by Matson, TC
I laugh.
“It’s no laughing matter, Paige,” he tries sounding serious but his voice cracks from his chuckle. “This can potentially be life-threatening.”
“Top news,” I drag my hand in the air. “Man dies from lack of blood in brain due to oversized hard-on.”
“You’re damn right it’s oversized,” he boasts.
I roll my eyes. “How was your day?”
“Ugh,” he groans, plopping on the side of the bed. “Good. Katie is catching on. Listens well. She’s gonna be brutal.”
“That’s good,” I say.
“She’s come from a broken home and turned to fighting as a way to get out her frustrations. I think she said she was eleven when she discovered martial arts. Now, she just has to get things precise. Cory said something about getting her on a fight card.”
“Oh I bet she’s excited.”
“She’s tense about it. It’ll be her first real fight, so I guess I get it.”
“Were you not nervous for your first?”
“Hell no,” he bellows. “Bryan Kimble or some shit. It was a fun fight. Traded punches for two minutes or so before he met my right hook. Dude was out.”
“And you weren’t nervous at all?”
“I don’t get nervous,” he states.
“I beg to differ,” I tell him. “I can recall a certain someone nervous as hell the first time he kissed me.”
“You’re a different story. I’m not in the ring ready to beat the shit out of you either.”
“You’ve had me in the ring a time or two,” I remind him.
“Not to beat the shit out of you. You wouldn’t let me get close to you. It was my only way to have skin-to-skin contact.” His cheeks swell up as he puffs out air. “We’ve got to stop this conversation before I’m on the next flight. How was your day?”
I giggle. “Good. Lacy came into the bar tonight. I may be wrong, but I think she’s thinking about giving Blain a chance. She asked me how I got over it and gave in to you.”
“Did you tell her it was because you couldn’t resist my sexy ass any longer and you needed to have a taste of Levi?”
“You’re so full of yourself.”
“I’d rather you be full of me,” he laughs.
“You’re a perv!”
“I can’t help it. I need my sunshine.”
“When will you be back?” I ask.
He clears his throat and his posture changes looking behind the camera. “Hopefully next weekend. Listen, I have to go. We’ll talk in a bit.”
“Oh, okay,” I say slowly, a bit confused.
He looks back to the camera. “I love you, Sunshine.”
“I—” but before I can finish he hangs up.
What in the world was that? Adam must’ve popped into his bedroom. I brush it off and head to the shower to wash the day away.
My hair and face have been washed and rinsed when a dirty thought crosses my mind. I reach out of the hot water, dry my hands off, and grab my phone.
Me: Naked and in the shower. Enjoy the thought.
My phone finally chirps after I’ve finished washing my body and am out drying myself off.
Levi: Fucking love it tease!
I beam at the screen knowing I’m driving him insane. I want to be on his mind just as much as he is on mine. I enjoy the thought of knowing he misses me. I thoroughly enjoy the fact that it will be me on his mind when he’s in the shower tonight.
Chapter 3
This fucking hotel room is empty. This king-sized bed even more vacant. Being away from Paige for so long is starting to piss me off. I know I agreed to do this, but fuck…
I push out of the bed and head to the kitchen to grab something to drink. The hotel room is laid out more like a small apartment, which I like ‘cause I’d end up knocking walls down from claustrophobia. The kitchen is small with your standard black and stainless steel appliances with a fridge best fit for a college dorm. But it works for just me. What tickles my fancy best about this pad is the cream-colored sectional that’s perfectly placed in front of a fifty-five-inch TV with a huge, cool looking circle-shaped light hanging directly above the black coffee table. That’s right…a fucking man’s room. There aren’t any dainty flowers or dumb decorations. Plain and simple, just the way I like it.
Most of my days are becoming repetitive. I wake up, eat, hit the gym earlier than Katie to get my frustrations out, train her, and then return here. Every once in a while, Adam joins, but he’s busy chasing tail around the town. Pompano Beach is seriously flooded with beautiful bodies. Eh, hush. There’s nothing wrong with looking. Women are beautiful creatures. Doesn’t mean I’m out and about acting on anything.
After making my morning peanut butter and banana with whey protein smoothie, I grab my gym bag and head out the door. I know it’s early and I know she’s sleeping, but I always try to give Paige a smile for when she wakes up.
Me: Have you changed your mind about traveling with me yet? :)
It’s simple, but she’ll get the gist. She brings out an affectionate side of me that I never really knew I had. A year ago, I wouldn’t have given a damn about making a woman smile outside of fucking her. I sure as hell wouldn’t offer to pay bills if she traveled with me. And fuck going without a piece of ass for longer than three days. But Paige…she does something to me. There’s a sensation inside that drives me to want to better myself, and I don’t care about being with anyone else. I see her in my future and that’s where I want to keep her.
Michael, the owner of the gym, has given me a key so I can get in before it opens. Stepping into the stagnant air, I can smell the sweat, blood, and hard work that’s been put into this place. It’s an aroma that incites determination and excitement in my blood. Instantly, the urge to release my frustrations floods me.
