Invisibility Cloak (19 page)

“It’s no problem, Amanda. My office is right around where you have to go for therapy.”

“Oh, okay. But how do you know that?”

He walked over and opened the passenger car door. “I’m driving you.”

She nodded and got in. When he got that look on his face, she knew there was no arguing with the man. A muscle along his jaw flexed and she quietly told him the streets the gym was on. He pulled into a parking lot ridiculously close.

“Ryder, I’m not sure if you can park here,” Amanda pointed across the street. “I always park over there. I can walk in by myself. But Ryder go park across the way, I don’t want you to get a parking ticket.”

“I’m fine, darlin’.”

She puffed out an exasperated huff of impatience and swiped her badge and the gym door automatically opened.

“Hi, Amanda, there you are!” Joshua, her therapy associate said as she walked into the well-lit gym. It looked like he was waiting for her.

She lifted her hand. “Hey, Josh, I’ll be out in five minutes. Let me just put my coat and bag away in the lockers.” Heading to the right of the counter, she was intent on getting to the women’s locker room.

Joshua’s eyes widened when he spotted Ryder right behind her. “Okay, Amanda.”

“Mr. Stevenson! I don’t usually see you until after four!”
Her
Joshua gushed out as he extended his hand out to Ryder.

They knew each other? She pulled her brows down and almost tripped as she listened to their conversation behind her and quickly turned to see what was going on.

“Yeah, well, I’ll be in earlier than normal for a while anyway.”

Joshua dipped his chin at Ryder and wagged his eyebrows, in a knowing “male” glance and her temper flared.

Oh!
She did not need Ryder to oversee her every move! Then it hit her that Joshua knew Ryder, because Ryder went to the same gym she did?
Hmmm
, she’d never seen him there before. Later on she’d ask him about that, the real issue now was the fact that he’d turned into her babysitter and she didn’t like it.

She was an independent woman. Hear her
ROAR . . .

Smiling faintly, she walked into the ladies locker room and shoved her bag and coat in the cubby she always used. Bracing herself, she stalked out to
discuss
this with Ryder.

Joshua and Ryder were laughing and having a good old time when she walked up to them. By that time, she’d clenched her teeth so hard― she was sure they’d splinter in her mouth.

“There she is.” Joshua walked up to her and Ryder followed. “Let’s hit the machines first, and then we’ll focus on your leg.” Joshua turned to Ryder. “But first, let’s do fifteen on the bicycle to warm you up.”

Why was he talking to Ryder? Amanda ground her teeth together some more. “Uh, I’m over here, Josh.” She stuck her hand up and waved. “
Hellloooooo?
”

“Amanda, Joshua has another appointment, so he asked if I could take over your regular exercises.” Ryder walked over to a stationary bike and patted the seat. “How about this one?”

Amanda turned to look at Joshua and her face was hot. “You have another appointment, Joshua?” For two months right after her car accident she’d seen and only worked with Joshua. It was only Joshua and no one else. For just a moment she felt like her therapist was cheating on her, which was totally ridiculous.

Joshua cleared his throat. “Well, actually―”

Ryder cut him off. “It’s no problem really, Joshua, you go on to do your other obligation.”

“Amanda, I―” Joshua scrunched his forehead and looked at her worriedly.

This time she cut him off. “No, if you have other things to do, Joshua, of course you go.” She nodded at Ryder. “I’m sure Mr. Stevenson will be just fine.” A knot formed in her throat.

“I promise, I won’t be long,” Joshua said as he walked toward the offices. “Hey, thanks, Ryder.”

Ryder nodded at Josh then turned his attention to her. “Let me help you up.” When he attempted to put his arm around her waist to lift her up to the seat, she slapped off his hands.

“I can do it myself.”

“
O-Kay
.” Ryder took a step back and held both hands up. “I know when I’m not wanted.”

After grunting and huffing, she finally hefted herself up on the bicycle seat only to swipe at the sweat that trickled down her chest.

How totally ungraceful
. Amanda was already perspiring and that was just getting up on the stationary bike seat! She shoved her right foot into the stirrup on the pedal. Then she turned her attention to her left foot and attempted to stick her left toe into the stirrup bar. When her left toe edged the plastic stirrup and tried to dip into it, it didn’t go in. After her car accident, she’d lost the agility to manipulate anything below her left ankle, like she used to. She eyed the spinning pedal and tried once again to stick her left foot into the stirrup. Her tennis shoe caused the pedal to spin even faster.

All it did was spin.

And spin.

Heat crept up her neck onto her face.

Crap.
Joshua, had always helped her put her weak foot on the pedal in the past. She rolled her eyes and turned to Ryder. “Ah, Ryder?” She pointed to her left foot. “Would you mind helping me out?” Tilting her head, she mustered up a half smile. “
Puleeze
?”

This was soooo humiliating
.

“Oh?” Ryder stepped up next to her and gently put her foot onto the pedal and adjusted the strap. “So now, you need me, eh?”

“Thank you,” she gritted out.
That man
. Her feet pushed the pedals.

He leaned over and set the timer and the course intensity. “I’ll start at one.”

“I always do at least three,” she countered while her legs vigorously bicycled.

“
O-Kay
.” He adjusted it to level two.

“I can handle level three.” She’d show him.

Ryder just lifted an eyebrow at her.

“Three.”
What in the blazes was wrong with the man? Couldn’t he hear?
She snorted.

“Just try it here, for a while, Amanda.”

“No.”
Pant, pant, pant.
“Three.” She grunted and pedaled faster. Whoa, two was harder. But no way was she going to let him tell her what speed she should go. Tilting her head, she narrowed her eyes at him and spit out, “Three.”

“
O-Kay
, three it is.” Ryder adjusted it up to three.

