A Whole New Man

Chapter Two

“But I like blue jeans.”

Hank’s announcement brought stares from the other customers in the expensive men’s clothing store, and he nearly laughed. He didn’t give a fig what he wore. Never had. But he wanted to put a little scratch in the veneer Lizzie wore and see her reaction.

Holding a pair of khaki trousers draped over one arm, her face was a mask of patience and calm. “There are times and places for denim, Hank. Trust me. But you’ll need something for your first day at Crown and something for casual wear.”

“That’s what jeans are for,” he argued, while she nudged him toward the dressing room. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her she could wear the damned pants herself, when her features softened, and he saw her bite back a smile.

So, she does know how to loosen up. She just didn’t want to do it. He would remember that. Maybe the next two weeks wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

“We’ll check out the jeans as soon as we’ve finished with these.” With another nudge in the direction of the dressing room, she handed him the khakis. “Please, Hank?”

Whether it was the tone of her voice or the sound of his name, he didn’t know. He stopped in his tracks and took the pants from her. “Now, how can I say no when I can see how much it means to you?”

Her grateful smile was enhanced by the shades of rose blooming on her cheeks. She pulled another item from a rack. “And take this shirt with you,” she said, pressing a sport shirt into his free hand. “Oh, and these pants and shirt, too.”

Hank chuckled and shook his head. “Do all your clients get this kind of special treatment?”

“Of course they do. All my clients are special.” She turned around and headed in the direction of one of the clerks.

In the dressing room, he was ready to dump the pile on the floor and tell her everything fit fine, but he thought better of the idea. She had a point. He wanted to look his best for the new job. It was important that he make a good impression. Whether he stuck with the job or not, he wanted to start out on the right foot. Wasn’t that why he’d hired Lizzie?

He stripped out of the clothes he felt most comfortable in—had always felt most comfortable in—and into the clothes she’d given him.

He didn’t bother with the mirror when he stepped out of the dressing room. Instead he went looking for Lizzie and found her comparing ties. “How’s this?” he asked, standing beside her.

“Oh, Hank, they’re perfect!”

The admiring gleam in her eye and the smile on her face took him by surprise. He shrugged to cover it and tried for indifference. “If you like it, it’s good enough for me. I hate to admit it, Lizzie, but you have good taste. I only have one question.”

She looked up from the tie she was holding against a shirt. “What’s that?”

“Are you helping me pick out my underwear, too?” he asked, giving in to the temptation to tease her.

“Hank!”

Her eyes, wide with surprise, closed, and she pursed her lips. Then he saw her bite back a smile and noticed how her shoulders shook. He’d hit his mark. “Come on. Socks and shorts are over here,” he said taking her arm and propelling her to the other side of the store.

“Stop, Hank!” she cried, laughing.

Her words didn’t stop him, but the sound of her bubbling laughter did. It was like flowers bursting open in the springtime. Warm and refreshing. He looked at her and saw a sparkle and shine in her eyes that made his heart skip a beat. That wasn’t good. He needed to get a grip. Fun was fun, but…He wasn’t in the habit of falling too hard for women, but just because it hadn’t happened before, didn’t mean it wouldn’t. Considering the circumstances, this was the wrong woman to be the first.

She was the first to regain her composure. “I—I think I’ll leave those to you, if that’s all right.”

“Yeah,” he said, still stunned. “I think I can handle it myself.”

She slipped from his grasp and took a few steps away from him, then turned back. “When you’re finished, we’ll take care of the purchases.”

He started for the dressing room, only to see his reflection in the mirror, surprised that he looked like the same old Hank, only…different. Behind him, Lizzie stood watching. Their gazes met, and once again his heart skipped. Damn!

Before he had a chance to think of something to say to lighten the moment, she spun on her heel and found the nearest clerk. “We’ll take what we’ve already chosen and everything in the dressing room,” he heard her say.

The clerk glanced from her to Hank, then hesitated before ringing up the assortment of items. Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Hank returned to the dressing room and quickly changed back into his familiar jeans and shirt.

When he had finished, he met Lizzie at the counter and gave the purchases to the clerk. While the young man tallied their total, Hank reached for the pen Lizzie held poised to sign the receipt and slipped it from her fingers.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“They’re my clothes, I’ll pay for them.”

“It’s part of the agreement,” she replied and attempted to retrieve the pen.

“I’m taking care of it anyway.” He placed the pen on the counter far enough away so Lizzie couldn’t reach it. Digging in his back pocket, he pulled out his wallet and slipped out his credit card.

“Hank—”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered. If we’re going to argue about every penny, then you’ll have to find another guy.”

