by Jayne Blue
“Listen to me, it’s all about the hold. You can break most holds if you come at them from the right angle.” As he talked, he lifted her hand to his lips. He spoke into the soft flesh of her wrist. His breath was hot. She felt her own breath catch in her throat. Did the inside of her wrist connect directly to other places? She felt herself clench much lower down as he softly placed a kiss at her pulse.
“Now ball your hand into a fist.” She did.
“Pull backwards.” She tried to slide her wrist out of his grip but it was like those trick paper handcuffs, his grip got stronger when she pulled back against it. She had him at arm’s length and was leaning back, but his grip remained.
“So you’re bigger and stronger. That’s not news. Why don’t you let me go now?”
“Because you need to learn how to break a hold. Now this time instead of pulling back yank your hand down.”
She looked at him through narrowed eyes.
“Seriously, go down, not back, and do it hard.” He said it with such double meaning that she could feel herself blushing, but she did as he told her to do. She forced her hand down against his fingers. Her force easily separated them and broke free.
“You let me go on purpose.”
“I would never let you go on purpose. Holds can be broken or stick tight depending on how you go at it.”
“Uh huh.” She didn’t know what to say or do next.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous. You know, I could take you right here, up against the door if you were wearing a skirt. Part of me thinks you’d let me.” If she didn’t say something he’d see that as a yes, please, so she came back at him.
“The part that thinks that is clearly not your brain.” She was going to give him a tough exterior. He so easily had turned her normal resolve into some gooey mess, she needed to find some sort of balance.
“So go out with me. Clearly you date. I’ll even dress like a hobo, since that’s what you’re into. Give me a chance to take you on one date.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to date someone I see at work all the time.”
Craddock had closed back in after their little hold lesson and had an arm next to both sides of her head. She looked at the ground for fear of looking into that sexy stare he’d been giving her.
He lifted her chin and leaned in closer. She knew she should evade this kiss, but every cell in her body wanted to find out what it was like to kiss him. From the second she saw him yesterday, if she was being honest about it, she’d thought of little else and even dreamed it last night.
Craddock’s lips met hers gently at first. They were soft and she was motionless against his sweet start. But sweet turned hot so quickly and the kiss changed into something ravenous from both of them. He fit on her mouth like he belonged there and soon she found herself opening her lips, leaning up, answering yes to what his body demanded.
The lightning bolt that went through her was as surprising as the moan that came out of her when his tongue probed into hers. His hands stayed on the frame of the door. Cassidy clutched her bag to her chest as some last defense against the racing heart inside it. She feared if she let her hands roam where they wanted to, namely his rock hard abs, there would be no stopping this.
Their only point of contact was lips on lips and it was white hot. She could only imagine if they touched any other place. Every other place.
He broke contact suddenly and she was instantly wanting more, aching in ways she couldn’t describe.
“One date.” He whispered, this time his breath exhaled into her mouth, somehow as intimate gesture as any.
She hesitated. She should do the safe thing, the smart thing, the focused thing, and stay away from Craddock Flynn. But now that she’d had a kiss, she knew it wasn’t going to end there. She decided that maybe she deserved a little fun. A little distraction. Something to enjoy, even it if was just hot sex with this beast of a man.
She put a finger up to her swollen lip. She watched him focus on her finger, her lip. She hadn’t meant to be alluring or sexy, that wasn’t her way. She’d spent her life trying to evade attention due to her looks, but she like that he liked what he saw. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want to hide this side of herself from this man. So she answered.
“Fine, yes.” It was useless to pretend she wasn’t attracted to him. She looked away from Craddock again, her cheeks felt hot and she was embarrassed that this one kiss could melt her so quickly.
“I’ll be her tomorrow at 7 p.m. Wear a skirt. How’s that? Gentlemanly right?”
