by Ciz, Alley
“Hey, Gemma.” He hadn’t met a member of the Steele family he didn’t like. It was one of the things helping him ease into this new environment.
The short ride to the twelfth floor didn’t allot much time for conversation. When the doors opened, he put his arm in the opening, allowing her to exit before him.
“Guess I’ll be seeing you around,” he said and stepped toward his apartment down the hall.
“It’s practically guaranteed,” she said nodding at her own place behind her. “Welcome to our house of crazy,” she said before disappearing inside her apartment.
He couldn’t help but laugh at how apt the name was to describe his new home.
* * *
Rocky and Becky were lounging around the apartment in their pajamas before they had to get ready for yoga class when Gemma came home.
“Hey, Gem,” she called out to her cousin.
“How was last night?” Gemma asked, dropping her duffle by the door and joining them at the breakfast bar.
“Awesome.”
“Pretty sure Griff is in loooove,” Becky sing-songed.
“Still crushing on Simone?” Gemma asked.
“Oh, yeah. And let me tell you, the boy has taste. The girl looks like freaking Tyra Banks. He's got it bad,” she answered.
“Well, hopefully she appreciates him for more than his body. That boy needs substance in his life,” Gemma said ruefully.
It was true. He was a big teddy bear. Unfortunately for him, most women saw his killer body and didn’t usually look beyond that.
“Agreed. The one plus is he told me they’ve talked almost non-stop for the past month,” Becky said as she passed a glass of juice across the island to Gemma.
After taking a big sip from the glass, Gemma sat up straighter. She must have big news. “So…I ran into Gage on my way up just now.”
“Oh, yeah?” Rocky feigned disinterest. She may have decided to break her self-imposed rule about fighters—at least for a one-time physical release—but she wasn’t quite ready to share that information with the class.
“I was in the elevator with him.” Gemma nodded. “God, he really is a hottie. After being around him in person, I totally get why you crushed on him for so long. Even looking like he just got back from a run, the man was fine.”
“I still can’t believe he bought 12C. Like seriously, what are the odds?” Becky pondered.
“Did you say he just got back from a run when you were coming home?” Rocky asked.
“That’s what it looked like to me.”
“Perfect.” Going with her gut, she set her juice glass down on the counter and headed for the front door. His declaration the night before had led to one hell of a restless night’s sleep. In the early morning light, before she finally drifted off, she decided that if the opportunity presented itself, she would take her friends' advice and make a move.
He was home and awake, so there was no time like the present.
Before she could lose her nerve—or remind herself of how it felt to always come second to a bout—she raised her hand and knocked on his door.
When he opened it, she was happy to note the shock on his face quickly morphed into pleasure the longer he stared at her.
She grabbed him by the front of his sweaty blue t-shirt and pulled him down for the hottest kiss of her life. He was never going to forget her.
Chapter Thirteen
Gage had just turned on the shower when he heard a knock on the front door. It had to be one of his neighbors, so he jogged back out to answer it while the water heated.
Plus, it could always be Rocky.
They were only a few weeks from Halloween, but maybe Santa had decided to bring him an early gift. He had been a very good boy this year.
Still, it took a few seconds for his brain to register it really was Rocky at his door and not a physical manifestation of his fantasies.
He took in her familiar Ninja Turtle pajama pants and green tank top and smiled. She was too damn cute for words.
Before he had a chance to say anything, she yanked him down by the collar of his shirt.
At the first crash of Rocky’s pillowy lips against his, electricity sparked down his spine.
When he didn’t pull away, she rose on tiptoe, threw one arm around his neck, and closed the last bit of space between them. He growled when her fingers scratched through the buzzed hair on the back of his head.
He wasn’t sure if this was real or if he was still standing in his bathroom stuck in his daydream about Rocky, but he was going to go with it regardless. The feel of her soft breasts pressed against his chest was amazing, and when her nipples pebbled against him, he looped an arm around her back and dragged her inside his apartment and kicked the door shut.
He didn’t speak or stop to question what was happening, too afraid to break the spell. Threading his other hand in her damp hair, he pulled slightly on the long locks, angling her better for his own assault on her mouth. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue and was delighted when she responded by opening her mouth.
While their tongues dueled, he backed her up against the wall next to his front door. He absolutely loved how she wasn’t shy in her approach and kissed him back with fervor.
After what felt like forever, yet too quick at the same time, they broke from their lip lock. Resting his forehead against hers, he tried to catch his breath, his body still pulsing from the pure lust coursing through it.
He wanted to see where things could go between them, but this was so much more than even he suspected.
Trouble. He was in big, big trouble.
“Damn,” he whispered against her forehead.
“What’s wrong?” She looked up at him, her pupils completely blown out by desire, the gray only visible in the small ring around them.
“Absolutely nothing, babe.” The endearment slipped out.
He ran a hand over his head, buzzed spikes of his hair tickling his palm. “That was just better than anything I’ve been imagining it would be like since I first saw you.”
More. The word continued to echo in his brain.
