Breaking His Rules (Feeling the Heat #4) Read online

  After setting her mind on finally getting healthy, she’d done some research online and discovered that Jake was one of the top trainers in Sacramento and advocated a balanced approach to fitness and weight loss. Not that she’d chosen him as her personal trainer for that reason alone. She hadn’t done that until the day she’d met him. That day—the day she’d toured his gym—her gut instinct told her he was a man of compassion. He’d never once looked at her with the disdain or condescension that a couple of other trainers she’d met with had favored her with. One of those so-called fitness experts had snidely informed her that he refused to train anyone her size and advised her to find someone who worked with the morbidly obese. At first the hurtful words had threatened to crush her, but instead of giving up she decided to use them to fuel her motivation. That was the day she’d walked into Jake’s Joint.

  There was another reason there could be nothing romantic between her and Jake. One a bit more selfish. She needed Jake—needed him to motivate her and keep her on the healthy trek she’d embarked upon. She couldn’t run the risk of losing him as a trainer, a mentor, and more importantly, as a friend.

  Not that she needed to worry about that. The chance of Jake thinking of her as anything more than a client was about as likely as Sacramento getting hit by a blizzard in the middle of July.

  * * *

  After Valerie left his office, Jake let out a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair. The redhead had made an appointment with him to discuss personal training but it turned out she wanted more than just his professional services. He should have known. She’d joined the gym two weeks ago and had made it a point to seek him out whenever she came in to work out. Either she hadn’t heard he didn’t date members, or she had and thought she might be able to change his mind.

  She hadn’t. Oh, she was attractive all right. Some might even call her stunning. And considering he hadn’t had sex in a while he was a bit surprised that he hadn’t been tempted. But the calculating gleam in her eyes, and the absolute certainty in her attitude that she could wrangle a date with him, had left him cold.

  Ten months. That was the last time he’d gotten laid. It had been with a woman he’d met at a chamber of commerce meeting over a year ago and started dating. The sex had been pretty damn good, but outside of the bedroom he and Kirsten didn’t have much in common. Then there was her fear of dogs. She’d freaked out the second she’d stepped foot in his home and saw Max. After that night, she refused to come to his house unless he put Max outside. That was the beginning of the end. He couldn’t be with someone who didn’t like dogs. He could forgive a lot of things in a potential girlfriend, but that wasn’t one of them.

  He swiveled his chair around and focused on the large corkboard he’d hung on the wall behind him. On it he’d tacked up several thank-you cards and before and after pictures given to him by his members and some of his personal training clients. The most recent card, from Melissa, had a caption that read “Warning—Personal Trainer from Hell” written on the front. She’d taken it a step further by cutting out his picture from one of his business brochures and pasting it underneath the lettering. Inside, she’d written a short note thanking him for his help and crediting him for her success. Flattering, but untrue. Melissa’s success was all due to her, only she didn’t seem to realize that yet. He’d been in the business long enough to know that the best trainer in the country couldn’t help someone who didn’t want to change their lifestyle. Getting healthy was as much of a mental process as a physical one.

  “After tonight, I really do believe you’re the trainer from hell.”

  Jake swiveled his chair around to find Melissa standing in the doorway with the strap of her purple gym bag slung over one shoulder and a small-sized smoothie cup in her hand. In contrast to Valerie who’d been wearing a ton of makeup, Melissa’s freshly scrubbed face glowed with health and vitality.

  “How’d your consult go?” she asked as she moved into the office.

  “Fine.” He motioned to the visitor chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”

  “So what did you want to talk to me about?” She set her bag on the floor and settled in the chair. “You mentioned the wedding. Have you changed your mind about going?”

  “No. But since you told your cousin we’d be sharing a room, am I correct in assuming you’ve led her to believe we’ve been seeing each other a while?”

  Melissa tugged at her full bottom lip with her teeth. “I might have mentioned we’ve been dating for six months.”

