Trained At The Gym: A Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance Read online

  “Oh, then you must take a tour! What’s your name?”

  “Katherine Delaney.” I shook my head. “But I was just popping in for a peek. I didn’t bring any of my paperwork, and I need to go…”

  “Be back in a jiffy!” The girl disappeared into the back room like an eager little elf.

  I gazed into the adjacent room, which was full of exercise equipment and the sound of machines moving steadily. I hadn’t intended to take a tour of the facility today. I hadn’t intended anything other than a juicy sandwich on sourdough bread. My stomach rumbled, reminding me of the real reason I went out.

  I was about to leave when the girl returned.

  And she wasn’t alone.

  3

  Katherine

  The man who returned with the desk girl was one of the biggest guys I’d ever seen. His muscular chest pressed tight against the inside of his Rocky Mountain Fitness tank top, and his arms were like stacks of chiseled stone swinging on either side of his gorgeous body. His gym shorts might have been baggy on a normal man, but on him they were stretched tight from his trunk-like thighs.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Katherine,” he said in a deep voice. His smile was warm and inviting. “I’m Finn.”

  I shook his hand. My entire palm disappeared within his warm grip, which was gentle despite his size. I pulled my gaze away from his body to look him in the eyes, which were as brown as the richest coffee. His face was blocky, with chiseled cheekbones and a prominent jawline. His short, black hair was parted down the side flawlessly.

  And he smiled at me like I was his new best friend.

  “Have you been here before, Katherine? Or would you like a tour of the gym?”

  My brain was struggling to work, so all I said was, “Yeah.”

  “Yeah you’ve been here before, or yeah you’d like a tour?”

  Stupid Katherine. Get it together. He’s gorgeous, but he’s just a guy.

  A sexy, mesmerizing guy…

  “No, I haven’t been here before,” I said. “Yes, I’d like a tour. Please.”

  Finn nodded as if I wasn’t stammering over my own tongue. “Awesome. Right this way, to the main cardio room…”

  He led me past the scanner and into the next room. It was an open area, cavernous even, with the ceiling at least forty feet above. The first floor was filled with cardio equipment in rows: treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and secondary equipment like stairmasters. There was a balcony on the second floor that ringed the room, with more exercise bikes and treadmills. Roughly half the equipment was occupied; an orchestra of machines spinning and humming. Dozens of televisions were mounted on the walls, playing various cable channels. Some screens were scrolling through a strange list of names and points.

  Finn spread his chiseled arms and grinned. “Let me personally welcome you to RMF. This is the main cardio room, as you can see. Towel stations are scattered around the outer wall, with disinfectant wipe dispensers so you can clean down your machine after use. Each machine has a built-in audio jack, which can then be tuned to any of the televisions, or the gym radio station. This way is the resistance training room…”

  The next room we entered was filled with the sound of iron weights clanking together. Squat racks lined one entire wall, with barbells and round Olympic plates next to each. Throughout the middle of the room were bench press stations where men and women were pushing bars of weight into the air while spotters looked on. The opposite wall from the squat racks held shelves filled with a million sizes of dumbbells and kettlebells.

  “The boxing gym is right through here,” Finn continued. “We’ve got a variety of punching bags, speed bags, and two sparring rings.” Two women were circling each other in the ring, moving carefully while focusing on the other. One woman darted forward with a flurry of jabs, but the other glided away easily.

  “Oh, I won’t be doing any boxing,” I said with a self-deprecating laugh.

  “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!” Finn replied. His voice was so deep and smooth; if it was a bedsheet its thread count would have been nine-hundred. “Everyone starts off as a beginner. And sometimes it feels good to punch something.”

  Next he led me into the pool room. It was steamy in there, at least ten degrees warmer than the other rooms. Two people were doing laps.

