TKO: Total Knock Out (TKO 1)

“You didn’t answer me a second ago,” I snap before he can get in the first swing. “What the hell were you talking about?”

“Look, Raegan, I saw the way he looked at you. He was drooling like a love sick puppy. He won’t admit it but I know that guy like the back of this damn glove on my hand. By the way, these are my favorite gloves.” His wink almost throws me off and I have to do my best to ignore his comments.

Bam, one hit blocked and I swing at him only to get knocked on my ass. I wince at the sharp pain hitting my ribs, but push through it. Lance reaches down and I grip his glove in mine to pull myself up. “You distracted me. I could have had you.”

“That’s your first mistake, sweetheart.” When he sees my puzzled expression, he adds, “You let yourself get distracted. Garrett doesn’t date, by the way, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Who the hell said I was thinking that?” I didn’t want anyone to pick up on my attraction to him, but Lance must have good radar.

“Darling, no one is blind here. We all see it,” Lance warns. “Even though this is your first day, we see it.”

I mumble under my breath, vowing he won’t get another hit in. After I pin him to the ground, I smirk with satisfaction. He gives me a big sweaty hug when he stands and we flop back on the mat.

Howard and Jack are lifting weights, and I head toward them when Whitney stops me. She looks so perky and excited I can’t turn away from her. “You seem to be doing pretty well for your first day. Oh, and please don’t mind my brother. He can be an ass but he means well.”

All I can do is smile and pray I don’t look goofy. Garrett is an ass, but sexy and—

Shut up, Raegan. That’s not why I’m here.

“I’m used to that kinda crap, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for him,” I tell her.

“I like you, Raegan, you’re spunky like me. We could be good friends. Want to come back to the apartment and order a pizza? Have a little gal time? Garrett may be there but he never sticks around when I have company so you don’t have to worry about him.”

I think it over for a moment before saying, “I think that’ll be all right, but hang on a second.”

She grins, brushing her hair away from her face and her eyes shine with excitement, as if she really means what she’s saying about wanting to be friends. I’m not used to this kind of thing. But it’s a chance to see Garrett. Oh, and pizza of course. I’m starving, especially after sparring. Dad didn’t buy any food this week so we’re down to a few cans of tuna, some ravioli, green beans, and a few frozen dinners. Those frozen dinners are never appetizing; my stomach turns just thinking about them.

Dad will most l

ikely be pissed when I don’t come home right away so I text him and let him know I’ll be home later. He responds almost immediately:

Have a good time. See you when you get home.

I hope I don’t see him when I get home, but I keep that thought to myself.

Then I turn to Whitney. “Sounds like it’s on. I’ll be there.”

She starts jumping and clapping as she runs to tell Howard she’s leaving. He waves to me and I head to my truck. Maybe, just maybe, walking in there today was a good decision. I’m in need of good decisions right now. I need a way out, and I think this is it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a familiar vehicle. I cringe when I realize it’s James and Adryian and they just pulled up. He gets out and opens the door for her like a gentleman. He always was the perfect gentleman. She just couldn’t wait to make her move, and he didn’t seem to mind, which pisses me off even more. I can see their fingers intertwine which makes me want to gag. When she reaches up for a kiss, I fight back tears.

Before he can notice my truck, I hurry and jump in. I clutch Mom’s picture, trying to keep myself together, but this gets harder by the minute. Then I realize I have no idea where Garrett and Whitney live. Fuck my life. I get out and meet her by the door. She rattles off directions, but when I look confused, she tells me to follow her instead.

Their apartment is a few blocks from the gym. I have no idea how I couldn’t figure this out from her directions, but seeing James really threw me. There is a security gate, and everything about it screams safe. Flowers line the immaculate iron gate and once we are inside the complex, there are trees and bushes on almost every corner. The landscaping is perfect; not one blade of grass stands higher than another. I park beside her and see a dark gray Silverado on the other side that I presume to be Garrett’s. I hope he’s in his room because I just don’t think I’m ready to see him again, especially not after what Lance told me just earlier. Could he possibly like me? But Lance said he doesn’t date. I’m not ready to date, either and I feel horrible even looking at another guy. Yeah, I hope he’s planning on leaving.

As she unlocks the apartment door I suck in a deep breath as I enter their home. For just the two of them, they keep a tidy apartment. It is comforting. Everything from the vase on the cherry wood table to the pictures on the cream colored wall, to the worn couch in the living room. A couch people actually sit on. No one has ever really sat on our couch.

Whitney tosses her keys on the counter, wasting no time hollering at her brother. “Garrett, order some pizza, will ya?”

“Sure thing,” he calls as he comes down the hall. “You want the usual, I can—”

He stops the minute he sees me standing in his living room and his eyes light up. I roll my eyes and that only makes him smirk more. What if he doesn’t want to talk to me and is just being an arrogant ass? For all I know he could be leading me on. That’s what guys like him do. I won’t be that girl. My stomach is twisting in more knots than should be possible.

I feel vulnerable as he watches me trying to hide how nervous I am, as I wipe my sweaty palms on my shorts. He moves closer and leans in to where I can smell his freshly showered body.

Oh Mylanta…

My gaze roams over the small spots on his chest he didn’t finish drying through his shirt and I can see the beads of water hanging from his hair. “Do I make you nervous, Raegan?”