“Right. Except the wardrobe orders. But okay.” She needed to get away from him now. Gain some equilibrium. She actually felt a little feint. Cassidy fumbled in her bag for her key, trying to get in her apartment before she begged for another kiss or worse yet, took one from him. He already had plenty of evidence that he had turned her on. So much for her earlier resolve.
As she turned away from him and put the key in the lock she felt a hand on her hip and Craddock Flynn dragging her back into his him, her backside was pressed against the hard evidence of what he had in his mind. Her breath was coming in small shallow bursts and she was suddenly aware of every part of her body. She found herself wishing he was touching her more, wishing that her clothes would disappear. This man had power over her. It was thrilling, but also terrifying.
His voice was low and it growled into her ear. With one arm he held her fast to his hips and with the other he held her hair off her neck by her earlobe. “I’m going to be thinking about kissing you all day in the gym tomorrow. Every time I look at you I’m going to picture this moment and how sweet you taste. And how much it drives me crazy when you touch your lip. God, that’s fucking sexy.” With one arm he pressed her into him again. He lifted her hair with his other arm and raked his teeth on her neck.
At last her key found its target. She turned it and felt the bolt unhook. In one swift move she broke his hold on her and she scooted into her apartment. She quickly closed the door.
“Good night sugar.” She heard from the other side of her closed apartment.
She pressed her eyes closed and put her finger to her lips again. They were still hot from the scorching kiss they’d just shared. She was in way over her head with Craddock Flynn, way over. She’d never been kissed like that before and didn’t know she even wanted to be. But clearly she did want it. Suddenly, overwhelmingly, she wanted Craddock Flynn, she wanted him way more than one date.
Chapter Four
Craddock
This girl went way beyond arousing him. Any bleach blonde with a nice rack could get a rise out of most guys and Craddock wasn’t most guys. He ran hot all the time, in the ring and out. But Cassidy Parker, she had him on fire.
He couldn’t pin point exactly what it was. Sure, she had a nice rack. He saw those gorgeous peaks trying to break free from her modest blouse. The fact that she was modest made him more insane to get her naked. She had a pert little bootie that perfectly filled out her jeans. It all just worked on her.
Maybe it was that cinnamon colored hair, not red, not brown, that he swore smelled like sugar that did it. He already knew her full pretty lips tasted like sin, and that her eyes, amber or green, changed when she was mad. Maybe that was it? Her spicy little attitude, he’d never met a woman who wouldn’t take his shit. He could tell she was legitimately pissed at him when she raised her eyebrow. It was all of it. All of her.
Driving home last night he let his kiss replay in his mind and he let his mind go further. He was into everything about her. She’d said yes to a date so that was something. At this point he had no idea where they’d go, but he was thinking probably dinner. He didn’t want to waste his time with her in a movie theater. He wanted to get to look at her and, total shocker, he wanted to hear her talk. His mom’s advice may have sunk in somewhere, he realized.
Craddock was up early and in the gym before Cassidy got in. Whitey was glad ‘cause he had a lot of stuff for them to get to. Details of the 21C qualifie
r were coming out that day.
He sensed her before he even saw her. He felt it from his chest down. It made him calm and worked up at the same time to know she was in the same room with him. Whitey had called them over for a meeting, but he kept his eyes on her as she put her coat on the hook, smiled a greeting, and brushed a heavy lock of hair behind her ear. It didn’t stay there.
“Flynn! Got a minute? I’m only talkin’ about the most important tournament of your life?” Whitey interrupted his new favorite pastime, Cassidy Parker. But he also had priorities and kicking ass was at the top. He focused on Whitey’s speech to the half a dozen or so guys that were entered in the MoTown Smack Down Tournament. Detroit was only three hours away, but the tournament could change his whole world.
“So as you know we’re allowed six entries into the tournament, provided you all have racked up enough season points so they know you’re not going to get killed. We’re going to take G-Man at heavy, Flynn and Powell at light heavy, Barton at middle, Jessie at welter, and Flannigan at lightweight.”
