Love in the Dark (LarssonSiblingsSeries#1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - DELILAH

DELILAH

The gym instructor shouts for us to swap stations and I want to collapse in a heap on the floor. Edward talked me into a boxing class on the premise of it being fun. He's a liar. There's nothing fun about this workout.

It's a disgusting sensation to have your clothes stick to your body as the sweat seeps out of your pores. I'm boiling hot and about ready to throw up.

"You can do this, Dee," Edward says, jumping up in the air for his fourth burpee. "I believe in you, baby."

I pant like a thirsty dog. "It's too hard."

He keeps his rhythm, making it all look so easy. "Just two more. "

At his encouragement, I make sure the boxing gloves are tight on my hands and hit the punching bag. It doesn't move an inch as I give it my all, grunting at the weight of it. "When is this going to be over?"

Edward is now adding a push-up to his burpee, and I enjoy the view of the bottom of his back when his tee slips up. "Agh, this hurts like a bitch. Are you still with me, Delilah?"

My arms are like jelly now. "Everyone is better than me. It's embarrassing."

"Forget about everyone else," he says, kicking his legs back to bring them towards his chest to push his weight back up.

"Easy for you to say when you are practically Superman," I huff, giving it my all. I'm trying so hard, yet appear to be getting nowhere. Does that even make sense?

Edward's smile through his deep breath causes me to lose my balance. "I haven't always been this fit. It's taken me a lot of time and commitment."

I feel the burn in my shoulders when the ten second warning blares out from the timer, echoing into the steamy room. "It's too hard!"

"Five seconds guys," the instructor shouts, following a beat before an alarm sounds off and I drop to the floor.

They broke my body.

Edward goes over to the bench near us to guzzle down his bottle of water and throws one at me. "Drink up, or you'll feel sick."

I bend forward to hold my stomach. "I already feel sick."

Edward tosses his empty water bottle into his gym bag before opening the top of another bottle. "The water will help cool you down. You've probably overheated."

It's useless to expect my feet to hold my weight any longer, so I drop onto the mat with a loud sigh. I flash him a tired grin when he watches me down here. "Carry me to your car?"

He surveys me for a while, giving my thigh a gentle slap, grabbing onto my hand. "Come on, you need to walk to stretch out."

I lift my numb arm up, feeling the muscles in my hand cramp. "You're a meanie."

Edward picks up his gym bag and slings it over his shoulder with a loud laugh. "You'll cramp up laid on the ground. Come on, my car has air-con."

I use him as a bench to get my body off the floor, dragging my feet as Edward grips my hand, saying goodbye to the instructor and a few of his friends from the group. I tell them I'll be here the same time next week and try not to swoon at the pleased glint in Edward's eyes. I decided to take my health more seriously by cutting down on the junk food and exercising even more. You only get one body.

I follow Edward down the long street until we find his Range Rover parked up at the end of the road, shining under the street lamp. I speak up. "Are you still up for coming back to my flat for dinner? Poppy has invited Liam. I feel nervous to meet him. Poppy is so keen on him, I hope we get along."