Ahhh
. What was she thinking? Amanda glanced at the timer, only fourteen more minutes.
How do I get myself in these messes?
Her eyes shifted back to Ryder. It’s all his fault! He was purposefully pushing her buttons. Was that a smile on his face? He rocked on his heels with his arms crossed in front of his big, strong, muscular chest.

I despise him right now.

“Almost done, honey.” His brown eyes twinkled. She was sure he tried not to laugh. “Only thirteen more
easy
minutes to go.”

Time to change the subject or else she’d claw his eyes out. “So how do you know Joshua?”

“What? You think you’re the only one allowed to come to Go Fitness?” He scowled at her as she took in deep breaths. “I belong here, too.”

“I’ve never seen you here before.”
Pant, pant, pant
.

“I usually come in in the late afternoon.”

“Oh.”
Pant, pant, pant.

“What time will your parents be in today?”

Pant, pant, pant.
“They usually get in around two or three o’clock.”
Pant, pant, pant
. “Usually early afternoon.”

“What time will they take off?”

Amanda eyed his easy going stance. “Mom and Dad usually leave in the morning.” Her eyes darted to her time left.
Pant, pant, pant.
Only eight more minutes. “They take their time driving, exploring new areas and towns along the way home to Ft. Collins.”
Pant, pant, pant.

“How are we doing Amanda?” Joshua crept up behind her and he clapped his hands together before slapping Ryder on the back. “Thanks, Ryder. I’m all set to go, I can take over now.”

“I don’t mind hanging out, Josh.” Ryder surveyed the gym, acting like her private bodyguard. “Is everything okay at home?”

“What?”
Pant, pant, pant.
“What’s wrong, Josh?”

“Marcus, my newborn just got out of a minor surgery. Everything went great.”

“Wow, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Now Amanda really felt like a heel. “We could’ve canceled today, Josh.”

“No, all is good.” Joshua shook his head. “Besides, you already missed our time last Friday. Didn’t want you out of the routine. As soon as I’m done here, I’m heading home.”

Now she really felt like a skank-breath, as her son would say. “Ryder can help me out today, go on home.” She swallowed.

Ryder narrowed his eyes at him. “You heard the lady, Josh.”

“You sure?” Joshua looked at her with big eyes.

“Absolutely.”
Pant, pant, pant.
“Please, get out of here.”

“Not a problem, Josh,” Ryder said easily. “I got this, man. I’ll be here the whole time as well.”

Amanda couldn’t help herself and she snorted. Five more minutes.
Praise the Lord.

“You sure, Amanda?”

“Yes, Joshua, I’ll fill Ryder in on our exercises.”

“I got this, man. Ryder nodded. “Go on.”

Joshua jogged out and Ryder stepped closer to her. “One more minute and counting.” His brows lifted. “Want to keep on going a few more minutes?”

No!
She was light-headed but managed to grunt, “Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one!” and sagged over the handlebars. “All done. I’ll probably ache for three days,” she muttered under her breath.

“I got you.” Ryder moved up behind her and placed both hands around her waist. Plucking her off the seat, he set her down.

She scowled at him. “I could’ve gotten down myself.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ryder walked away from her and gestured to her with his hand. “Come on, you little spitfire.”

Gesturing with her arms toward the matted area that had the free weights she said, “We usually go over to those machines and . . .” She took tentative steps to the weight room area but stopped short when he walked toward the exercise room.

“You are all mine right now.” Uh oh, he got a crazy look in his eyes. “I think you need some heavy duty core exercises as well as your regular leg workouts.” His hand motioned to his stomach. “Good for balance and everything, really.”

“Oh.” She followed him in the yoga room. Could be beneficial, she knew she had a weak stomach and trunk area.

Bring it on, Ryder.
She followed him into the room and flicked on the lights.
I am woman hear me groan.

He went left and pulled out two mats from the storage area. “Core. Strengthen.” Laying the mats side by side, he said, “Everything starts here, darlin’.” He pointed to his flat, hard stomach.

Stop that, she chastised herself
. Stop mooning over his strong, God-like hard body.
He had that stupid little grin on his face. The one that made him look so sexy and masculine.

“Okay.” Rolling her eyes, she sat cross-legged on the green mat. “I’m all yours.”

His mouth quirked up. “Now lay down.” Ryder knelt beside her. “And slowly pull from here.” He laid his palm on her stomach
.

Oh boy
. As soon as he touched her, her body reacted and she tried miserably to ignore how he made her body feel being so close to her. Nodding, she did as he instructed. “Like this?”

“Yes.” He ran her through several other various abdomen exercises and then showed her some to build up her back strength. “See, these will help you not have back problems.” He looked down at his wrist and flipped it over. “Time to go through your regular leg work-out.”

“Sounds good.” She took the mats back in the closet.

A slight buzzing echoed in the room as she flipped the mats back where he grabbed them earlier. He pulled his cell phone out of his jean’s pocket.

“Yeah?” He turned his back to her as she approached and talked in a hushed voice. “Thanks, Marge. Appreciate it.” Ryder turned back and snapped his phone shut. “Ready?”

“Yes.” She pointed to his pocket, the one he slipped his cell into. “Do you need to do anything?”

“Nothing that can’t wait another twenty minutes―after your leg drills. My office is close, so we’ll run up there and I’ll take care of this little item afterward.”

“Oh joy,” she said sarcastically, and then bit her tongue.

“Do you know what would have happened if that remark came out of my mouth to my Army drill sergeant?”

Amanda clucked her tongue. “Well, then praise the Lord I’m not in the Army.”

Ryder lifted an eyebrow. “Let’s go soldier.” He herded her out of the private exercise room to the larger weight area. “One. Two. Three. Four.”