He was right. He was good at this and it made him even more attractive.
“Are you new?” a woman dressed in a black uniform and brown belt asked.
“Yes. I don’t have a uniform yet.”
“That’s okay. Cade will get you one after your first session if you like it. Have you practiced before?”
“When I was a kid.”
“What made you come back?” The woman eyed me as if checking out the competition.
My eyes flew to Cade’s, wondering how to get out of this conversation. “I work at the law firm next door and—” I couldn’t say he came to me for work necessarily because of attorney-client privilege. “I saw the sign and wanted to check it out.”
“Have you met Cade?” the woman asked.
“She has.” Cade’s voice came from in front of us, low and full of promise—or at least that’s how I interrupted it. Each time I heard his rumbly voice, I yearned to be closer to him.
My eyes traveled up his chest to the stubble on his chin and finally to his blue eyes. He looked pleased to see me and my traitorous heart thumped faster.
“Hi.” My voice was soft and breathless. I hoped the woman next to us didn’t notice.
“You have a new student?” the woman asked. She was shorter and stockier than me, with curly hair and brown eyes. She was cute, but she was even younger than me.
“I hope we do,” Cade said to her, keeping his eyes on mine.
My nerves tingled with anticipation.
“We’ll see.” I couldn’t stop the flirty tone from coming through my words as I cocked my hip, drawing his eyes down my skin-tight tank and black leggings. His gaze was like a smooth caress.
“I hope she doesn’t slow class down,” the woman said, irritation crept into her voice.
“Vanessa, you know everyone is welcome to come to the adult class. I tested her myself.”
Vanessa huffed.
Cade was different from the first time we met. Then he’d been subdued. Now he took in everything—my body, my actions, and his eyes lingered on my lips when I talked. My blood pumped faster, in anticipation of what, I wasn’t sure.
I wanted to ask if he was okay but not in front of Vanessa. I’d been worried about being so close to him since I was attracted to him, but I hadn’t accounted for the fact that another woman liked him—and probably had for a while. Vanessa concluded there was something between Cade and me. She’d pegged me as her competition when I wasn’t.
“Let’s get you a uniform. Come back to my office.”
I felt the animosity rolling off Vanessa in waves as I followed him to his office. The belt around his waist accentuated his trim waist and broad shoulders.
He stopped in front of the shelf with neatly folded uniforms. “I’m surprised to see you here so soon. I thought you’d think about it for a few weeks, or I wouldn’t see you at all.”
“I planned to think it over longer, but things changed.” I didn’t want him to think I was desperate to see him.
“How so?” He flipped through the uniforms on the shelf.
“You know, family stuff.” I hoped he was distracted and wouldn’t ask any follow-up questions.
“This one should fit.” He handed the carefully folded uniform to me, my fingers brushing his, sending a charge through my arm.
“Thanks.”
“I’ll grab you a belt.” He pulled a box out of the closet and rifled through it. “What’s this family stuff you mentioned?”
“I came here to get some distance from my family—they can be a little overbearing at times.” I smiled to show him it was no big deal.
“Overbearing to the point of moving across the country for space?” He held the blue-colored belt out to me.
My mouth dropped open slightly at his accuracy. “Why do you ask that?”
“I was curious about why you moved here.”
I wasn’t ready to tell him everything. I barely knew him, and it was too personal for our attorney-client relationship. “My co-worker told me about her friends starting a business here. It seemed like a good opportunity.”
He raised his brow like he didn’t believe me.
“Where can I change?” I held my breath, hoping that he’d let it go. I already felt vulnerable around him because I was attracted to him. I didn’t want him to know about my father and the way I’d let him control me over the years.
“I don’t have a locker room. There’s a bathroom upfront that will be packed since class just ended. Feel free to get dressed in here. The door locks.” Then he was gone.
Should I have told him about my family? No, he was my teacher and my client. My issues were none of his business, just like his past was not my concern.
I locked the door to get dressed. Cade’s desk was empty, but there were books on the shelves. I stepped closer to check out the titles. A few were instructional books on teaching Hapkido to adults and kids. I traced the spine of one with my finger, How to Handle Grief, What to do When a Loved One Dies. Why was it in his office?
I quickly stepped back, feeling like I’d been snooping when he’d trusted me in his space. Questions flew through my head. Was this why he’d seemed so sad when we met? Was he grieving a family member, a girlfriend, or a wife?
The discovery made him more off-limits than ever. I shook my head to clear it before walking out of his office to see that class had started without me. I quickly stowed my clothes and shoes in one of the cubbies. I waited at the entrance to the mats and when I met Cade’s eyes, he nodded. I bowed before entering.
The students were lined up, going through stretches. I stood on the opposite side of the room from Vanessa. There were a few older men, older teens—two boys and a girl.
As we ran through the stretches,