I begin warming up with three rounds of two minutes jumping rope. It raises my heart rate, gets my blood pumping, stimulates my organs, and wakes my entire existence up. Not to mention, I gain stamina from it, which Paige never complains about.
I’m on the heavy bag running through maneuvers when I hear the distinctive squeak of the front door. I don’t have to look up to know it’s Katie. She comes strolling in about this time every morning.
“Morning,” she says dropping her hot pink gym bag on the floor against the wall.
This morning she has her black hair braided to the sides, black pants on, and a neon blue shirt that matches her shoes. Ever since the first day, this girl has always dressed brightly.
I stop, placing my hands on my hips to center myself and better fill my lungs with much-needed air. “Morning.”
She flashes a “fuck the morning” smile and begins readying herself for the day. Sitting on the bench, she starts wrapping her hands as I get back to finish my small workout, focusing on each strike. They need to be precise and sharp. Damaging and quick. My kicks need to be accurate and cause the most destruction. I don’t have Harvey, my coach, every day while I train her, so I rely heavily on my years of experience. I also can’t escape the ghostly orders he’s barked over the years out of my memory.
He and Perry, my Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu coach, come every other week to focus directly on me. I still have a championship fight I need to keep in shape for.
Katie steps up to the jump ropes lying on the floor and points. “Ropes?”
I stop mid-swing and turn to her, tilting my head. “How long have we been doing this and you still ask daily?”
She shrugs her shoulders, giggling. “Maybe one day you’ll be spontaneous.”
I sigh. If she only knew how spontaneous I am. Paige knows how impulsive I can be. I’d take her on the hood of a car in the rain if she’d let me.
I shake the thought and nod toward the ropes. “Get to it,” I order.
Today, I pushed Katie hard with an intense workout. Bench dips, bench presses, overhead presses, planks, sit-ups with the medicine ball, squats, and ended it with her on the treadmill for fifteen minutes.
&n
bsp; Hey, she wants to go pro, she needs to transform her body and mind. It’s grueling to condition your body. It’s a punishing demand, but one with a reward at the end. She’ll find out that once she gets the maneuvers and builds her stamina, she won’t have to work as hard. Don’t get me wrong, hard work is always needed to stay in shape. The more you train, the more you improve.
Don’t think she’s alone in this regimen. I’m normally right beside her keeping her motivated while I benefit from the workout myself.
“You’re evil,” she says breathlessly, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
We’re both drenched. I laugh. “Come on. Is that the best insult you can give me?
Narrowing her eyes, she fights back a smile. “You’re an ass.”
“Dig deeper than that, sweetheart. My grandma can shit-talk better.”
She shakes her head and waves me off, walking to her gym bag. “Jackass.”
I fall back on the mat, spreading my arms to the side like I’ve been shot. “Oh shit. Fuck, that hurt like hell!” I yell out.
Water splashes me in the face as she squirts me with her bottle. I twist, grabbing her ankle and yank her flat on her ass. She cries out while I position myself and mount her.
“Why’d you put yourself in a dangerous position?” I gruff. “Now look at you. You’re in a shitty spot.”
Her amber eyes widen then glaze over. She swallows hard composing herself then tilts her head. “We were playing, asshat. I’m sure I wouldn’t squirt an opponent in the face with water in a real fight.”
“You always look for a way out whether playing or not,” I tell her letting go of her hands. “It keeps you perceptive to anything that could happen.”
I leap to my feet and offer her a hand up. She pulls herself up then tries throwing a punch, but I catch her wrist, stopping her mid-swing and smile wickedly. “Testing my advice?”
“Nope,” she chirps. “Just felt like knocking your head off your shoulders.”
I chuckle and release her hand. “You’ll have to do better than that.”
“I’ll get you one day.”
“Love that you dream big, sweetheart. Never set a ceiling on what you try to accomplish.”
And let me clear one thing up. If I’m calling you sweetheart, please know it’s not my word of endearment. No offense to those who use it that way, but for me, it’s my sarcastic euphemism for dipshit.
“One day I’ll have you in a position that’ll cause you to tap out.”
Do you know she said this with a straight face? She makes me laugh a lot.
“I’ve never had a woman make me want to tap out in any position.” I wink, then turn heading toward the locker room.
She chooses not to respond. Tell me how she could. No words are filtering through her mind and that, my friends, proves just how much emotions still rule her thinking.
I toss my shirt on and grab my bag. I won’t shower here since my hotel is just down the street and I prefer to have all my necessities within arm’s reach. Plus, the gym is about to open up and I’m not feeling very sociable today.
Katie is waiting by the door with her white towel around her neck, her bag over her shoulder and her cell phone in her hand. “What are you getting into today?”
I shrug. “Hell if I know.”
“Wanna go get lunch?” she asks, a little bashful.
I grin. My ego still inflates knowing I’m irresistible. There’s nothing wrong with it. Look at me. Who wouldn’t want to try, but my heart is set on one thing and she’s not here.
“Thanks, but I’m gonna pass. I have some errands to run,” I lie.
She smiles trying to hide the disappointment that just flashed across her face. “Oh. Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Her gaze lingers. I don’t know if she’s silently begging me or stabbing me, but either way, she goes on and pushes out the door.
