by Harper Sloan
Joining him, I loop my elbow through his arm and we begin walking back towards the parking lot. “I guess we are. But there’s nothing that says it has to stay that way, you know? Not everyone’s a cheater.”
“I haven’t bothered to find out. I haven’t dated anyone since her,” he tells me. While I shouldn’t be surprised, I can’t help the feeling.
“You haven’t dated anyone since you graduated high school? Not a single person, not even casually?”
We’ve made it to the car, and he holds my door open for me. When he goes around to his side and slides in, he looks over at me. “Nope, no one. I had a long time to stew on what happened during boot camp and my EOD training. The more I thought about it, the more I decided that love wasn’t for me. I don’t see how you could say you love someone for four years and then all the sudden decide to sleep with someone else. If that’s love, I don’t want any part of it. And the casual bullshit is just that. Bullshit. It may start that way, but it just gets complicated later on.”
I knew he was jaded, but I didn’t realize he was that much against relationships. “Knox, you guys were kids. Love means something totally different when you’re that age. You can’t swear it off based on one experience.”
“Oh yeah? How’d the whole love thing work out for you and the professor?” Ouch. He’s got me there, but damn that was a low blow.
I tell myself he’s just feeling a bit of bitterness after recounting what happened between him and Megan, but the conversation has been officially killed with that comment. Leaning back against the seat, I stare out the window for the rest of the ride home.
NOT WANTING to listen to her tell me why I shouldn’t give up on love, my inner asshole came out, effectively shutting her up until I pull into the garage. This is definitely not how I planned on the night going, but I wasn’t lying when I said it had actually felt good to talk to someone about Megan. Turning the car off, I grab her arm when she goes to get out.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I meant what I said, but it came out harsher than I expected.”
I’m relieved when she smiles at me. “Don’t worry about it, Knox. Message received, loud and clear. You don’t do love. I get it,” she says, pulling away from me.
When we get in the house, she throws her purse on the table beside the door, something that drives me nuts. For the past eleven years, I’ve been used to order, and I hate when things are out of place. It’s irrational, but I figure the Army’s drilled it into me so much that I can’t help it. I’m still trying to get used to living with someone, especially a chick.
She heads straight back to her bedroom, before reappearing in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of comfortable shorts. I’ve learned that she hates lounging around the house in regular clothes, so she’s always changing the moment she walks in the door. She lives in t-shirts and those hot little yoga pants that show off her ass. I’m all about a girl that dresses up, but the comfortable look on Charlie is sexier than anything else, and even though I try not to, I always notice when she changes.
Grabbing a couple of beers, I join her in the living room, where she’s going through the Netflix queue. I hand her one, and she gives me a smile. Yeah, I’m definitely getting used to this. Having her here, comfortable, on my couch, in my house, in my life. I find myself hoping that she decides to stay when her friend gets back in a few weeks.
“Archer or Arrested Development?” she asks, and I go for the first choice. Settling back in on the couch, we spend the next couple of hours laughing at Sterling Archer and the rest of ISIS, with light conversation here and there. Neither one of us brings up our exes again; I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
Around midnight she can barely keep her eyes open. I’m somewhat disappointed when she decides to call it a night. Leaning over, she surprises me by giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for tonight, Knox. I had a great time. And I appreciate you listening to me spill about Drew.”
“Hey, what kind of pretend boyfriend would I be if I didn’t give you a shoulder to lean on?” I grin at her and have to duck from the pillow she throws at me.
“I guess I should say thanks for that, too. You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it.”
“I’ll be your pretend man any time you want, sweetheart.”
She’s laughing, and I hope she knows I mean it. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She turns to leave but stops when she gets to the hallway. Looking back at me, I can tell there’s more she wants to say. “I think you’re looking at it the wrong way. It wasn’t a mistake. Not even close. I think it was a gift. Imagine if you’d ended up married to her and she later on decided you weren’t enough. Look how close I was to coming to what really would’ve been the biggest mistake of my life. Be thankful she got away, Knox. I know I am.”
