by L. P. Dover
“So if Tyler asks you what’s going on, you’ll tell him? What about Jameson and all your friends back home? You’ll see them all next weekend.”
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I held him tight. “That might be kind of hard since I don’t know what’s going on. We haven’t exactly talked about it.”
Holding me around the waist, he pulled me in close. “You’re right. But I think it’s kind of obvious what I want.”
“And what is that?” I asked, lifting up on my toes to meet him face to face.
He looked into my eyes and brushed his thumb across my lips. “You. And I don’t want you ashamed of the way you feel about me.”
I kissed his thumb and leaned my head in his hand. “I’m not ashamed, Kyle. I’m just worried my friends will think I’m a traitor.” He nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing it. “But that’s where you’re going to remedy that. If you can get their forgiveness, then it won’t matter anymore.”
“And what if I can’t? What then?” he countered.
Before answering, I closed my lips over his and spoke against them. “That’s not going to happen. I have faith in you. Now all you have to do is have faith in yourself.”
Nodding once, he kissed me again and took my hand. We strolled down the sidewalk toward the parking garage where his bike was parked. “It’s getting late. Are you ready to go home?” He looked down at me and I shook my head, biting my lip.
“I am ready to go, but it’s not to my house.”
His hand tensed and he stopped mid-step. “If we do this, it’s only going to make me want you more.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with that. Let’s go.”
My heart pounded faster than the speed he took to get home. He spoke the truth when he said he lived in the next neighborhood over. I was nervous and scared to death, but completely sure that I wanted to spend the night with him. Kyle Andrews wasn’t your typical guy next door, he was the one your mother would warn you about. In this case, it would be the whole world warning me.
“You weren’t kidding about being neighbors, were you?” I said as I got off his bike.
Chuckling, he took off his helmet. “What, did you not believe me?”
“No, I believed you. I just didn’t think you’d be this close.” I looked up at his house and sighed. “And your house is a lot larger than mine.”
He helped me with the strap on my helmet and slid it off my head. “Come on. I’ll show you around.” He pressed a code to get into his garage and there sat his damaged truck and an old convertible Ford Mustang that looked brand new.
“I can see why you chose not to drive that to the gym,” I said.
“Exactly. I don’t care what happens to my truck or bike, but I do care about that one. Pax helped me rebuild it years ago.”
I slid my fingers over the pristine white top and peeked inside. “It’s beautiful. You’ve taken good care of it.”
“Thanks,” he said, setting our helmets down on one of his many shelves. He had about five of them, all covered in various awards and trophies.
“That’s a lot of trophies you have up there.”
He shrugged, not even acknowledging them. “Yeah, but they don’t mean shit to me. That’s why they stay out here.” Turning on his heel, he started for the door but stopped when I didn’t follow. He sighed and faced me.
“Why do you say that?”
Clenching his jaw, he glanced over at the wall, his gaze tormented. “Because what you see there isn’t real. I didn’t earn those trophies. The ones I did earn are inside.”
He turned and waited on me to join him at the door. I squeezed his arm in passing and he shut the door behind us. With his hand on the small of my back, he led me into his living room where a glass case stood, emanating a soft glow into the darkened room. Inside were three wrestling trophies, all from high school.
He stood in front of the case and smiled. “These are the ones I earned. I fought damn hard for each one of them.”
From behind, I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his back. “Can I ask you a question?” Placing his hands on mine, he nodded, his heart beating hard in his chest. “Why did you like to sabotage your opponents? Did you think you weren’t good enough to beat them?”
He placed a hand on the case, releasing a heavy sigh. “In high school, I was a god. I was a leader. I could have anything and everything I wanted. When I graduated and wanted to fight in the UFC, I thought I’d be able to kick everyone’s asses. I had a big head and it got squashed very quick and fast. I didn’t like it.”
Letting him go, I stood in front of him so I could see his face, but he wouldn’t look at me. “And that’s when you decided to take matters into your own hands.”
He nodded. “I liked being on top, feared. I knew the right people and I could get away with anything. It became a drug. I was addicted to winning and I had to make sure I did, no matter the cost. I didn’t care who I hurt.” Lowering his head, he snarled and walked away. “You must think I am one fucked up human being.”
“I did.” I grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around. “Look at me, Kyle.” Reluctantly, he did and I gazed up into his brown and green eyes with compassion. “You made mistakes. We all have. I have to say it’s been nice having you open up to me. It helps me understand you better.”
He snorted. “Believe me, who I used to be is the last person you want to get to know.”
“True, but it’s who made you who you are today. I don’t judge you for what you did, because frankly, I didn’t know you then. I’m kind of glad I didn’t.” I placed my hand over his heart. “But I do know who you are today. That’s the Kyle I want to be with.”
Lifting his hand, he ran his fingers through my hair. “I don’t scare you?”
“You do, but it’s not in the way you think. I’m not afraid you’ll hurt me, but I am afraid of the way you make me feel. It’s like I’m being pulled to you and the harder I fight it, the harder it is to resist. It grows stronger every day.”
“And now?” he questioned, closing the distance. “How does it feel when I touch you and kiss you?”
I looked up at him and smiled. “It all feels right.”