And that smile? It made his heart skip a beat.
“You thought about what it would be like to kiss me?”
“Only from the moment I saw you pinning that douchebag to the table at The Ring.”
“Wow.” She seemed to take a moment to process. “So why’d you stop?”
He ran his nose and mouth along her jaw, down her neck, pressing little kisses along the way. He enjoyed the tremors coursing through her body. He placed a kiss in the soft spot behind her ear, breathing in deep and catching the faintest scent of blueberries. He didn’t move as he answered her.
“Because I can tell you are clean by how delicious you smell and the fact that your hair is still damp. I’m also hyperaware of how gross and sweaty I am from running ten miles this morning.”
“Ten miles.” She squeaked as he bit down on her earlobe.
“Yup. I did it to work off some of this tension I was feeling about a certain sexy gray-eyed girl I know.” He continued his sensual assault on her. “But smelling your fresh scent made me all too aware of how badly I need to take a shower myself. So to answer your question, I stopped before I made you all gross or dragged you into the shower with me.”
“I wouldn’t object to the latter.”
He growled against her throat.
She grinned as she recaptured his mouth.
The press of her lips against his snapped the last of his control. He reached under her butt and lifted her up his body, nudging her to wrap her mile-long legs around his waist for leverage. Turning, he stalked to the bathroom.
He wasn’t sure if taking a shower with her was too fast, but his inner animal was dictating the scenario for now.
ROCKY’S HEAD SPUN as Gage carried her through his apartment toward the sound of running water. He must have been planning to take the shower he claimed to need before she showed up unexpectedly at his door, if
the amount of steam already gathering in the bathroom was any indication.
Once inside, she slid down his body, making sure to slowly rub against each bump and ridge of muscle she felt along the way. God, he was glorious and she was about to get all up close and personal with each of them. And this time, it had nothing to do with professional responsibilities.
No, this time she was allowed to act on every single wicked thought she'd had during her evaluation of his Adonis body that first day at The Steele Maker. Things were about to get so dirty, even Maddey, their resident Queen of Smut, would blush when she heard about them. That was, before she decided to use it as part of her next bestseller.
She was fully on board with taking one for the team. What else were friends for?
Gage may complain about being sweaty from his run, but the way his damp t-shirt clung to his body, outlining all of his muscles, was so damn sexy it was probably illegal in some states.
She had just slipped her fingers under the hem of the shirt when there was a flurry of knocks on his front door.
“Sonofabitch,” Rocky cursed.
There was only one person it could be.
She was about to be clam-jammed so hard. Damn adulting, it seriously knew how to ruin a good time.
“Ignore it,” he said, going in for a kiss before pulling back instead. “Unless this is too fast for you.”
She shook her head, touched by the concern she saw lurking in his eyes. “No, it’s not that at all.” She was seriously considering killing her best friend at the moment. She had four others, she wouldn’t miss her—much. “But Becky isn’t going to go away. We’re supposed to be going to yoga.”
“Can’t you skip it?” He brushed the pads of his thumbs across the exposed skin between her top and the band of her pants.
Tingles spread out from his touch. Finding words was hard in the wake of that heat, as seemed to always be the case. The struggle was real. “Normally, yeah, I wouldn’t even think twice about it.” She sucked in a breath as his large hand spread out, taking up half her back. Trying to get her mind back on track, she continued before she completely lost her train of thought. “B-But Becky needs my help in hiring a new instructor for the gym. This class is like the interview for the girl.”
More brain cells scattered as he sucked on her collarbone.
“I see.” He continued to run his fingers along the bumps of her hip bones. “When do you have to leave?”
“For the class? In ten minutes,” she answered with a pout. “To keep Becky from getting embarrassing? Now.”
“How about this.” He placed a finger under her chin and raised her gaze to his. “You go back to your place and change. I’ll jump in for the quickest, coldest shower on record, and meet you at your place before you leave.”
“You want to come?”
“Sure…I like yoga. I’m nowhere near as bendy as you are, but it still feels good to stretch the muscles. Unless it would be weird for me to go?” Doubt flashed across his features and she shook her head.
“No, the guys are coming too.”
“See you in ten.” He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and nodded toward his shower with a smirk. “We can pick this up another time.”
Never one to back down from a challenge, she called over her shoulder as she left, “I’m gonna hold you to that.” She was out the door before he could formulate a response.
Chapter Fourteen
Less than ten minutes later, Gage was locking the door to his apartment and turning to join the boisterous crew heading to the elevators. His gaze found Rocky’s, drawn like a magnet, and they shared a knowing smile.
Damn, he'd been close to having her earlier.
Now that he'd gotten a taste of her, there was absolutely nothing that could keep her from him.
Even though he was currently suffering from the worst case of blue balls of his life, he was actually grateful things stopped before he was able to get her into his shower. Since he'd made the conscious decision to pursue this, he wanted more from her than a quick fuck to scratch an itch.