With that she leaves me alone in the living room. I process her words, repeating them in my mind over and over, almost like a mantra. I didn’t tell Charlie about Megan showing up at the hospital, but she basically hit the nail on the head anyway. And she’s right. It’s a fucking gift that I didn’t end up with her, and I need to start looking at it that way.
THE REST of the summer passes way too quickly. I’ve made amazing progress with the physical therapy that started after I got my cast off. Dr. B said that it’s because I had Charlie to keep me in line, and while I agree, I’m wondering if she was always trying to suck up in front of her boyfriend’s daughter. There are only a couple more weeks in Jace’s challenge, but I already know I’m not going to pick that book back up. Living with Charlie has actually been a lot easier than I initially thought it would be. Neither of us has brought up our exes since that night, and she hasn’t needed me to play pretend again, even though I wouldn’t have minded.
“Ready to get your ass kicked?” she asks, walking out of her room in short spandex shorts and a fitted black and pink tank that says, “I Hit Like a Girl.”
My eyes trail down her toned, tan legs to her matching black and pink tennis shoes. Smirking at her, I’m surprised to find her in pink. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear the color.
“Stop staring and let’s go. I’m excited to finally get to do this,” she tells me, grabbing her gym bag and walking out the door.
For the first time, I’ve finally been cleared to go back to all my normal exercise activities. Kale’s been telling me stories about Charlie in the ring, and if he jokes one more time about getting her flat on her back, I’m probably going to sucker-punch him. He did give me some good intel about her friend, Lucy, coming back soon. I need to figure out a way to bring it up without making it sound like I’m begging her to stay.
Now that I’m in the clear and back at work, there’s no reason for Cohen to come here for a few shorts weeks, especially since he’s about to start his final year of undergrad. He offered last time I talked to him, but I told him I was fine, and he sounded relieved. It’s just that the thought of living alone again isn’t one I want to have. I don’t know how it happened, but I’m too used to having her around for her to leave at the end of the summer.
Hearing my car horn, I grin while locking up the house and joining her in the garage. Sliding into the car, I look at her. “Impatient much?”
Nodding enthusiastically, she says, “Dad couldn’t make our weekly sparring session earlier this week and I haven’t been able to get to the gym. With school about to start, my office hours have been insane. Plus, I’ve wanted to smack you around since the moment I met you. So yeah, let’s get going already.”
“Umm, Charlie, you’ve already done that,” I remind her teasingly.
She slightly reddens before giving me a soft punch on the arm. “Hey, you deserved that one,” she answers, and I can only shake my head.
Once we make it to the gym, she hops out of the car and quickly goes inside. Watching her legs flex and her ass shake with every step is so damn hot, and I don’t know if I’m going to be able to concentrate when her legs shoot out as she goes for a kick. And heaven help me if she does to
o many roundhouse kicks. Her legs spreading might be my undoing.
When I get inside, I see her already stretching, getting her muscles loose. I join her, doing the same thing. A few minutes later, we find an open ring and I follow her inside. I can’t help the laugh that comes when I see her pink boxing gloves, and she flips me off, causing me to laugh even more.
“Why the hell are you laughing at me, Wellington?” she asks. I’m finding that she’s pretty damn sexy when she’s scowling at me and calling me by my last name.
Waving my hand towards her, I answer her. “All this pink. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear it, and now it’s all over you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Are you ready to do this?” Before I can answer, I hear a voice call from the side of the ring.
“Hey, Charlie, take Rugged Man down!” I look over to see Jace giving her a thumbs-up.
A faint blush spreads over her cheeks, and I vaguely remember her calling me that once when she was pissed at me. Raising my eyebrows, I have to ask. “Rugged Man? Aw, sweetheart, did you give me a nickname?”