Pearly teeth scraped her lower lip, her eyes narrowed and frown lines appeared between them. “All right,” she relented. “This time. But really, Hank—”

He gave her a look that silenced her, then signed the receipt the clerk slid across the counter. “There,” he said, grabbing the bags in one hand and taking her arm with the other. “That’s all settled. Now we can get those jeans.”

Lizzie glanced at her watch. “We’ll have to do it tomorrow. You have a date at the fitness center.”

“Fitness center? You’re kidding.”

She swept past him to the door. “You’ll need to keep fit,” she said as she stepped outside. “And the gym is the perfect place to meet people. You’re new in town. You’ll want to make some friends you can—”

“Hang out with?” he finished for her.

“Exactly.”

He caught up with her on the sidewalk and Bailey took the packages from him. “Wait just a minute, Lizzie. I’ve played a little pickup basketball in my life and lifted some barbells, but I doubt I’ve ever stepped foot in the kind of place you’re talking about. I’ll be a real fish out of water.”

She slid him a glance he couldn’t read, then slipped into the open door of the limo. He followed her, but couldn’t help glancing at the curve of her thigh as he settled across from her. It was getting to be a bad habit. One that needed breaking as soon as possible. Lizzie was far too tempting for his peace of mind. If this kept up, he wouldn’t last two weeks.

They rode a few blocks in silence before she spoke again. “You need to understand that being a member of this particular center is important,” she said, stubbornly refusing to budge on the subject. “Your membership at the fitness center and at other places throughout the city are key to becoming a part of the Kansas City business world. Even more importantly, it gets you into the heart of Kansas City society.”

“Kansas City society doesn’t interest me, and I’m taking the foreman’s job, not CEO’s. I’m a simple guy, Lizzie. I want to improve myself, but not that much. That’s not where I’m headed.” Besides, the idea of a gym was to help a person get fit. He was fit. He didn’t need any of those newfangled machines to keep him that way. Hard, physical labor was what kept a man in top condition. And he told her so.

“Not everyone has the opportunity to do that kind of work. Most successful businessmen spend the majority of their time behind a desk. I’m sure you’ll find that a visit to the center several times a week will be a big help.”

He considered it. True, his job wouldn’t be physical, like the work he had done for most of his life. He would spend most of his time behind a desk dealing with subcontractors and suppliers and only overseeing the work on the site. The lack of physical labor could have a bad effect on him. But just the thought of working out in a gym left him cold.

“Do you go to a gym?” he asked.

“Not this particular one. But, yes, I do visit a fitness center at least once a week. And I try to run or walk when I can.”

Hank shook his head and grinned. “All that and assisting me. Where will you find the time?”

She gave him a stern look. “I’ll find the time to work out. I like to stay in shape.”

He made himself comfortable and looked her up and down. “I’d say you’ve managed to do that. Very well. Now, about that gym…”

She leaned forward, her frown marring her pretty features. “You agreed to put yourself in my hands. You paid good money to hire me. Why don’t you let me do my job?”

He had a feeling he was going to be trying her patience to the extreme. But she was right. He had hired her to do a job. He might as well let her do it and get his money’s worth. “Tell you what. I’ll go to this gym on one condition.”

She leaned back in the seat again, hesitancy and a glimmer of distrust in her eyes. “And what might that be?”

He was ready to bounce the ball in her court to see how far she was willing to go to do her job. “I’ll climb on every last one of those machines, I’ll even have one of those massages if they give them there, but I want you right beside me. Is it a deal?”

“I…Hank, that isn’t fair. I’m not accustomed to some of the exercise equipment.”

“And I’ve never used any of it.” He let a slow smile spread over his face. “It’s the only way you’re going to get me in the door,” he challenged her.

She turned to gaze out the window, and he could almost hear the wheels in her mind churning. Just when he thought he’d won, she turned back, her eyes bright and her smile wicked. “I don’t have my exercise clothes with me.”

This time, his smile was sincere. “I don’t have any, either.”

“We’ll buy them—” Her mouth snapped shut.

Hank crossed his arms on his chest, leaned back against the plush leather of the interior of the limo and chuckled. Now that the notion to share the experience with her had struck, he liked the idea of seeing her in a set of exercise clothes. “I think my bank account can accommodate some for you, too.”

Lizzie instantly forgot about how uncomfortable she was in a leotard when she saw Hank in a T-shirt bearing the gym insignia and a pair of way-too-snug-for-her-sanity shorts.

She gasped, then swallowed and tried not to stare. Muscled men weren’t her style, but she would have had to have been blind not to react to the sight before her. And she was far from blind.