  “Four lanes, twenty-five meters long. It’s heated saltwater, too. No chlorine. You don’t have to worry about your hair smelling the rest of the day. On that back wall is the hot tub. Those doors go directly into the locker rooms you saw by the lobby. That way swimmers can change and go right to the pool without walking through the cardio room. If you’re not a swimmer, we also have a daily aquarobics class.”

  Looking at the pool brought back fond memories. “I was on the swim team when I was a little girl,” I said.

  Finn bobbed his head agreeably. “Nice! You’ll love the pool. Most days you’ll have at least one lane all to yourself.”

  “Oh, I haven’t swam in a long time,” I said. “I don’t even have a proper bathing suit.”

  “You can buy a bathing suit, you know,” Finn pointed out.

  “I know, I know, I just… yeah.” I shrugged.

  “Okay, let me show you the upstairs.”

  We backtracked to the cardio room and then took the stairs to the second floor. Aside from the cardio equipment near the railing looking down into the main room, there were lots of separate rooms up here. I followed Finn into one room, which was dark and filled with spin bikes all facing a projector screen. The video was a point-of-view of a mountain road, with a tremendous view of a valley sprawling in all directions. In front of the screen, facing the rest of the spin machines, was a male instructor with a headset on.

  “Just one more mile until the top of Mont Ventoux!” the instructor announced. He was cute. “Then it’s all downhill from there. Everyone wave to the pedestrians who came out to watch us make the climb!”

  The instructor turned and waved to me and Finn, and then the entire class followed suit. I smiled bashfully and looked around the room. There was another television screen in here with a list of names and a number next to them.

  “That’s Max,” Finn whispered. “He’s a buddy of mine, and he’s the best spin instructor we have. We used to only have one spin class per day, but now we have a full schedule. It’s one of our most popular activities, so you have to sign up in advance for a class slot. We also have movie night in here every Friday. Everyone spins while watching a movie on the projector. Last week was Elf, and this week we’re playing the newest Avengers movie.”

  We ducked out of the spin room and continued walking around the second floor. “These next two rooms are for Yoga. The doors are closed because there are classes going on, so we won’t disturb them. They cater to all levels, beginner through advanced. Great for mobility and flexibility. Next is one of my favorite rooms… the Rejuvenation Lounge.”

  This room looked like a day spa. Seven people sat in big chairs with their legs propped out and their eyes closed. Except instead of women giving out pedicures, each person was wearing what looked like a pair of inflatable balloon pants.

  Finn laughed. “Everyone has that expression the first time they see a pair of cryogenic boots. They assist in muscle recovery, especially for endurance athletes like marathoners or triathletes. There’s also a room where we provide ice baths, and individual rooms where physical trainers can give sports massages or other personal assistance.”

  “Back when I was in cross-country, I’d heard of cryogenic boots,” I said. “I’ve never seen one in person, though.”

  Finn blinked. “Swimming, cross-country… You sound like an athlete bad-ass, Katherine!”

  “As you can tell just by looking at me, those days are long gone,” I replied with a grimace.

  To his credit, Finn scrunched up his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You look great. There’s one more section up here that you need to see, and it’s my favorite.”


  As we exited the Rejuvenation Lounge, I glanced at a flier on the wall that had a list of prices. Ten minutes in the cryogenic boots cost twenty dollars. Sheesh.

  Finn’s favorite section ended up being the Nutrition Bar. A server behind the counter poured ingredients into a blender and then turned it on with a noisy whir. A member sat on a bar stool in front, idly tapping on his iPad. There were also shelves and a refrigerator with every manner of protein bar, pre-made protein shakes, and healthy snacks.

  “You eaten lunch yet?” Finn asked me.

  “I was going to grab something after the tour.”

  “Here, let me make you a smoothie instead.”

  Finn went behind the bar and started pulling ingredients out of a fridge. I glanced at the menu on the sign above. The cheapest smoothie was ten dollars. Double-sheesh.

  Finn seemed to read my mind. “You’ve got the platinum membership, which comes with five free smoothies per week. Technically your membership doesn’t start until tomorrow, so this will be our little secret.”

