One to Love (One to Hold 4)

With disappointment heavy in my chest, I told her goodnight, claiming I needed to get an early start the next morning. I left her standing in her doorway, beautiful in my dark green tee, after kissing her soft lips once more.

Everything about her called to me. For the first time in years, I wished my life were different and I could approach her like a regular guy. Not like a broken-down has-been with more baggage than a trans-Atlantic flight.

She deserved better, yet she wanted me. She touched my face and asked me to let her see inside my darkest places. Now I had to decide if I was brave enough to say yes, to risk losing her by granting her request.

* * *

We hadn’t met for an early morning workout in a few days. Yesterday, she’d been sleeping so well, curled like a kitten in my bed, I’d left a note and went in without disturbing her. This morning, she was there, waiting for me when I arrived.

“Ready to train?” She smiled as I entered the boxing room.

My brow relaxed at the sight of her in tight black exercise pants and a dark purple sports bra. Her hair was wrapped in a messy bun on her head, and I was certain I’d never seen anything more adorable.

“You bet,” I said, and she skipped over to kiss me. A little groan breathed from my throat. “Mmm, unless you keep doing that.”

“I missed you last night.” Her eyes sparkled with her smile, and she held her hand up. “Help me with my other glove.”

The thin black gloves she wore were fingerless and had gel cushions over the knuckles. They strapped around her wrists and were meant to stabilize and protect her joints against the impact. She’d already pulled on one, so I held the other at the center of my chest. Lifting her hand, palm facing me, she opened her fingers to push them into the slots.

That’s when I saw it—a tiny black teardrop inked in the center of her palm. A cool flush washed through my insides but I held my expression steady. I knew what that symbol meant, any tattoo artist would know what it meant, and for the first time since I met her, I considered the possibility that she might have secrets of her own she didn’t want to share.

She didn’t seem to notice my change as she lifted her now-gloved hand to eye-level at her cheekbone. “Ready when you are!”

Her smile was so genuinely flirty and cute. It didn’t make sense to me how a girl like her could be hiding a secret that big. Maybe to her I didn’t make sense either, but one thing was for sure—we had more talking to do.

“Show me what you got.”

We trained, me giving her pointers, correcting her form, until the clock told us both we had to call it quits. The group classes would be arriving, and I’d be stuck here late, waiting to clean the ladies’ locker room.

“You go ahead,” she said, using her teeth to pull the gloves off. I hadn’t even noticed the small tattoo before, yet now it was all I saw. “I’ll have my breakfast smoothie and let you finish.”

“I’ll have to work fast.”

Stepping back to kiss her brow, I took off toward the front.

Chapter 18: “Surrender to what is.”

Kenny

Mariska waited with a matcha-tea smoothie for me when my last client of the day finally left.

“Smoothie on me.” She slid it across the counter.

“Thanks,” I said, noticing Slayde’s key was back in his slot. He’d left for the day without telling me, and I couldn’t stop a frown.

My best friend didn’t miss a thing. “What’s the latest on you and Batman?”

“Oh,” I tried to laugh it off, dropping my chin. “He... umm... had something to do this afternoon.” I couldn’t tell her the truth. I had no idea what was going on.

“It looked like things were getting pretty hot and heavy on S

unday.”

The smoothie she’d made me was good—tea with mint and a little sweetness. I took another long sip before answering. “Monday, too.”

“Well, it’s only Tuesday!” She laughed. “Why do you look like your favorite stiletto lost a heel?”

I stabbed my drink, wishing it were something stronger to numb this growing pain in my chest. “I’m afraid I might be pushing him too fast. That he’ll pull away all of a sudden.”