“Okay, Lizzie, what do you want to try first?”

She blinked.

“Lizzie?”

Two more blinks, and she snapped out of the fog to look him in the eye. “Huh?”

Hank’s dimples deepened to craters. “You know more about these contraptions than I do. Where do we start?”

Her knees grew rubbery and she gave herself a mental shake. Being attracted to this man would be hazardous. And very wrong. She’d already failed with men in the past, and although the first had left her with the best thing that had ever happened to her, she wouldn’t make that mistake again. Nor would she repeat the second one. She quickly reminded herself that Hank was a client and nothing more than a construction worker from New Mexico who was simply stepping up into a foreman’s position. He obviously wanted to better himself, but would he stick with it? Not exactly the kind of man she should be attracted to, if she had the inclination. She didn’t. And she didn’t have the time. She needed to keep that in perspective.

“Here comes Tony,” she said, spying one of the trainers. “He can show you how to use the equipment.”

After introducing the two men, she followed behind them while they made the rounds of the gym. It irked her that the sight of Tony’s extremely well-toned body didn’t bother her in the least, whereas just a peek at Hank’s sent her heart rate zipping.

Hank climbed off the gym’s latest mechanical acquisition and turned to her. “It’s your turn.”

She took a step back to avoid being too close to him. No reason to tempt her hormones. “Thanks, I’ll pass.”

Before she knew what was happening, he scooped her up in his arms. “Nope, can’t do that. We have an agreement,” he said, placing her on the padded bench.

And she’d thought her heart was racing just watching him! Her skin burned where he gripped her calf to move it into position and slip her foot into the stirrup. She meant to protest, but her voice had deserted her. All she could do was make certain she was still breathing. That wasn’t nearly as simple as it should have been.

“Hold these,” he said, pressing a pair of grips in her hand. “Now, pull and glide.”

Without thinking, she did as he instructed. The effort took all her concentration, and she forgot Hank was near. She’d never used the exercise equipment before. Her method of keeping her body toned consisted of a weekly aerobics class and walking whenever possible. But the machine wasn’t bad. In fact, she found it almost enjoyable.

A hand touched her shoulder.

“Unless you’re used to this, you’d better stop.”

She looked up into Hank’s eyes and lost her bearings. When his hand remained in place for a moment too long, she shifted her position. “You’re right. I’ll pay for this tomorrow.”

His shrug sent his muscles rippling beneath his shirt. “You’ll be fine.”

Lizzie could only nod. He reached out a hand to assist her, and she took it. Big mistake. Her gaze met his, and it was as if her soul were exposed to him in full view.

She reclaimed her hand as gently as possible. “Thanks,” she murmured.

Tony interrupted them to ask Hank a question, giving her a brief reprieve and the chance to pull herself together. She escaped to the fruit bar where she ordered a bottle of water, then turned and leaned back to watch Hank and Tony.

A small crowd had gathered around the machine where Hank worked out. Lizzie occasionally glimpsed him through the bodies blocking her view. Those brief peeks were more than enough for her, and she silently sent up thanks that she couldn’t see more.

Hank didn’t resemble Mr. Universe. His physique wasn’t that extreme. But the thought of professional bodybuilders still flashed through her mind while she watched. Sweat darkened the fabric of his T-shirt and glistened on his skin. Biceps bulged and strained. She could hear his slightly labored breathing and soft grunts of exertion. His dark hair, too long to suit her usual tastes, stuck to his neck in individual curls. And that was only the top half of him.

She dared to lower her gaze to his legs. Powerful thighs bunched and stretched as he raised and lowered himself. Men’s legs had always fascinated her. Hank’s mesmerized her.

The sound of counting reached her ears. “One hundred fifty-three, one hundred fifty-four, one hundred fifty…”

Holy cow! She tore her gaze away and slammed the water bottle on the bar. Enough. Without another look, she retreated to the dressing room and changed back into her suit, all the while berating herself for her weakness. She’d make sure to keep her distance and not put herself in a position like this again. Any attraction to the man would be disastrous, and she’d almost gone way beyond that. She had her business to think about. And Amanda. Her daughter had been hurt once because of an attraction to a man. She wouldn’t let that happen again.

Lizzie wanted so badly to give Amanda the best. She had done all she could, but so much of her money went to daycare for Amanda and the rest had gone to pay most of her mother’s medical bills. The stroke her mother had suffered had been severely debilitating, but her mother had worked hard for months in the rehab center to regain much of what she had lost.

