She went straight to the stationary bike and immediately began a rigorous workout. He didn’t join in because quite simply he enjoyed watching her work up a sweat. She was one of those women who didn’t sweat. She glowed. A sheen of perspiration made her perfect skin glisten in the light and it made him want to do crazy things, like run his tongue over her flesh and suck up every drop of perspiration.
After fifteen minutes, she switched to a cardio stepping machine and put in another fifteen minutes there before moving to one of the benches to do abdominal crunches.
He was impressed by her stamina and the fact that she didn’t look in the least winded. She was obviously in excellent shape. Her body certainly didn’t tell a different story. She was toned. Hard in the places she needed to be hard and delectably soft in the places she should be.
Next, she went to the treadmill and threw a smile over her shoulder. “Give me fifteen minutes to cool down and then I’ll throw you on your ass.”
He grinned back and drawled out his response. “Keep dreaming, princess.”
She rolled her eyes and refocused her attention on the treadmill, swinging her arms as she started out with a brisk pace only to back it down gradually until she finally turned it off and stepped down.
She made a show of cracking her knuckles and assuming the stance of a fighter as she circled him warily.
“I propose a wager,” she said in a cocky voice. “I throw you and I get one request you have to fulfill.”
“And if I throw you? Or you don’t throw me?” he asked, lifting one eyebrow.
“Then you get one request of me that I have to fulfill.”
His mind was immediately ablaze with all the possibilities. And judging by the calculating smug expression Eden was wearing, her thoughts likely mirrored his. Hell, in his way of thinking it didn’t matter who won the bet because they very likely wanted the same things. But just in case, he wasn’t about to let her win because it had suddenly become very important that he get what he wanted.
Her. In his bed. Him so deeply inside her that he felt swallowed up by her, heart and soul.
“Deal,” he said in a challenging tone.
She was good. He had to hand it to her. Being up against a man twice her size would normally make it impossible for her to get the upper hand. But she was fast and she’d obviously been trained well.
He groaned when he saw that they had an audience outside the glass door leading into the fitness room. Joe and Nathan had joined Skylar and Edge, and they all were watching in obvious amusement.
His distraction almost cost him the bet. She went in for the kill and he stumbled but righted himself immediately and did a quick leg sweep while she was unbalanced and took her down, rolling himself underneath her so he took the brunt of the fall.
She stared down at him, panting softly, her hair in disarray. “I don’t suppose since I’m on top and you’re pinned down that I win?”
He laughed at the chagrin on her features. “Sorry, princess. I didn’t want to hurt you so I took the brunt of the fall, but I definitely took you down. Victory is mine.”
She pouted, which only made him laugh harder. She was so damn cute with that bottom lip stuck out and the puppy-dog look in her eyes.
“I hope your request will be at least as fun as mine was going to be,” she grumbled.
“Oh, it’ll be fun,” he said softly. “I know I’ll love every minute of it and I plan to make damn sure you enjoy it every bit as much.”
Fire ignited in her eyes and for a moment he thought she was going to kiss him. But a quick glance in the direction of the doorway was enough to make her temper her reaction. She didn’t want an audience any more than he did.
Instead she scrambled off him and then extended her hand down to help him up. He bounced upward and stood with his back to the door so Eden was shielded from view.
“You’re good,” he said sincerely. “But there’s more I can teach you. I can sharpen your skills for sure if you’re interested.”
She lifted both brows in an exaggerated expression of surprise. “Let’s see. More one-on-one time with you and getting to wrestle you to the floor, no matter who causes the fall? Nah, I’m not interested at all.”
“Incorrigible,” he muttered, knowing he was using that word a lot when it came to describing her.
She flashed him a million-dollar smile. “So, um, when do I get to hear this request I’m supposed to fulfill?”
Making sure Eden was still hidden from view, he leaned in close so his lips brushed her temple and were close to one ear.
“Later,” he murmured. “I’m thinking tonight, that is, if you aren’t working too late and aren’t exhausted afterward.”
Her eyes gleamed and pink dusted her glossy cheeks, made so by the light perspiration of her workout.
“I can assure you I won’t be so exhausted that I can’t hold up my end of the bargain,” she murmured.
CHAPTER 17
SWANNY’S respect for Eden’s profession increased all the more as he stood back, watching the shoot for the commercials. It had to be exhausting for her but she worked steadily, took instructions from the director and responded perfectly, each and every time.
He didn’t see what the problems were when the director yelled “Cut!” and then demanded a reshoot. She looked fucking perfect to him. But the director seemed like a real dick.
He’d thrown a fit when Eden had arrived accompanied by him and his team. He’d complained loudly about having so many people underfoot, and even though Eden’s agent had arrived and pulled him to the side to explain the situation, it was obvious the director still wasn’t happy.
He barked orders in a loud, obnoxious voice that made Swanny grit his teeth. The way the director talked to Eden made him want to plant his fist right in the fucker’s face.
After several hours of shooting, the director called a halt and then barked for hair and makeup to go in and do touch-ups.
“She looks like shit,” the director complained loudly. “I need perfect, goddamn it. Give me perfect.”
“What a dick,” Skylar muttered next to Swanny, perfectly echoing his own assessment of the asshole. “She looks amazing. The woman couldn’t look like shit even on her worst day. What the hell does he want?”
Swanny growled his agreement, his stance rigid as he watched people rush in to touch up Eden’s hair and makeup. How the hell did she work under these kinds of conditions? And further, how on earth could she keep that thousand-megawatt smile in place when some asshole was constantly criticizing her?
He knew this deal was important to Eden. She’d said it was the biggest break of her career. But hell, nothing seemed worth signing up for this kind of abuse.
Eden’s agent came to stand beside Swanny and Skylar, watching the goings-on with a bored expression. As if nothing was out of the ordinary and this was just another day on the job.
“Is it always like this?” Swanny bit out.
Her agent looked surprised that Swanny was talking to him and then he blinked, clear confusion on his face.
“What do you mean?”
“Does she always have complete dickheads barking at her, telling her she looks like shit and complaining about every goddamn thing she does?”
Her agent actually took a step back, his expression wary, but then Swanny was sure he bristled with anger and his expression was probably not exactly pleasant.
“This director is one of the best in the business,” her agent defended. “He may sound overly critical to you, but the end result certainly can’t be argued with. He’ll shoot until he’s satisfied that it’s not just good but perfect. This is too big an account to accept anything less than the best.”