Frustration rushed through her. Did he have to keep asking questions? He was as bad as the townspeople. “Look, it’s overwhelming and intimidating. I’m not comfortable working out in an environment where a bunch of strangers—most of whom are male—stare at me constantly. It’s nerve-racking. And to be completely honest, no one else in your gym looks like me.” There, damn it. She said it.

He shrugged one muscled shoulder. “Well, of course they’d stare at you. You’re pretty.”

Though her heart fluttered inside her chest, she frowned. “Is that supposed to be funny? Because, if so, I’m not amused.”

He blinked. “No, why?”

“Oh, come on, Adam. That isn’t what I meant, and you know it. They aren’t staring at me because they think I’m pretty.”

“Says who?”

Her eyes narrowed onto him. “Says me.”

“Okay, so not only do you work in an antique shop, but you’re a mind reader too?”

“Very funny,” Preslee huffed out. “But I can tell the difference in the way someone looks at me.”

“Oh yeah? Then tell me how I’m looking at you right now.”

She expected him to give her a silly gaze, something playful and light. But no. Instead, he glowered at her, his fierce gaze piercing hers as something hot flashed in his dark eyes. Anger? No. It was…blatant disapproval. But what could she possibly have done to cause that?

Oh, wait. Quitting the gym. Yeah, he would definitely disapprove because he owned the place and his entire life was wrapped up in everything fitness. But surely he’d had members quit before. So why did he seem so affronted when she’d done it?

As she searched his face for an answer, his hardened expression suddenly melted and morphed into something else. His direct, unwavering gaze regarded her curiously, as if he were trying to figure her out as much as she was trying to decipher his thoughts. The steady eye contact was nearly too much for her to bear, but she managed to maintain the connection. That was, until his gaze lowered and raked unabashedly over her figure.

With a sharp intake of breath, she quickly averted her eyes, hoping he would do the same. The last thing she needed was a fit, good-looking man like him eyeballing her figure in a way that made her heart pound faster.

She lowered her head. “Those two guys in the gym who were laughing at me…” She glanced back up in time to see him nod. “Are you going to try to convince me that they weren’t being jerks?”

Adam released a sound of disgust from his throat. “No, they absolutely were. That’s why I canceled both of their memberships and threw them out. You missed the action though, since you’d already left.”

“Oh no.” She bit her lip. “I feel bad that you lost two members because of me.”