Shadowboxer (Tapped Out 1)

The tremor that went through me made her eyes pop open. I hadn’t expected this day to come for a very long time, if ever. Our accelerated timeline was holding true.

What if I couldn’t be the man she deserved? Christ, I hated the “what ifs” and they just kept coming.

“Tray?” Already she was retreating, that cool mask of indifference slipping over her features. I hated that mask. I wanted her—the real her—so badly.

I could do this. I’d be whoever she needed. I’d love her that much.

“Yeah.” Gently, I tugged the jacket out of her hands and held it open for her to slip on. She hesitated, either because she didn’t understand the gesture or maybe she was surprised I didn’t expect her to shower first.

Considering what she was about to tell me, I figured the shower could wait until later. I’d probably need one too.

“It’s cold out. You’ll catch a chill.”

She slid her arms into the sleeves, still smiling faintly. She’d smiled more in the past few minutes than ever before in my presence. “You already did.”

“Hospital crud.”

Right on cue, I sneezed.

She winced when I cupped my eye. God, that mothereffer hurt.

“Carly’s at the gym tonight so if you want to come over, I can hook you up with some chest rub.” She blushed as if she’d offered me a blowjob. “I mean, if you want. You don’t have to. We can just go to a coffee shop. Or somewhere else.”

“Mia.” Her nerves would’ve been adorable if I hadn’t been caught between a migraine and a wave of nausea myself. And only one of those things had a physical basis. The other was purely for her and what I knew she’d relive in order to tell me something I’d so selfishly unearthed on my own. “Let’s go to your place. I’ll just pick up Vey on the way if it’s all right. If I’m going to stay over…” I shifted my feet uncomfortably.

Way to go. She hands you an olive branch, you offer to screw her. Stay classy, dude.

Although that wasn’t what I’d meant at all, I knew how it sounded. I wouldn’t have blamed her for telling me off.

But she only murmured her agreement and took my hand. Her fingers were so soft and cool around mine. Her trust, no matter how tentative, made my breath stutter.

Just like that, she went from borrowing my heart to flat out owning it. It was hers to do with what she wished. Hers to stomp on or hold.

Hers to break.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Mia

We were both quiet on the train ride to Tray’s house to get Vey. As soon as we arrived, the puppy tried to scale my legs. We’d bonded over the weekend. I loved dogs. Loved this dog already.

“Hey there, boy.” I knelt to plant kisses all over Vey’s soft gray and black cheeks. “You want to go on a sleepover?”

Tray came to a halt. “It was you.”

“Hmm?”

“You came here while I was in the hospital. You cleaned.”

Since he said it almost accusingly, I pressed my face into Vey’s fur to give myself an extra moment. “Yeah. I didn’t go through your stuff, if that’s what you’re worried about. I just had some extra energy and I wanted to do something. So I fed the dog.”

“You didn’t go through my rainbow condom collection? It’s impressive.”

“Nope, sorry.” I couldn’t help but snort. “I didn’t look in any drawers.”

“I don’t keep them in drawers. I tack them up next to my bed like this rock star dude I like. Easier access.”

I wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not. He was good at faking me out when he wasn’t wearing an eye patch. With it on, he was practically inscrutable. “Oh really. What rock star?”