Big Beautiful Little Read Online Free PDF Page B

pulled her 4Runner around quickly—too quickly for his taste—and all but burned out of the parking lot. His heart was in his throat at the sickening sound of screeching tires and car horns as she barely evaded an oncoming truck before heading north back toward her house.
    Lance felt confusion turn to anger. Whatever he’d said to upset her—and he had a pretty good idea now of what it was—was no reason for Tiffany to behave so rashly. Rushing back to the door, he locked it and then headed for his own vehicle. His square jaw was set in a grim line as he jumped in his truck and headed out of the parking lot, taking a shortcut that put him in Tiffany’s driveway just as she was getting out of her Toyota.
    “Hey!” he said, as he pulled in behind her and got out.
    “I changed my mind, Mr. Sawyer. I don’t want to retain your services.” Her tone was ridiculously formal as she headed for the front door, fumbling for her house key as she went.
    “You don’t get that option until you tell me why.”
    She looked back at him, angry. “It’s not up to you.”
    She opened the door and went inside. Without thinking, Lance came in behind her. He shut the door as she turned to face him.
    “What is wrong with you?” she asked. “I just told you to leave.”
    “And I will,” he said. “If you tell me one more time, I’ll turn around and walk out that door and never speak to you again. But I tried to make up for offending you that first day, and you agreed when I offered to be your personal trainer, and now you’ve run away a second time. Now I think I know why you ran, but I’d like to hear it from you.”
    He watched as Tiffany put her gym bag on the hall table by the door. She was quiet for a moment before turning to him.
    “Okay,” she said. “If you think you know why I ran, you tell me.”
    He took a step closer until only inches separated them. When he spoke, his voice was soft, stern. “I think you left because you not only want control, you need it. I think there’s a little girl trapped inside of the beautiful woman standing before me. I think she craves control, but somewhere along the way someone made her feel ashamed of it, and maybe ashamed of herself for wanting it.”
    For a moment, both were silent. When Tiffany broke his gaze, Lance reached out to gently rub away a tear that had settled at the corner of her eye before tilting her chin up so that she was forced to look at him again.
    “Am I right?”
    She was staring at him with puzzlement. “Who are you?”
    “Someone who understands, Tiffany. And maybe that’s why I came after you. I know what it’s like to be different, too. Just as you’ve been taught to be ashamed of your need for guidance, I’ve always been hesitant to reveal my need to guide, to control. It’s not a popular stance for a man in this politically correct age, but that’s who I am. I like order; I like giving direction. I like being in control. It’s why I joined the military. It’s why I opened a gym. I like helping people who need control in their lives. And I’m thinking that’s what you need. But that need makes you feel guilty, and that’s why you ran. Am I right?”
    “Look,” she said softly. “My problems are my own…” She dropped her eyes, even as he held her chin steady.
    “Answer me, Tiffany,” he said. “Am I right?”
    She looked back up at him and answered as her small hand moved his away from her chin. “Yes,” she said softly.
    “Then let me help you,” he urged. “Trust me to know what’s best for you. Look, I realize that you don’t know me. But I can help you. And I want to. I get so many people coming through my gym every day. I’m not in the habit of following them to their houses.” He paused. “Twice.”
    “Exactly what do you have in mind for me?” she asked.
    Lance knew this was a make or break moment; what he would say next would be the biggest risk of all, but would verify if his instincts about her had been