Having confirmation she reciprocated his feelings, it was time for him to turn up the heat without crossing the line. He trained to go multiple rounds in the cage, he had the stamina to go the distance.
Yes, he was going to fuck Rocky. But he wouldn’t do it until he had her begging for it.
She lifted a yoga mat off her shoulder and held it out to him as they reached the elevator. “Wasn’t sure if you had one, or if it was unpacked if you did. It’s one of our extras. Sorry that it’s pink.”
He took the mat and slid the strap over his shoulder. “No worries, real men wear pink.”
“Careful, man,” Vince cautioned with a laugh. “Becky will get you pink wraps for training if you’re not careful.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Deck confirmed.
“How’d you get roped into coming to this thing?” Ray asked him before turning to address Becky. “What? Not even going to give it time to break him in before he has to submit to your dictatorish ways?”
She laughed and swatted at his arm. “Please, you guys love me, and the gym would be a disaster without me.”
“Yeah, stop giving her shit,” Gemma said from her perch on Ray’s back.
They entered the elevator and Rocky stood next to him, laughing with her cousin. For a group of rough, tough, alpha males, he'd heard plenty of times how the women were the ones to run the show.
“Whoa!” Gemma exclaimed as Ray feigned dropping her.
Ray only laughed as he adjusted his grip on her legs.
“You’d think you’d be better at this by now,” she quipped, causing everyone to laugh.
“Yeah, you’ve already been her chauffeur for two weeks, dude,” Deck teased.
“Just keeping her in line, bro.”
“Please.” Gemma rolled her eyes.
Just when he was starting to feel like he was getting a foothold on the group’s dynamics, they came at him with a whole new level of crazy.
“I’m afraid to even ask with you guys,” he said.
“Ray lost a bet with Gemma,” Vince explained. “Now, anytime she wants, he has to give her a piggyback ride.”
“It’s been an entertaining month,” Deck said.
“For you,” Ray grumbled.
“I feel like I should be questioning my decision to train with you guys.”
* * *
Like normal, the girls took one car while the guys piled into another. The drive to The Steele Maker wasn’t long and Gemma didn’t waste a second of it.
“So…you want to tell us what that was all about earlier?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Rocky feigned innocence.
“Don’t play dumb with us, Raquel Anne,” Becky scolded.
It was never good to be called by her legal name, let alone when her middle name got tacked on after it.
Still, she couldn’t stop chuckling at how she could never get anything by them. Becky could sniff out anything remotely scandalous, so of course she hadn’t missed her kiss-swollen lips or the almost-sex hair she sported from Gage tunneling his fingers in it when she'd exited his apartment. She needed a moment to bask in how hot that particular move was. What girl didn’t like that?
There was no use fighting it, so she quickly described her encounter with Gage. A nice sense of satisfaction enveloped her at being able to stun them into silence.
“What the hell are you doing going to yoga?” Becky took her eyes off the road to send her a baffled look.
“That wouldn’t exactly be how I would want the guys to find out I’m sleeping with Gage. I could see it now.” She made a sweeping gesture, like seeing the declaration in lights.
“True,” Becky conceded as she pulled into the parking lot.
They hurried inside. Arriving only moments before the class was due to start, introductions would have to wait. Mats were spread out on the floor and everyone jumped right into the warm-up sun salutation.
&n
bsp; “Jesus.” She heard Gage breathe out as she folded over to move through to downward dog.
Once pressed back into position, she dropped her chin to her chest and looked through her legs where he was bent behind her, head lifted out of alignment to stare at her ass. “What’s wrong, already too much for you, big guy?”
He huffed out a laugh. “No. I just shouldn’t have set up behind you.”
Everyone lifted their left leg in the air and swung it through to move into crescent pose. “And why’s that?”
“Because now I have a prime ass viewing position.”
She broke pose and turned to face him, her mouth agape. “What?”
He only shrugged those deliciously broad shoulders.
“You can’t be serious?” Sure, he made his intentions known to her, but never had she expected him to say anything in a room full of people.
People who trained at the gym.
The gym she worked at. Where it was against the rules for her to get involved with any of the fighters who trained there.
“Of course I am. It’s hard enough to keep my eyes off it in general, but you bending over in front of me, it’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull.”
“Stop it,” she hissed.
“Why? You have a great ass,” he said it as if they were alone and her brother wasn’t five feet away.
The other guys laughed and agreed. Jerks.
“Come on, guys, that’s my sister you’re talking about,” Vince groaned.
YOGA WAS USUALLY a relaxing activity with the added bonus of aiding in muscle recovery and helping with the range of motion in Gage's hip. This last hour—not so much.
He had positioned himself behind Rocky, figuring it would give him real estate for ass viewing. Instead, it was turning out to be a grave error in judgment.
Watching her bend and contort herself like a pretzel had him concentrating on not growing an erection in his shorts rather than focusing on his breath like he should have.
When the instructor finally called an end to the torture—er, class—he was tenser than when it started. Between the almost shower sex and now this, his balls were 0-2 for the day, and it was barely noon.