Fighting Chance (Rock Hard Gym Book 5)

by Ember-Raine Winters

  “I’ll just leave the two of you to it then.” He slaps Connor on the back as he walks toward a rack of weights.

  “Umm, I’m sorry I interrupted. I have to go anyway; Theo and Marcus are waiting for me outside. I just wanted to make sure that you got your shirt back.”

  Connor stares at me for a minute, then smiles. His lips stretch wide and deep dimples appear in both cheeks. His teeth are white, but he has a crooked tooth on the left side. It shouldn’t, but somehow that small imperfection makes him hotter. Like he’s this gorgeous male specimen, but also a real man with flaws.

  “So, umm, I need to go.”

  “That’s what you said.” His smile deepens with his teasing words. “I don’t want to cause any problems with your babysitters, but maybe I can take you out sometime?”

  I’m frozen. I have no words. Even if I did, my mouth isn’t moving. It’s stuck in a small ‘O’ of shock. The first time a guy asks me out and my body goes into lockdown. My brain is screaming at me to say something, anything, before he decides I’m a lost cause and changes his mind.

  Finally, I manage to force sound from between my lips. Unfortunately, it’s a squeak and not actual words.

  “Hey, you okay? Ceara?”

  God! Why am I constantly humiliating myself in front of him?

  I swallow and clear my throat. “Yeah, I’m good.” I push some hair behind my ear and then adjust my glasses.

  “So, is Friday good for you?”

  “Friday works.” My voice is so low, I’m surprised he hears me.

  “Great. Give me your phone and I’ll put in my number.”

  He doesn’t ask and that makes it easier for me to hand over my smartphone. Theo will kick my ass if he finds out. He and my father agree that it should only be used for emergencies. A hot guy taking me out counts as an emergency, right?

  He punches in his number and then I hear a chirp from his pocket. He smiles when he hands back my phone. “Now I have your number too.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay.”

  Wow, I’m really helping this conversation along. I mentally roll my eyes at myself and turn to head out. I’m halfway to the door when I realize I didn’t say goodbye and that I forgot to ask him about the files I found on the table.

  I turn back but stop in my tracks at the sight of the bubbly brunette hanging off his arm. Anger floods my veins and I stomp my way outside to Theo and Marcus. I should have known he wasn’t really interested. He’s just a nice guy.

  “Let’s go.” I bark at them, which gets me a raised brow from Theo and wide eyes from Marcus.

  “After you, Cece.” Theo opens the door of the town car my father insists we use.

  We are almost to the dorm when my phones buzzes with a text message.

  Connor: I’m looking forward to Friday.

  Without responding I hit delete.

  Chapter 5

  Connor

  I can’t get her out of my mind as I watch her walk toward the front of the gym. My eyes following the sway of her ass. I know it’s inappropriate, but I can’t help myself. Her ass is round and perfect for grabbing on to.

  “Connor. Earth to Connor.” Missy waves a hand in front of my face. I hadn’t even noticed her plastering herself to my sweat soaked body. Gah, that’s gross. I need a shower and she’s acting like I don’t smell.

  I glance over at her batting her eyelashes at me and groan internally. I’ve known Missy since about a year after Max took me in. We have always been just friends and looks like I need to explain to her that’s as far as things will ever go, but she’s been helping me with my business statistics class, and I can’t lose her completely. It will destroy my GPA.

  “What do you want, Missy?” I roll my eyes because I know there’s no hope in getting rid of her by ignoring her.

  “I thought maybe we could go to dinner and I can help you with stats.” She grinds on me. I know stats is not what’s on her mind when she talks about going to dinner with me. Missy is what you call a social climber. She’s been trying more and more to be seen with me since I was named the top up and coming MMA fighter in AMMA. Our arrangement works for both of us… for now. I just hope she’s not trying to make it about more than it is.

  “I’m working, Missy. I need to train. I have a fight coming up. You know this.” I grunt. Missy pouts but nods her head.

  “Who was that nerdy girl you were talking to?” She sounds jealous as fuck when she sneers the word nerdy.

  “Don’t be a bitch, Missy. I like her. I’m taking her out Friday night.” A small smile overtakes my lips when I think about our upcoming date. Missy gasps and looks at me with a hurtful look on her face.

  “You’re going out with her?” I want to slap her for the incredulous comment. I would never hurt a woman, and she should consider herself lucky, because right now is the closest I’ve been. Only my own self-restraint has me holding back. “Connor, really? I know some guys go for the sexy librarian thing but you two live in different worlds. You can’t possibly want her.”

  I glare at her before removing her hands from my arms and stomping away. Missy is just being jealous. Ceara is gorgeous no matter if she is a bit awkward. That only makes me like her more. The thought wipes the scowl from my face, and I pull out my phone.

  Me: I’m looking forward to Friday.

  *****

  I’m sitting in the library archives three days later, but I can’t really focus on the files in front of me. Every time I hear a noise, I look up hoping it’s her. She hasn’t texted me back since she came to the gym and I’m starting to wonder if she’s playing games with me.

  I’m attempting to play it cool and not call or text her a million times, no matter how much I want to. I wonder if it has to do with her babysitters because she was completely into it when I asked her. What could have changed? I’m pretty sure I didn’t do anything to piss her off, but I find myself replaying that day in my head over again wondering if I missed something.

  A loud thump and then a muffled curse break me from my daydream, and I see her. Her bright red hair is piled on top of her head and her freckles practically glow in the dim light. I do nothing but stare as the object of my fantasies holds her knee cursing under her breath.

  “Are you okay?” I ask as I move toward her. Her eyes widen and she starts to turn but I catch her hand. I notice her babysitters are absent and thank whoever’s listening for small favors. “What’s wrong? You haven’t answered my texts.”