  “Six months?” Jake leaned forward and folded his arms on his desk. “That’s bordering on a serious relationship. I think we need to get our stories straight. Just in case anyone asks. What will you say if your parents ask why they haven’t met me?”

  “They know who you are, of course. But I could tell them it’s been casual until recently and we didn’t want to make a big deal about it.”

  “That should fly. Does Paige know the truth?”

  “Yes. And she’ll go along with it. She has her own issues with Shauna.”

  “I guess it’s good we’ve known each other a while. It’s not like we’re total strangers.”

  “True.” Melissa nodded. “I think we can get through the weekend without any problems. Everyone will be focused on the bride and groom, not us.”

  “You’re probably right, but I think we should get together before the wedding and make sure we’re on the same page in case anyone asks us about our relationship.”

  “We can do it after our session next week,” Melissa suggested.

  He shook his head. “I’d prefer to do it outside the gym. Are you doing anything on Sunday? The Blaze will be back in San Francisco this weekend and I have two tickets to their game with Atlanta. We should have plenty of time in the car to talk about the wedding.”

  Melissa’s eyes lit up. “I’d love to go to the game. I’ve never been to Blaze Field. I’ve only seen it on TV.”

  “Great. Then we’ll kill two birds with one stone. You’ll get to attend your first Blaze game and we can get our stories straight about our...” He grinned. “...so-called relationship.”

  “I think if we don’t make up some convoluted backstory we should be fine.”

  “I agree.” He nodded. “Other than the wedding and the reception, are there any other functions we’ll need to attend?”

  “Just the rehearsal dinner. Normally, only the bridal party attends, but I think Aunt Beverly included me to keep Paige in line.” She threw him a wry smile. “She tends to get surly around Shauna, and I can usually mellow her out.”

  “After what you’ve told me about your cousin, you might have to mellow me out too,” he said, and smiled at the flash of amusement in Melissa’s eyes. “I’ve never been to the Monterey Bay area, but I’ve heard they have a first-class aquarium.”

  Melissa sipped her smoothie. “I’ve heard the same thing. We’ll have plenty of free time on Saturday before the dinner. If you want to check it out, I’d love to see it.”

  “I’m up for that.” He paused. “I’ve been meaning to ask. Why is the wedding so far from Sacramento?”

  She shrugged. “The story is Shauna has always wanted to be married near the ocean.”

  “The story? Are you saying you don’t believe that?”

  “I’d believe a Bigfoot sighting at Arden Fair Mall before I’d believe that bullshit story.” Jake chuckled as Melissa leaned forward to set her cup on his desk. “Knowing my cousin, it’s all about having the most lavish ceremony money can buy. And in one of the most exclusive locales in the state.”

  He shook his head. “The more I hear about her the less I like her.”

  Melissa tucked her hair behind her ear and grinned. “I think her head may explode when she sees you.” Her smile faltered a bit. “Do you think I’m shallow and superficial for looking forward to that happening?”

  “No. I think you’re human, and it sounds like you’ve been a victim of Shauna’s nastiness for quite some time.
It’s only natural that you’d want her to get some sort of comeuppance.”

  “Well, bringing you to the wedding is better than Paige’s idea. She wanted to trip her as she walked down the aisle and then post the video on the internet.”

  Jake let out a snort of laughter. “That sounds like something Justin would come up with.”

  “Justin? He’s your older brother, right? The cop?”

  “Yep,” he said. “He’s back undercover. My mom is going nuts.”

  “I can imagine. Especially since he got shot last December.”

  “He was lucky it was just a flesh wound,” Jake said, and thought of the still unsolved shooting that had occurred not long after Justin had been wounded in the course of his last undercover operation. That shooting had almost gotten their mother and sister-in-law killed. His brother was sure the shooters were tied to an auto-theft ring he’d infiltrated a year or so ago, but as of yet, he’d been unable to prove it.

  “So you said you had a couple of things you wanted to discuss.” Melissa tilted her head and gave him a questioning look. “Is the other thing my training schedule?”

