The Outlaw

14

FOURTEEN

My least favourite activity to do was working out—even more so when it was just past six in the morning on a Sunday and I was still trying to wake up. When I finished changing into my workout clothes, I exited Travis' bedroom and hoped I could persuade him to jump back into bed and get some shut-eye.

"Benny wasn't messing around when he meant early morning workouts, was he?" I yawned, and regretted agreeing to go to the gym with him when he'd asked last night. Granted, I felt guilty having skipped out a lot due to my busy schedule and since hooking up with Travis. Plus he had a body that he kept in combat shape which made me feel unworthy just to be standing next to—not that I was an extension of him in any way though it gave me a greater incentive to hit the gym.

Still... a girl needed her sleep.

"You know you don't have to come with me. Get back into bed and be lazy."

The sight of Travis in his workout attire woke me as effectively as a shot of caffeine. He'd changed into slim fit sweatpants and a racerback vest. As awe-inspiring as he was naked, he was even more so when ready to pump iron. The tank showed off his precisely carved pecs and arms, the sweatpants drew attention to his lean hips and waist, and further down where you could just make out the size of his length which had me wondering if he was going commando.

Suddenly the lack of sleep I'd gotten wasn't important—just the anticipation of seeing him in action was enough to totally eclipse the horror that I'd be sporting serious dark circles for the rest of the day.

"Holy shit," I breathed, unabashedly staring.

"You read my mind, precisely." Travis glowered as he sauntered over to me in that way of his. "Is that what you're wearing?"

Tearing my eyes away from the titillating man in front of me, I glanced down at the Indy sports bra and matching black yoga shorts I was wearing and frowned. "Yes. What's wrong with it?"

"Too much skin and not enough material."

I crossed my arms and arched a brow at his caveman tendencies. "Are you going to dictate what I can and cannot wear?"

"No." His mouth curved with that infuriating smirk. "But you'll have to get me out of trouble with Benny if he asks why I'm too busy worrying over who's looking at your tits in that top instead of training."

Dealing with Travis' possessiveness was a new one for me. I'd never had anyone take measures to be so protective over me, except for Cameron though that had been because he'd felt obligated. Travis wasn't attached to me in any way... yet he still marked his territory whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I rolled my eyes and tugged him toward the door. "It's too early in the morning to argue with you. So I'll let that slide." I glared at him sideways. "For now."

*

"It seems like wherever you go, everyone else is suddenly damned interested to be heading that way too." Travis scowled at the unusual number of men that were in the section of Hank's gym as we were after he gave me the tour.

I shoved at his shoulder. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

Before Travis could respond, the flat chime of the bell announcing an arrival caught our attention. We both simultaneously stilled when Benjamin walked through the door. My spine stiffened with repulsion.

Travis pivoted back to me, his face impassive. "You gonna be okay here?"

"Yeah," I shot him a strained smile. "Go do your thing."