  The server who was already there turned off his blender and whistled. “A platinum member. You get all the bad-asses, Finn.”

  “Damn right I do.”

  I blinked. “I get five free smoothies a week? What else does my membership come with?”

  Finn turned on the blender, let it run for five seconds, and then turned it off. “You get free entry to every paid class, and complimentary access to the rejuvenation lounge. Oh, and you get a hundred hours with yours truly.”

  I gave a start. “With you?”

  His smile accentuated his chiseled jawline. “Technically, you get a hundred hours with any personal trainer of your choice. But here’s a little secret: I’m the best.”

  My stomach did a sexy backflip. A hundred hours with this hunk? Now there was motivation to go to the gym every day.

  “That’s cool, but I’m not really training for anything,” I admitted.

  Finn handed me the smoothie. “You don’t need to be. I can create a balanced training plan for you, depending on your goals. I can help you learn proper exercise form, assist with mobility exercises to get you stretched out every day, and give out recovery massages. Anything you need.”

  The thought of him giving me a massage was enough to make me blush. I tried to cover it up by taking a sip of the smoothie. “Mmm, this is really good!”

  “You looked like a strawberry-and-banana kind of woman. We use natural ingredients here, with no added sugar. That’s a Gladiator Protein smoothie, but we have dozens of recipes on the menu. I drink a smoothie every single day and never get sick of them.”

  I followed Finn back downstairs. It was a lot to process. And the fact that my membership came with everything included… Hell, coming here just for daily smoothies would end up saving me a few hundred bucks a month on lunches.

  And to think the only thing I got Darryl for Christmas was a new ski jacket.

  “Privacy is an important aspect of our facility,” Finn explained as we walked down the stairs. “Photography is strictly prohibited in the gym. Anyone caught taking photos on their phone is immediately kicked out. In fact, there are no security cameras aimed at any of the exercise equipment. The only security cameras are in the entrance lobby, the Rejuvenation Lounge, and the Nutrition Bar.”

  “Isn’t that a liability issue? If something happens, don’t you want there to be video evidence?”

  Finn shook his head. “The comfort of our members is a higher priority. As for liability, we have a large number of staff on duty at all times keeping an eye on the exercise rooms.”

  We passed underneath one of the screens that wasn’t playing a television channel. “What’s with these screens with the names and numbers?”

  “Oh! That’s the best part.” Finn gestured up at the screen. “We have a quarterly exercise contest. Participants accrue points for every exercise they perform. Colin! Looking good, buddy! What’s your objective for today?”

  An older member with grey hair, but a fit body, stepped up to one of the ellipticals. “Thanks, Finn. I’m just doing half an hour at goal race pace.”

  “Nice. Start off strong and keep it up.” Finn leaned in close to me. His Old Spice deodorant was intoxicating. “See how Colin just scanned his wrist monitor on the machine? Now it will count how long he’s on the elliptical, and then assign him a certain number of points. The winner each quarter gets their name on the wall, plus a prize.”

  I smirked. “So if I get on a treadmill and walk for eighteen hours a day, I’m guaranteed to win?”

  Finn waggled a finger in front of my face. “Nice try. You’re not the first person to think of that. The point system isn’t just based on time. Exercises are weighted on a curve depending on each person’s heart rate, age, and sex. If you and Colin both spent half an hour on the treadmill running at the same pace, he would get more points because he’s in the sixty-to-seventy age bracket. Not just that, but certain exercises are weighted differently. For example, ten minutes of swimming is worth more points than ten minutes of jogging.”

  “Swimming? The wrist monitor works in the pool?”

  “Hell yeah it does. You scan it pool-side before swimming laps. Then the accelerometer in the device counts how many strokes you make, and laps too.” Finn pointed at the screen. “The guy in the lead this quarter, Brody Forrester? He does a ton of swimming. They should have your wrist monitor configured at the front desk now.”

