The Red Scot (A Curvy Girls Club Novel Book 1) Read online

  “I’ll…uh…let ye get to yer workout then,” he said haltingly and then turned and walked away.

  As Payton walked over to her favorite elliptical, she felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t sure if it was regret or remorse. He really did seem like a nice guy. And the way he stuttered and stammered over his words, sounded a lot like her when she was nervous. Was it possible that they weren’t so different?

  A few moments later, Payton glanced back at the sparring ring and saw him connect a karate kick to the side of his opponent’s padded head and reconsidered her last thought. Nope. We’re totally different and don’t forget it.

  Chapter Seven

  At this point, Bradyn was pretty sure he should just give up. Payton was not biting. Not even to make money. He could only take so many hits to his ego before he had to tap out. And he was already feeling a lot like his younger, chunky, and unpopular self.

  After sparring and then taking a quick shower, Bradyn took care of some paperwork in his office. He glanced up to look out the interior window that overlooked the entire gym like he had been doing for the past half hour, keeping an eye on Payton. She had moved from the elliptical and was now doing some strength training. Ye’ve got it bad, MacTavish.

  Bradyn noticed two women on treadmills, looking over at Payton and then giggling behind their hands. The look on Payton’s face let him know that she could hear whatever was being said and whatever it was, was not nice. She was trying her best to ignore them, but it looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

  He didn’t waste any time getting up from behind his desk and striding out of his office. Bradyn pretended as if he was making his rounds. As he quietly walked up behind the two women, he glanced over at Payton and she looked away in embarrassment.

  “So gross!” One of them sneered, not even attempting to keep her voice down. “They should have a designated fat gym for people like her, so we don’t have to look at them sweating like a pig. Then once they actually lose the weight, they can come to regular gyms where all the hot people go.”

  “OMG! That would be perfect!” The other one exclaimed. “We should totally take a pic of her and then post your idea on Instagram.”

  Bradyn felt his blood pressure rise through the roof. He had no doubt that his face was as red as a tomato, but he didn’t care. No one comes into my house an’ insults my girl.

  “If ye even think about touching that phone, I’ll break it in half. I swear te the Lord above.” Bradyn growled behind them as he watched the first girl reach for her cell phone.

  They jumped almost a foot high at the sound of his voice behind them.

  “Oh, Bradyn, you scared us.” The second one tried to flirt innocently.

  “I’ll be doing more than scaring ye,” he began. “At my gym, we dinna tolerate any bullying or cruelty. An’ if anyone should be joining another gym, it be you two. At a gym specifically made fer arseholes, like yerselves. Now get out of my gym, before I toss ye out.”

  The women’s mouths flapped opened and closed in shock.

  “I said, GO!” Bradyn bellowed and they scampered off with tears in their eyes.

  Bradyn was furious and he took deep breaths to calm himself. It was as if he was in school all over again. He couldn’t believe that adults would act so cruelly. He chanced a glance over at Payton. She was already looking at him, obviously having witnessed the whole exchange. The look on her face before she looked away in mortification was a combination of surprise, wonder, and shame.

  Bradyn wanted to go over to her and soothe her aching heart, but he knew she would shy away from him. So instead, he nodded his head just once and strode off to the front desk. He wanted to make sure the front desk rep revoked the women’s memberships and reimbursed them for the remaining days left in the month.

  Chapter Eight

  Payton felt like a complete asshole as she watched Bradyn walk away. She had been minding her own business, moving from weight machine to weight machine. Then she’d heard those women making snide comments about her body. Payton had thought that she’d left behind bullying when she’d graduated from high school. Apparently, not. Especially, when you put a combination of men and women, fighting for physical supremacy and attention in one building.

  Just like when she was a kid, the words had cut her to the quick. The tears were immediate and quite unwelcome, stinging the back of her eyes like thousands of tiny bee stings. Payton had tried to ignore the women and refocus on her workout. But it was too late, the negative and harsh words had penetrated her psyche and began to fester.