Powell was the only other fighter in the GWG that was actually sponsored by the corporate guys. They paid his rent, he trained, and when he got to the MoTown Smack Down, he’d fight for GWG. It was a big deal and good for the GWG if their sponsored guys won and went pro. But Powell had the exact same deal, he thought bitterly.
“Cassidy, can you come over here with those forms, sweetheart?”
Sweetheart was it? Even Whitey made him jealous and he was one-hundred years old and happily married.
Cassidy stepped away from her computer and shyly stood next to Whitey.
“Can you tell them what’s on there, what they need to do?”
“Sure Whitey. These packets are required by the tournament, the gym, and the 21C League.”
“Can’t hear you back here, baby.” And one of the assholes behind Craddock decided to give Cassidy shit. They were all animals. Cassidy cleared her throat and spoke up a little louder.
“You’re going to need to pay.”
“Maybe you need to come over here and show me.” It was Gary Gullich – The G-Man – who couldn’t quite understand he was about to die. The heavyweight was strong, but nothing is as surprising as an attack without mercy. Craddock was planning to deliver that attack if G-Man didn’t shut up. Craddock turned around to knock G-Man’s shaved bullet head off when all of a sudden Cassidy’s voice was very easy to hear.
“Gary, please sit down and be quiet. You’re ruining it for the other kids. If there’s a word on the form that’s too hard for you just sound it out.” And the place erupted in hoots and hollers that put G-Man in his place. Though the flirty way she said it pissed Craddock off to no end.
“She said hard.” Came the brilliant reply from Tom Flannigan in the front row. Whitey boxed him on the ear.
“Atta girl. You may actually have to help G-Man. His mastery of the ABC’s is basic, at best. Continue,” Whitey said.
“Okay so here’s what’s in your packets: the tournament form, the hold harmless form for the lawyers, your certification of season point tallies, and the rules. Also I’ve included the hotel information and itineraries.” She walked from fighter to fighter and handed them a packet. He watched them watch her and wanted this meeting fucking over. Now.
When Cassidy got to him she put the packet in his hand and held it for a beat. Then she winked right at him. All previous rage vanished, replaced again by pure lust.
“Thanks, Cassidy. Guys, she’s collecting the tournament fees and filing these forms, so all you got to do is get them to her by the end of the week, got it?”
Silence.
“GOT IT?”
“Yes, Coach!”
“Now put this paperwork in your bags and back to work, you candy asses.”
Cassidy walked through the dispersing group, squeezing by Craddock. He wanted to kiss her right there in the middle of the gym, give them all the message not to fuck with her. Not to touch her. Not to even look at her. He wanted her to be his, undisputed. But he also knew she’d probably bolt if he tried it. After their date tonight, it would be different story.
Gullich had the unfortunate luck of being his sparring partner and he put the guy in a rear naked choke that would’ve had him crying for mama instead of hitting on Cassidy. Gullich fought it off. G-Man was so fucking huge. He tried to finish the move but he lost focus as his eyes roamed to the reception area.
Sure as hell, she was watching the two of them go at it. In the split second he’d caught her attention, she’d put her thumb to her bottom lip and let it linger. It was too sexy to be anything but a message to him.
He heard Whitey yell, “All right, Flynn and G-Man stalemate. Let go and start again.”
He released G-Man and then slammed into him with a wicked takedown, upending the big man. Craddock had a surge of strength after Cassidy make it clear that she was hot for him. Seven P.M. couldn’t come soon enough.
Cassidy
It had been a good day at work. She’d figured out all the forms Whitey had wanted and had even put up with Gullich without stuttering or getting too flustered. She also had a decent understanding of the upcoming tournament. It was the focus of the Grand City GWG, and would be until it was over. Getting a fighter signed to the 21C was a huge step for a gym, she learned. It brought in new members and new fighters with MMA potential.
