“I’m not being nice. I’m being honest. You worked hard, and you earned it. By yourself. You deserve to celebrate your accomplishment.” Then he gave her a teasing grin. “Just not right now because it’s time for your next workout.”

She laughed. “Figures.”

“You ready?”

“Sure, I just need to get scanned in,” she said, heading for the front desk. Adam watched as she waited for Kurt to scan her card. Then she headed back to him.

“Okay, now I’m ready. Bring the heat,” she said, challenge rising in her voice. “Losing eight pounds has me pumped and ready to lose more. Do your worst.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” he warned, his tone lowering.

She faltered momentarily, but then fire flashed in her eyes and that stubborn chin lifted. “I can handle anything you dish out,” she said, daring him to retaliate.

He smirked. “Oh, you’re asking for it, baby.” Shit. Had he just called her baby?

Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice and only shrugged.

Brave woman.

Adam grinned. “I’m not going to push you too hard. Not yet, anyway.”

“But—”

“No buts. You’ve only been working out for a little over a week. Your body has to get used to the new limits that we’re pushing it to. So while it’s adjusting, we need to be careful. I don’t want to do anything that sets you back. You need to stay on track with your workouts for both our sakes.”

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean? How does it affect you if I don’t stay on track?”

Adam winced internally and scrambled to cover his tracks. “Uh, I’m your trainer. What affects you affects me. Besides, if you have a major setback because of an injury, I’ll have to work up a whole new fitness plan for you, and that’s time-consuming. It’s also harder to get in a good workout if you’re injured.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”

Guilt crashed through him. Man, he hated this. He didn’t like lying to her…even if it was mostly by omission. A lie was still a lie. But the last thing he wanted was for her to find out that he and Kurt had made a bet concerning her. Somehow he didn’t think that would go over well.

He probably should’ve thought about that at the time. But when he’d accepted that bet, he hadn’t known Preslee. She’d just been a random woman who’d wandered into his gym and declared that she wanted to get fit. Something he could help her with, and in return, she would help his business. He hadn’t really considered her feelings at all. That made him sound like a jerk, but regardless, it was the truth.