She lifts her chin and looks me square in the face. “I may have given you that moniker the first time I saw you, and since you wouldn’t introduce yourself, it may have slipped out when talking to Jace.”
I grin, loving that she gave me a nickname. “So you think I’m rugged?” If it could, my dick would be high-fiving itself right now.
“Thought. I thought you were rugged. Now I’m not so sure. Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”
“Trust me, sweetheart. You definitely will,” I promise, shooting her a wink.
Jace climbs into the ring and gets us started. We spend the first few minutes moving around the ring, one of us moving in for a quick jab or sidekick but then pulling back. Impressed with her technique, I know I’m going to have my work cut out for me, especially since my cardio has been lacking lately. I’ve sparred with women before, and I’ve never had a problem seeing them as equals when we get in the ring. There’s something about Charlie that makes me want to let her win, but I think she’d really kick my ass if I did that.
The first round ends without excitement. I admire the way her shirt rises up when she takes a drink of water, showcasing a toned stomach.
“Quit taking it easy on me. I know you can pack more in your punch than what you’re giving,” she says, catching on to my game. “Seriously, if you don’t fight me like you’d fight Jace, I’m going to make you sit through every episode of Duck Dynasty until you’re all caught up.”
There’s no way I’m going to endure that torture, no matter how many times she tells me I’ll love it if only I give it a chance. When the next round starts, I’m quick to stutter-step towards her, and I extend my leg and land a solid front kick right into her stomach, forcing her back. She grins, and I know it’s finally on. She moves in quickly, swinging her arm and hooking it at the last minute, catching me square in the jaw.
Holy shit, this girl can fucking punch.
Backing up, I shake it out and try to regroup, but she’s right on me. And just like I predicted, she roundhouse kicks me right in the upper thigh. I’m momentarily paralyzed as I watch her knee come up and move to the outside, splitting her legs wide open. Even though it’s covered, the skin-tight material shows off the sweetest spot.
Backing off a little bit, she’s bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Come on, Rugged,” she says mockingly.
“You think you’re cute, don’t you?” I ask, stalking towards her. She backs away from me, but I follow her. We circle the ring, predator stalking prey, but the roles are blurred when it comes to who’s who.
She ignores me and moves in to get in a quick jab in my ribs before pulling back. Her eyes are shining, and I’m so glad we decided not to wear mouth guards, because she’s smiling wide and it’s fucking gorgeous.
“Don’t you?” she asks, an innocent expression on her face. Shaking my head but smiling, I know I don’t have to answer that.
All the sudden, someone yells, “Knock him out, Charlie!” and she makes a fatal mistake, turning for a split second to see who it is. Little does she know that I saw Kale walk in and I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist cheering her on. I’ve been anticipating it from the moment I spotted him, and he didn’t fail me. The moment I see her head start to turn, I cross the distance between us, catching her off guard. She catches her mistake almost immediately, but it’s too late. I take her down with a sweep kick, and she falls, landing flat on her back. I’m quick to join her down on the mat, my legs straddling her on both sides. She’s trying to catch her breath, all the while glaring up at me.
“That was cheap,” she tells me, eyes pissed off.
Leaning down so our faces are close, I disagree. “Situational awareness, sweetheart. Boxing doesn’t end and begin in the ring. You have to be aware of what’s going on around you, all while being able to zone it out, too.”
Even though she huffs, I can tell she knows I’m right. Leaning above her, I’m trying so fucking hard not to move in and kiss her. Her face is flushed, her breathing labored, and she’s never been sexier.
“Don’t leave,” I’m saying before I can tell myself to shut the hell up. She looks up at me, eyes narrowed in confusion.
“I can’t exactly leave when you’re on top of me, Knox,” she says softly. And as hot as it what when she called me Wellington, I love the sound of her whispering my name.
“No, I mean once the summer ends. When Lucy gets back. I don’t want you to move out.” I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s true, and I might as well put myself out there. If I don’t, I’ll wind up in an empty house again, and that’s the last thing I want.