Sliding his hand out of my hair, he rested it on my neck and pulled me closer. I willingly complied and buried myself in his arms as he kissed me. His breathing picked up and so did mine. I couldn’t get enough of him. Picking me up in his arms, he carried me down the hallway and into a room, lit only by a light outside his window. The bed he dropped me on was soft and smelled exactly like him. I breathed in deep and moaned when he covered me with his body. Half of his face was cast in shadow, but it didn’t mask the raw, untamed need I saw in his eyes. I shivered and let out a shaky breath.
“There’s still time to back out,” he offered.
Shaking my head, I lifted his T-shirt off and ran my hands down his smooth chest. “No, this is what I want,” I whispered, sliding my hand over his groin and squeezing his cock through his jeans.
He thrust into my hand and grunted. “Jesus, what are you doing to me?” Sliding off the bed, he dropped his pants and boxers to the floor. I squealed when he grabbed my ankles and slid me down to the edge of the bed. He lifted my shirt over my head, and I unbuttoned my pants. He helped me slide them off, letting them fall to the floor.
My core tightened as he lowered me back on the bed and spread me wide. He gazed down at me, his eyes raw with need as he pushed my underwear over and slipped a finger inside. I gasped and arched my back, wanting to feel more than just his finger stretching me open.
“More,” I begged.
He pushed another finger inside and rested his body beside mine. With his other hand, he reached behind my back and unlatched my bra in one flick. Lifting it above my breasts, he lowered his mouth to my nipple and sucked. Moaning, I dug my nails into his back and closed my eyes. It felt good to be touched.
“I want you so fucking bad,” he growled. He rubbed my wetness around my openi
ng with his fingers and slid my underwear down my legs. I sat up and tossed my bra to the floor before kicking my underwear off my ankles. Kyle chuckled and ran his fingers up the insides of my thighs before settling his body between them. “It’s been a while, love. I’m just warning you now.”
Biting my lip, I glanced down at his cock, all hard and glistening at the tip. He could probably rub himself against my clit for two seconds and I’d be done for. My body was hypersensitive and I loved it. He circled his cock against my opening and stopped. “Do I need to wear a condom?”
“Are you safe?” I asked. He nodded in reply. “Then no. I’m protected. I can’t get pregnant unless I want to be.” Alex tried his best to get me pregnant, but little did he know I was secretly on the pill. After everything happened I stayed on them out of habit. Taking a deep breath, I willed those memories to the back of my mind. All I wanted to concentrate on was me and Kyle.
His lips found mine and just like that, it was only us in his room and the feel of his body connecting to mine. He slid in gently, stretching me only a little bit at a time. “Tell me if I hurt you,” he murmured.
“You won’t,” I whispered back.
Rocking his body against mine, he kissed his way down my neck to the tips of my breasts. He sucked my nipple hard and squeezed the other one while pushing in deep. I screamed out in pleasure as my orgasm built. His body tightened and I knew he was about to lose control. Letting myself go, I cried out his name. Groaning, he gripped the edges of the pillow as I milked him to the quick. He shuddered and twitched. I could feel his heart pounding against my own.
“I hope you don’t plan on getting any sleep tonight,” he murmured in my ear. “Because I’m just getting started.”
***
WHAT WAS ONE night with Kyle turned into two. Monday morning was already upon us and I had ten minutes to get to the gym. “You’ll never make it on time unless we go on my bike,” Kyle taunted playfully.
After spitting out my toothpaste, I peeked my head around the door frame and glared at him. He was sitting on his bed, already dressed. “You are just dying for Tyler to see us together, aren’t you?” I braided my hair to the side and washed my face before joining him.
He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me down on the bed. “What can I say? I want people to know you’re mine; especially the overenthusiastic duo who want to pound you out.”
“Oh whatever, there’s nothing to be worried about with them. They know I’m not interested.”
He snorted. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve watched the way other guys look at you. It’d be nice not having to see them lust over my girlfriend.”
I rolled on top of him, grinning. “So I’m your girlfriend now?”
“Yep. The only one I’ve ever had,” he admitted.
Eyes wide, I sat up and straddled his waist, looking down at him. “Really? How is that possible?”
Shrugging, he slid his hands up my thighs. “Simple. I didn’t want one.”
“Well, since I’m your first, you do understand the rules of relationships, right?”
In one quick move, he gripped my hips and rolled me onto the bed, his body achingly hard against my core. “Let’s see if I understand this correctly.” Pressing his lips to mine, he opened me further with his tongue. He bit my lip when I moaned and sucked it between his teeth. “If you’re mine, you have to live by the same rules as I. No one is allowed to kiss your lips except me.” He glided his fingers across my breasts and circled my nipples. “The same goes for touching you like this.” Then he cupped me with his palm. “And like this.”
“I think that about covers it. But you left out one important thing,” I whispered across his lips.
“And that is?”
I slid my hand up his chest and rested it over his heart. “That this right here belongs to me. The physical stuff is a given. I don’t plan on seeking comfort anywhere else. But the heart and mind are more powerful than anything else. As long as I have your heart and know that I’m the only one on your mind, I’ll be perfectly happy.”
