“Tate, go home for the day,” Debs demands angry.
I don’t argue. I need some Advil, my teeth are practically vibrating from the harsh impact they took. I feel the skin under my upper lip positive I bit it.
Pulling my aching body from the ring, I head to the locker room. Hands on my hips, embarrassment and anger torpedo through me.
I looked like a fucking chump out there. Why didn’t Debs listen to Camden? Why didn’t I? Pissed, I slam my fist into a locker.
Chapter Sixteen
Tate
Sitting on the porch steps of my house I rub at my aching hands. Angry.
What happened in the ring could have been avoided. If I had known Chase was going to act like that I would have been more alert, and could have had a better chance at standing my ground.
My head falls in my hands and my phone beeps.
I just fucked Jacki’s boyfriend. Miss you. –Keegan.
I laugh, and give a thumbs up before tucking the phone back in my pocket.
I needed that laugh.
Camden’s car pulls into his drive, and he climbs out with ease. He’s like a smooth panther. Graceful, but strong.
His eyes spot mine, and I look down. Pretending not to be watching him. I hate that he had to stop the fight today. Seems he’s always rescuing me.
He walks onto my lawn, his gym bag thrown over one shoulder.
“You okay?” he asks getting closer.
Sucking in a breath I give a tight lipped smile.
“Oh, today? Yeah, I’m fine. No big deal,” I play off, but my lip is definitely swollen.
He raises a brow calling my bluff.
“Debs is a shit trainer you know? You should probably find someone else.” He looks off into the distance, his blond hair blowing with the wind.
I scoff. “I can’t afford another trainer, and Debs is free. The only reason I’m even with her is because you broke the bet between me and Thomas,” I remind him of his tantrum.
“Maybe, but if Thomas didn’t want to train you he would have just wasted your time. I’ve seen him do it before,” Camden explains. “He does it to Chase.”
I roll my eyes, picking at what is left of the stupid pink nail polish on my nails.
Chase is an odd one, he’s cute but has a temper. I’ve heard him randomly cussing, and thumping on his chest like he thinks he’s God. It’s not attractive, and to be honest he’s kind of scary.
Camden bites his lip as he looks down at me. His hand wringing the strap on his bag.
“Let me train you,” he says it so quietly I barely hear him.
My eyes flick to his, surely I heard him wrong.
“What?”
“You heard me, let me train you.” He drops his bag and sits next to me, his knee bumping into mine shoots sparks from the contact down to my toes.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I shake my head in protest, my toe tapping nervously on the step.
“Why?” he shrugs.
I laugh. “Because, it’s not.” There are so many reasons why it’s not a good idea.
I’d never be able to focus in the ring with Camden. Besides, there’s a big enough fight between him and I out of the ring to last us a lifetime.
“The way I see it is, your stubborn ass ain’t going anywhere anytime soon, and I can’t stand to see you doing everything wrong everyday in the gym.” He hits me with an arrogant look.
Wrapping my arms around my legs I grumble, “I’m not doing everything wrong,” and huff.
“You are,” he scoffs and I roll my eyes. This man is infuriating. Gritting my teeth, I look away.
Silence falls between us as we look anywhere but at each other. I close my eyes, knowing damn well why I can’t have him train me. I’ll want more, much more. Having Camden touch me on a daily basis only on a professional level will drive my body to the edge of torture. To have him be so close to me and smell the sweat dripping from his hard chest and not be able to run my nails across it, will take more self-discipline than I have.
“Think about it?” He stands, his clenched ass right in my line of sight. He leans down and grabs his bag, tossing it over his shoulder.
He doesn’t even give me a chance to reply before walking off.
Camden
I can’t believe I just asked to be her coach. What the fuck was I thinking?
When Tate left years ago I built an internal wall, protecting myself from being hurt ever again. It’s worked well for me the last four years. The barrier was stronger than the Great Wall of China. But then Tate fucking Davis struts back in town and that wall falls, brick by brick until there is nothing but dust and my soul bare for her to rip from my chest all over again. Maybe that wall was never really strong to begin with, and maybe I wasn’t over her like I thought I was.
Seeing her in the ring with Chase undid my sense of rationality. I didn’t care about what I wanted. All I care about is protecting her.
Like old times.
I swore if ever saw Tate again I’d make her hurt like she hurt me.