Free Kickass Anthology by Keira Andrews, Jackie Keswick, Jade Crystal, Nancy Hartmann, Tali Spencer, JP Kenwood, A.L. Boyd, Mia Kerick, Brandon Witt, Sophie Bonaste Page B

tonight. So work it. Squats. Now.”
    The short staccato commands had Fin jumping to do his bidding. Jay poked, prodded, and nit-picked until he did every single squat in perfect form. It wasn’t really nit-picking, of course. It was Jay doing his job well. He succeeds at everything he tries, and I always fail. So much for hoping his success would rub off on me, Fin groused as he did squat after excruciating squat.
    “You seriously overestimate my abilities, dude,” he grumbled when Jay refused to count a squat until he did it correctly.
    “Stop complaining. Just a few more.”
    A few minutes later, after many more than a few squats, Fin collapsed on his back when Jay called an end to the exercise. He rubbed his sore bottom. “Your definition of ‘a few’ and mine are very different.”
    “Squats are your friend. Buns of steel,” Jay replied, throwing a wink over his shoulder as he headed to the front desk to ask after his next client.
    Figures that when Jay finally offers to fuck me, I’ll be too sore to enjoy it. Story of my life.
    “My next client is running late, so we have a few minutes,” he said, plopping down on the mat and beginning a series of stretches.
    “Please, God, tell me it’s a few minutes to rest , not work more.”
    “Depends on what you think of stretching. Don’t want your muscles to tighten up.”
    Fin snorted as he sat up on the mat, attempting to mimic the position. Jay threw him a sideways glance. He didn’t catch his own innuendo. He’s usually all over those. Must be getting into professional mode for his client.
    They ran through a series of stretches in silence. Fin began to wonder if he had complained one too many times. Maybe he’s finally had enough of me. He silently vowed not to complain anymore and appreciate Jay training him for nothing and giving him free membership passes every few months. And that he charmed the manager into overlooking that fact. I can’t lose him. He’s the only good thing in my life.
    “I’m sorry for complaining.”
    “That’s part of my job. You’re miserable. It’s okay,” Jay reassured him, leaning over to grab his feet in a stretch Fin couldn’t hope to imitate. When he sat back up, he caught Fin’s gaze and asked in a somber tone, “So what are you going to do? Do you have anywhere to go?”
    “That’s my problem, not yours.”
    Jay watched as he attempted the stretch. The trainer had managed to lay his chest flat on top of his outstretched legs. Fin didn’t even come close. He growled in frustration and threw himself back on the mat. Jay stretched out beside him, propping himself up on one elbow.
    “How long have we been best friends again? I don’t want to think about you out on the street.”
    Fin sighed. Jay was an immovable force, physically and mentally. He hadn’t won an argument in years. “I don’t have a backup plan. The shitty apartment I’m living in now was the backup plan. Now I’m getting kicked out of that place too.”
    “Some of my clients have rental property. I can ask around, see if I can find anything.”
    “Thanks, but I don’t have enough money to pay a security deposit and first month’s rent.”
    “I can loan you the difference.”
    “You would probably never see it again,” Fin admitted with complete honesty, glancing at Jay out of the corner of his eye.
    “Then we’ll call it a gift instead of a loan,” Jay shot back, unfazed.
    “No.”
    “Fin – ”
    “ No ,” he repeated firmly, leaving no more room for arguments. “How many times have you bought me lunch or loaned me twenty bucks? You even paid my utilities that one month so they wouldn’t cut off my lights.” When Jay started shaking his head, Fin punched his arm. “Stop it. I know it was you. I can’t take any more of your money. I already owe you more than I can repay.”
    “Did you put a gun to my head and steal my wallet?” Jay asked. “No, I wanted to help. You try so hard and things just never seem to go the way