His Heart Knew Before He Did novel Chapter 6

"Hey!"

Lydia spun around on reflex. "Marcus?"

"What are you doing in the county?" Marcus rushed over, grinning like an idiot. "Are you here to see Xavier?"

The guy had no filter.

Lydia was so done with him.

"Don't say that. I have nothing to do with Xavier."

"Sure, sure." Marcus completely ignored her. "Since you're here, you have to come inside and hang out!"

Only then did Lydia realize that right next to the translation agency was a boxing gym.

A massive, bold sign hung above the door.

—Tempest Athletics.

Xavier's territory!

It was unbelievably, insanely coincidental.

While she was busy processing this, Marcus grabbed her arm and practically dragged her inside.

The first floor was packed with students taking classes while their parents waited in the lounge.

Seeing Marcus tugging her along, the crowd threw curious, gossip-hungry glances their way.

"Everyone's watching!" Marcus whispered to her. "Are you going to walk, or do I have to keep dragging you?"

Lydia scowled in frustration, but for some inexplicable reason, she followed him up to the second floor.

Fine.

She could finally confront Xavier about his friend's irritating habit of linking them together.

The second floor hosted the adult classes. Lydia scanned the room but didn't see Xavier.

Marcus leaned in. "Xavier doesn't teach group classes. He only does one-on-one private sessions."

Lydia snapped, "I don't care."

Marcus didn't care if she wanted to hear it or not; he kept running his mouth.

"Xavier is a beast! He's a master in boxing, MMA, Judo, and Sambo! Plus, he's a former special forces operative. If you're with him, no one in this county would ever dare mess with you!"

Ex-special forces?

She never knew a military man could be such a complete sleaze.

"Oh?" Xavier dropped the towel and slowly closed the distance between them, a dark, seductive gleam in his eyes. "You aren't stalking me, are you?"

Lydia backed up until she hit the door, the space between them evaporating instantly.

His heavy presence pressed in on her. Xavier's face was mere inches away, his eyes burning with a relentless, raw hunger.

The scent of his passion filled her lungs, scrambling her breath. She reflexively shoved against his chest. "Move."

The second her hands hit bare skin, Lydia remembered he was half-naked.

The hard, searing heat of his muscles sent a flush of pure humiliation and shock through her.

Xavier leaned in even closer, the tension crackling between them, though his voice remained steady.

"Groping me already, friend?"

He was absolutely delusional.

Lydia froze, too terrified to move. She felt like if she tilted her head even slightly, her lips would brush his jaw. "You're insane. I'm not a pervert."

In the next second, Xavier grabbed her hand and pressed it flat against his thudding chest.

"What if you were? Go ahead, cross the line."