“So, did you bring me here to remind me how out of shape I am?” Brynna plants her hands on her hips and glares at me after we enter through the non-descript front doors of Rich McKenna’s gym in downtown Seattle.
“No,” I chuckle and hold my hand out for her jacket.
“I’m not taking my jacket off,” she pouts.
“You’re adorable. Give me the fucking coat.”
She glares at me some more just as Jules yells from behind us, “There you are!”
“Jules is here?” Brynna asks with wide brown eyes. Before I can answer, Jules runs to us and catches Brynna up in a big hug.
“I’ve been trying to talk Nate into letting me do some pull-ups, but he won’t let me do anything.” Jules rolls her eyes and then grins. “I’m going to get so fat.”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” Brynna replies while shaking her head. “Besides, he’s right. Unless you’re doing yoga, you shouldn’t be doing anything in this gym.”
“That’s what I keep telling her,” Nate responds as he joins us. “This is a sparring gym. We don’t do yoga.” Nate wraps an arm around my sister’s shoulders and kisses her temple.
“It’s great to see you guys,” Brynna begins and glances at me. “But, what am I doing here?”
“Caleb didn’t tell you?” Jules asks.
She shakes her head and Nate smiles reassuringly.
“Nate is going to show you some self-defense techniques,” I inform her and take her hand in mine, squeezing it firmly.
“Why?” She asks and stares at Nate.
“Because he kicks ass,” Jules replies proudly, making Nate laugh and shake his head.
“Can’t you show me?” Brynna asks me quietly.
Sure, if you don’t mind me getting distracted every ten seconds and turning a self-defense class into crazy hot sex.
“I could, but Nate has actual fighting experience,” I reply instead.
She turns her eyes to Nate and frowns. “I am perhaps the most out of shape woman in this family. You know that, right? Instead of treadmills and weights, I spend my time chasing and lifting twins.”
“You don’t have to be an athlete to protect yourself, Brynna.” Nate winks at Bryn, kisses Jules once more and then pulls away, holding his hand out for Brynna to join him. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”
“Tell my kids I loved them,” she pleads as she tosses a look to me over her shoulder. “And I want to be cremated, please.”
I laugh and shake my head as I pause beside the big ring in the middle of the room next to my baby sister. Nate leads Brynna up into the ring and begins murmuring to her, demonstrating with his hands as he speaks.
“Damn, he’s fucking hot,” Jules whispers beside me.
“Really?” I ask and scowl down at her.
“What?” She grins innocently then leans her head against my arm. “He’s mine. I get to say stuff like that.”
“Not around me.” I sigh and watch the tall, lean woman in the ring.
“She’s beautiful,” Jules murmurs.
“She is,” I confirm and sigh again. She’s so fucking beautiful she takes my breath away.
I don’t know why she insists that she’s out of shape. She’s tall and curvy, with just the right sized ass and breasts. Her thighs are solid, probably from chasing after the girls. And her brown eyes destroy me, whether they’re happy or scared or glowing with lust.
“And according to the girls, you’re sleeping in her bed.” I can feel her smile against my arm and I narrow my eyes as I watch Nate wrap his arm around Brynna’s throat, as though he’s approaching her from behind.
“I am.” What else is there to say?
“So how is it going?” Jules asks and pulls away so she can look up at my face.
I keep my eyes on the ring.
“Fine.”
“Jesus, you’re so difficult!” She punches me in the shoulder and then shakes her hand with a scowl. “Ow.”
I smirk and glance down at her. “I’m not telling you about my sex life. Ever.”
“I just want to know how things are going,” she pouts.
“We’re fine,” I repeat.
“Are you guys going to the Nash concert tomorrow night?” Jules asks with a grin.
“Yeah,” I nod and sigh and pull my hand down my face.
God, I don’t want to go to that concert.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” she asks softly.
I shrug nonchalantly. “Bryn wants to go. She doesn’t go anywhere without me, so that means we’re going.”
