by Kendall Ryan
I smiled. “I can’t complain. After all, I get to work out for free around a bunch of sweaty half-naked guys.” I paused, wondering how I’d managed to just say such a stupid thing to my boyfriend, especially since I didn’t find any of the guys at the gym that attractive. God, that was something I’d say to Alexa, not my romantic interest. “Sorry, none of them are as hot as you,” I said, which felt a little like lying and I wasn’t sure why. But I smiled at him.
He leaned over and kissed me quickly on the lips. “I know, honey.” He put his arm around me. “The reason I ask is that I have a proposal for you. It’s work related, so please don’t get mad, but I was thinking about the fight Ian has coming up in just over a month. I wondered if you would want to come with us to Vegas. You know, to take care of any last-minute issues he might have.”
“You want to fly me to Vegas?”
Chris paused and took another sip of his drink before answering. “Yeah, and I thought we could stay a few days after and just hang out. You know, take in the sights. Do the Vegas thing.”
I took a huge swig from my drink. “You mean, like an extended date?”
“Yeah, sort of. Or maybe more like a vacation for two.” He sat back to get a look at me and his brow wrinkled. “You have that look on your face. What’s up?”
Damn, I sucked at hiding my feelings. I struggled to find the right words to tell him. I had slept with guys before, of course, but the idea of sharing a hotel room? That tiny little space, for several days in a row, made me feel claustrophobic. I wouldn’t have my escape route, and I needed an escape route. It was how I operated.
“I just…”
“It’s too soon for me to ask this, isn’t it?” he asked.
Chris was seriously such a good guy, the way he always let me out of stuff like this. “No, it’s just I don’t know if I’m ready for the overnight thing yet. Maybe we’ll be ready by then, but I can’t say.”
“If it’s just the room thing holding you back, don’t worry. We can have separate rooms.”
“Can I think about it?”
“We haven’t made the travel arrangements yet. Just let me know in the next few weeks.”
I nodded. I spent the rest of the evening half listening to one of Chris’s fight stories while I mulled over the idea of going with him to Vegas. I really wanted to go; I just didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. I didn’t know if I could let him pay for me to go, if I knew I wasn’t ready for more yet.
When he pulled up to my apartment building at the end of the night, I was still no closer to figuring out the answer.
Chris walked me to the door and leaned in for a good-night kiss. His lips were cold and wet, and he moved his tongue in a circle, the same way every time we kissed. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me one quick, tight squeeze. This was his way of hugging. He pulled back and waited for me to unlock the entry door, then got back in his car.
Turning back, I waved to him, then let the door close and started up the steps to my floor. The hallway was quiet, which made me uneasy. It happened every now and then that the simple process of walking through the halls gave me the chills.
I used to just push through it, but lately, whenever this happened, my mind would wander to Ian, wondering where he was and wishing he could be here next to me the way he was that one day. I didn’t need him to protect me or anything, I was fine on my own, but it felt so much safer when he was here. He’d been driving me home for the last several weeks after our sessions, and that he cared enough to insist on walking me to my door was so sweet.
It seemed I was growing to rely on his comforting presence more than I realized.
Twenty-One
Ian
Whenever MacKenzie came over, I couldn’t help but recall her first self-defense lesson—the time my leg accidentally pressed between her legs, and how she’d eagerly pushed back. It had taken me a second to realize she wasn’t struggling anymore, and her core was pressed against me as though she was aching for it. That day when I’d met her eyes, there was such a hunger in them, such a need. One I hadn’t seen since the night we almost hooked up.
She’d had several lessons since then, but we’d never had that same encounter again. Which was good, because I didn’t think I could resist her if it happened again.
“I don’t need to know how to drop people, Ian.” MacKenzie put her hands on her hips as she sassed me.
God, I wanted to spank her when she was like this. The urge to palm her hot little ass rushed through me. “I didn’t want to go to the doctor, but you didn’t see me bitch about it.”
