Baking Me Crazy (Donner Bakery, #1)(33)

My arms and shoulders ignited after only a couple of reps. With each shift, I felt the fire spread into different places.

My back. My abs. My obliques.

I blew out a hiss of air as I did another rep and then lowered myself back to hanging, arms shaking visibly.

Levi stayed quiet behind me, but I felt his eyes on me.

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of my face, and I breathed in and out.

"Done?" he asked.

"One more," I said, dropping my chin and adjusting my fingers.

Inch by excruciating inch, I pulled myself up one more time until my chin cleared the metal bar. With my teeth clenched together, I struggled not to drop down too quickly.

When my arms were fully extended, I nodded over my shoulder.

Levi held my waist this time, not my hips, and even through the layer of my shirt, the heat of his hands was instant.

My brain jumbled as he helped me down until I could sit back into my chair. Like someone punched the fast-forward button on a VHS tape, and I was struggling to stop in the place that I wanted.

When he held out a towel, I took it gratefully, wiping it over my face as I struggled to catch my breath.

"Thanks," I told him.

"You okay?"

Surprised at the seriousness of his tone, I looked up at him. "Yeah, why?"

"That was three more than you usually do."

"It was?"

Levi nodded, searching my face.

I handed the towel back and unlocked my chair. "Maybe I'm still in a weird mood from PT. I should probably go home and let Nero out. He's probably pissed at me for leaving him at home."

"Why didn't you take him?"

Under my breath, I laughed. "Taking Nero to PT is about the same as taking you."

He adopted a mock-hurt expression. "Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean. Your sole purpose is to intimidate."

"But unlike your marshmallow of a dog, I'd actually hurt someone." He waved a hand in front of his face. "Behind this pretty face is the soul of a killer."

I rolled my eyes, giving his leg a condescending pat before I backed my chair up. "Okay, Cujo."

"You work tomorrow?" he asked as he followed me through the kitchen.

"Until noon. Why?"

Levi was quiet as I went down the ramp in the garage and out onto the driveway. I unlocked the car and opened the driver's side door. "Do you mind?" I asked.

He shook his head, taking the chair to the back after I boosted myself into the car.

"Speaking of work, when are you going to start contributing to society?"

His smile was easy, but there was a tightness behind his eyes. "I've got an interview in a couple of days, actually."

"That's great," I exclaimed, shoving at his shoulder. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

Levi shrugged. "I'm sure nothing will come from it. It's a phone interview, and I think they're indulging me because it's a connection through Hunter."

I nodded. "Ahh. The elusive oldest brother who hates Green Valley and never comes home."

"He doesn't hate Green Valley," he hedged. "I don't think. I know his wife does, though, so they never really come home."

"It's weird that you have this whole other sibling who I don't know."

His hand tapped the roof of my car. "Bothers you, doesn't it?"

"What's the interview for? I thought you couldn't find anything around here."

A truck rumbled down the street, and he squinted in the direction of the sound. "It's definitely been harder than I thought."

"I'd be going out of my mind by now if I were you."

Levi huffed out a laugh. "Yeah, most days I definitely feel like I'm going crazy."

The words, the lack of eye contact, the way he held his body had me searching for the hidden meaning in what he'd just said.

"Is that so?"

"Only most days," he said when he finally looked back at me.

"I still think you could start your own place here or in Maryville. Even Knoxville. It's not that far."

His eyes searched mine steadily. "Is that what you would do? Start a business if you couldn't find the job you want?"

I looked back just as steadily. "I don't know, smartass, considering I still have no freaking clue what I even want to do."

"There's nothing wrong with that," he told me for the eight hundredth time since I started my classes.

"I know, I know. But it's still easier to tell you how to fix your life than try to figure out my own." I swept my arm out toward him. "Hence me planning your imaginary business that you're going to start."

"Would you finally be one of my clients if I did?"

"No way. Conflict of interest much?" I smiled. "Besides, I'd argue with you too much when you told me what to do. I'd drive you insane."

He braced his hands on the doorframe and studied my face with a slight grin. "You say that like you don't already drive me insane."

"Good point," I said thoughtfully. "Let me know if you want to do something after I'm done tomorrow."

He shut the car door for me and nodded. "Will do."