Free The Beauty Within by Savannah J. Frierson

a mild expression, and after a

    48
    Savannah J. Frierson
    moment’s hesitation, she rested her hands on his forearms, for it was uncom-
    fortable to have them suspended in air.
    Gunnar grinned slightly. “I know…you said you would never come into my
    gym again, and since it seemed to intimidate you when you first went, I don’t
    blame you. However, you’re a young woman, and you seem healthy irrespective
    of your back pain and…”
    He trailed off, but Tyler nodded, not needing him to explain that he was
    referring to her weight. “I got you.”
    “Well, in my completely bumbled way, I’m trying to ask if you wouldn’t
    mind me helping you, training you. I can make house calls, that way you don’t
    have to worry about strangers watching you or feeling self-conscious.”
    Her hands squeezed his forearms and he stopped his massage. What did he
    just ask her?
    “I’m offering to train you. Discount even, since you give such fantastic hair-
    cuts.”
    Tyler would’ve stepped back had his hands not tightened against her. His
    offer wasn’t bad. In fact, it was very fair and equitable, but the strangers hadn’t
    been the ones who had made her feel the most self-conscious.
    “I promise I won’t behave like such an ass again. If I’m in a bad mood I’ll
    tell you beforehand.”
    Tyler sighed, backing up again, and this time Gunnar allowed it. Damon
    could easily train her; he’d already offered to make up for the missed session.
    The only reason she hadn’t taken him up on it again was because Damon
    would be at GD Gym and Fitness, and she’d been dead set in her perception of
    Gunnar as a jackass. Since Gunnar had effectively disproved that notion, the
    reason why she was resistant now was because he was such a good man, and
    good men had the uncanny knack of having her assessing them as boyfriend
    material. In Gunnar’s case, it would no doubt end fruitlessly. There was no
    other way that whatever she was feeling would be reciprocated, yet even Tyler
    knew Gunnar had to play nice in order to stay on Damon’s good side. She
    hadn’t missed the knowing looks Wendy had given her during the party, but
    she firmly refused to let her mind go down that delightful little path.
    She pursed her lips. “How much would you charge if I agreed to this?”
    “Half-off. I would say for free, but since we’re both businesspeople, I
    wouldn’t insult your sensibilities like that.”
    Tyler smirked. “Thank you ever so much!”
    “So…are you game? I can even pick you up and drop you off.”
    “Not even Damon offered chauffeur services!”
    “I have an ‘in’ with the boss,” Gunnar said and winked. “Besides, you can’t
    change your mind if I do.”
    “Who says I can’t?”
    He leaned forward and tapped her nose with his finger. “You won’t. It’s not
    in you to back down from a challenge.”

    The Beauty Within
    49
    She took a deep breath and turned away from him. “Fifteen. Though given
    this is your third time, you should know the price by now.”
    “Maybe I should open up a tab?”
    “This isn’t a bar!”
    “And yet,” Gunnar began, taking out a twenty and putting it in her hand.
    He closed her fingers over the bill and didn’t let go. “I feel even more intox-
    icated leaving here than when I leave there.” And with that, he squeezed her
    hand, flashed her a tiny smile, and grabbed his jacket as he left.
    Tyler blindly reached for her chair before plopping into it, her body still
    thrumming from his smile and touch.

    Gunnar glanced at the paper sitting on the passenger’s side of his Jeep be-
    fore turning right into a residential street. It was Tyler’s address, and Gunnar
    thought he would’ve had to sacrifice his first-born in order to wrest it from
    Damon. True, he could’ve called Soul Cuts and gotten the directions from her,
    but Damon was there and…
    Fine. He was shy. Gunnar Daniels was too shy to call a woman.
    It had already been long established Tyler Carver wasn’t just