Revealing Results

Hannah

Parker

don’t keep me in suspense

Hannah

I literally just walked in the door, and I smell.

Parker

gross.

Parker

Want me to bring you lunch?

Hannah

give me thirty minutes to shower and dry my hair.

Parker

I’ll let myself in

Hannah

you always do

It felt good to stand under the warm water and rinse the sweat off my tired body. The adrenaline rush from my weigh-in results was going to wear off eventually.

I had a feeling the exhaustion from two back-to-back workouts was going to hit me like a truck. At this rate, Parker might be taking sleeping photos of me.

After I finished, I wrapped myself in my soft robe and started drying my hair. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with it, so I just left it straight and ran some product through the ends.

“Feeling better?”

I jumped as I noticed Parker sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Shit, you scared me. What are you doing here?” I asked as I rubbed the towel over the top of my head.

“I changed your sheets.” He patted the space next to him.

“’Cause that’s not weird,” I laughed.

“I wanted white sheets for later.” He shrugged.

“So, you’re really making me do the boudoir photos?”

“Hell yes, I am!” He cheered.

“You are way too excited about taking pictures of a half-naked lady.”

“Do you want to invite Jordan over?” he asked teasingly. “I can take some pictures of him too.”

“Uh, no. Quit perving on my…” I trailed off.

“Go ahead, finish that thought. Your…?” he urged with a curious smile on his face.

“I don’t know what to call him,” I confessed with a frown. “It’s too early to tell.”

“Boy toy?” Parker teased. “Man meat?”

I shook my head.

“Pickle to tickle? Sugar daddy?”

“He’s not seventy.” I laughed.

“I’d still call him Daddy.” Parker wiggled his eyebrows.

“Park, don’t make it weird.”

“He’s gonna have to get used to my humor sometime.”

“Well, let’s ease him into it.” Parker was a lot to handle sometimes, but we just got each other.

“That’s what she said!”

“Get out, so I can get dressed.” I laughed as I made a shooing motion toward my doorway.

“I’ve seen your boobs before. I’ll probably see them later today too.” He shrugged. Parker had a strange affinity for female breasts.

“Fine, whatever,” I sighed as I pulled my robe open.

“Ow-ow! Sexy lady!” He catcalled as I disappeared into my closet and threw on a comfortable knit dress and some sandals.

“So you never told me what your numbers were,” he called out.

“Well, I’m now only 36.8 percent peanut butter cup.”

“Damn, girl. You knocked out almost 9 percent body fat?” he mused in awe. “You’re a machine!”

“I was so nervous it was gonna be like forty-five.”

“Hannah, you worked your ass off. I knew you were gonna have a big loss,” he encouraged.

“Should I say thank you now or later?” I smiled. I may have done the work, but he was the one who pushed me off the ledge. If he hadn’t sneakily signed me up for the challenge, I never would have done it.

“You can just share your prize money with me,” he offered.

“I don’t even know if I’m gonna win. There were a hundred people.”

“Mallory said it dropped to like seventy who met the challenge requirements.”

I had no idea that many people had dropped out by the end. It made me curious about everyone else.

“Still not the best odds. I’m just happy that my doctor can stop saying the phrase ‘morbidly obese.’ It made me cringe every time she said it.”

“You know those numbers are bullshit.” His voice sounded irritated.

“But the cholesterol numbers and the thyroid function tests weren’t.”

“They have to have improved. I don’t think a month from now she’s gonna be as hard on you. And think how much further you will have gone by then. You’re still gonna go three days a week after the challenge, right?”

“Yeah, I kinda like the routine. It’s nice to work that hard and just go home and pass out,” I confessed.

My body had actually started to crave the workouts. I never in a million years thought I would be one of those people.

“Although your cardio routine may be changing soon.” He winked as he pushed his tongue into his cheek.

I squinted, and he started laughing.

“Girl, you know you're about to get some real up-close and personal training sessions going on pretty soon.”

“Geez, Parker.”

