Prepared to Fight

by E. J. Shortall

  I scowled. “No. But you’re not an attacker.”

  He narrowed his eyes trying to look menacing as he stepped from side to side his arms moving almost faster than I could see.

  “Ouch. For fucks sake, Nate. Stop it! That hurts!” I rubbed along the opposite arm which was now also going numb from another sharp slap.

  Nate chuckled. “Stop being a girl. That doesn’t hurt, I’m barely touching you. And keep your guard up. Be prepared, Olivia!”

  “I thought you were going to show me some fancy flying kicks or something,” I said petulantly, watching him closely with my hands raised in the same defensive pose he carried. I began moving with him as he slowly started to circle me.

  “Not my thing.”

  “No? What is your thing then?” My arm instinctively moved away when his twitched.

  “My first discipline is Ju-jitsu. I’m more dangerous on the ground grappling and holding.”

  “Ha, so you do enjoy a good fumble and roll around on the floor then.” He shot me a look of heat before he quickly refocused.

  “There is only one time I enjoy rolling around, and it isn’t in a fighting arena.” I jumped back when he lunged forward.

  His eyes got a mischievous glint to them, and he stepped back, dropping his arms.

  “What are you doing?” I asked with a frown, disappointed. Surely we weren’t done already? I hadn’t even managed to sneak in a slap of my own. I dropped my arms to my side, waiting for his next move.

  Suddenly his left hand flashed in my peripheral vision and my arm instinctively came up to block it. At the same time he swept his leg out, catching my calf and knocking me off balance. With a screech and a thud, I landed on my back on the thick, deep red rug.

  “Ooof!” Air jolted from my lungs, leaving me winded and fighting hard for a deep breath.

  “Shit! Fuck! Liv, I’m sorry.” Nate was on his knees straddling my prone form before I could blink. His eyes were wide and fearful staring down into mine. “Are you okay?”

  All I could do was nod and swallow hard when he looked at me with such regret. My eyes closed at the feel of his hands smoothing my hair back and then trailing a hot path down my cheek. It was such a gentle, almost reverent touch.

  “God, do you know how beautiful you are?” he asked tenderly, his body lowering towards mine.

  I sucked in a deep breath, my heart pounding a frantic beat in my chest. He was so close, our lips only inches apart. His words and his slow, precise movements had my head spinning, but in this moment I knew I wanted him to kiss me. I was desperate for it.

  No I don’t want him to kiss me. That will just complicate things.

  The moment his lips lightly pressed against mine, his tongue tracing along the seam, I was lost. The feeling was too much and not enough. It was heaven. As if feeding off my acceptance of his actions, Nate deepened the kiss, coaxing my lips apart so he could explore the cavern of my mouth. Tentatively, I touched my tongue to his and let him lead us in a slow waltz. I was lost.

  I held my breath, soaking in the feel of Nate’s hand gently stroking along my side to the outer swell of my boob, his body pressing into mine, the heat and hardness of his erection resting against my thigh… My eyes snapped open in shock. What were we doing? My startled moan had Nate pulling back, watching me with his own surprised expression. Gulping, he shook his head infinitesimally. Then, as if a spell had been broken, he jumped to his feet in one easy, fluid movement and ran shaky hands through his hair. “You need to keep your guard up at all times, Olivia. Always be prepared to fight and protect yourself.”

  As I lay out on the ground trying to catch my breath—which no longer had anything to do with my tumble—Nate strode to the windows keeping his hands in his hair.

  “Self defence is built around a person’s natural instincts. You need to be aware of your own body at all times. Watch your opponent or a perpetrator closely, anticipate their next move, but trust what your body is telling you. If you learn to read their body language and trust your own instincts, you’re one step ahead.”

  Climbing to my feet, I smoothed down my t-shirt and ran a hand through my mussed up waves. I wasn’t sure exactly what had just happened, or what it meant for us, but I knew it was time for me to leave. Something big had shifted between the two of us during those few seconds. I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly, but if I was listening to my own instincts and acting on my body’s natural reactions to Nate, it was clear I was falling into something deeper than I’d ever anticipated.