She laughed. “No, you didn’t bitch, you whined like a freaking baby the whole way there, though.”
“I told you I don’t like doctors.”
“Whatever, just try to keep the whining down when we go back tomorrow.”
I grumbled; she just had to remind me. It was only three weeks until the big fight, and I had to go back and get another check on my progress tomorrow. I’d regained almost full use of my shoulder, but the doc wanted to see me again before he cleared me to start sparring, something I desperately needed to get back into if I was going to have any chance at the fight in Vegas.
The first doctor visit hadn’t been too bad; he’d just tested my shoulder’s strength and told me to keep up the good work. I still didn’t want to go back, though. What if the next time he wanted me to turn my head and cough or whatever? No fucking thank you.
“I’m not going back tomorrow unless you learn how to do this. Now, get your little fanny over here and pay attention. All you do is roll the assailant over your hip, then let gravity drop them to the ground.”
I demonstrated, grabbing her small frame, pulling it close to me and twisting. I rolled her body over my hip, lifting both her legs off the ground. As I did this, her soft, sweet-smelling hair brushed across my face, making me want to bring her all the way to the floor, spread her legs apart, and give her what I knew she needed.
Instead, I forced myself to set her back down on her feet. It took an incredible amount of restraint on my part.
“Okay, now I’m going to come at you. Do it just like I showed you.”
Kenzie nodded that she was ready and I approached her, wrapping my arms around her. I’d fully intended to not resist and let her drop me easily to the ground—I knew how to land without getting hurt. However, she was quicker than I’d anticipated, and I wasn’t ready when she twisted and sent me down to the mat.
“SHIT!”
“What! Are you hurt?” She dropped down next to me. “I’m sorry. Damn it, I told you we should have waited until you were healed.” She put her soft hand on my cheek, and her eyes widened in fear.
“I’m okay.” I covered her hand with mine. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just didn’t expect you to drop me so fast.”
I held her small hand in mine, refusing to let it drop from my face. I found her other hand, balled up in a fist at her side, and enclosed it in mine, gently working at opening it up. The last time she’d knelt over me like this, I’d turned into a dick and pushed her away. But alone with her on the mat, in the small room that was so full of her, I couldn’t do that anymore. After working one-on-one with her for several weeks, I’d worn my resistance down to the bone. I couldn’t push her away.
So instead, I pulled her to me. She didn’t resist, landing on top of me with a surprised oomph. You could only run on determination and sheer adrenaline for so long. I needed pussy. A warm, wet pussy. No, more than that, I needed MacKenzie’s sexy, feisty ass in my bed. I needed to feel her moving underneath me, shifting her hips closer with my every thrust, groaning my name in her raspy tone.
The realization burst through me with surprising clarity—I didn’t have the willpower to stay away from her any longer.
Her gaze latched onto mine, and her chest heaved with a succession of quick breaths.
Closing one hand around the back of her neck, I guided her mouth to mine. Her eyes drifted closed and she
leaned into the kiss. It was even better than I remembered. Her lips were soft, yet demanding, and followed my lead, matching every lick of my tongue against hers.
My cell phone rang in the distance, but neither of us broke the kiss. Whoever it was would have to fucking wait.
I pulled her closer and spread her legs, placing myself between her thighs the way I’d longed to be for so fucking long. I was rock hard, and I pressed my cock between her legs. She gasped but didn’t move away, letting me know how much she wanted this. I cupped her ass in my hands, squeezing tight, and pushed again. She pushed back, grinding against my dick.
Fuck. I thought I was going to lose my shit right then, she was so hot.
MacKenzie sucked on my lower lip, then broke the kiss long enough to slowly kiss her way down my neck. Her hot breath and kisses blazed a trail down my body, and she pushed my shirt out of her way. When she was at the waistband of my shorts, she looked up at me with her gorgeous eyes full of longing. Christ, she was sexy.
“Ian,” she whispered. “Tell me what you want.”