Nervous laughter bubbled up as I thought about what it'd be like to take things further with Jordan.

Our physical chemistry thus far had been a little incendiary; I could only imagine what it'd be like once the clothes started falling off.

“He is one strong dude. Just imagine what he's gonna put you through,” he contemplated. “I bet at least your flexibility will improve.”

He leaned back onto the bed on one elbow and dramatically fanned himself.

“It's gonna be hot!”

“Okay. Can we talk about something other than me breaking the dry spell?” I tried to change the subject. I was pretty much an open book with Parker, but I didn't overshare as he did.

“We gonna talk about my sex life?” he teased and bit his lip. “There's this thing that Lincoln does with his tongue…”

“Oh my God, Park! Stop!”

My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten yet this morning.

“We better feed you before the alien in your stomach pops out to attack me,” he laughed. “There’s a steak wrap in the kitchen.”

I practically ran to the kitchen; I was really starving. I had been afraid to eat before the weigh-in.

“I brought that for you to eat, not deep throat. Although, lucky Coach J.” He laughed and opened his bottle of water while I savored my lunch.

“You’re not eating?” I asked between chews, my mouth half full.

“Nah. I’m gonna intermittently fast until after my weigh-in.”

“So, you packed a wrap to inhale in the parking lot after?” I laughed.

Parker was not known for depriving himself of food. Luckily for him, his metabolism was much faster than mine.

“Yeah, pretty much,” he nodded. “Are you ready to get out of here?”

“You’re not gonna make me go to any weird sex shops today, are you?”

“That’s a trip for another day,” he grabbed his bag and headed for the door. “No, just Soma and maybe Vicki’s. We’re going for classy, not trashy.”

“At least they don’t let you post nipples on Instagram.”

“There are ways around that. We can make you some digital pasties,” he laughed.

Great.

“No, Parker. I draw the line at nipple stickers.”

“You always ruin all my fun,” he pouted.

***

“Just couldn’t stay away?” Cynthia laughed as Parker and I walked through the door of the studio.

“Yeah, couldn’t resist the pull of the place.” I smiled.

“Or maybe the pull of someone else.” She lifted one eyebrow, and a broad smile spread across her face.

I had to admit, I was starting to develop an affinity for Jordan’s stepmom, despite her daughter’s attitude. I wouldn't have pegged her as being old enough to have two daughters in their mid-twenties.

Her face had a gorgeous creamy complexion, and she had wide, bright blue eyes like the twins.

The only wrinkles visible on her perfectly made-up face were around the corners of her eyes and mouth. Obviously, from all the smiling she seemed to do. Her short, golden blonde hair fell in soft waves around her slender face.

“You caught me. We’re here for Tatum—I just can’t get enough of her,” I said in a dreamy voice with my hand over my heart.

“It’s a curse. I’m just irresistible.” Tatum came around the corner wearing a pair of tailored shorts that hugged her dark, muscular thighs and a floaty tank top.

“How did it go?” I asked curiously.

“I’m a lean, mean, fat-burning machine, baby. I converted 4 percent of this fine booty to muscle,” she announced as she smoothed her palms down her front and cocked her hip out to the side, a proud look on her face.

“That’s awesome!” I told her sincerely.

“I only lost like ten pounds, but I’ll take the muscle gain.”

“Still pretty darn awesome.” I held my hand up, and she smacked her palm against it.

“You’re up, stud,” Mollie said as she peeked her head out of the office and called out to Parker.

“Does she know I’m gay, right?” he whispered behind his hand.

“Honey, everybody knows you’re gay.” Tatum laughed.

“I don’t have all day, Parker,” Mollie said as she tapped the face of her watch and gave him an expectant look.

“Better get in there.”

“I’d listen to her,” Cynthia warned. “She doesn’t like tardiness.”

“Cynthia, this is my best friend, Parker,” I told her as I motioned toward my goof of a best friend.

“Better move it, Parker. Neither of my girls has a lot of patience.”