“You don’t have to babysit her every minute of the day, Caleb.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “What, are you worried that she’ll get hit on?”
“You don’t know dick about it,” I reply tightly.
“Well, if you guys would tell the rest of us what’s going on, I’d know dick about it!” She responds and then sighs heavily. “There will be a lot of people at the concert.” I glance down at her briefly, registering the concern on her pretty face and I square my shoulders and look away.
Too many fucking people.
I give her a jerky nod and she swears under her breath.
“Hey, Craig! Come up here and help me out!” Nate calls out to a muscle-bound guy at the other side of the ring. Craig jumps up through the ropes and joins Nate and Brynna with a grin.
“What can I do?” he asks, looking Brynna up and down, and I feel my hands clench into fists.
“Craig’s a nice guy,” Jules mentions deceptively casually.
“Hmm,” I grunt.
“They’d make a cute couple.” She taps her lip with her finger. “I should set them up.”
“I should kick your ass,” I growl.
She turns her gaze to mine and a wide, knowing smile spreads across her face.
“You’re not setting her up with anyone, Jules,” I warn her.
“You don’t seem to want to claim her,” she shrugs.
“I’ve claimed her,” I mutter and swear under my breath.
The little brat won’t stop until I spill my guts.
Jules whips her head around to watch me, her blue eyes wide and mouth dropped open.
“You love her,” she whispers.
More than anything.
“I can’t have her,” I whisper back and push a hand through my hair.
“Why?”
“She deserves so much better, J.” I shake my head, watching the amazing woman up in the ring with my brother-in-law and a muscle-head who would give his left nut to fuck her.
“What in the hell are you talking about?” She’s keeping her voice down, but I can tell she’s pissed as hell.
“I’ll end up hurting her. Physically. Emotionally.” I shrug again and glance down into Jules’ angry eyes.
“So, what? You’ll fuck her while you’re staying with her and then ride off into the sunset when it’s all said and done?” She glares up at me with her arms crossed over her chest and I feel like an asshole.
Because when she puts it like that, I am an asshole.
“I don’t know,” I respond and suck in a quick breath when Nate pushes Brynna onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Both Nate and Craig squat beside her, helping her up. “I just don’t want to bring my baggage into her and the girls’ lives.”
I feel Jules’ eyes on me, so I glance down to find tears in them.
“Caleb, life is too short for this. She and the girls love you. You love them. Be happy.” She wraps her arms around my waist and holds onto me, pressing her cheek against my chest. “Just be happy. All of those guys whose lives you saved, and even those who lost their lives beside you, would want that for you.”
How does she know? I don’t deserve what Brynna and her girls are offering me. I couldn’t protect my guys to ensure they had the kind of life I can see myself having with these amazing girls.
Instead, they got a pine box and an American flag.
“Be happy,” Jules whispers. “Enjo
y her. If she can’t handle it, she’ll tell you. Christ, Caleb, Brynna is one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. She can handle just about anything you throw at her.”
I frown as I watch Nate and Craig with Brynna. Her scowl as she concentrates on what they’re trying to teach her. Her smile when she gets it right. Her exasperated sigh when she gets it wrong and ends up on her magnificent ass.
She’s mine.
Craig whispers something into her ear, making her laugh up at him, her eyes shining, a light sheen of sweat covers her face and chest, and my breath catches.
And then the bastard does what any red-blooded American man would do while that close to a woman like Brynna.
He tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear.
And I see red.
***
~Brynna~
How in the hell am I supposed to concentrate on not getting my ass kicked when I’m in the ring with Nate McKenna?
I know he’s married. To one of my best friends. And I’m in love with his brother-in-law. But for the love of all that’s holy, he’s in a black tank that shows off perfectly toned muscles that stretch beneath that delicious tattoo that runs down the length of his arm. His hair is pulled back at the nape of his neck, showing off his square jaw and bright gray eyes.
Everything about this man screams sex.
Screams. Sex.