  ‘Keep your guard up at all times.’ Those words had never had a truer meaning.

  I took one last look at Nate, his sombre face clearly reflecting back through the glass and darkness beyond it. He’d felt whatever that had been too and seemed to be in as much turmoil as me.

  “Thanks for the lovely meal, Golden Boy.” I tried to sound jovial, not wanting to end the evening on a sad note, but it sounded forced, even to my own ears.

  I’d reached the hallway and was slipping my converse back on before Nate turned round. “What are you doing?”

  I picked my bag up and pulled the strap over my shoulder. “I’m going home. It’s getting late, and I’m tired. I had a great time tonight, Nate. Thank you.”

  He was at my side before I’d pulled the door open. “I’ll take you.”

  “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I can just grab a cab or walk up to the station.” He was pulling his trainers on with one hand when he reached out and grabbed my elbow with the other, stopping me from moving any further.

  “I said, I’ll take you. Don’t fight me on this, Liv.”

  I sighed but knew I couldn’t even if I’d wanted to. At that moment sassy, Liv had deserted me, leaving me exhausted, confused and needing my bed. I nodded and waited for him to finish getting ready.

  ***

  “This is yours?” I cast an appreciative gaze over the red and white bike I’d been eyeing up earlier in the evening.

  “It is. Are you ready to cross another item off your bucket list?” As soon as we’d left the confines of Nate’s apartment behind us, he’d loosened up. We both had. It was almost as if in there, together, we were a sexual, ticking time bomb. But outside, we were once again Olivia and Nate. Friends.

  I gaped at the sexy machine in front of me. “You want to take me home on that?”

  “Yes. Give me your bag.” I handed my sports bag over, wondering where on earth he was going to put it. There hardly seemed like enough room on the seat for Nate, let alone my fat arse and a bag. The Cayenne bleeped and he opened the door, throwing my bag inside.

  “I need that,” I protested.

  “I’ll drop it off to you tomorrow. You’ll need your arms free so you can enjoy the ride.”

  I shrugged, admitting that made sense. “Okay then, let’s go.”

  A minute later, he was securing a helmet to my head before pulling one of his own on and then straddling the bike. “Are you sure I’m going to fit?” I shouted over the load roar of the engine.

  “You’ll fit. Climb on.” He gestured with his head for me to climb on behind him.

  Taking a moment, I stared with female appreciation at the fine form before me. Nate looked mouth-watering wearing faded jeans with a black leather jacket and a black helmet. Knowing now that he was a bad boy fighter, that visual just added to the appeal that would make him every woman’s dream guy.

  “Get on, Liv,” he shouted again as he dropped his visor.

  Moving quickly, I stood beside the bike trying to work out how to get on. I was pleasantly surprised when I managed to easily swing my leg over and settle in behind Nate. The padded seat felt strange below my backside, as did the fact the seat was raised slightly at the rear, lining my body up perfectly with Nate’s. A thrill coursed through me when he gunned the throttle and the bike vibrated beneath me.

  “Ready?” he yelled.

  “As I’ll ever be,” I shouted back, hoping he could hear me.

  “Hold me tight, Liv, and don’
t let go. Stay relaxed and move with me.”

  Before I had a chance to respond, he’d kicked up the kickstand and we started moving. I shrieked with the alien feeling, even though Nate only walked us backward.

  “Hold me, Liv.”

  Gripping my arms as tight as I could around his chest, I rested my head against his shoulder. Looking out to the side, I settled in for the ride.

  Nate handled the bike pretty much like he did everything else, with ease, grace and control. As we drove along Bayswater Road, with Hyde Park on our left, I settled further into Nate’s back, thinking I may have just found my new favourite mode of transport.

  Being later in the evening, the roads were quieter, although not empty, so Nate could open the throttle when we had clear runs. Cold wind washed over us, and I shivered. I kept my eyes open, watching the world fly by, lights blurring into one long line as we sped by.