I wanted to pull my dick out and have her suck me off right there, but at that moment I had to touch her before I went off like a damn rocket and embarrassed myself. Last time I’d walked away without a taste, and that was not fucking happening again.
I slid one hand down to caress her cheek while she looked up at me. She leaned into my hand, letting me stroke her skin with my thumb. “Can I touch you?” I asked.
“God, yes,” she said softly, breathing a warm puff of breath against my belly.
“I want to make you come. I want to hear my name on your lips.”
A little grunt of satisfaction rose in her throat. I hadn’t even touched her yet, and she was already so worked up.
I pulled her up toward me so she was sprawled out across my body. She was dressed in her teeny-tiny shorts and a figure-hugging tank top. I assessed this all quickly, seeking the fastest route to get her naked.
“Are you sure about this, Kenz? Because God help me, once we start, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”
I was just being honest, but the way her brows pinched together had me feeling like a real jackass. I was about to reassure her, promise her I could control myself and that we’d take this at whatever pace she needed, when she opened her mouth to speak.
“Last time, you tapped out.” Her voice was small, unsure.
I lifted her chin. “That’s not happening again.”
“You sure you can handle it?” she taunted, her smile growing.
“I know I can’t, but that’s never stopped me before.” I smiled back. God, this felt right. Me and her.
Before she could formulate a response, my mouth was back on hers. Hot and needy sounds pushed past her lips and into my mouth. Trailing my hands from her face, down her neck and to her shoulders, I pushed the straps of her tank top off her arms, then pulled her sports bra down her chest. Breaking free from her mouth, I looked down and nearly came in my shorts.
“These are beautiful.” I pressed a kiss to the top of each breast.
A little shudder passed through her body, a signal that I read as keep going.
I did.
Taking one nipple in my mouth, I teased her with my tongue before sucking gently, and MacKenzie released an exquisite little groan. I gave her other breast the same treatment, palming them in my hands, licking and kissing them all over. When I paused briefly to watch her, I could see her chest and neck were flushed as if the heat was crawling up her body. I loved knowing that I was the one heating her up.
I maneuvered us quickly, flipping her so that she was laid out on her back and I was kneeling between her knees.
“Nice ground work,” she teased.
“It was either nail you down to the mat, or put you on your knees,” I teased right back.
“I wouldn’t have minded.” She smiled happily.
Christ, she shouldn’t say things like that. As I trailed my hands up her thighs, MacKenzie remained propped on her elbows, watching me with wide eyes. Her skin was soft and smooth, and I loved the way she trembled under my touch. I hooked my fingers into the sides of her shorts, then tugged them and her underwear down her legs. Her tennis shoes prevented me from removing the clothes completely, but I didn’t care. My goal was simple. I wanted my mouth on her hot pussy, so I bent her legs at the knee and pushed them together and up onto her chest.
She released a surprised sound, but as soon as my tongue found her wet center, the whine in her throat turned to a moan of pleasure.
Fuck, yeah.
Letting the sounds of her breathy groans guide me as to what she liked, I lightly licked from top to bottom, gripping her hips in my hands so she couldn’t wiggle away. Sensing she was getting restless, I sucked her clit in my mouth and was rewarded with a hand pushed into my hair as her fingers fought for purchase.
My cell phone rang again. I promised to slowly and methodically murder whoever the fuck was interrupting this.
Ignoring the phone, I continued licking her, finding a rhythm that pushed her nearly to the edge. Then I eased one finger inside her, and her hips lifted up off the floor.
“Ian…” she groaned.
“Yeah, babe?”
“That feels so good.”
Damn straight it did. This was all about her, and I couldn’t wait to watch her come. Flicking my tongue against her over and over, I pushed a second finger inside her tight, hot channel, and within seconds I felt her clenching down on my hand as her release started to build.