“I’ll fill you in later,” I told him as I pushed him toward the hallway. He was giving me a curious look as he nodded at Cynthia.

“So, what are you three up to today?” Cynthia asked after Parker was out of earshot.

Tatum snorted, and I felt my face flush. I was not telling my maybe-boyfriend’s mom about my friends taking partially clothed pictures of me to put on the internet.

“If you can get it out of them, I’m quite interested in what their plans are as well,” Jordan said as he joined us at the front desk. I hadn’t even heard him come in the front door.

Although now that I knew he was behind me, my body was hyper-aware of his proximity.

He reached around me and put a takeout bag on the counter in front of Cynthia.

“Here’s your club salad.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” She smiled and peeked inside the bag.

“It’s the least I can do for the extra help this weekend,” he told her sincerely.

“You know I don’t mind helping out if you need it.” She pulled open the bag fully and started taking healthy bites of her lunch. I was hoping it was enough of a distraction for a subject change.

“Go ahead, ladies, I can listen and eat.” She waved.

Shit. No.

I cringed, and Tatum started laughing when she looked at my face.

“Just a little light shopping. Nothing too exciting,” Tatum said casually.

“I’ve already tried to get an answer out of Hannah twice, and she just turns into a tomato,” Jordan eyed me curiously, and I felt the blush returning.

“Well, maybe it’s something she isn’t ready to share with you yet. I’m sure with the changes she’s undergone over the last two months, certain things might fit differently,” Cynthia mused.

Jordan nodded thoughtfully, his eyes scanning down my body.

~Kill me now.~

“Is Parker done yet?” I asked nervously, desperately wanting to change the subject.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed, dear, I’ve got two girls,” Cynthia told me. “I think Soma has a sale right now for the kind that doesn’t ride up.”

She was onto me.

“I heard that too. We’ll have to go find Hannah a few pairs,” Tatum agreed with a smile at the older woman.

“I’m sure pastel tones would look nice with her complexion,” Cynthia mused. The two of them just kept talking without even acknowledging me.

“What are they talking about? What’s Soma?” Jordan whispered as his hand toyed with the fabric of my dress at my waistline.

“Please, stop,” I whispered back as I stilled his hand.

“Do I need to Google it?” His warm breath on the back of my neck made the hair on my arms stick up.

“You all are mean,” I whined.

“Am I embarrassing you?” Jordan asked lowly as his thumb resumed its subtle movements against the soft material of my dress.

“Yes,” I hissed. Tatum and Cynthia were still comparing cuts and styles; Jordan was completely oblivious behind me.

“Maybe you should buy something to wear from this Soma place for our date. I think I like you in a dress,” he complimented. If he only knew what Soma actually sold.

“They don’t sell those kinds of dresses,” I told him, wishing this subject would just die already.

“It doesn’t have to be something fancy; I was hoping to cook you dinner this week.”

“I’ll wear a dress, but not from there,” I promised.

“Why are you so on edge about this?” He looked over at me curiously.

“Please let it go,” I begged.

“Tate?” he looked over toward where Tatum and Cynthia were still talking at the desk.

“Yes, J?”

“Can you help Hannah pick something out while you’re there to wear for a date?”

~Oh my God.~

~

Cynthia winked and shared a loaded look with Tatum and me.

“Oh, I definitely can do that,” Tatum grinned.

“Kill me,” I breathed out as he leaned in towards my ear.

“See, Tate will help you find something,” Jordan said proudly. Poor clueless man.

Luckily, my mortification was brought to an end as Parker appeared from the office and Jordan’s next training session arrived.

“Call me later,” he instructed as he turned to follow his client down the hallway. I nodded, and he kissed my cheek, heading into the studio.

“Have fun shopping, you three,” Cynthia called out from behind the desk with a wide smile.

“We will!” Parker told her cheerfully before turning back to Tatum and me. “Let’s go, I’m starving.”

My legs couldn’t carry me to the car fast enough.