Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery, #1)(30)

"Ahh, no, I don't."

Briefly, I wondered if my parents would think it strange if I ripped out my current shower and put it in a brand new one just for her.

Nope. Probably not.

They'd probably rejoice if Joss and I finally got to the "shower stage" of our relationship.

"And unless you're going to help me out of the bathtub, I think I'd rather just splash some water on my face if you don't mind."

The woman was officially killing me. I didn't even have a bathtub in my apartment, but holy shit could I imagine her in one if I did.

Thoughts of Joss and showers and baths were not a good combination with mesh gym shorts. I turned to face the sink. Fast.

With rough movements and while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in my head, I cleaned any remaining smoothie residue from my neck, face and hands while I fought to control my burgeoning hard-on.

Joss was quiet, and I could feel her watching me.

"What is it?" I asked, not meeting her eyes.

"Who says I'm thinking something?"

The look I gave her over my shoulder while I washed my hands was quick and loaded. "Who do you think you're dealing with here?"

Her eyes rolled, a facial expression I was so familiar with, I smiled.

"Do you ever wonder why I don't work my legs more when you and I work out together?"

My hands slowed under the water, which was getting colder by the second. Probably good for me to douse any part of my body in cold water, but her words had an equal ardor-dousing effect. I'd noticed it, especially over the past year and a half. Number one, she didn't take me up on my offer to work out as much as she used to, and number two, she'd become really skilled at deflecting my offers to work on her legs and focused on her upper body instead.

Before answering, I took my time turning the water off and drying my hands, using the damp towel to make sure my face was clean.

"I've wondered," I said, leaning my hip against the island and facing her with my arms crossed over my chest. "But I think I know why, if that's really what you're asking."

Not that I'd obsessed over it, but I knew she'd had a PT appointment before she texted me.

Which meant she saw PT guy.

Which meant something happened.

Because Joss was overthinking that something.

Just as she was currently overthinking whether she wanted to ask me what my opinions were on why—despite mastering so many challenges in her life—I thought she was pulling back on the one area that common sense would assume she'd want the most.

"What happened at PT?" I asked when she still didn't open her mouth.

Her eyes never left my face. "I had to crawl like a dog."

Anger had me straightening from the counter, my fingers curling into tight fists at my sides. "He made you do what?"

When her lips twitched, I sank back against the counter and gave her a deadpan look. Oh sure, it was so fun to ignite the jealous instincts of your best friend—the man who would jump in front of a Mack truck for you—who possibly felt a smidge overprotective of you because he'd loved you for five years even though you didn't know it.

"Not that your overreaction isn't fun, but it was just a little embarrassing, you know?" She shrugged one shoulder. "It's like he's determined to shine the world's brightest spotlight on every single place that I'm the weakest." Before I could point out that her legs would always be the area she'd be the weakest, she held up a hand. "Shut up, you know what I mean."

"I do." I scratched the side of my face. "So what's with the crawling?"

"Ugh. It was this ramp going up to the wall, and I had to crawl forward and backward, then do different balance exercises. Almost like inverted planks."

The wheels in my head instantly started churning. The small gym in my parents' house had spots where I could easily build something similar. "Probably lit your glutes on fire, huh?"

She laughed, but I could hear the embarrassed edge to it. "They were shaking so badly after just a few reps. I could hardly walk back to my seat after putting my chair in the back of my car."

Carefully, I watched her face as I asked my next question. "And you still wanted to work out more afterward?"

That had her eyes flashing.

Heart of a peacock feather blue.

"You think I can't handle more?"

I held up my hands. "I may not be the quickest guy in town, but I'm not stupid, Sonic. Telling you that you can't anything is the fastest route to getting my balls punched."

Her eyes lowered to the area of which I spoke, then narrowed thoughtfully, which made me want to cup myself just to be safe.

"Hey now, I wasn't giving out suggestions," I said, which made her eyes snap up and a smile stretch over her face. "I'm just wondering, is all. When I have a tough workout, the last thing I want to do is head back to the gym."

Joss swallowed and stared past me for a couple of seconds. Maybe it was the sudden rise in date feelings that had me overanalyzing everything, but it seemed like I saw her questioning what came out of her mouth more and more. Had she always done that? Or did I just not notice?

When she finally answered, her voice was quiet, and her eyes never met mine. "I needed to put the rest of this … energy somewhere."