Next time, And next time before I go training, I'll prepare myself better.

Chapter 12

Alexander

I kind of had hoped my physique might impress her. Hard to believe she actually works out here.

“So, you know her?” Carlos leans back in his office chair while I—freshly showered and changed—sit across from him with a protein shake while he flips through paperwork.

“She’s my father’s PA,” I explain briefly. “But he’s stepping down Friday, and I'm taking over. She’ll be assigned to me then.”

“Lucky you. That girl’s turned down everyone here. Even Leonardo. And no one says no to him.”