“We’re in this for the long haul. You made a mistake, but you didn’t let it derail you. That’s the important thing.”

She gave him a grateful smile.

“But if you do it again, I’ll have to kick your ass. And that’s the end of our little pie discussion.” Theo continued scribbling on his clipboard, one ankle casually crossed over the other.

Lucy sighed. She supposed he couldn’t help it, but Theo Redmond throbbed with the good-looking guy vibe, that chromosomal-level confidence that made every female within a mile perk up, suck in her gut, and smile in an effort to catch his eye.

Except for herself, of course. It was understood that women like Lucy were automatically disqualified from playing those games with men like Theo. She’d once been stupid enough to believe she could be the exception to the rule, and look where it landed her. Never again.

She studied Theo, all that lean muscle and golden skin, and realized it was a blessing, really. There could never be any kind of sexual connection between them, and that left her free to be herself with him, the red-faced, sweaty mess she was.

Lucy was huffing now, starting to drip. She looked down at the digital readout on the treadmill console and frowned. “Hey!” she gasped. “I thought… we were… sticking to three-point-two miles an hour… maximum incline…of three!”

“Think again.” Theo didn’t raise his eyes from the clipboard.

“But-”

He looked up, his grin spreading ear to ear. “Don’t want you to get bored, Cunningham.”

She shot him a glare.

“Keep talking to me. This is just a warm-up, and if you can’t talk, then it’s too much.”