Page 52 of Things We Hide from the Light

“You got that last rep in,” he insisted. “It counts.”

“And had to dry heave into the trash can.”

His mouth was softened by one of those almost smiles that fired up the wild swooping in my belly. “Still counts.”

“They’re superhuman. Every single one of them.”

“That they are,” he agreed.

I noticed some of the gym goers noticing us. “Either I’m topless or you’re walking around bottomless to warrant this kind of attention.”

He glanced up and around, then grimaced. “Small town. There hasn’t been much to gossip about lately.”

“Besides their chief getting shot, two citizens being abducted and rescued, and a U.S. marshal lurking around town. Where is your shadow with a badge anyway?”

Nash hooked a thumb over his shoulder to where Nolan was sweating all over a stationary bike, looking both pissed off and bored.

“Just another day in Knockemout,” Nash said, offering me his hand.

I took it and let him pull me to my feet.

My muscles sang with a mix of post-workout exhaustion and elation.

“If you’re wanting an answer about your offer—” I began.

But he cut me off with a shake of his head. “I’d rather you think about it a little longer than one night. It’s a big ask. I’ve got a smaller ask I need you to say yes to first.”

“What’s that?”

“Mind watching Piper for me tonight? I haven’t left her alone for longer than a few minutes.”

“Sure.”

“I won’t be too late,” he promised.

I wouldnotask him what his plans were. And Idefinitelywouldn’t ask him if it was a date.

“I’m going for drinks with Knox and Lucian,” he said, reading my mind.

The ladies of town would be aflutter over that kind of sexy sandwich of hotness, I guessed.

“Yeah. No problem,” I assured him, pretending that I didn’t feel the stupid wash of relief that it was only a guys’ night out.

He dipped his head toward me in that sexy, intimate way of his. My pulse tripped. So did the woman on the treadmill behind us. She shot me a rueful grin and a shrug when she recovered.

Nash Morgan was a danger to women everywhere.

“Appreciate it. I’ll drop her off a little before nine,” he said.

I vowed to be showered, made up, and wearing something not soaked in sweat. If I could make my legs work by then. “Okay.”

He checked his watch. “I’ve gotta go. I promised Liza J I’d clean the gutters today.”

“Here.” I held out his tumbler.

“Hang on to it. I know where you live.”

“Thanks,” I croaked.