And it doesn’t hurt that he’s one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met, and to top it all off, he’s completely in love with his wife.
Is there anything sexier than a hot man in love with his wife?
No.
“Remember, if they manage to get their arm around your neck, you pull your arm up and jab down, hard.” Nate murmurs in my ear from behind me. His arm is wrapped around my neck, as if he’s surprised me from behind.
“Right,” I confirm, not sure that I’ll ever remember any of this later.
“Okay, I want to show you some fighting techniques.” Nate smiles reassuringly and turns to the side of the ring. “Hey Craig! Come up here and help me out!”
The man named Craig easily pulls himself up the side of the ring and through the ropes and walks confidently to our side.
“What can I do?” he asks with a grin. He’s handsome, in a boy-ish kind of way. His body is hard and bulked up, but he has a young face. I bet he was called baby-face all through school.
He’s good looking, but not what I want.
What I want is standing at the edge of the ring with his sister.
I glance over to find Caleb scowling down at Jules who has her arms wrapped around his waist and is hugging him close. I wonder what they’re talking about.
“Pay attention, Bryn,” Nate calls me to attention and motions for Craig to move behind me and show me how to place my feet and hands. We go through several minutes of instructions, with both Nate and Craig laying their hands on me, showing me how to hold my arms, spread my feet, tilt my hips.
“Okay, are you ready for me to hit you?” Nate asks.
“I’m gonna die,” I whisper, earning a laugh from Craig behind me.
“I won’t let him kill you,” he murmurs into my ear. “Besides, you know how to deflect this. Just remember what he told you.”
Nate comes at me, and just when I think I’ve outmaneuvered him, he sneaks in with another jab, and I’m flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me.
“Shit!” Nate and Craig both squat beside me and take my hands in theirs, helping me up to a sitting position.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Nate asks.
I nod and drag air into my lungs. “Knocked the wind out of me.”
Nate steps back, but Craig smiles gently down at me and tucks my hair behind my ear and glides his knuckle down my jawline, sending goosebumps down my arms. “Nothing sexier than a sweaty woman,” he mutters.
“Sweaty women are not sexy,” I respond with a wrinkled nose, smiling up at him and then quickly glance guiltily around for Caleb.
“I think that’s enough for today,” Caleb announces as he bounds into the ring, his face tight with anger. He glares at Craig who immediately backs away and takes my hand in his, helping me to my feet. “Are you okay?” He asks me.
“I’m fine. I can keep going.”
“No, that’s enough for today.” He shakes Nate’s hand. “Thanks, man.”
“Anytime.”
“I want to play too!” Jules announces as she pulls herself into the ring. “C’mon, Bryn, I’ll spar with you.”
“No!” Both Nate and Caleb yell at once.
“She won’t hit me hard,” Jules mutters with a pout.
“I’m not hitting you at all. You’re pregnant for Godsake.” I shake my head at her and laugh. “You can go nine months without kicking ass, Jules.”
“Nine months.” Her eyes go wide before they land on Nate. “You’d better get ready for lots of verbal ass kickings if I can’t kick your ass in the ring.”
“Yeah, you scare me.” Nate smirks and pulls her into his arms.
“You’re sweaty,” Jules complains and tries to squirm away, but Nate holds strong.
“C’mere,” he mutters and buries his face in her neck, making her giggle.
“I’m out of here,” Caleb announces.
“Hold up,” Nate calls out and kisses Jules’ head before sauntering over to Caleb. “If you have time, I’d like some one-on-one time with you in the ring. You look like you could use something to take a swing at.”
I look up in surprise to see Caleb considering Nate’s invitation. He glances down at me with hot blue eyes and then back at Nate.
“Yeah, I’ve got time.”
“Don’t hurt him too much, ace,” Jules grins and kisses Nate’s cheek before taking my hand and leading me to the side of the ring.
“Have they done this before?” I ask her.
“I don’t know,” Jules shrugs. “I don’t think so, but Caleb comes to this gym when he’s in town, so they might have.”
