Sweet Little Nothing

"Thank you for this, Sterling."

"For what?"

"For this date, for being so gentle, so sweet."

Fuck. This woman. Her capacity to forgive is beyond me. If I were her, I wouldn't give my sorry ass the time of day, but here she is thanking me. I don't deserve her, not in the least, but I'm damn sure not letting her go.

"We're just getting started, baby."

Chapter Thirty-Four

Emmy

"I can't believe you set all of this up for me. It's been the best first date ever."

He grins. "I don't think you have much to compare it to."

His words, while blunt aren't meant to be mean. "You're right, I don't. But I stand by what I said. I can't imagine anything that would've been better than this."

"We're not done yet," he says. "We still have one more thing to do."

I stare at him in disbelief. What more could there possibly be? "Seriously? We did the incline railway, an amazing dinner at 1885, and now ice cream. I can't think of a single thing that would make tonight better than it already is."

"I need you to trust me, little mouse. Trust that I know what I'm doing and that I know how to make you happy."

"I do," I murmur, dropping my gaze to my lap.

Sterling reaches across the table and skims his index finger beneath my jaw, tilting my face back up to his. "Don't do that. Don't hide from me. I want to know how you feel and what you're thinking. I want us to be transparent with each other, Emmalyn. We started with so much dishonesty and distrust that I think it's the only way we can be successful."

His words give me pause. There's such earnest truth behind them that I know he means what he's saying. "Okay, Sterling. I trust you, and I'll do my best not to hide from you."

"Good. Now let's go."

"Where?"

He stands and chucks our empty bowls and spoons into the trash. "Trust, remember?"

I roll my eyes, but follow him back to the car all the same.

Fifteen minutes later, we pull up outside of what appears to be a rundown warehouse. I shoot Sterling an apprehensive glance. "Are you sure we’re in the right place?"

Looking at me from the side of his eyes, he smirks. "Remember that talk we had about trusting me? It wasn't that long ago."

"I do trust you, smartass. But come on, this place looks shady."

He rolls his eyes, but there's a smile on his face, so I know he's not put out by my skepticism. "You're right, it does look a little sketchy. Weren't you taught not to judge a book by its cover?"

"Sterling Abbot, this place is not a book! It's a seedy building." I throw my arms in the air, motioning toward our surroundings. "This is the kind of place people get kidnapped or mugged!"

"I promise you're not going to be kidnapped or mugged. In fact, if you come inside with me, this will be a step to ensure none of these things happen to you, or at the very least you'll be able to handle yourself if they do."

His words are just ominous enough to be intriguing, or maybe they're just intriguing enough to be ominous. I'm not sure, but either way I find myself nodding and getting out of the car.

He guides me toward a garage-style door that's rolled up just enough for people to walk under. To say I'm not prepared for what we find inside is an understatement. This definitely isn't a seedy warehouse, but a state-of-the-art gym.

The space is unlike any gym I've ever set foot in before. The back wall is made up entirely of mirrors, giving patrons a clear view of the entire space. Punching bags, ropes, heavy mats, and more fill the space. There are even a few fighting cages.

Off to the right there's a desk, and I’m shocked to see Abigail sitting behind it. "Hey, you two. Welcome to Full Contact."

"Hey, I didn't know you worked here."

"I don't, not really. It's my brother's gym, and his receptionist called out." She grins. "So, what can I help you with?"

Good question, Abigail. Why are we here?

Sterling steps slightly in front of me. "I want to sign her up for self-defense classes."

A warm feeling moves through me at his declaration. My heart is basically a pile of goo in my chest. The fact that he cares enough about me to make sure I'm able to protect myself is almost unfathomable.

"Really?" I ask, emotion clogging my throat.

"Really, baby."

"Thank you." I throw myself into his arms, forcing him to hug me.

"It's as much for me as it is for you. I want to know you'll be able to take care of yourself when I'm not around."

His words cause something inside of me to break a little, but in the best possible way. This man is nothing like what I thought he was. In fact, he may very well be everything I never knew I needed; he's damn sure everything I've ever wanted.