  “No.” Jake opened his desk drawer. “You’ve heard of Get Healthy Sacramento, right?” he asked as he pulled the magazine from the drawer.

  “Yes. I’m a subscriber.” She gave the magazine a cursory glance. “They have great motivational articles. And I appreciate that they use real people, not models, in their photos.”

  “That’s one of the reasons I subscribe as well.” Jake set the magazine in front of him. “But what I really admire them for is not pushing the latest fad diets. Most people can’t sustain those diets over long periods of time.”

  “I know. I’ve tried a few of them over the years.”

  “The deadline for their annual transformational issue is Friday, and with your permission, I’d like to submit you for consideration.”

  Melissa’s jaw dropped. “Submit me? Why? I’m still considered overweight by most insurance charts.”

  “Perhaps, but those charts don’t take into consideration your overall health and body type. The transformational issue is about perseverance, motivation and changing your lifestyle. You’re a shining example of all of those things. And by the time the selections are made, you’ll probably be at the goal weight you’ve set for yourself. Or very close to it.”

  Her eyes clouded with doubt. “But what if I’m not?”

  Jake wished Melissa and his other clients weren’t so fixated on the scale. He’d learned a long time ago that there was no such thing as a perfect weight and, although many of his peers adopted a hardline approach to clean eating and working out, he wasn’t one of them. “It doesn’t change what you’ve accomplished, Melissa. Fifty pounds is a lot of weight to lose. Don’t minimize that.”

  “I’m not.” She grabbed her gym bag and pushed up from the chair. A smile curved her lips. “But I couldn’t have done it if I didn’t have you as my trainer. You’ve made the difference.”

  Jake stood and reached for her cup. “Don’t give me all the credit. The healthy habits you’ve adopted are your successes, not mine,” he said, and held the cup toward her.

  “When you put it that way. I guess I am pretty awesome, aren’t I?” She gave him a cheeky grin. Her fingers brushed his as she took her smoothie. His skin pricked with awareness and it wasn’t lost on him that Valerie and her overt sexuality hadn’t provoked a similar reaction.

  “Yes. You are.” Shaking off his physical response, he put his hands on his hips and leveled his gaze at her. “And now that you’ve admitted it, you have to let me submit your name and your story to the magazine.”

  Melissa shrugged. “Why not? Besides, I’d love to see the look on Shauna’s face if they select me to be in the issue. My mom told me she’s trying to get a spread in Sacramento Bride magazine. She actually wants them to send a photographer to Pebble Beach. And with Uncle Darren’s connections, she might get her wish.”

  “I almost feel sorry for the groom. Shauna seems to be extremely high maintenance.”

  Her brows knitted as she frowned. “Don’t feel sorry for Kurt. From my limited interaction with him, he appears to be every bit as pretentious as Shauna.”

  “Ah, a match made in heaven.”

  Melissa grinned. “More like hell.”

  Not long after Melissa left his office, Jake sat at his desk validating the invoice from one of his juice bar suppliers. Unfortunately, he found it hard to concentrate. Inviting Melissa to the Blaze game on Sunday had taken him by surprise, and wasn’t necessary to discuss keeping their stories straight at the wedding. A meeting at Starbucks, or even a closed-door meeting in his office would have sufficed.

  So why had he done it?

  Not willing to explore his motivations when it came to Melissa, Jake pushed his chair back and grabbed his gym bag. A strenuous workout was just what he needed. Maybe then he could make sense of what he was feeling.

  Chapter Four

  Early Saturday morning, Melissa had just finished loading her breakfast dishes into the dishwasher when she heard the sound of the front door opening, and then closing. Seconds later, Paige dashed into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator.

  “Did you forget your water again?” Melissa closed the dishwasher as Paige flung open the fridge and pulled out a plastic bottle.

  “It didn’t seem that warm when I left,” Paige said, then removed the cap from the bottle and took a long gulping drink.

