woman would say that in defense. While Joe couldn’t speak for all men, he knew the perception of weight may worry a woman but never did it occur to him to find flaws in someone due to a particular body shape. He smiled at the nervous look in her eyes. Could she feel it as he did? Had her heart started to pound as madly as his had the minute their eyes met? He had travelled the word and yes, had sex with other women, but no one had ever compared to his first love, Maz.
“So does the thigh-high rule still apply?” Gossip around town was there had been no men in her life. That no man had gotten past her knees since he had. What did Maz want from a lover? Joe wondered about that. As a lover Maz had been giving and hungry with need for fulfillment. How did anyone switch that off and avoid contact with others?
“Yes.” Maz stood up.
Joe held his hand out. That she avoided it was not unexpected. That was Maz. She had always been a law unto herself even way back when they were dating. It had deterred a lot of men but not him. Joe had seen the need and the great abundance of love within her and he had wooed her accordingly. Now he could see by the set of her mouth Maz wanted to fight him. That gave him encouragement. She was not immune to him.
“So what do you think of the place?” He was proud of the gym. It was something he had wanted to try for the longest time. Joe had been sick of working for other people. Sure, it had taken him all over the world but there was nothing like being your own boss. There was nothing like being back at home. There was no place in the world like Amberwarra Falls.
“The name, Patto’s Place, must have taken you hours to come up with.” Maz rolled her eyes cynically. “And it’s pink.”
“As is your face.” Not many women still blushed anymore. And yeah, Maz was right it was pink, but pink was a vibrant positive color and marketing and experience proved that worked when it came to fitness.
“And it’s flashy.”
Joe could almost hear the “like you” in her voice. “And?” His lip curled in amusement.
“And you must be very rich.”
“I do okay. How about you?” That she was the same Maz he fell in love with was all that mattered. Joe was prepared to do whatever had had to in order to have her back in his life.
“Me too.”
Stubborn as . “Never wanted to leave?”
“I’ve always known where I belong.”
It was funny, years ago he had not been able to understand why Maz had stayed, but now Joe knew. Some people understood where home was straightaway. It was the place that spoke to you like no other. Maz was smart. She had not needed to search for something she already had in her life. It had taken Joe years to work that out. Maybe the gym was a crazy thing to do, but he wanted to come home and start a business. Working in and running a gym was the one of the things he knew how to do well. He had worked hard for his qualifications in both personal training and business.
Joe did a long, slow perusal of the woman before him. That she still blushed was adorable in his eyes but then she had always been that way . I was just too stupid to see that. Looking at her now he felt his cock twitch in anticipation of what was to come. Maybe it was arrogant but Joe had a feeling that he was not the only one feeling the intense sexual heat between them. Nothing had ever burned as brightly as it had with Maz. It amused Joe that despite her words to the contrary, Maz had not being able to resist his dare and come to the gym. “So what do you want here Maz?” Pick me.
“Not you.”
“I wasn’t offering.” But Joe was glad she said that as it gave him a clear idea that he wasn’t alone in what he was feeling. “Looking for a personal trainer?” He was longing to get very personal with her.
Maz narrowed her eyes at his words. “You know I happen to think I look pretty good and every woman has cellulite.”
“You also have a pudgy ass.” It was one Joe planned on