Sometime between the jumping jacks and sit ups, Debs got tired of waiting on me and ventured over to Thomas. She’s fluttering her lashes at him and flirting pathetically. I can’t tell if they’re a couple or just fuck buddies. Either way there is some serious attraction going on there.
I take the opportunity to sit back and catch my breath.
“You should just give up,” Camden insults, striking the punching bag like a coiled snake.
“Maybe you should…” I’m so out of breath I can’t even finish that insult. I fall on my back, heaving for air. I want to say something witty and smart, but my chest is on fire from lack of oxygen, I can’t think clearly.
“Tate! Get up and give me twenty more jumping jacks!” Debs orders. Quickly I get to my feet, nervous I got caught slacking.
Jumping in place, I catch Camden smirking at my expense.
“Yeah Tate, get up and stop being a pussy,” Camden laughs.
“Screw you,” I pant between jumps.
He’s such an asshole. I bet he’s loving this.
After Debs is satisfied with my pre-workout, she has me shadow box my reflection. Nothing is faster than your own shadow. If you can beat that, you can beat anyone.
Jumping on my back foot wrong, I fall to the cool ground and grab at my ankle.
“Shit,” I seethe, rubbing the sensitive muscle. Man, I hope I didn’t sprain it.
“Haven’t you heard, girls don’t belong in a man’s gym,” Camden says walking toward the water fountain.
Standing from the floor I roll my eyes at his assumption.
“We’ll see about that when I’m whooping your ass in sparring.”
“Good luck. You better call your friends… you’ll need the help,” he whispers into my ear from behind before walking off. His words tickle the sensitive skin of my ear, running a shiver down my back.
I can’t handle how my body responds to him like old times, meanwhile my heart and mind hate him.
***
Three days of intense training and hostile tension between Camden and I go flying by.
It’s hard to concentrate on what Debs is saying half the time because I can feel Camden’s eyes staring at me each day. They’re cold but spark a blazing trail along my skin. My heart thunders in my chest like a teenager with a crush when our eyes lock, it’s annoying. I should be more focused… but I’m not. When he’s not looking at me, I’m looking at him.
He’s become such a good fighter, it’s hard not to watch him.
He’s quick on his feet, and he’s fucking gorgeous with his shirt off.
Jump roping in place, Debs clocks me.
“Alright you’re still slow, let’s see you hit today.” She consults the stopwatch and drops it to the floor.
“I’m trying my best,” I pant, tossing the rope to the side. I haven’t seemed to have pleased her once in all of our training. I can’t tell if she’s just pushing me to my best, or just a bitch.
“Trying is for quitters, doing is for legends. Remember that.” She points at me and winks.
I blink rapidly, I think that’s the most inspirational thing that has come out of Debs’ mouth.
“Stop looking at me like that and get your hands taped up and meet me at the punch bag,” she orders.
Heading toward the locker room Camden steps out of the men’s. Noticing where I’m headed he steps in my way.
“Move,” I instruct, but he doesn’t budge.
“What’s the magic word?” he crosses his arms with a smug look. I can’t help but notice the veins criss cross along his biceps.
“Move or I’ll kick you in the balls?”
His brows lift as if he’s intrigued.
“Ah, and how has that foreplay worked out for you?”
“Never been better,” I reply, hinting that he’s terrible at foreplay.
He steps forward, his face turning hard.
“I think we both know that isn’t true.”
“Do we?” I tilt my head to the side I cross my arms, my fingernails digging into my skin from being nervous. I’ve never done this bantering thing before.
His body inches from mine, he slides a stray hair of mine behind my hair.
“You think you’re being cute, but if I recall you’ve called out my name several times while my head was between those legs.”
My bravado instantly falls as my panties soak from arousal.
Stepping beside me he stops.
“I’d almost believe that you didn’t still want me if your nipples weren’t hard enough to cut glass with.”
My stomach sinks and I look down finding my nipples protruding through my sports bra and shirt.
Fuck!
Lifting my crossed arms to cover myself I head into the locker room.
Cate helps tape my hands up, because Debs has somehow made her way over to Thomas and began her flirt session.
Glancing at the bag, I give it a tap, testing it out. I’ve hit the bags plenty of times before, but this one seems bigger. Maybe it’s because it’s newer.
“You going to dance with it, or hit it?” Debs chimes, stepping up behind me. “Pretend it’s someone you hate. Like Camden.” She giggles to herself.
“What do you mean?” I try to play it cool, but obviously the tension between Camden and I is that obvious.