  Never in a million years, had Payton expected the Red Giant to come to the rescue. To her, Bradyn seemed like the type of guy that would be the bully, not, Rescuer of the Bullied. Which only made her feel like the Wicked Witch of the West, after how she’d treated him. But it wasn’t like she could actually go up to him and apologize.

  Could I?

  Payton saw him stride away from the front desk, heading towards the back of the building. His face was stern and slightly flushed red.

  Nope. No. I can’t.

  Payton expelled a frustrated breath. No longer in the mood to finish her workout, feeling self-conscious and exposed. She grabbed her water bottle and headed to the locker room. Luckily, the two bullies had already left, heads held high in righteous indignation after they’d gotten over their humiliation.

  Payton started to grab her things out of her locker when she heard a conversation in the row behind her.

  “Can you believe Bradyn banned them from the gym?” A high-pitched voice said.

  “I know! And all over that girl.” A raspy voice responded.

  “Right?!?” The high-pitched voice got even higher.

  “Have you seen the way he watches her and follows her around like a lovesick puppy dog?” Raspy voice said incredulously.

  “Yeah,” High-pitch said sadly. “I don’t get it. I mean, she has a really pretty face and all…”

  “…but he can have anyone he wants, so why would he choose her?” Raspy finished the open-ended question. “He’s physically fit, so he deserves his equal.”

  “Exactly.”

  Payton grabbed her things without thinking and ran from the locker room, unwilling to hear any more. As she rushed towards the main entrance to the gym, she shoved her clothes into her Star Wars tote bag. As was habit, Payton reached into her bag and wrapped her fingers around her pepper spray. She never walked through a dark parking lot, or even a lit one for that matter, without it in her hand.

  She finished shoving the rest of her clothes into her bag as she moved towards her car on trembling legs. Her day had ended with enough humiliation to last her a lifetime. So she was ready for it to be over and start fresh tomorrow. Payton grabbed her key fob as she approached her car when she heard footsteps quickly advancing on her from behind. She put her finger on the trigger of her pepper spray.

  “Hey-”

  The rest of her would-be attacker's words were cut short as Payton turned and fired her pepper spray. She didn’t hesitate. She didn’t think. She just acted. She closed her eyes and squeezed the trigger.

  “Jesus H. Christ! Enough!” A familiar voice with a heavy Scottish accent reached her ears.

  Oh no! Payton cringed inwardly.

  She released the trigger and saw the Red Giant bent over with his hands pressed against his eyes. The crimson liquid from the spray dripped down his face, blending in with his red beard. In his hands, also covered with red spray, looked a lot like Payton’s virginal white bra that she was sure she’d stuffed into her bag.

  “Dammit, lass! Ye sure dae know hoo te beat a man when he’s down.” He gasped as he tried to wipe away the burning liquid from his eyes, his accent thicker in his agitation. “I was just trying te give ye this. Ye dropped it in yer rush te leave.”

  Bradyn held out the now ruined bra. Payton reached for it hesitantly as she felt heat rise up her face. Luckily, he couldn’t see her embarrassment. Being blind and
all.

  “I’m so sorry! I-I thought y-you w-were an attacker or s-something.” Payton apologized through her stutters.

  “Now I understand why yer friend told me not sneak up on ye.” Bradyn grimaced as he tried to open his eyes.

  It was no use, they were obviously swollen and stinging.

  “I really am sorry.” Payton apologized again.

  Bradyn stood to his full height. His eyes were scrunched together and he turned as if in confusion.

  “I canna see, lass. Maybe, ye can point me in the right direction.” He stated.

  “I-I’ll help you.” Payton stuttered nervously. For someone whose eyes looked like two pieces of raw meat at the moment, he was being really calm and kind.

  Bradyn reached for her and Payton placed his arm over her shoulder and touched her hand to his back to lead him forward. It was the closest she had been to a man that wasn’t her father, in a long time. She always found a way to avoid physical contact with men. But this time, it couldn’t be helped. She was the one that had gotten them into this situation. So now, she had to suck it up and help him.