Grabbing the back of my neck, he pulled me down for a kiss. “You have it, love.”
“And you have mine. But now I’m really late for work. I have to go.”
His lips spread into a wide grin. “Let’s go.”
I followed him out to the garage and put my helmet on while he wheeled his motorcycle into the driveway and hopped on. “If you take me to work, it means you have to make sure I get home too.”
He winked. “Why do you think I’m doing this in the first place?” he said, patting the seat behind him.
I got on his bike and held onto him. “If you want to spend time with me that bad, all you have to do is ask.”
Chuckling, he revved the engine and patted my knee. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Rolling my eyes, I squealed as he raced us out of his driveway and onto the street. Never once did he do anything stupid or reckless while on the bike. I was thankful for that. By the time we got to the gym, Tyler’s truck was already in the parking lot. Hopefully, he wouldn’t say anything about me being seven minutes late.
“Are you coming in?” I asked.
Kyle helped me off the bike and took my helmet. He strapped it to the seat and slid his own off. “Not yet. I’ll come back later for our class.”
Kissing him quickly, I walked backward toward the gym door. “Don’t be late. You don’t want to disappoint the ladies.”
Chuckling, he lowered his helmet back on. “And give Sherry a reason to reprimand me? No, I’ll be there. She’d probably try to spank me, the old cougar.”
I laughed and reached the door. Taking a deep breath, I walked inside expecting to see Tyler snarling at me. Instead, he was nowhere to be found. “Tyler, where are you?” I shouted.
“Back here,” he yelled.
Judging by the sound of his muffled voice, he was probably in the supply room. Setting my bag down under the desk, I strolled to the back. The door to the supply room was open so I stuck my head inside and saw Tyler making a pile on the floor. There were rolls of tape, handwraps, gloves, and pads. “Planning on fighting someone?” I inquired.
He chuckled and grabbed an armful of supplies. “Do you mind helping me carry this stuff out to the floor?”
“Sure.” I picked up as much as I could and carried it to the ring.
“Actually, it’s all for interviews. Over the past couple of months, I’ve had numerous requests about if I’d be willing to coach. I offered to take on two students but I had well over twenty ask to be coached. As much as I hate to do this, I’m going to see which ones have the most potential.”
“You could always find other coaches. Lots of your MMA buddies come in here to work out.”
Sighing, he lined up the tape and gloves on the table. “True, but most of them don’t have the time. I’m always here so I thought it would be a good opportunity to help out.”
“When you pick your students, will they be paying you?”
He nodded. “It’ll be just like any coach and fighter relationship. I paid my dad by working here for him.”
“What if Kyle wanted to coach? I think he’d be good at it. He has the free time and I know he’s been thinking about looking for a job. His physical therapy hurt him financially.”
Tyler froze but then turned his narrowed gaze to me. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned the physical therapy part because I knew that he felt bad for being the cause of Kyle’s paralysis. However, he still needed to hear it. “You seem to know an awful lot about him these days . . .”
There was an awkward pause when I didn’t know what to say and he stared me down. His eyes widened. I must’ve given something away with my face. “Shit. Okay, don’t kill me. We’re kind of seeing each other,” I muttered, averting my gaze.
The silence in the room was deafening. The only thing I could hear was the thumping of my heart in my ears. In the corner of my eye, I could see Tyler staring in utter shock. I was just too afraid to look
him in the eyes. Something in him snapped and words burst into the air.
“What the fuck? Didn’t I warn you to stay away? How could you do this . . . you’re making one of the worst fucking decisions of your life. What the hell, Megan. Do I need to go into detail on all the shit he’s done?”
Shaking my head, tears built in my eyes under his wrath. I met his stare head on. “I already know what he’s done. I spent the entire weekend listening to him talk about it. I know you don’t approve, but all I’m asking is for you to watch him. Look at his eyes and tell me he hasn’t changed.”
“So you spent the weekend with him and he’s still talking to you?”
Rolling my eyes, I threw a roll of tape at his head. “I’m going to tell him you said that, asshole. And yes, he’s still talking to me. He brought me here this morning.”
He picked up the tape I threw at him and placed it back in line. Leaning on the table, he stared into space, apparently trying to absorb the situation.
Sighing, I placed my hand on his arm. “I don’t want you to think I’m deceiving you by being friends with him. If I honestly thought he wasn’t a better person, I wouldn’t be anywhere near him. But seriously, do me a favor and watch him tonight. I won’t tell him you’ll be there. He wants to do right by you and Kacey. Use that to your advantage and let him help you out.”
People started coming through the doors and the conversation was over just like that. I turned and headed back up to my desk when Tyler said, “I’ll think about it. Just don’t get your hopes up.”
Without turning to face him, I smiled, knowing he couldn’t see it. “That’s all I ask.” Tyler could be a stubborn ass, but so could all of the fighters. He said he would think about it, but I knew he would balk and give in. He was a good person and he wanted to see Kyle change for Kacey’s sake.
Up at my desk, a young guy in his late teens waited patiently. I could tell he was athletic, but if he was one of Tyler’s students, he was a little too scrawny to be an MMA fighter. “Hey, can I help you?”