Are You Single, Blair?

For a long moment, Leonard simply looked at me.

His expression was unreadable.

Then, without the slightest hint of hesitation, he asked,

"Are you single, Blair?"

The question caught me completely off guard.

"What?"

"I think that's a little too personal... and highly inappropriate, Mr. Parker."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"So was what happened in those showers."

Heat instantly rushed to my cheeks.

"You're right," I admitted quietly. "And I already apologized for that. I assured you it wouldn't happen again."

"You did."

Silence settled between us.

He watched me for another moment before speaking again.

"I woke up thinking about something."

Against my better judgment, curiosity won.

"What?"

"If you had a boyfriend..." he said evenly, "would what happened between us have been considered cheating?"

I blinked.

"I suppose it would."

"So..." His blue eyes searched mine. "Did you cheat on your boyfriend?"

"No."

The answer escaped before I could think.

"Of course not."

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"So there isn't a boyfriend."

I folded my arms.

"No."

"As far as I knew," I muttered defensively, "it could have been anyone behind that shower door."

"It wasn't."

His voice remained calm.

"It was me."

Neither of us spoke for several seconds.

Then he pushed himself away from the ring and began walking between the rows of hanging punching bags.

Within moments, he disappeared into the shadows.

I could hear his footsteps.

I just couldn't see him.

The uncertainty made my pulse race.

"Have you had many relationships, Blair?"

I frowned.

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer."

I hesitated.

"A few."

The lie sounded weak, even to me.

"So..."

His voice echoed softly through the gym.

"Did they last very long?"

"Long enough."

I exhaled sharply.

"I still don't understand where you're going with this."

The punching bag behind me suddenly swung aside.

I gasped.

Before I could react, I felt him behind me.

His hands rested gently against my waist, preventing me from stepping away.

Every muscle in my body tensed.

"I've been trying to stay away from you."

His voice brushed my ear.

"I ignored you all day."

"I noticed."

"It didn't work."

I closed my eyes.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you."

My breathing became uneven.

"Then I heard something."

A knot tightened in my stomach.

"What?"

"A piece of information."

He paused.

"And apparently..."

His voice lowered.

"Every man in this building has heard it."

I slowly turned my head.

"What are you talking about?"

His answer came almost as a whisper.

"That you're still a virgin."

Everything inside me froze.

I pulled away so abruptly that I nearly stumbled.

"What?"

The word barely left my lips.

"How do you know that?"

For the first time, genuine concern crossed his face.

"Someone overheard a conversation you had at a bar."

"You'd been drinking."

Everything suddenly made sense.

The stares.

The invitations.

Rick.

The attention I'd never received before.

Humiliation washed over me.

"So that's it."

A bitter laugh escaped.

"You didn't even know I existed until that night."

His jaw tightened.

"And now that you know..." My voice trembled. "Now you want to be the man who takes it."

"Blair, that's not—"

"Don't."

I raised a hand before he could continue.

"I know exactly what people say about you."

He took one careful step toward me.

"You've got it wrong."

"Do I?"

Tears burned behind my eyes.

"You ignored me yesterday."

"You flirted with Laila all day today."

"And now you expect me to believe this is different?"

His expression darkened.

"I won't be another woman people gossip about."

"You aren't."

His reply came without hesitation.

"I don't believe you."

I turned toward the exit.

"If you want to fire me..."

My voice cracked.

"Then fire me."

I had barely taken a step when he caught my wrist.

Not harshly.

Almost desperately.

"Look at me."

I shook my head.

"Blair."

There was something in his voice I'd never heard before.

When I finally looked up...

The confident billionaire was gone.

In his place stood a man who looked genuinely conflicted.

Almost afraid.

Neither of us spoke.

The silence stretched between us.

He slowly lifted one hand and gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from my face.

Every instinct told me to step back.

I didn't.

He leaned in.

Slowly enough that I could have stopped him.

I didn't.

His lips met mine in a soft, lingering kiss.

It wasn't demanding.

It wasn't rushed.

It felt less like seduction...

...and more like surrender.

For one impossible moment, the rest of the world disappeared.

Then the gym door opened.

Laughter echoed through the room.

"I'm telling you, Marta... he likes me."

Laila.

"I even bought something special for him."

She laughed again.

"Just wait until he sees it."

The women's locker-room door closed.

Reality returned with brutal force.

Only minutes earlier, Leonard had spent the afternoon smiling at Laila.

Making her laugh.

Letting her believe she had a chance.

I stepped away.

This time...

He didn't try to stop me.

I looked into his eyes one last time.

"I won't become another one of your conquests."

Then I turned and walked out of the gym without looking back.