“If the rumors are saying he’s a cruel, sadistic prick, I’d believe them.” She increased the speed on her treadmill a little more.
He was silent for a few minutes, as though he contemplated her words. “Believe me, I’ll be looking into all of those rumors now. And I’ll start watching over Chloe. I think my brothers and I need to have a talk with her. Thanks for helping her out.”
She nodded, and there was a comfortable silence for a few moments while they both ramped up their speeds on the treadmills.
“Do you really come here to the resort every day to work out?” Lara asked curiously, wondering why he didn’t have a gym in his own home. All of the Colters had houses in Rocky Springs, and they all owned their own acreage. They must have large homes here.
“I mostly come to see Mom every day. I didn’t see much of her for years. And then there’s the breakfast buffet. I don’t cook.” He shot her a remorseless grin. “The breakfast here is unbeatable, and it’s a really tolerable buffet with fresh food. All you can eat.”
Lara’s stomach growled. “They have a breakfast buffet here?”
“The front desk didn’t tell you? It’s included for all the guests.” He paused before he added, “And a few intruders like me.”
Lara grimaced. “To be honest, I didn’t give them a chance to tell me much when I got in. It was late and I was tired. I’m starving,” she admitted reluctantly.
“How fast can you finish your run?”
Lara cranked up her speed. “Pretty fast. You?”
“Faster than you,” he shot back jokingly. “And if I get there first, I won’t leave much.”
“I’ll get done faster.” She cranked her run up to full speed. “And I’m a paying guest. You’re actually a moocher,” she protested, starting to breathe heavier.
“That won’t matter if I get the last waffle.” Tate ran on the treadmill, but he hadn’t even broken a sweat.
“Not happening,” she told him adamantly, determined to make it to the food before Tate did.
They finished at the same time, but Tate showered faster and made it to the buffet quicker than she did.
Despite all of his trash talk, Lara had to admit that he was sweet because he made it a point to actually save her some waffles.
Damn, for a small woman, Lara Bailey can eat.
Tate sat across from her at one of the small dining tables in the buffet room and watched her consume her third waffle. She’d already devoured a pile of eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast. Eating those items first hadn’t even slowed her down. Finally, she chewed at a more even pace, but she hadn’t stopped yet.
He didn’t think there was anything sexier than a woman who wasn’t afraid to enjoy her food. At first, he wondered whether she could out eat him, but he’d managed to consume an even larger breakfast before he stopped. Lara ate slower and savored her food. Now he was just enjoying watching her. Nearly groaning as she licked maple syrup from her bottom lip and closed her eyes in ecstasy, he sat his fork on his empty plate and stared openly.
Lara was an enigma, yet if he took into consideration what he’d found out about her background, maybe she really wasn’t. Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet found anything about her that he didn’t admire or adore about her. Even the way she ate made him like her even more. His dick practically worshipped her. No picking at her food or a salad for this woman. She ate with enjoyment, consumed her meal as if she didn’t know when she’d eat again. And the fact that she could kick some major ass?—pretty damn hot. Unfortunately, there were some things about her that troubled him. Namely, what the hell was she really doing here in Rocky Springs? Now that he was aware that she wasn’t a tourist, he was even more baffled.
What Lara had said about the way James treated Chloe also nagged at him. If what she said was true, he needed to get with his brothers and find out whether the rumors about James were true, and find a way to get Chloe away from James for good. There was no way he and his brothers were letting their sister marry an asshole.
“You like your food,” he commented neutrally as she finished the last bite of her waffle.
She eyed him carefully. “I do. Do you have a problem with that, Colter?”
“Nope. I like it. I can’t stand it when women pick at their food and profess not to be hungry when they actually really are starving.”
“You do?” Lara looked at him, perplexed.
Tate looked into her chocolate brown eyes and surveyed her confused expression. “I do.”
“My ex used to say I ate like a pig.” She placed her napkin and fork gently on her plate before she picked up her coffee mug to finish the beverage.
“I think a woman with a healthy appetite is sexy,” he rasped. Watching her eat was like watching her come: a look of complete ecstasy on her face. It just made him want to be the cause of that particular expression himself. “Your ex was a douche.”
“Agreed,” she answered happily.
She looks so much more relaxed today. Happier than she was yesterday.
Lara was dressed casually in jeans, sneakers, and a dark green sweater that made her eyes look even larger than they already did.
“What are your plans for the day?” Tate hoped it was for her to follow him back to his place and spend the day with him in bed. He needed to fuck this woman so badly that his balls were turning blue. Regrettably, he was doubtful that idea was on her radar.
“I already have plans.” She looked deliberately at her watch. “In fact, I have to go.” She jumped up as if her ass were on fire. “Thanks for telling me about breakfast.” She waved at him as she strode across the room like a woman on a mission—another thing he liked about her.
Tate watched; his eyes narrowed as she disappeared into the elevator. “Go ahead and run away, sweetheart. You won’t get very far.”
Determined to figure out the mystery that was Lara Bailey, he rose from his chair and followed her.
“Lara!”
The sound of a feminine voice calling her name made Lara stop and turn, even though she was impatient to get outdoors. Chloe Colter rushed across the lobby to meet her, dressed in much the same outdoor gear as Lara wore: ski pants, a sweater, a jacket, gloves and hat slung over her arm. Although Chloe was dressed mostly in red, and Lara wore black.
“I’m so sorry about earlier. I just talked to Tate, and he said you were okay,” Chloe said in a rush as she reached Lara.