  For the first few minutes, my nerves and tense muscles made it more difficult to move with Nate when we rounded corners. He shouted, “Relax, Liv,” more than once, and as soon as I did, I found I was moving fluidly with him, melding to him as though we were one.

  It became apparent Nate was in no hurry for the journey to end either when we hit the banks of the river Thames. The bike slowed slightly, and I felt the tell-tale sign of a deep sigh through the sharp rise and fall of the chest I had a tight hold of.

  All too soon, we were pulling up outside my block and Nate was killing the engine.

  “You okay?” Nate asked softly when he’d removed his helmet.

  I nodded but wasn’t sure I was. The night had been full of strange and intense emotions and discoveries. I felt different somehow, yet the same. Stronger, yet weaker. One thing was for certain, Nathan Oakes had gotten under my skin. There was no ignoring it.

  ~CHAPTER NINE~

  “You have got to be fucking kidding me!” I groaned, looking at the illuminated numbers on my alarm clock. Each little digit glowed and mocked me as they grouped together to form 07:00. What was with my wacky weekend body clock these days? I’d been tossing and turning all night, dreaming and thinking, and then dreaming again. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had such a restless night.

  Punching my pillow over and over in frustration, I muttered a few choice words and then dragged myself out of bed. With no motivation to do anything or go anywhere, I had no clue what I would do with myself for the day. Even the thought of going to the gym didn’t sound appealing, and since getting into a routine with it, I’d been eager to go almost every day. The only times I hadn’t gone were when I’d had to work late or go to my parents’ place for dinner. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work out, because I did. It was slowing becoming my addiction. It was more the case that I didn’t want to run into the gym owner.

  My evening with Nate had been strange, to say the least. I needed to deal with the feelings and emotions that had edged their way in and then pack them away in a box so I could continue with my usual happy and content life.

  I thought about maybe doing something different. Not every workout had to be in the gym. I could enjoy the local park and attempt a proper run. Nodding approval at my plan I walked into the kitchen. I needed coffee and sustenance first.

  I filled the kettle and then stopped, the appliance resting in mid-air in my hands. The conversation I’d had with Nate the previous night came back to me. ‘Have you actually been through all your cabinets since my visit?’ It was an innocent comment, a simple question, yet it was loaded with so much meaning. In the past few weeks, things had changed… I had changed. Nate’s control of my kitchen might have appeared absurd and downright weird on the face of it, but I now realised that in his actions he had been showing me he cared. To what extent, I wasn’t sure. Was it just a desire to impart his expertise in all things health and fitness on someone who really needed it? Was it that he saw me as a friend? Or was there more? I knew I felt more. Last night’s unexpected make-out session proved there was more.

  Tentatively, I tugged open one of the wall-hung units. My eyes widened in surprise at the neat and tidy space. Herbs and spices were organised and evenly spaced out along with other bottles and packets of seasonings. I closed the cupboard and moved on to the next, and then the next. Each one was as tidy as the first, and just as he’d told me, I wasn’t left with nothing, just products that he deemed to be healthy and nutritious for me and, of course, the items we’d purchased together.

  His caring touches were there for me to see, as clear as if he’d been standing with me and whispering his innermost thoughts to me.

  Deciding I didn’t want to disappoint Nate by polluting my body with caffeine, I returned the kettle to its cradle and stood leaning against the counter. The radio played softly in the background as I stared at a small piece of plastic resting on the opposite counter. My membership card to Golden Oakes. My green light into a part of Nate’s world. Yet another symbol of the generous and caring man I was beginning to fall for. The front doorbell rang loudly over the hum of the music. It startled me from my wayward thoughts, pulling me back to reality with a jolt.

  At the door, I peered through the spyhole. My heart instinctively began pounding out a sensual, slightly irregular beat as I grinned at the handsome face that greeted me. Why is he here?

  An eye appeared in my vision and the laughing cadence of Nate’s deep voice tantalised me through the wooden door. “I know you’re there, Liv. You can stop staring now.” His laughter grew louder when I gasped and jumped back. Had he really been able to tell I was ogling him… through a tiny spyhole?