“Helmets?” Nate asks.
Caleb shakes his head no and reaches over his shoulder, grips his t-shirt and pulls it over his head and tosses it my way.
“Damn,” I whisper at the sight of him. Every time I see his bare skin is like the first time.
A crowd has gathered around the ring to watch the two athletes go at each other. They circle each other, both the same height, broad-shouldered, but where Nate is dark, Caleb is fair.
It’s quite possibly illegal to have two amazingly hot men in the same ring together.
Suddenly, Nate leans in and jabs, and it’s on. For several minutes, they punch and deflect, kick and push and throw each other on the floor, only to bounce right back up.
Their faces are feral, eyes hot and trained on the other, and it’s the hottest damn thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
“They’re going to kill each other,” I mutter in awe.
“Maybe,” Jules nods. “Jesus, look at them!”
Nate takes a swing at Caleb’s face, but he grips Nate’s fist in his hands and twirls, picks him up on his back and slams him to the ground, his elbow in Nate’s throat.
Nate kicks out of the hold and they continue, heaving and sweating. Bleeding.
Nate has a trickle of blood coming from his nose, and Caleb is bleeding near his left eye.
And neither looks ready to stop.
Finally, after Nate kicks Caleb in the ribs and follows up with an elbow between his shoulder blades, Nate’s dad rings the bell.
I didn’t even notice that he was here.
“Enough!” Mr. McKenna yells out. “If you have more aggression to get out, take it up with a bag. Not each other.”
Nate and Caleb are both bent at the waist, panting and sweating, catching their breath. Jules and I are both holding ours.
“What the hell was that all about?” I ask.
“Testosterone?” Jules asks with a bewildered shrug. “It was kind of hot though.”
I nod in agreement and watch as Nate stands upright an
d approaches Caleb, shakes his hand and pulls him in for a man-hug. He talks low for a few moments and Caleb’s eyes narrow before he pulls back and nods, offers Nate a half-smile and pats him hard on the shoulder.
They both come down off the ring and smile at us.
“Feel better?” Jules asks.
“Yeah,” Nate shrugs and offers her a cocky smile. “I could have taken him down.”
“In your dreams, McKenna. I was going easy on you,” Caleb retorts and pushes his arms through his shirt and pulls it over his head.
Oh, don’t put the sweaty muscles away yet!
“We should go,” I murmur and smile at Caleb. He’s still a bit reserved and quiet, and I can’t figure out what’s wrong with him.
“We should go too,” Nate agrees and pulls Jules to him, knowing how sweaty and grimy he is.
“See you tomorrow night!” Jules waves at us, laughing and half-heartedly trying to fight Nate off.
Caleb leads me to the car, opens the door for me without saying a word and then climbs into the driver’s side. After driving for more than ten minutes in complete silence, I decide to clear the air.
“I didn’t flirt back,” I blurt out.
“What?” He asks, barely sparing me a glance.
“With Craig. He flirted with me, but I didn’t flirt back.” I cross my arms over my chest and look out the window, not paying any attention to the sights of downtown Seattle, or the rain as it rolls down the window in ribbons.
“I don’t give a shit about that guy,” Caleb mutters and turns down my street.
“Then what’s wrong?” I ask with a frown.
He swallows and glances at me, rubs his fingers over his lips and looks like he’s going to say something, but changes his mind.
“Nothing.”
He’s lying.
“Caleb…”
“I’m fine,” he cuts me off and shoves the car into park when we reach my house. “Don’t worry about it.”
When we get inside the house and Caleb checks the alarm and the windows and doors, he stops in the kitchen, not meeting my gaze. Bix greets us, happy to see us, and enjoys scratches on the head from Caleb, who is still sweaty and dirty from his vigorous workout with Nate.
“Do you want to join me in the shower?” I ask.
He shakes his head and gestures toward the back yard. “I’m going to go out back and work out. Call me if you need me.”
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