Chapter 3

"Yes." The word came out before I could stop it.

Jaxon's face lit up. "Great! There's a changing room upstairs if you need it. I'll set up a beginner-friendly circuit for you."

Beginner-friendly. Right. In the torture basement.

He handed me a small towel and pointed toward a door down the hall. "Take your time. I'll be downstairs getting everything ready."

I locked myself in the bathroom and stared at my reflection. What are you doing, Maya? But I was already digging through my gym bag for my best workout set. The black leggings that made my legs look amazing and the sports bra that gave me just enough cleavage without being obvious.

If I was going to potentially die today, at least I'd look good doing it.

When I came back downstairs, Jaxon had cleared a space in the corner and set up what looked like a normal workout area. No scary equipment in sight. Just mats, some dumbbells, and resistance bands.

"Better?" he asked, noticing me scanning the room nervously.

"Much better," I admitted.

"Let's start with some dynamic stretching to warm up."

He positioned himself behind me as I reached for my toes, and suddenly the air felt charged. His voice was low and close to my ear as he guided me through each movement.

"Good. Now reach across your body... perfect."

I could feel the heat radiating from his chest, smell his cologne mixed with that clean, masculine scent that was purely him. When his hands gently adjusted my shoulders, my skin tingled where he touched me.

Focus, Maya. This is supposed to be professional.

But every adjustment, every casual touch, every time he said "good" in that low voice was making it harder to remember why I'd been scared in the first place.

"Ready for some real work?" he asked, grabbing a set of light dumbbells.

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

"We'll start with squats. Perfect for content creation too - everyone wants to know the secret to a great butt."

His grin was playful, and I felt my cheeks warm.

He demonstrated the movement first, and I tried not to stare at the way his muscles moved under his shirt. Tried and failed completely.

"Your turn. I'll spot you to make sure your form is perfect."

I got into position, and he stepped behind me. "Lower, like this." His hands settled on my hips, guiding my movement down. "Feel the burn here." His fingers lightly touched my outer thigh, showing me where the muscle should engage.

Oh God. I was definitely feeling something, but it wasn't just in my thighs.

His chest was barely an inch from my back as he helped me through the movement. Every time I lowered down, I could feel his warmth, his presence surrounding me.

"Perfect," he murmured, and I nearly melted right there on the spot.

Just as I was getting lost in the sensation of his hands on my body, a voice thundered from somewhere else in the house.

"NO MERCY! YOU'RE PATHETIC!"

I jerked upright, nearly colliding with Jaxon's chest.

"You okay?" His hands were immediately on my shoulders, steadying me. "You seem tense."

Tense? I was terrified. That was definitely Rex's voice, and he sounded furious.

"I just... that was loud," I managed.

Jaxon chuckled. "Dad's working with one of his military clients. He gets pretty intense. You'll get used to it."

Get used to it. Like I'd be coming back here regularly. The thought was both terrifying and exciting.

"Let's try some upper body work," he said, completely unfazed by his father's shouting.

He handed me a set of dumbbells and demonstrated bicep curls. When he lifted his arms, his shirt rode up slightly, giving me a glimpse of defined abs that made my mouth go dry.

Professional, Maya. Stay professional.

But watching him move was like watching art. Every muscle worked in perfect coordination, and he made everything look effortless.

"Now you try. Keep your core tight."

I started the movement, hyperaware of his eyes on me. When I fumbled the weight slightly, he stepped closer.

"Here, let me help." His hands covered mine on the dumbbells, guiding the motion. "Feel how the muscle contracts here?"

I felt a lot of things, but muscle contraction wasn't the main one.

More shouts echoed from upstairs, followed by what sounded like heavy objects hitting the floor. I tensed again, but Jaxon just continued the exercise like nothing was happening.

How could he be so calm if people were getting hurt upstairs?

"Last set," he said. "You're doing great."

By the time we moved to the final stretching segment, my nerves had settled into a confusing mix of attraction and anxiety. We sat facing each other on yoga mats, legs extended.

"Reach forward, try to touch your toes," he instructed.

As I leaned forward, he placed one hand on my lower back for support. The contact sent electricity straight through me.

"Breathe into the stretch," he said softly.

His green eyes were focused intently on my face, like he was studying my reaction. When our eyes met, something sparked between us that had nothing to do with fitness.

"You did really well today," he said as we finished up. "I think we could work great together."

"Thanks. This was... intense." In more ways than one.

He grabbed two water bottles from a mini fridge I hadn't noticed before and handed me one. Our fingers brushed during the exchange, and I swear I felt a jolt.

"I have a proposition for you," he said, settling back on his mat. "You can use our facilities anytime you want, completely free. In exchange, you'd feature us in your content. Show your followers what real family fitness looks like."

The offer was incredibly generous. Too generous, maybe?

"That's amazing, but I can't just take advantage of you like that."

"You wouldn't be taking advantage. We'd benefit from the exposure, and you'd get access to unique training that your followers would love."

He was right. My audience would eat up this family gym concept, especially if I could capture the intensity I'd witnessed today.

"Plus," he added with a smile that made my stomach flip, "I'd be your personal trainer. Make sure you're getting the most out of every session."

Personal trainer. More one-on-one time in this basement with his hands on my body, his voice in my ear.

"Okay," I said. "I'm in."

We stood up and shook hands to seal the deal. His hand was warm and callused, completely engulfing mine.

"Perfect. We can start filming whenever you're ready."

We walked toward the stairs, and I was already mentally planning my first Carter Family Fitness video when he stopped at the bottom step.

"How about we discuss the details over dinner tomorrow? I know a great place in town."

My heart did a little skip. "Dinner?"

"Nothing fancy. Just a chance to plan out the collaboration properly. And..." he paused, his green eyes meeting mine. "I'd like to get to know you better."

Was this a date? A business meeting? Both?

"I'd like that," I heard myself say.

His smile was answer enough.