  “Good morning, JB,” he said brightly when I’d unhooked the safety chain and opened the door for him to walk in. “I’ve gotta say, I like the dogs but the towel was definitely my favourite.” I frowned in confusion until I realised he was talking about my white, flannel pyjamas that had little brown puppies scattered over them. I winced in embarrassment as heat rapidly scorched along my throat and up into my cheeks. He continued chuckling as he walked past me into the living room. He seemed to be in a jolly mood.

  “What brings you here this morning?” I asked, following behind.

  “I brought your bag back.” He shoved my sports bag at me, the one he’d thrown in his car the night before. “You might want to check your phone. The fucking thing was ringing non-stop on the journey over.”

  I mumbled my thanks and took the bag from his hands. Ripping the zip open, I felt about in the bag for my phone. There was a missed call from my mum, eight from Adam and two text messages. I quickly opened the message app and read the texts.

  Where are you? The first one read.

  Do you ever answer your phone? Call me. I need to speak to you, said the second.

  Okay, someone was pissy.

  “Do you want a drink?” I asked Nate, walking back into the kitchen needing something, anything, liquid to help rescue my suddenly dry throat.

  “No, I’m fine thanks.” His sexy smile dropped and his expression grew serious. “Look, there is another reason I came over. I need to ask you something. I meant to talk to you about it last night, but… well, things didn’t quite work out how I’d planned.”

  Pausing halfway into the kitchen, I turned and gave him my undivided attention.

  “Okay.”

  Nate bit on his lip for a minute as he seemed to contemplate his words. “I’m going away… out of the country… for a while.” My heart felt like it had combusted in my chest and then fallen to the floor as nothing more than a fine mess of grey ashes. We were only just getting to know each other, and, like it or not, things were changing between us. I didn’t want him to go away.

  “For how long?” I asked, quietly.

  “A couple of months. I’m coming out of retirement for a rematch with Sanchez.” He replied, a frown appearing on his brow as he searched my face. It must have been showing the disappointment I felt because he looked away and kept talking. “He’s bitter over our last fight and has been talking crap. I ignored it for a while, b
ut eventually it became impossible to leave alone. I decided the best way to shut him up was to rise to his challenge and knock him out again.”

  I kept my eyes locked on his but pulled my trembling hands behind me, hoping he couldn’t see how much his words were affecting me. “I’ve been training here, but I need to step it up now. I have a place in France I go to.”

  “France?” I yelled in surprise.

  Nodding, he continued. “I have a house down in the south. It’s where I go… went… to prepare. It’s secluded and offers me the peace to focus. I can’t do that here, not properly. There is always so much going on. Plus, I have the added advantage that the fight is being held in Monaco this time.”

  “When are you going?” I asked, wanting to slap myself when my voice quivered.

  “Monday,” he replied, almost apologetically.

  I stopped breathing. He was leaving me already? Who was going to train me? Who was going to nag me to be good and rifle through my cupboards? It had only been a couple of weeks, but I enjoyed what we had together, well, when we were together. I didn’t want that to come to an end so soon.

  “I want you to come with me,” he continued with a strong, determined edge to his voice.

  “Excuse me?” I spluttered.

  “I want you to come with me… No wait, before you start arguing, I have an ulterior motive. I need your services. My property there needs renovating, and I also want to build a new training facility on the land. It has always been my intention to offer training and rehabilitation for people with sports injuries when I retired. I want you to do the designs for me.”

  My jaw dropped. Was he for real?

  “Your designs for the GO headquarters were outstanding, and I want to use your talent for this new project. Please, Liv. I want you to come and join me out there.”

  I shook my head. “I can’t just up and leave. I have a job, a home. I have commitments.”

  “Take a sabbatical.”

  I gripped the edge of the worktop behind my back. It was easy for him to say that. He was rolling in money and had everything he could possibly ever need. It wasn’t as easy for me to just drop everything on a whim.