Whitey told her she’d really helped him with the “stuff I hate,” which was the paperwork and dealing with GWG home office. It wasn’t social work, but in its own way, helping clear the obstacles of paperwork for the athletes wound up being surprisingly rewarding. Whitey also had her booking the hotels for the coaches, trainers, and fighters. It kept her busy, which was good because it was really easy to get distracted with Craddock nearby.
Flirting with Craddock had been fun, as well. She’d thrown him little looks and gestures and she knew exactly what they were doing to him. Nothing overt or cheap, she hoped, but just a little acknowledgement that she knew he was watching her.
Who was this Cassidy Parker she wondered? She generally had confidence when it came to studying, staying calm under pressure, and being on her own. But confidence to flirt? This was like a fun new toy.
She’d worn her standard outfit of jeans, blouse, boots, and sweater at work but was sort of dismayed to look in her closet again, pre-date. She normally didn’t worry about clothes. She didn’t have the luxury of pinboards and look books like many college girls her age — which was fine — but she did want to look nice and was at a loss as to what to wear for her date. She decided a phone call was in order.
“Bess, if I tell you something, you have to promise not to over react.”
Bess was in the car driving home after work. “I promise no such thing.”
“I have a date and I’ve got zero idea what to wear.”
“A DATE? In the history of your history you’ve been on, what, three dates? Five?”
“Six, if you count that time I took a cab from the library instead of the bus. That cab driver was very gallant.”
“Who is it?”
“A fighter at the gym, Craddock Flynn.”
“Oh, Jesus God. That just sounds handsome. How much time you got?”
“He’s coming over at 7 p.m.”
“Okay it’s 5:15. Bubs is with his grandma, so I’ve got a little leeway. I’m coming over with options. You just take a shower and what not, then you can pick your favorite combo. See you by six.”
“Bess you don’t have -”
“No argument. And if you had a mom or dad, they’d want to meet this, ah what’s his name, Flippy McDougal?”
“Craddock Flynn.”
“Right. Go shower.”
True to her word, Bess was there, before six, with a garment bag of ideas. It made Cassidy want to cry, it was so nice, and so much more than anyone had ever done for her. Cassidy showered in the freezing cold bathroom, dried her hair, and put on lip gloss. That was the sum total of her primping knowledge.
“Okay there are three dresses in here and you’re keeping them all. I’ve worn them each and they’re all too short for me.” Bess was a good 5’7” to Cassidy’s 5’2”. All the dresses would be a bit loose but not bad because Bess was rail thin.
“I cannot take three dresses.”
“Listen, I was going to give them to you anyway, but didn’t see the urgency in it. Now you’ve got a date and I want you to look like a million bucks because you NEVER date. This must be a special guy. What was it, uh, Snap Crackle McPop?”
“Craddock Flynn, Bess.”
“Go, try them on.”
There was a red wrap dress, a black sheath, and a brown sweater dress. It was tough to decide between them because she had no idea where they were going.
“Here’s my suggestion, do the brown sweater dress, you can wear these heeled boots. You look lovely in it. Black seems too formal and you in red might be too much for the poor man.”
“Come on. I don’t exactly have bombshell written all over me. You should see the type of girl that these fighter types normally go for. I’m not in their league whatsoever.”
“They’re not in yours.” Bess said definitely.
“Thanks.” Cassidy sat down and tried the boots on with the dress as suggested.
“Let me see with the boots on,- perfect!” Bess remarked. “Plus, the boots aren’t as high as the black ones you have, so you can give him a good kick if you need to and start running!”
“Always planning ahead aren’t you Bess?” She didn’t have a full length mirror so she was trusting Bess that this was all okay.
“So, in all seriousness, should I be worried? You’ve got a good choice coming over to take you out?” Bess switched from big sister to concerned mama hen in an instant.
“I have no idea if he’s a good choice. But — promise you won’t freak out — he’s the only guy I ever wanted to kiss. So, well, there’s that.”
“Okay. Well, he may be a fighter, but you’re the knock out. Don’t forget it. He better treat you well, or I’ll knock him out.” Bess gave her another hug.