Chasing You

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

AlexaWith my New Year’s adventure behind me, I slid back into my committed relationship with work. I walked into my gym three weeks later early enough to get in a workout before heading to my office.

I attacked the rowing machine, the treadmill, and the shower. Then, I stopped at the front desk and greeted my receptionist, Holly Lawrence, with an endorphin-fueled smile.

“Let me know when the guy from Bass and Carmichael gets here.”

Holly looked up from her computer screen and tucked a lock of bright, bottle-red hair behind her ear. “Ten a.m., right?”

“Yes. Some guy named Graham Ryan. He’s one of the partners.”

“I’m going to miss Michael. I can’t believe he sold the building so quick. Did you even know it was for sale?”

“No. He didn’t even warn any of us. Before Christmas, he sent all the tenants an email saying he’d sold out to this other real estate company. I just hope the new owners don’t screw up our expansion. Michael assures me that the new company can handle anything, but already, they’ve ignored some electrical things we need.”

Melissa and I partnered up for more than parties. Together, we were turning Starlight Fitness into Starlight Fitness & Spa—leasing and transforming the space next to my gym. Melissa, a massage therapist, would run the massage and aesthetician services while I managed the fitness and personal training business.

“You’d think a big developer like that would be able to handle something that basic.”

The lack of response from our new landlord threaded my tone with exasperation. I hoped the ownership change wouldn’t stall our plans for grand opening on July 1.

“Anyway, I’ll be in my office waiting.”

“I’ll buzz you as soon as he gets here.”

I strode past the rows of emptying cardio equipment. My customers arrived in predictable tides. The five a.m. crowd rolled out as the six a.m. clients flooded in. Now, at just past seven, the gym population dropped until the smaller wave of stay-at-home parents came in after dropping kids off at school.

I pushed open the door to my small office and put my gym bag on the credenza sitting between two narrow windows in the corners. Planted at my desk for the next couple hours, I reviewed the week’s personnel schedule and other regular tasks, keeping an eye the clock.

By ten fifteen, I wondered if the guy would show. I rang Holly.

“Still a no show, Alexa. I swear, as soon as he gets here…Oh,” Holly’s voice dropped, “there’s a guy coming in. Wow. He’s hot. Gotta go.”

I didn’t care how hot the guy was. I prayed for competent and amenable.

Bubbles of laughter floated down the hall, and Holly strolled in with a man trailing behind her. I couldn’t see him, but the receptionist stopped in the doorway and wiggled her eyebrows.

I jumped up and walked to the door, preparing my most congenial smile.

“This is Graham Ryan. The new landlord. Mr. Ryan, this is the owner, Alexa Stevens.” Holly’s tone was bright as she stepped aside.

Dear God. Possibly Ryan.

Flames of embarrassment licked at my face, but didn’t melt my frozen smile. “Thanks for bringing him back, Holly. If you could get back to the front…”

The desk clerk backed away, leaving us to stare at each other.

My X-ray imagination saw “Mr. Ryan” as he was on New Year’s Day—sensual cords of muscle and a saluting c**k. My surging pulse beat in my ears and in my core.

I blinked away the vision of him n***d and focused on his luxe-labelled, but unremarkable, blue oxford shirt and navy slacks.

Never mind the wavy chestnut hair, the gold-brown eyes, the strong cheekbones, and the square jaw. Never mind he looked as if he’d been drawn in a comic book. Never mind the slanted smile that had once hovered between my thighs.

“You found your way home. Good.” Graham punctuated his words with a verbal jab.

My throat seized, and I forced a breath to speak. “Yes. I did.”

I returned to my desk, but didn’t sit down.

“I was a little worried.”

“For two weeks?”

“Closer to three, and anyway, I wondered. Never thought I’d see you again. You live here in Austin, then?”

I nodded. “I guess you do, too?”

“I do. I was in Dallas just for New Year’s.”

“Same here. So, that explains that.” I paused to take a long breath. “Look, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to keep things professional. We have business to discuss.”

Graham flinched. I longed to sit down and start the meeting, but didn’t want to crane my neck up at the broad-shouldered man who suddenly seemed too big for my office.

“You’re dismissive.”

“What?”

“You decided you were done with me on New Year’s Day and just left. You’ve decided to ignore what happened and just declare that I will, too. What if I have feelings for you?”

“After one night?”

“You’ve never heard of love at first sight?”

“I’ve heard of it, but I think it’s bullshit.”

“Now, that’s not language that keeps things professional.”

The broad grin accompanying his quip straightened my spine. I leaned over, gripping the edge of my desk, before moderating an even, indisputable tone. “You are not in love with me, so don’t play with me. We had an evening together, but that’s over, and I would like to move on. Whatever you may think, I take my business seriously, and I’d like to discuss what I’ll need from you.”

Snide humor raised the pitch of his voice. “You need me.”

I folded my arms. “As a landlord. I’m expanding Starlight Fitness, and we’re in the middle of construction. Can’t we behave like adults?”

His amber eyes widened, and he put up a surrendering hand. “Sure. Of course. I apologize. It’s just a shock seeing you.”

“Likewise. Now, feel free to have a seat. Do you want anything to drink? We have coffee, tea, and water in the office, or I can get you some fresh juice from next door. We have a good relationship with the smoothie place.”

We sat down opposite one another, and Graham tapped his hands on my desk. “No, thanks. I just met with them, and they treated me to some fresh-pressed juice. I’m very hydrated. So, what do you need?”

“There are some changes to the structure that I worked out with my previous landlord. We had a separate written agreement, and it’s not clear to me how the change in ownership is going to affect our timeline.”

“All legal agreements that were made with the tenants have to be honored, so if there was construction promised and deadlines set, we’ll follow through.”

Graham waved his hand as if my concerns weren’t an issue.

“You say that, but in the past two weeks, there was electrical work that was supposed to be done, and my contractors are having trouble getting access to what they need in the building.”

Graham pulled out his business card and slid it across the desk. “Send me an email with the specific issues, and I’ll personally make sure you get what you need.”

My shoulders unwound a little. “Thank you.”

“Any other issues?”

His wide brown eyes bored into me, and my breath had to crawl out of my chest. “Not at the moment.”

With our business wrapped up, I could get him out of my office. The anticipation of it made my knee shake.

“Good. I’m having these tenant meetings so we can introduce ourselves and put faces to names.”

“Done. I have a face for the name. Graham Ryan.”

I didn’t know why I thought he’d said his name was Ryan. I must have misheard him. It had been loud at the party.

“And Alexa Stevens. Not Lola. That’s what you said, right?”

“I don’t know what made you think my name was Lola.” I forced my lie, light and dismissive, through my tightened throat.

“Regardless, it’s good to see you again. Maybe we can have dinner.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Ah, keeping it professional.”

“I think that’s best.”

“There are professional business dinners.”

“Is that what you want? To get together and talk business?”

Graham’s fixation on my face flipped my stomach. ”Why don’t you give me a tour of your facility?”

“Uh, sure.”