Rainy Day Lovers (The Rocklyns Book 3) Read online

  While he was eating, he’d noticed Shannon and couldn’t help wishing he’d sat in her waitressing section. He assumed the extremely short skirt she wore, despite the sub-freezing weather, was one way of increasing her tips. She probably had every man in the pub fantasizing the same thing he was—imagining his hands caressing that pretty derriere of hers and having her sleek legs wrapped around him.

  Too bad that included the sleazy guys who thought they could do more than just imagine it, like those two he had to take care of.

  Tate had returned to Richie’s Pub three times this past week hoping to run into her, but he didn’t see her there. He didn’t want to ask any of the pub’s staff about Shannon, knowing it would likely get back to her if he did, and that might come off as creepy. There was also the possibility that she might have quit. He could see how she would want to after an incident like that.

  So Tate resigned himself to the fact that he’d probably never see her again. It was better that way. She was no doubt an “R” girl—the kind who wanted a relationship with a capital R.

  “That’s an interesting workout,” Mina said, cocking an eyebrow.

  Tate let out a short laugh. She’d caught him staring into space. “My workouts have been getting slower and sloppier ever since Tim left town.”

  “I’d say standing there hanging on the bag like a drunken zombie is about as slow as you can get.” Mina Winthrop, his personal assistant, never pulled her punches. He liked that about her, aside from the fact that she was super smart and could multi-task like nobody’s business.

  “I thought I’d be able to put myself through my workouts instead of having somebody like Tim come here to beat the hell out of me four times a week,” Tate said. “But I guess I’d better find another trainer. Would you get Brooke Porter’s number for me?”

  Twenty minutes later after a shower filled with fantasies of the beautiful, sexy waitress, Tate sat at his desk gazing out the window that overlooked his snow-covered yard, the horizon line of the ocean in the distance.

  Glancing through his emails and flipping through the pile of handwritten to-do notes from Mina, Tate found the number for Porter Private Training.

  He liked that Porter Private Training wasn’t a gym where some bored part-timer who didn’t know too much sat at a front desk and answered the phone. Brooke herself always answered customer calls. She ought to; her customers were all high rollers paying top dollar to have one of Brooke’s trainers come to their home gym a few times a week. And if you didn’t have a home gym you’d have to go elsewhere for a trainer.

  “Hey, Tate.”

  “Brooke, master of all trainers. Will you please take my confession?”

  “Why not, my child. Let’s hear it.”

  “Master, I thought I could go it alone without a private trainer, but instead I’ve given in to the ways of slovenliness.”

  “Please continue, my son.”

  “I’ve been sleeping on the bench press.”

  “Shame.”

  “Daydreaming on the adductor.”

  She gasped. “How could you?”

  “Texting on the treadmill while going a whopping one mile an hour.”

  “Stop. I’ve heard enough. You realize there’s only one way for you to achieve absolution.”

  “Of course.” His voice was solemn.

  “You need to return to the fold.”

  “You’ll still have me?”

  “You kidding? At these rates? With my blessings. I’ll even toss in a free massage with Jeremy. He’ll get those muscles ready for your comeback.”

  Tate laughed. “Any recommendations as to which trainer?”

  “They’re all good or they wouldn’t be working for me. See for yourself. Go to our website. Go to the list of trainers. Pick one out and you can set it up online or call me.”

  “Thanks, Brooke.”

  Tate turned to his desktop computer so he could get full-sized images of the trainers pictured on the website. Sure, he could read their specs on his phone, but Brooke’s lineup of sexy trainers was fun to look at. She was a good enough businesswoman to know running a service that catered to those who could afford the best in life meant she’d better have trainers who were eye candy, whether male or female.

  Tate had never wanted a female trainer, figuring it would be too distracting, but right now he decided he needed a bit of distraction before he got down to the serious task of selecting a new man to work with him.

  He scrolled down the list of female trainers.

  When he got toward the end of the alphabetical list, he froze, his focus riveted on a face with coffee-brown eyes, the same face that had been disturbing his sleep every night for the past week.

  Shannon.

  He glanced from the head shot to the body shot. She was glorious. Not tall and not one of those skinny types who looked like they needed a good hearty meal. She had curves and muscles that made him picture her running and jumping and diving and…doing all kinds of fun things naked in his bed.

  He had to see her again.

  Aha. She was new. Just started with Brooke’s service and no doubt dumped her waitress job. No wonder she wasn’t at Richie’s Pub when he’d gone there.

  Shannon Rocklyn. Had all the right fitness credentials. But it didn’t look like she’d won any medals or had any semi-pro experience in a competitive sport like most of Brooke’s trainers. A degree in theater from UCLA. Theater? Was she any good as a trainer?

  She had to be. Brooke wouldn’t risk hiring her before making sure of that.

  What did it matter to him how good a trainer she was? He was going to hire a male trainer anyway.

  But his mind started conjuring possible ways to see her again. Would Brooke give him Shannon’s private phone number?

  No, she would never do that.

  Maybe he could get Mina to schedule an appointment with her.

  No, both women would see right through it.

  Tate closed the website window, tossed on his jacket, and bounded outside into the cold brisk air. There were so many beautiful women in the world. Once again he told himself to just forget about this one.

  But he knew he couldn’t.

  And he didn’t want to.

  A Note from the Author

  Thank you for reading RAINY DAY LOVERS. If you enjoyed it, I hope you will consider posting a review or recommending it to a friend. You can join my mailing list for updates on new releases, sales, or contests. Your email will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

  If you’d like to send me feedback or just say hello you can write me at [email protected]

  I love hearing from readers and always answer every message.

  If you like spicy hot reads and enjoyed Shannon and Tate’s story, you will love my other books about The Rocklyns

  Lovers in Training ~ Shannon & Tate

  Maybe Lovers ~ Jeff & Carly

  Windswept Lovers ~ Tucker’s story coming soon!

  And don’t miss Kip’s story in the Resolution Series!

  After Hurricane Nina, Kip’s Resolution

  Also by Alicia Street

  All series books can be read as stand-alones

  Dance ‘n’ Luv series

  Kiss Me, Dancer

  Touch Me and Tango

  Stars, Love and Pirouettes

  Snow Dance

  Dance ‘n’ Luv Contemporary Romance Boxed Set

  Tomboy Bride

  Holiday Luv series

  (Sweet romance)

  Be Mine For Christmas

  The Christmas Honeymoon

  The Christmas Wedding Cake

  His Christmas Promise

  Her Christmas Secret

  O Christmas Tree

  Holiday Luv Bundle boxed set

  Peconic Bend series

  The Sweetheart Test

  The Christmas Sparkle Test

  The Leftover Bride

  Coming soon – The Hanley Girls: Eliza

  A Sweet Weste
rn Historical

  About the Author

  Alicia Street is a USA Today bestselling author and a Daphne du Maurier award-winner. She writes both sweet and steamy romances and sometimes collaborates with her husband, Roy. Her years as a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher provide the inspiration behind her Dance 'n' Luv contemporary romance series. A compulsive reader of every genre, Alicia loves watching old black-and-white movies and inventing new recipes for soup.

  Alicia Street’s Website

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