  Back in the lobby, the cheerful girl behind the desk indeed had my wrist monitor ready. It looked like an Apple Watch, with a plastic band and an electronic screen. As Finn strapped it on my wrist, I was struck by how gentle his touch was for someone so huge.

  “See how that feels?” he asked me. “It should be this snug in order to detect your heart rate. When you arrive, just scan it at the kiosk here to gain entry. Alright, that’s the tour of RMF! Any questions?”

  “I think I’ve got it,” I said.

  Finn shook my hand again. His velvety-brown eyes sparkled. “We’re glad to have you with us, Katherine. Got any big plans tonight?”

  I felt myself tense. First because it seemed like he was flirting with me, and second because of what New Year’s meant to me, personally. I thought back to that night five years ago, where I got the phone call about my parents…

  “I don’t really celebrate it,” I said.

  “Tomorrow would be a great day to get started, then,” Finn said smoothly. “A new beginning to the new year.”

  “A new beginning,” I agreed. “What, uh, time do you guys open? I didn’t see any hours listed by the door.”

  He chuckled. “We’re always open. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Except on Christmas and the Fourth of July. So come on in whenever you wake up!”

  Finn gave me a reassuring pat on the arm, then walked back into the cardio room. I watched him go. If I had thought he looked good from the front, he looked amazing from behind. His broad back rose up from his slender waist like a muscular, upside-down pyramid. And the way his tight little ass moved in his shorts…

  “Finn is one of our best personal trainers,” the girl at the front desk suddenly said. “You’re going to love working with him.” She was smiling a little wider at me than before. With a knowing look in her eyes.

  As I left the gym, I had a feeling she was right.

  4

  Katherine

  I walked back to the store in a daze. Paul was sorting albums on one of the displays.

  “Woah. They opened up a smoothie place around here?” he asked when he saw me.

  I glanced at the smoothie in my hand. “I got it at Rocky Mountain Fitness.”

  Paul snorted and continued his work. “That place is expensive. I thought about getting in shape a couple of months back. I’d have to get a second job to afford that. No thanks, man.”

  “Darryl got me a membership for Christmas.”

  Paul’s mouth fell open. “Woah. For real?”

  I sighed. “I do
n’t know how I’m going to find the time…”

  “You’re the boss-lady. Just hire more people to do all the manager stuff, you know?”

  “If only it were that simple,” I said dryly. “You got any plans tonight?”

  A grin spread across his face. “Yeah, man. Going to a party downtown with some college friends.”

  He started to ask what I was doing, but stopped himself. He’d worked for me long enough to know.

  The afternoon crowd at the store was light, so I told Paul to take off early. While manning the register and helping customers, I thought about Rocky Mountain Fitness and the personal trainer who had escorted me around the gym. Aside from how incredible the facility was, working with Finn was a huge motivator all by itself.

  I closed up early, piddled around with accounting work in my office, then finally went home. My apartment felt extra cold and lonely tonight, especially as I made some pasta and curled up on the couch to watch TV.

  I got a text from my brother around nine:

  Darryl: Love you, Kat.

  Me: Love you too.

  It was all we said to each other. It was all that needed to be said.

  I went to bed early and tried not to think about it.

  When my alarm went off the next morning, it felt earlier than usual. I turned it off and remembered that it was New Year’s Day. The store was closed today. I could go back to sleep!

  But as I rolled around in bed, I thought about the gym. A new beginning, Finn had called it. Especially since I didn’t go out partying last night. It was the first day of the year, an arbitrary but psychologically-important date.

  In the end, guilt is what won. Darryl had spent all this money for the membership. It would be awful of me not to give it a try.

  I rolled out of bed, took a quick shower, and searched in my dresser for some workout clothes. I had a pair of yoga pants that I had ambitiously purchased a year ago, but they had become my comfortable-on-weekends pants rather than getting used for anything exercise-related. My sports bra was even tougher to find at the bottom of my drawer, and the elastic was wearing down, but it was better than the pain of my boobs bouncing around.