“Come for me, sexy girl.” Still pumping my fingers in and out, I bit down on her clit and MacKenzie gave a little cry of pleasure, repeating my name again and again as she came. Her body clenched down on my fingers, and tremors racked her for several long moments. Her pussy felt so good around my fingers; I couldn’t wait to experience what it felt like when I was deep inside her body.
Blinking open hazy eyes, her gaze found mine and she smiled. I moved over her and kissed her deeply. MacKenzie’s labored breathing was a huge turn-on. I couldn’t wait to feel her hands, her mouth, her tight little cunt wrapped around me.
She curled her hand around my cock and gave it a squeeze. I almost fucking came right then. I needed to be buried balls deep inside her.
Like yesterday.
“I wanna play with this,” she murmured, working her hand into the front of my shorts.
“You can do any goddamn thing you like to him.”
My fucking phone started ringing again.
Motherfucker!
MacKenzie lifted her head off the mat and gave me a look that said just go answer it.
“Sit tight, beautiful.” I needed to get rid of whoever this was—or throw the phone out the goddamn window. I got up and crossed the room, adjusting my rigid cock so I could walk properly. With a muttered curse, I grabbed my phone where it sat on the floor.
Damn it. It was Sophia. It had only been a week since I gave her the check for five grand; there was no way I was going to bail her out again. Not this soon, anyway.
I declined the call and turned back to MacKenzie, who was looking at me expectantly. She was so beautiful, it almost took my breath away. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her cheeks were rosy and pink.
But now that I was on my feet, I was having second thoughts. Not about wanting her. Hell no. But as she lay there, looking at me with her big blue eyes, I knew I didn’t want her here, like this. MacKenzie deserved more than that. There were women you threw down on the gym mat and banged just for the sake of getting off. And there were women like MacKenzie, who you hoped would be more.
MacKenzie rose to her feet, adjusted her clothes, and closed the distance between us. She traced her fingers up my abs to my chest, then slid her arms around my neck and pulled herself up. She kissed me so tenderly, then pulled herself up on me, wrapping her legs around my waist.
I easily supported her weight with my hands under her butt. She rocked up and down against me, grinding herself on my erection.
My dick flexed enthusiastically in my shorts, begging me to let him come out and play. Her damp heat radiated through my shorts, threatening to short-circuit all other thoughts in my brain.
But she deserved more. I pulled back. “MacKenzie, I can’t.”
Her soft eyes searched mine for a moment, wondering, before they turned cold and she let herself down, dropping to her feet.
“You fucking ass.” Her hands balled up in fists. “I can’t believe you’re pulling this shit on me again. God, I’m such an idiot.”
I stood blinking stupidly as she headed for her purse that was lying on the mat across the room. She was almost to the door before I managed to pull my shit together and take charge.
“Damn it, MacKenzie, that’s not what I’m doing!” I yelled a bit too loud, but it stopped her long enough for me to storm past her and plant myself between her and the door.
Her eyes were already wet with tears. Shit.
“I wasn’t trying to push you off. I just don’t want this”—I motioned to the mat—“to be the first time I’m with you.” I took her hands in mine once more and gently coaxed them out of tight fists. “You have to believe that I’m done pushing you away. I don’t have the strength to do it anymore. I’ve wanted you all this time, but I thought I wasn’t good enough for you.”
Lifting her hands up, once they finally opened, I kissed the palm of one hand, then the other, hating the little crescent-shaped marks I found there. “I still know I’m not good enough for you, but I realize now that no one is. But you need someone, and I want to be that someone.”
I pulled her in my arms and lifted her up, kissing her softly on the lips before letting her back down on her feet. Her arms felt so good wrapped around my neck, her body still pressed against mine. The way it should be. We stood there for a moment, just looking into each other’s eyes.
Her gaze left mine, and her forehead creased. “I have to tell Chris.” She bit her lip.
Chris. He was going to fucking kill me. But when she looked up at me again with pouty eyes, I no longer gave a shit. Chris could beat me senseless if that was what it took for me to be with this angel. I leaned in to kiss her again, but my phone rang.