  Melissa glanced at the clock on the microwave. “Probably because you usually run before six. It’s almost eight-thirty.” She picked up the dishtowel and wiped a few stray water droplets off the tile counter she hoped to someday replace. Their townhouse was nice and located within the desirable Land Park area of Sacramento. Its only drawback was that it didn’t have the most up-to-date kitchen. Still, the old-school tile was clean (even the grout) and matched the white cupboards and appliances. When she and Paige had bought the place they’d painted every room themselves. At first, she’d balked at Paige’s idea to paint the kitchen a light shade of blue (she preferred green), but the end result was lovely, and the small nook that looked out onto the flower garden Melissa took great pains with every spring was a relaxing space to enjoy their meals.

  “I slept in,” Paige said, after wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I wasn’t going to run at all, but then I remembered that when I’m in the academy I won’t have a choice. Better to get used to it now than suffer later.”

  “Smart thinking.” Melissa hung the dishtowel on the handle of the stove. “Do you have to work today?”

  Paige nodded and used her foot to close the refrigerator door. “I have to be at the store by two.” She inclined her head. “What are your plans? The shelter?”

  “Yes, and then afterward I’m going to stop by the nursery to get a few plants for the backyard. If I’m feeling adventurous, I might even try my hand at putting up that trellis I bought last month.”

  Paige’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you just stick it in the ground?”

  “I could, but I don’t want the wind or the weight of the vines when they grow to dislodge it. If I attach it to the house, it’ll be a lot sturdier.”

  “Does this project involve power tools?” her sister asked with a dubious expression. “If so, I’m glad I won’t be around. The last time you wielded a drill I almost lost an eye.”

  Melissa pointed at her. “That was your fault. You don’t sneak up on someone when they’re holding a power tool.”

  Paige tugged at her sweat-drenched tank top and gave her a good-natured grin. “I wasn’t sneaking. You just couldn’t hear me over that God-awful music you listen to.” Amusement danced in her eyes. “No one would ever guess the Beastie Boys are your all-time favorite group.”

  “And no one would ever guess you have a Britney Spears greatest hits CD in your collection,” Melissa shot back with a superior smile. Two could play this game.

  “Hey. Watch it,” Paige said,
obviously offended. “‘Oops! I Did it Again’ is a classic.”

  “So is ‘Shake Your Rump.’”

  Paige rolled her eyes and held up her hand. “We’re not getting into this debate again.”

  “Because you know I’ll win,” Melissa said, and moved to the far counter to grab her purse. “You may sing better, but I have better taste in music.”

  “Says the woman who wanted to marry one of the Hanson brothers and played ‘MMMBop’ so many times I thought I was going to lose my freaking mind.”

  Melissa slung her purse strap over her shoulder and grinned. “That doesn’t count. I was like...what? Ten?” She scooped her keys from the counter. “And to a ten-year-old girl those Hanson brothers were like catnip. We couldn’t get enough.”

  Paige let out a derisive snort as Melissa turned and headed for the living room. “Speak for yourself.”

  Three hours later, Melissa stepped back from the animal shelter’s bulletin board and admired her handiwork. The large black board with its dark red frame had been updated with the latest pictures and descriptions of the staff’s adoption picks of the week. Today there were four cats and three dogs, and as she looked at their adorable faces she wished so badly she could take them all home with her.

  Working at the shelter was fulfilling, but it could also be heartbreaking. There were so many dogs and cats that needed forever homes, but not nearly enough people looked for their forever companion in a shelter. She didn’t have to be a math major to figure out that most of them would never be adopted. The sad part was the majority of animals at the shelter were healthy and friendly. They would make wonderful pets. To see them wait week after week for a new family sometimes brought tears to her eyes.

  “Nice job.”

  Melissa acknowledged the compliment with a smile. “Thanks, Helen,” she said, and turned to look at the older woman who also volunteered on Saturdays. “I enlarged the photos so the people coming in can see them better.”