"You!"
Chase steadied the shoulder-high brunette who had run into his chest. The woman in the power suit who had tried to kick his butt earlier in the day now had her hair up in a ponytail and wore shorts and a t-shirt. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you think?"
"Stalking me?"
"You wish. It's a public gym. I'm here to work out." Bailey pushed away from him.
Chase grunted and walked around her. "Just stay out of my way."
"Gladly."
He'd been coming to this gym since he'd bought it two years ago, but he'd never seen Bailey before. Now he was considering selling the place and buying a home gym. It may be the only way to avoid running into Bailey again. Then again, she worked for him. It was inevitable they would see each other.
Chase frowned and focused his frustration on working out his abs while scanning the gym to see where Bailey landed. She was across the gym on a treadmill, earbuds in and her eyes facing away from him. Maybe she was here to work out. He doubted it, though. Usually, it was a setup when he ran into women he knew away from work. She probably thought he'd release her from the contract as a favor if she made friends with him. Chase didn't believe in business favors.
He continued his rotation until he was sweaty, and his muscles ached. Chase found himself looking for Bailey again as he took a swig of water. She was still running on the treadmill. This woman had stamina, and she wasn't afraid to perspire while doing it. Her t-shirt stuck to her back. Her hair was falling out of the ponytail. Bailey just brushed it back and kept moving. Most of the women Chase knew would be checking the mirror by now, if not hanging out at the juice bar.
By the time Chase was ready for cardio, all the treadmills were taken other than the one beside Bailey. It wasn't ideal, but not working out because of her would be the same as giving it, so he stepped up on the treadmill and tried to ignore her. It wasn't easy, especially after discovering she ran at the same speed he did. He vaguely wondered if she could keep up on the running trails he trekked on the weekends.
He had barely raised his heart rate when Bailey called it a day. She powered down and wiped her brow, turning toward him. "Now, who's stalking whom?"
Chase grunted and covered a smile with his towel. If he wasn't careful, he might grow to like this woman. He finished his run and headed to the heavy bags, unsurprised that he didn't see Bailey again. She must have gone home after the time and intensity she'd spent on the treadmill. He put on his gloves and pounded the bag, surprised when he heard someone beating out their frustrations on another bag, the bag blocking his view of the fighter.
What he could see were a shapely female leg and a bare foot. The foot was hitting the bag at the wrong angle. If she kept this up, she would injure her foot or ankle. But it wasn't any of Chase's business. He wasn't a trainer. Chase continued his workout, trying to balance speed with power.
He'd been doing mixed martial arts for a few years now, strictly for fun and the health benefits, so he thought he had a good handle on how much damage his body could take without causing real injury. From the cursing coming from the woman's direction, she didn't. That thought was confirmed when he heard a cry of pain.
Chase darted to the boxer, pulling off his gloves in the process. He found Bailey on the mat cradling her left ankle, her face scrunched up in pain and frustration. He took a knee and reached for her foot, and she jerked back.
"I'm fine," Bailey snapped. The discolored foot and ankle were a testament to her lie.
"Be still." Chase reached for her again. This time she let him. With a quick examination, Chase was relieved it wasn't broken. "You'll live. Just need ice and to stay off it for a few days. Let me help you to the nurse's station." He lifted her from under her arms before she pulled away again, almost falling in the process.
Her foot touched the floor, and she sucked in air through clenched teeth. "I can do this. I've been hurt worst."
Frustrated—and if he had to admit it, hurt—with her attitude toward him, Chase tried again. "I'd do the same thing for anyone. You don't have to play the tough girl with me."
"I am a tough girl."
"Okay, you are a tough girl, but even tough girls get injured, and if you don't take care of that ankle, what is now a minor injury can turn into a major one."
"Chase, I know my limits. I don't need your help."
"That isn't what you were saying earlier today."
Bailey froze and turned to him, her pain apparently forgotten. "Don't start with me, Chase Meadows. I'm still not over this afternoon. You are the entire reason I'm here tonight banging my head against the wall instead of home prepping for my show tomorrow. Oh, and gee thanks for that. I asked you to cancel the contract, but what do you do? You put me back to work promoting a pregnancy kit, no less."
That surprised Chase. He didn't recall hearing anything about the new promotion. He made a mental note to have a chat with Ren.
"I'm not starting anything with you, Bailey Gallup." He said her name as if it was sour on his tongue. "I'm trying to be a gentleman, but if you don't want my help, then at least stay here while I get one of the trainers to help you. And for the record, I don't know anything about the pregnancy kit promotion. Oh, and you're welcome for not telling that control-freak sister of yours about the office fiasco."
"Who asked you to? What makes you think she would side with you over me?"
Chase got in Bailey's face. "Want to bet? I can call her now."
Bailey hesitated before she backed down. "Okay, fine. I'll concede on that one."
"You're welcome. Stay here."
Chase walked away while shaking his head. He'd never met a woman as stubborn as her. Or as tough. Or as intimidated by him. Even his stepmothers had backed down from him when he showed the list bit of determination. In part, Chase wanted to push Bailey further, to see how much she would take before she gave in as well. On the other hand, he had a grudging respect for this woman.
He found a couple of trainers standing around the reception desk and ordered them to help Bailey, pointing them in her direction, but as he turned around, he saw that she was inching her way toward them, using the wall to support weight.
"Does she ever listen?" Chase muttered.
Bailey met his gaze, and he would swear she hated him. That was enough. They didn't know each other well enough for her to have developed such strong feelings about him. He rushed to her and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of the grain they fed the livestock on the ranch. Bailey protested the rough treatment and beat against his back. Chase grunted as one punch landed on his kidney.
Chase slapped her butt cheek, and Bailey cried out. "You hit me, and I'm going to hit you back. Be still."
His threat didn't deter her. Chase readied himself for bruises tomorrow. The gym wasn't that big, but the behavior had gained the full attention of the patrons onsite. He had Bailey in the exam room in two minutes and dumped her on the bed. He roared for a medic while Bailey cursed at him. Her face was red, as were her knuckles. She kicked at him with her uninjured foot, and he dodged the strike.
"Woman, enough! I'll leave you be as soon as the medic arrives." Chase rummaged through the first aid cabinet for a cold pack and pain relief patch. "I'm going to put these on you now," he warned her. "You kick me, and you're going to need another one for your behind, understand?"
Bailey looked like a cornered stray awaiting the chance to attack. "I wouldn't if I were you."
Chase slowly moved closer, maintaining eye contact. "Calm down. I'm trying to help. It'll be okay. Tomorrow, you and I can go back to enemies, but for the next five minutes, let's call a truce."
"I didn't know we were at war."
"My bad then." Chase squatted in front of Bailey and placed the pain patch on her ankle before opening the cold pack. He stayed on high alert in case she attacked again. He had a board meeting in the morning and didn't look forward to showing up with a black eye. The shareholders didn't look favorably on a CEO who looked like he'd just left the boxing ring, and he'd never live down getting beat up by a woman.
As soon as the ice pack was on, Chase asked, "Can you elevate your ankle? Do you need help?"
"I'm not an invalid."
But Chase could tell turning on the bed and raising her foot to rest it on the mattress was a painful endeavor.
Satisfied that she was more comfortable, Chase nodded and turned to leave before he considered how she would get home. He pulled his phone from his pocket and made a call.
"Ren, arrange a ride for Ms. Gallup from my gym to her home. Oh, and Ren, you and I need to talk."