Read Online Below the Belt by Sarah Mayberry - Free Book Online

well-placed word or a pat on the shoulder or the back. She’d started to look forward to those moments, to seeing the light of approval in his eyes.
    Another reason why sleeping with him would be a big mistake. She was well aware that there was a healthy dose of hero worship mixed in with her lust. He’d been a great champion. He was an inspiring trainer. Giving in to basic instinct would mess things up between them big-time.
    Or…maybe it would clear the air.
    The thought popped into her head as though it had been hand-delivered by the devil himself.
    The road ahead began to rise, and Cooper pulled ahead of her as he dug deeper. She eyed his broad back and powerful legs greedily, toying with the idea that had just insinuated itself into her thoughts.
    Hypothetically speaking, if they let instinct take over and went at each other, all the sexual tension that had been dogging her days would be gone. The weirdness between them would be a nonissue—for both of them. No hyperawareness, no waking fantasies, no nothing. Just…satisfaction. All the questions her body had been asking would be answered. They could put it behind them and move on.
    The more she thought about it, the more she liked it. It made sense. She wasn’t the kind of woman who had to dress sex up as something else to enjoy it—for her, it was simply two bodies seeking pleasure with each other. Most men, in her experience, were on the same wavelength and she’d heard enough gossip about Cooper and his women over the years to suspect that they shared a similar philosophy when it came to the bedroom.
    In theory, there was nothing stopping them.
    In no seconds flat, her body was on fire as she gave herself permission to experience her full desire for Cooper. As they neared the top of the hill, her anticipation rose and with it her heartbeat.
    She was determined to have him now that she’d made her decision. First chance she got, she’d make her play, get this madness out of her system.
    “You ready to head back?” he asked as they started down the hill.
    It was past dusk, and they were about five minutes from the gym, running through the backstreets of Newtown. In a handful of moments, they’d have privacy. His office, the change rooms—she didn’t care, as long as there was bare skin and heavy breathing involved.
    “Absolutely,” she said.
    He shot her a look but didn’t say anything. They completed the rest of their run in silence.
    Usually after roadwork she felt pleasantly tired and warm and loose. Today, despite the heat, she was buzzing. She could feel her pulse pounding low in her belly and between her legs. Her mind was filled with steamy images as she anticipated his touch.
    She’d been thinking about this from the moment she first saw him in the flesh, she finally admitted to herself. Weeks and weeks of secret wanting, all of it about to come to a head….
    The coolness of the air-conditioned gym hit her the moment they pushed on the front doors. One of the gym attendants—Jason?—was tidying up the front counter.
    “Good, you’re back,” he said, looking relieved. “I was a bit worried, since it was time to lock up.”
    Cooper frowned and looked at the time. It was twenty minutes past the usual closing.
    “Sorry, mate, I didn’t have my watch on. You head off, I’ll lock up,” he said.
    “Yeah? Great. Thanks,” Jason said, grabbing his car keys and heading for the door.
    Jamie smiled to herself. Now they really were alone.
    “I’ll lock this for now. You can let yourself out when you’re finished in the shower,” Cooper said as he latched the front door after Jason.
    She stepped in front of him when he turned to head for the change rooms, blocking his path.
    His hair was damp with sweat, his chest glistening. She studied him for a few delicious seconds before meeting his questioning gaze.
    “I think we have a problem,” she said.
    He frowned. “Do we?”
    “Yeah. And I think the best way to take care of it is to just