Since her husband’s death, three years earlier, Lizzie’s mother had relied on family. Even more on Lizzie than she had on Lizzie’s sister, who was six years older. At thirty, Vicky had her own family and the perfect life, as she’d always had. With the added expense of their brother’s college fees, they’d struggled. But even more, Lizzie wanted to be a success, not a failure. Her parents had tried to curb her wild streak, but she hadn’t listened to them. She understood now that it was simply her way to gain attention. Her sister, Vicky, had just married the perfect man and was planning the perfect family and life. Lizzie had always been the younger and less perfect daughter. She had come home from college to announce that she was pregnant and the father had left her high and dry. She had broken her parents’ hearts and, even though their disappointment and disapproval had been evident, they had stood by her. She’d learned her lesson the hard way. Her father had died before she could prove to him that she had changed, but she could still show her mother that she was a responsible woman and mother.

“Giving up?”

Lizzie jerked her thoughts from the past and looked up to see Hank standing in front of her, a white towel draped around his neck. “It’s a little more than I’m used to,” she told him with a smile she didn’t feel.

“Hungry?”

She nodded. “A little.” In fact, she realized she hadn’t eaten a thing since breakfast.

“Good,” he said, his dimples deepening. “Bailey told me about a great place to eat. I’ll have a quick shower in the locker room and we can—”

“Hank,” she said, reaching out to lay a hand on his muscled forearm. A shiver of heat ran up her arm, but she ignored it. “We can’t have dinner tonight.”

He turned to her, his expression one of confusion. “Why not? I thought it would be the perfect chance for you to tell me which fork to use and how I’m not supposed to tuck the napkin under my chin.”

She wasn’t sure if she should tell him the truth. She rarely told men about her daughter. Another hard lesson learned, and at Amanda’s expense. And she never revealed her private life to clients. But for some reason she knew she had to tell Hank.

“I promised my daughter I would have dinner with her tonight.”

For a moment, he was silent. “Your daughter?”

Lizzie recognized his disappointment, so like the other men she’d known in the past. She knew better. Even worse, she was disappointed. It shouldn’t have bothered her, but it did.

“A daughter,” Hank repeated, feeling as if he had been sucker punched. He had never asked for any particulars about Lizzie’s family, but he hadn’t thought it was important. Apparently it was, even though he wanted to deny it.

With a quick—and he hoped discreet—glance at her left hand, he assured himself that she wasn’t wearing a ring. He hadn’t noticed one before, but he hadn’t paid much attention and didn’t trust his memory.

“I’m sorry about dinner,” she said.

He shook his head. “No, it’s okay.”

She lifted her gaze to his and he saw a touch of sadness in her blue eyes. Because they couldn’t have dinner? He had no way of knowing.

It didn’t matter. Things were now changed. Lizzie was no longer simply a beautiful woman he was attracted to. She was a mother. A woman with the responsibility of a child. A family. Something he had only vague memories of and no plans to have for his own.

But his curiosity was getting the better of him, even though he now saw her in a new and very different light. “How old is she? Your…daughter.”

“Four.” She glanced around the crowded gym as if she were looking for the way out. “Maybe we should leave.”

Nodding, he slipped the towel from his neck. “I’ll grab that shower and meet you at the car. Unless you want to wait for me here?”

She shook her head. “I’ll go on and let Bailey know you’ll be out soon.”

All he could do was nod again and head for the showers. The fact that she was a mother didn’t make her less attractive. It made her more attractive because of his curiosity. But if she was married—No, he was certain she wasn’t. She would wear a ring. Wouldn’t she?

It took him less than fifteen minutes to shower and change, then he met Lizzie in front of the building, where Bailey waited with the limo. Still wondering how to handle the change in circumstances, he climbed in to take the seat across from her. Bailey slid behind the wheel and the car merged into the traffic.

“We have a full day scheduled tomorrow,” Lizzie said without looking at him. “The apartment is furnished and will be ready to move into. I’ll explain the details later so you don’t need to worry. You’ll be able to move in first thing in the morning. Do you have your belongings stored somewhere, or do you plan to send for them?”

Thinking of his meager collection of belongings stowed in the dilapidated pull-behind trailer he’d lived in for years, he couldn’t think of a single thing he hadn’t brought with him that would suit a sub-leased apartment. “I won’t be needing anything.”

“I’ll let Bailey know we need to pick you up around eight in the morning.”

Checking his watch, he realized it was earlier than he thought. So what was he supposed to do with himself for the rest of the evening? He hadn’t made any plans.

“I thought we were on some kind of accelerated schedule,” he reminded her.

“We are,” she agreed, “but I always spend at least one evening a week with my daughter, whenever possible.