Her eyes widen and she inhales slowly before letting the air escape her lungs. “You want me to stay?”
Nodding, I bring my lips down to her ear. “Don’t leave me, sweetheart.” My legs are still straddling her, and since I’ve leaned down, our torsos are pressed together. I can feel her breasts pressing against my chest, and I’m suddenly imaging that we’re in the same position, but in my bed instead of the ring. Pulling back up, I look down into her eyes. She pulls her lower lip into her mouth, sucking on it for a moment before she lets it go. Slowly, she puts me out of my misery as she nods.
“Okay, Knox. I’ll stay.” I didn’t realize that my heart was racing until now. It’s finally calming down, knowing that she’s not going anywhere. Without another thought, I close the space between us and press my lips against hers. Her eyes widen, but I don’t move until I feel her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me in closer. Closing her eyes, she deepens the kiss. I move my lips with hers, slowly at first, savoring the feel of her until it’s no longer enough. I need to touch her, to taste her, and suddenly I don’t care that we’re right in the middle of the boxing ring.
Sliding my hand up her shirt, I trace the outline her of stomach, loving the feel of her skin. My tongue pushes against her lips, and she immediately parts them. Her tongue meets mine in a collision that sends all the blood in my body straight to my cock, and I swear I feel her lift her hips in response. Her hands move up to grip the top of my head. I take my free hand and wrap it around her ponytail, pulling slightly, and she moans against my mouth.
I’m more than ready to take her right here when I hear my name called, and I freeze. No fucking way. I’d know that damn voice anywhere, and I feel like life is fucking with me if I’m hearing it right now. Mother fucker, you have got to be kidding me. Pulling away from Charlie, I press one last kiss on her lips before moving away from her. Looking down, I see the look of hunger in her eyes, and I can’t wait to get her home, finally into my bed. I know this is a turning point in our relationship, and for once, I don’t freak out at the word.
Sitting up, she brings her hands to her lips. “If you wanted me to stay that badly, you could’ve just done that without even asking,” she says, a teasing light in her eyes.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I just couldn’t help myself. You’re right, I defi
nitely thought you were cute, pouting while lying on your back after I put you there.”
Before she can respond, I hear my name called again, this time the voice closer than before
“Oh, fuck me,” I groan, and Charlie looks as me, confused. “Just go with it, okay?” I ask, hating what I’m about to do and more than pissed off that the moment’s been ruined.
Twenty seconds later, we’re exiting the ring and joined by Megan fucking Caldwell—excuse me, Wellington.
OH. MY. God. The way that Knox and I danced around each other in the ring is reminiscent of how we’ve been over the past couple of months. There have been innocent flirting and touches, but the way it felt when he was on top of me, whispering into my ear… It was such a turn-on. I’ve thought about his lips on mine more times than I can count, but no fantasy could ever live up to the real thing. I don’t think he actually intended on kissing me, especially the way he simply placed his lips on mine and then did nothing else. I couldn’t help myself. Something ignited inside me and I had to make him take it further. And thank Christ I did. When I felt his erection pressing against me, I almost lost it. Knowing what he’s packing made me want him even more.
I’m still reeling from it, and if it weren’t for the interruption, I’d be begging him to take me home right now. If I had my way, I’m not even sure we’d make it out of the garage. I make a mental note that hot, sweaty sex on the hood of Evelyn is one fantasy that needs to be fulfilled.
A female voice is calling his name from across the gym. When we exit the ring, I come face to face with a very petite, very beautiful woman. She has wealth written all over her, in her designer suit, Gucci purse, perfected hair, and manicured hands.
“Megan,” he says impassively.
Holy shit. It doesn’t take much to put two and two together, and now I’m confused as hell. He’s never said anything about them still being in contact. And I have no idea why she’d be tracking him down at the gym. She takes a moment to look me up and down, but her face is blank and I can’t read her.