  The Red Giant’s arm over her shoulders felt like heavy corded rope. Even his lower back was ripped with muscles and solid to the touch as she guided him forward. His heat radiated off of him and made Payton feel flush. And not necessarily in a bad way.

  They slowly made their way back inside the gym. Payton ducked her head down in embarrassment as people stared at them curiously. A big, dark-haired man jogged over to them.

  “What happened, man?!” The guy asked with concern.

  “It was a wee bit of a misunderstanding. Nothing te fuss over.” Bradyn waved off his friend’s concern. “But I wouldna mind getting help into the restroom, so I can wash my face. Dinna go anywhere, lass. We need te talk.”

  “Y-You’re not going to p-press charges against me, are you?” Payton asked nervously.

  “I havena decided yet. But in the meantime, do ye think ye can get me some ice from the bar and wait for me in my office?” Bradyn looked at Payton through the tiniest of slits between his eyelids. His face a mask of pain and discomfort.

  Payton knew she had to comply since she had sprayed first and asked questions later. It was the least that she could do.

  “O-Okay,” she finally responded.

  Payton watched as the Red Giant and his friend walked into the men’s room. Once they disappeared through the doorway, with her head held down, Payton made her way over to the Shake & Smoothie Bar. She felt everyone’s eyes on her as she asked for a bag filled with ice for Bradyn. Payton then asked where Bradyn’s office was located and awkwardly made her way up a flight of stairs and into his private space with the bag of ice.

  Payton looked around his office, taking in the man that had clumsily made his way into her existence. He was obviously very organized if his workspace had anything to say about it. She glanced down at some paperwork and saw some notes he must have taken. His handwriting was neat and masculine. All hard lines and sharp edges. No feminine swirls or curlicues could be found. The furniture in his office was very utilitarian and masculine as well. Also made up of hard lines, and straight and sharp edges. Scandinavian, perhaps. Very Ikea, but more high-end. As if he got it directly out of the shop of some wood and metalworking furniture designer. All in all, the two words Payton would use to describe his office were sleek and simple.

  Payton heard movement by the door and scrambled to one of the chairs in front of Bradyn’s desk as his friend led him into the office. Though his eyes were still squinted, they were a little more open and his piercing ice-blue eyes were on her. They looked even icier than normal, considering they were surrounded by red because the whites of his eyes were bloodshot.

  “Thanks, Mitch. Ye can go now.” He said to his friend.

  Payton fiddled with the bag of ice, keeping her eyes downward. A throat clearing brought her eyes up to the extra red-faced man sitting across from her. She realized she still had the bag of ice in her hand. Payton quickly got up and stepped closer to the desk to pass him the cold compress. Bradyn gladly took it, his fingertips slightly grazed over hers and she shivered. It reminded her of when he gave her the ice for her face the day before.

  Bradyn took a moment to press the cold bag to his hot, burning face and eyes. She really had messed him up pretty badly. Payton waited for a few minutes, but he was remaining quiet. She started to get antsy, so she opened her mouth to speak. Nothing came out, so she tried again.

  “S-So, are you calling the cops?” She finally got out.

  “No,” he sighed. “But I do have a favor te ask of ye.”

  “Anything.” Payton sat on the edge of her chair, willing to do anything to make it right.

  “I still want to hire ye to work on the gym’s website. I think after what I’ve been through, ye can surely clear yer busy schedule.” Bradyn lowered the ice and looked across his desk at Payton.

  His ice-blue eyes penetrated her. Payton noticed that his nervous stammering had stopped. Well, getting your eyes practically burned out of your skull would take away anyone’s nervous jitters, you dope!

  “A-Alright. I’ll do it,” Payton conceded.

  “Thank ye, Payton.”

  For some reason, her name coming out of his mouth, wrapped up in his deep voice and Scottish brogue, made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Payton didn’t understand it, but she supposed the flutters deep within her stomach weren’t so terribly awful.

  “Thanks for not calling the cops and pressing charges for assault.” Payton looked down at her lap.

  “Dinna fash yerself, lass. It was my fault for sneaking up on ye. Yer friend, Mia warned me, but I forgot.” He shrugged his shoulders. “So let’s just call it even.”

