Chasing You (Thirsty Hearts Book 4) Read Free Page A

Fitness & Spa—leasing and transforming the space next to Alexa’s gym. Melissa, a massage therapist, would run the massage and aesthetician services while Alexa 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 her new landlord threaded her tone with exasperation. She hoped the ownership change wouldn’t stall their 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.”
    Alexa strode past the rows of emptying cardio equipment. Her 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.
    She pushed open the door to her small office and put her gym bag on the credenza sitting between two narrow windows in the corners. Planted at her desk for the next couple hours, she reviewed the week’s personnel schedule and other regular tasks, keeping an eye the clock.
    By ten fifteen, Alexa wondered if the guy would show. She 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.”
    Alexa didn’t care how hot the guy was. She prayed for competent and amenable.
    Bubbles of laughter floated down the hall, and Holly strolled in with a man trailing behind her. Alexa couldn’t see him, but the receptionist stopped in the doorway and wiggled her eyebrows.
    Alexa jumped up and walked to the door, preparing her 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 Alexa’s face, but didn’t melt her frozen smile. “Thanks for bringing him back, Holly. If you could get back to the front…”
    The desk clerk backed away, leaving them to stare at each other.
    Alexa’s X-ray imagination saw “Mr. Ryan” as he was on New Year’s Day—sensual cords of muscle and a saluting cock. Her surging pulse beat in her ears and in her core.
    She blinked away the vision of him naked 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 her thighs.
    “You found your way home. Good.” Graham punctuated his words with a verbal jab.
    Her throat seized, and Alexa forced a breath to speak. “Yes. I did.”
    She returned to her 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?”
    She nodded. “I guess you do, too?”
    “I do. I was in Dallas just for New Year’s.”
    “Same here. So, that explains that.” Alexa 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. She longed to sit down and start the meeting, but didn’t want to crane her neck up at the broad-shouldered man who suddenly seemed too big for her 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 her spine. She