Take Me On

“What about you?” I ask.

Haley’s eyes jump to mine. “What about me?”

“When are you going to engage?”

Her forehead wrinkles and her dark eyes harden. She’s sexy as hell pissed. “What is that supposed to mean?”

It must mean that I don’t mind angering her enough that she’ll cut off my balls. It means that when I give her roses, she tells me maybe we’ll talk. “You keep telling me what I need to do, then, instead of going for a blow, you show me shadow boxing.”

Haley lifts her chin, almost daring me to challenge her again. “Do you have a problem with how I’m training you?”

“No, but it doesn’t take a head shrink to figure out that you’re holding back.”

She leans into me just like the night we first met. “I am not holding back.”

“Yeah, you are. We’ve been together day in and day out for over a month, and holding back is what you do. With people at school, your family, in training, with denying what you feel when you’re with me.”

“Feel with you? Me and you—we are friends.”

“We crossed beyond friends the night we spent in your room and you know that. Fuck, Haley, there isn’t a moment that we haven’t been into each other and I’m not the only one in the room aware of it.”

Haley shakes her head and waves a hand in the air. “Keep your mind where it needs to be, West. In the gym.”

“Hey, you’re the one who kissed me in the cafeteria today.”

“Bwha.” A large puff of air leaves her mouth and blood leaves her face. “I was thanking you. For helping me. Not coming on to you.”

I ease closer to her. “You want me. Admit it, Haley. You. Want. Me. You wanted me the first night we met, you wanted me the night in your room and you want me right now, but you’ve buried it deep. It popped out today when you least expected it and now you’re mad because I’m calling you out.”

Haley goes blank, and, like the time we confronted Matt and Conner in the cafeteria, she goes into the frozen shock. I’m used to girls who tell me everything that crosses their minds...everything. Including the things that should be self-censored, but Haley keeps every thought locked away and maybe she doesn’t do it on purpose. Maybe that’s her way of keeping up her guard.

I glance down at the gloves on my hand. “I step when I punch.”

Haley’s dark eyes jump to mine and the hope, the gratitude swimming in them for changing the subject almost brings me to my knees. “No, you don’t.”

“And I throw more jabs than crosses.”

A smile starts to play on her lips. “That definitely never happens.”

“And I am the king of switching up between going on the defensive and offensive.”

Like I knew she would, Haley laughs loudly. The spark that has returned to her eyes is nearly impossible to resist.

“If I throw a jab...” I lift my left arm and mock throw the punch.

Haley giggles as she absently blocks. Instantaneously, I step and “toss” a cross at her and she takes a mirroring step back as she blocks it again.

“The boy can be taught,” she says through another laugh.

“Been known to happen with me and monkeys on occasion.” With each halfhearted throw, I step in, and in smooth, rhythmic movements, Haley continues to counter, keeping a safe distance between us. She stays close enough to block me, close enough to go on the offensive if she chooses, but far enough away I can’t touch and that’s what I want... I crave to touch Haley.

Without warning, I slide into her and back her into the cage. Haley’s breath leaves her body in a rush and those dark eyes focus on me. Her hands rest on my chest and her fingers flutter, as if not sure whether to push or to explore. With my gloves against the fence on either side of her head, I lean into her and draw my nose up her jawline to her ear. Her body is warm and firm and she smells so damn good.

“What do I do if I get pushed against the cage?” I whisper into her ear and close my eyes when a tremor runs through her body.

Her fingernails tease my chest as her hands drift to my sides. “You hit here.” She squeezes my right side and electricity blazes out of her touch and into my system. “And here.” Then squeezes the other.

I nip at her ear and Haley’s hands tighten against my skin. Images of her underneath me appear in my mind and I want the fantasy to become reality. “What do I do if he takes me to the floor?”

I watch her throat as she swallows. She has beautiful skin—soft, smooth. The gloves on my hands turn into a nuisance as the urge to touch her evolves into an obsession.

“Grappling,” she says a little breathlessly.

Now those are lessons I look forward to. “When will we start that?”

“Soon.”

I part my mouth and kiss her neck. Haley dips her head to the side, allowing me more access, and through these damn shorts, she has to feel how much I want her.