  “Why do you want me to work for you? To spend more time around me than necessary? I’ve been rude to you and I unloaded a whole can of pepper spray in your face.” Payton blurted suddenly.

  “A dinna ken,” The Red Giant said honestly, gazing at her through squinted eyes. “I guess I’m a masochist.”

  They stared at each other for a few heated moments. Payton’s pulse fluttered at her neck and the muscle in Bradyn’s jaw ticked a similar rhythm.

  “I’m gonna go now,” Payton informed him and got up quickly.

  “I’ll talk to ye tomorrow to flesh out the details,” Bradyn responded as he stood as well.

  Payton just nodded her head, her words stuck in her throat as she high-tailed it out of his office.

  Her insides were a jumbled, confused, and exhausted muddled mess. The Red Giant was taking her preconceived notions of what a massive, muscular man was supposed to act like and turning it on its ear. He should’ve been angry with her one-thousand times over. Yet he had remained relatively calm and nice through all of her blow-offs and her attempt to maim him. Payton was starting to rethink her private nickname for him.

  Maybe he’s more like The Gentle Giant.

  Chapter Nine

  Once Payton was gone, Bradyn sat back down and leaned his head back against his chair, before placing the ice pack over his eyes. His head was pounding. His eyes were burning. Yet the rest of his body was buzzing with excitement.

  He thought about Payton’s questions. “Why do you want me to work for you? To spend more time around me than necessary? I’ve been rude to you and I unloaded a whole can of pepper spray in your face.” In all honesty, he couldn’t understand it himself. Any other man would’ve walked away the first time he was shot down. Or at least the second. But, oh no! He was a glutton for punishment and still wanted to be around her, even after she had nearly blinded him.

  Something about Payton drew him to her. She was all –two left feet walking, tongue-tying, eyeglass pushing– bundle of jumpy nerves. And he couldn’t help but think about her all the time. He saw her face before he fell asleep each night for the past two weeks and he woke up with her on his mind as well. He had a hard time focusing on paperwork. And when she came in during the evenings, there was absolute
ly no use in even attempting to work or even to train for his next match. He’d either stare out his office window or he’d find himself flat on his ass after being sucker punched for not focusing.

  He didn’t know how to get her out of his system. And he figured if her pepper spraying him didn’t do it. Not much would.

  Bradyn heard a knock at his door and he lifted the ice off of his face and glanced over. It was Mitch.

  “Hey, Red.” Mitch used the nickname most of his guy friends and people in the sport called him.

  Hey, Mitch.” Bradyn said wearily.

  “So dude, what the hell happened?” He asked as he plopped down in the chair across from Bradyn.

  “Och, she just thought I was some attacker when I followed her out to give her something she dropped.” Bradyn shrugged, thinking of the intimate undergarment he’d held in his hands. “So she turned and nearly burned my eyes out with some mace.”

  “Damn man!” Mitch chuckled. “I thought you were red before, but when you two walked back in, not only was your hair and beard red, but your skin was red with red liquid running down it. You looked like a damn crime scene.”

  “Funny,” Bradyn rolled his eyes.

  “So you really like her, huh?”

  “How’d ye ken?”

  “Uh…Red. I think everyone in the whole damn gym knows. At least everyone who comes in in the evenings. It’s pretty obvious. And you kicking out and banning those girls earlier, didn’t help.” Mitch leveled with him.

  “Hmm,” Bradyn grunted. “That obvious, huh?”

  “Just a little,” Mitch teased. “But that’s cool, man. I’ve never seen you react the way you do with her, with any girl before. Hell, you usually don’t even talk to them. They just flock to you. You grunt. They swoon. You both fuck. You still don’t talk. They get frustrated. It’s done. But I have to wonder what makes this girl so special. She’s cute. Beautiful even. But you could have all the hot chicks with the most banging bodies you want. So why her? Why try so hard to get the chubby chick, when she keeps trying to blow you off? I mean, not to be rude, but she kinda seems like a nerd too.”