Let me tell you, for a man who has always looked at beautiful bodies, retraining my brain wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Every man, every woman, has what I call peripheral vision. It’s when you look at the opposite sex, but as you grow closer to the one you love, this vision decreases and lessens your field of view. But it doesn’t mean it stops.
And as Katie walks to her car in tight ass black yoga pants, I turn and head toward my car in the opposite direction. See…I’m able to control some of my actions.
Chapter 4
Paige has to work tonight and I’m damn well determined to catch her before she goes in. I’m in need of hearing my girl’s voice. Instead of calling, I swipe over her name and head straight for the video chat.
It rings twice before she answers and instantly I’m pleased at the sight. She’s dressed for work in her black t-shirt, her hair up in a ponytail, and her skin glowing without all the makeup other women tend to pile on. Her natural is much more beautiful than others’ fake.
“Hey, baby,” she says, beaming from ear to ear.
She’s a sigh of relief. “Sunshine,” I sing to her. “Damn I’m glad to see you.”
Her happy green eyes fill with concern and she sits on the side of her bed. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, I have this hard-on and I was wondering—”
“Oh, shut up,” she chirps playfully.
I laugh at her sweet innocence. “Nothing’s wrong other than you’re hours away. How has your day been?”
“The restaurant was slow, but Holly, of course, kept my mind busy. I came home and took a nap, and now I’m about to head to Tonic. I live such an exciting life.”
“You could.”
“I do. Levi Stiles is my boyfriend and believe me there’s never a dull moment with him.”
I arch a brow. “That still sounds enticing.”
She bites her bottom lip and I drop my head back on the recliner. “You’re killing me and not helping my hard-on. You’re only adding fire to it.”
She licks her lips then decides to change the subject. “How was your day? Did you have a long day training?”
I inhale. “It was a good four hours. I tend to lose a sense of time when I’m in the zone.”
“How’s Katie doing?”
“She’s catching on. She’s sharp and takes in everything I have to say.”
She’s hesitant, but finally replies. “Good. So, when will I get to see you again?”
“Anytime you video chat me.”
Shit. From her expression that wasn’t funny and didn’t brighten her mood as I thought it would. “I’m not sure. Harvey said he’ll be late getting in this week and Perry isn’t coming. I’ll find out more later. You know this would all be easier if you would—”
“Just let you pay my bills and follow you around like a lost puppy,” she interrupts, mocking my words. “I won’t do it.”
“Would you like to make a wager on this? You know I’m not letting go of the idea, so I’ll pursue it until you give in. And you know one day you will because you’ll miss me so badly that you’ll beg for me…more than what you already do.”
She gasps. “I do not beg for you.”
“Not what your mouth said last weekend. If I recall right, you screamed my name.”
She groans out of amusement. “What are you doing tonight?” She completely dismisses my statement.
I smirk. “Hopefully phone sex with this amazing brunette. We can get started now. What kind of panties are you wearing?” She fell into that trap with her own words. Can’t pass up the opportunity.
“None.”
Instantly, my cock jumps to her answer. “Show me,” I say cynically.
“Hmmm…how can I show you something that isn’t there?”
“Unzip your pants and show me what isn’t there.” I’ve been trying for weeks to get her to let me love on her over the phone, but she’s so fucking bashful that she won’t budge.
She uncomfortably giggles and then I drop the camera to my cock that is resting against my stomach. “See what you do to me? Show me, Paige.”
Her eyes are frantically darting around searching for a way out. But there’s another side of her. She’s completely conflicted because she does want this but is too self-conscious to try.
“I can’t. I—I…” she stutters.
“Yes you can. Just pretend I’m there.” I position the phone on the table in front of me and lean back giving her the full image of me. My face, my chest, my hand gliding over my dick.
Her cheeks are on fire as she bites that pouty bottom lip of hers. “Can you just do it?”
“I ‘just do it’ every day to a fucking idea of you. I want your image, right here in front of me showing that it’s me driving you crazy.”
“Levi…” she whines.
“Moan for me, Paige. Like you do when I’m buried deep inside of you.” I grip my dick harder and begin stroking faster.
She’s silent, but watching me, her eyes lusty slits.
“Tell me how much you want this,” I say.
She clears her throat. “I do want it, but I also want you here. This…it’s only a tease.”
“Mmmm…think about how great it will be after we’ve teased each other for days.”
“Levi,” she pants. “I have to go to work.”
I see in her eyes she’s too uncomfortable, and that’s the last thing I want. I smile picking my phone back up and bringing it back to my face. Am I happy? Fuck no. I’m irritated as hell that my girl is miles away and all I want is to dip inside her, fucking taste her…all the shit I can’t do here.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “I just, um, I have to go to work,” she repeats.
“I’ll finish with the image of you, but just know I’ll have you stripped naked, buried inside of you as you’re screaming my name soon.”
“Wow. Aren’t you a romantic? You sure know how to keep me excited for you.”
Sarcastic shit. She’s just mad at herself and taking it out on me. If she’d try it, she might be less bitchy.
“I’ll text you when I get off, okay?”
“That’s fine.”
“I love you, Levi.”