“Right over there.” He pointed to an empty bench.

“Aren’t we going to use the machines?”

“No. We don’t use machines. If you’re working with me, it’s free weights only.”

“Okay then.” I walked over to the bench.

He started off with light weights, going over some fairly simple arm exercises. Then he moved on to abs, legs, and he didn’t stop.

“Oh my god. Please tell me this is the last one.” I tried to sit up, but my abs protested.

Jared leaned over me. “You’re the one who wanted this. Remember that, Princess.”

I groaned. “Fine. What’s next?”

We were back on arms and I thought I was going to drop. When I thought I couldn’t take anymore, he said the words that were music to my ears. “All right, I think that’s it for today.”

“Seriously? How long have we been here anyway?” I hadn’t worn a watch.

He grinned. “Two hours.”

“Oh my god, no wonder I’m dead.”

“Suddenly wishing you asked Levi, huh?”

“I’m just hoping I can walk tomorrow.”

He laughed.

I picked up my water bottle from where I left it on the ground. Before I could take a sip, Jared grabbed it and gulped half of it down.

“Gross,” I muttered after he tossed it back to me.

“Drink up, Princess. You don’t want to get dehydrated.”

I was too thirsty to argue. I managed to avoid touching my mouth to the bottle as I drank some.

He sniggered. “What? Afraid you’re going to catch something?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t actually mean that.”

“Pretending is always healthy.”

I picked up my keys and ID, and we walked back downstairs. As we reached the bottom, I noticed Michelle. My stomach turned. Other than Levi, she was the last person I wanted to see.

“Hey Allie,” Michelle said with a forced smile. “And Jared…” Her smile got more real…the wheels in her head were turning. “Did you guys work out together?”

“No, we just ran into each other,” I answered quickly.

“Isn’t that a coincidence?” She did a leg stretch right there in the lobby.

“Not really. Levi wants her protected at all times, and I make it my business to know where she is. Let’s go.” As little as I wanted to listen to Jared, I followed him out.

“See you two around,” she called.

“Go to hell.” Jared flipped her the finger right as she turned around.

“Okay, what’s the story there?”

“What story?”

“I’d bet a lot that you two have history.” I fixed my ponytail.

“Perceptive.”

“So when did you sleep with her?”

“History has to mean I slept with her?”

“It doesn’t?”

“Nope. Bryant did though.”

“Really?”

“Uh huh. More than a few times. Dad sent him to Europe before things could get too out of hand, but she blamed him for leaving. She thought she could piss him off by sleeping with me, but I wasn’t interested.”

“Because she was your brother’s ex?”

He turned to look at me. “Do you really think I’ll just sleep with anyone?”

I thought about it for a second. “Maybe not anyone…but most.”

“I have standards, plus I don’t inbreed.”

“Inbreed? Do you really see it that way?”

Jared looked over his shoulder, like he was double checking no one was listening. “If Pterons kept shacking up with each other, we’d end up like the wolves.” He cringed as he said it.

“They were in love, weren’t they?”

He shrugged. “Who knows? Who cares?”

Maybe Michelle wasn’t as much of a brat as I thought. Maybe she was just heartbroken.

“Thanks for the workout…I think.”

“You think?”

“We’ll see if I can still move tomorrow.”

“If you can’t, then we’re making progress. You’re in good shape, but if you want me to teach you any real fighting technique, you’re going to have to push yourself harder.”

“Harder? Okay, I can do that.”

“Good.” The way he said it let me know he actually respected me, and that was a lot coming from Jared.

“Bye, Jared.”

“Catch you later, Ali-gator.”

“You did not just say that.”

“I think I did.”

“Oh my god, you do have a geeky side.”

“What can I say? You must be a geek to bring it out of me.”

“You know it.” I turned and walked back to the dorm.

Chapter Ten

Time had never moved as fast as it did that semester. I was so busy trying to get through classes, go out enough to enjoy the experience, and figure out what in the world was going on with my relationship with Levi, that before I knew it, it was October. It didn’t really feel like October. Without the turning of the leaves, it didn’t quite feel like fall, but I loved the warm weather. There is something awesome about wearing a tank top and shorts a few weeks before Halloween.

Sometimes it was possible to forget just how much of a mess my life was. A full course load can do that to you. I was managing okay, except for French. Who would have thought an intro class could be so hard? Foreign language just wasn’t my thing. Hailey had actually helped quite a bit, but when I asked her to help me with my papers, she just did them for me.

“What? You asked for help.”

“Can’t you explain how you figured out the tense?”

“I’ve already tried to explain it five times.”

“Fine, thanks anyway.”

“Just ask Levi.” Hailey got up from my desk chair.

“He’s never going to let me live it down.”

“Come on, it’s not that big of a deal. You’re just failing intro French.”

I glared at her. “I’m not failing.”

“Really? Because that’s what I thought you said when you asked for my help.”

“Okay, okay. I know I can be melodramatic sometimes. I got a C on my last paper, and I can’t end up with anything less than a B in this class.”

Hailey picked up my phone and tossed it to me. “Call him. You know he’s going to help.”

“And hold it over my head.”