  “Where’s your girlfriend?” She spits the words at me, and I nearly stumble back. Shock doesn’t even describe how I feel at the venom behind her words.

  “What?” I scratch my head, and then it hits me. I’m a complete dumbass. “Missy? She’s a stage five clinger but definitely not my girlfriend.”

  Her brows scrunch down in confusion and it wrinkles her cute little nose. “She’s not your girlfriend? But I saw…”

  “You saw her hanging off me but was I looking at her? Did I look like I was enjoying the attention? Probably not because the girl annoys the hell out of me on a good day.”

  More brow scrunching and then her eyes widen again. “I wouldn’t have asked you out if I had a girlfriend, Ceara. I’m not a dick like that.” I shake my head and walk back to my seat rightfully pissed that she would think that way of me.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t…,” her words trail off as she shakes her head turning to leave. “Bye, Connor.”

  Chapter 6

  Ceara

  I am such an idiot!

  Shaking my head, I turn to leave. Sadness consuming me because not only did I lose my one place of solace, but I ruined any potential relationship I could have had with Connor by making assumptions.

  “Ceara, wait! Don’t leave.”

  I stop but keep my back to him. My vision is blurry, and I push my glasses up my nose hoping to clear my sight. It doesn’t work. Tears are swelling and close to falling and I refuse to let him see.

  “I’m sorry, Connor. I sh
ouldn’t have assumed. It’s just that—," I trail off not wanting to admit I have never had a guy interested in me before. Most boys I’ve encountered were either afraid of my father or thought I was too much of a nerd to want to be around me. Some even said I was weird because of my like of serial killers and psychological disorders.

  A hand on my shoulder causes me jump, I never heard him move but Connor now stands behind me. He gently turns me toward him, sliding his hands into my hair, his thumbs wiping away the few tears that have escaped my eyes.

  I look up into his emerald eyes, the green glittering in the low light. “I’m so sorry, Connor. I don’t have much experience being social, especially with guys my own age. My father’s… work has kept me sheltered most my life. I’m probably not your type of girl anyway. I’m weird. I come to the archives to study old cold case files because they interest me. I’m fascinated by serial killers. The few boys that I’ve had contact with assure me that is not normal. I’m not normal. I’m a weird nerdy, abnormal girl.”

  God, why can’t I stop babbling and embarrassing myself. I take a deep breath and blow it out. Connor’s hands are still in my hair, his palms holding my face, keeping me from turning away like I want to.

  “You are too cute.”

  I scrunch my nose and give him a small glare.

  “Fucking adorable. Ceara, you are different than any girl I’ve ever met. You are nowhere in the same league as Missy.” He moves one of his hands from my hair, pressing his forefinger to my lips to keep me from responding. “No. Listen. You are not in her league; you are a million miles above where she can ever hope to be. You are definitely too good for me. I should turn away now, leave you alone to find a nice boy, one whose past doesn’t haunt his every move, but I can’t. I’m all wrong for you but I want to try to be what’s right for you. Let me take you out. Let’s see where this can go. Please Ceara, say you’ll go out with me.”

  Oh. My. God. I think I would have melted into the floor if he didn’t have a hold on me. I know his words don’t mean anything, they’re just his way of convincing me to go on a date, but my heart is all fluttery and my stomach is swirling. Licking my lips, I nod.

  “Yes? You’ll go out with me?” His dimples appear slowly when his smile spreads. It’s a genuine smile, reflected in his gemstone eyes.

  Before I can say, or do anything else to embarrass myself or Connor, his lips are on mine. I gasp and his tongue sweeps in for a brief touch. It’s over too fast for me to process I just had my first kiss. Okay, maybe not my first kiss. That belongs to Jimmy Snodgrass who kissed me at recess in fourth grade. But this was my first real kiss, and I wish it had lasted longer than a few seconds.

  I start to lean in to press our mouths together again, when a chirping sound from the table in the corner jerks me out of the moment.

  Connor lets go of me and reaches for his phone. “Shit. I’m going to be late.” He shoves his cell into his pocket and begins to gather his things. When he’s ready to go he turns back to me.

  “What are you doing tonight?”

  “Umm,” I act like I’m trying to remember my plans, but I don’t have any. Except to read through more cold cases. “Nothing. Studying.”

  He smiles. “Wanna watch me fight?”

  My eyes widen. Fight? Why would I watch him fight?

  Laughing he says, “I have an MMA fight tonight. It’s just a practice fight at the gym in prep for a professional fight next month. It’ll be similar to what you saw the other day with Lennox. Only this time I’ll have an opponent who won’t take it easy on me.”

  “Is that supposed to be convincing? Do you want me to watch or run away?” The thought of watching him has me intrigued, but I’m not sure if I can take seeing him get hurt.

  “Don’t worry, it’s just practice and Max, my trainer, will make sure I don’t get injured. If I’m injured, I can’t fight next month.”

  I think it over before deciding the hell with it. “Okay, I just have to tell Theo and Marcus.”

  “Or I could sneak you out of here unnoticed and you can spend the rest of the day with me.”

  The mischief in his eyes is too hard to resist. “Alright.” I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text to Theo telling him I’ll be a while studying and not to bother me. When I’m finished Connor holds his hand out to me and I twine my fingers with his and let him lead me out of the library.

  Chapter 7

  Connor

  I hope she can’t feel my palm sweating as I pull her up the stairs and out the back entrance. I found it a couple months ago when I was trying to duck Missy.

  I’d almost ruined everything with my anger but when she said bye sounding broken, something snapped in me and I couldn’t let her walk away. I’m so glad I didn’t. The kiss was unlike anything I’ve felt before and it was entirely too short. The only thing that stopped me was the hesitation in her eyes as I leaned in, but oh God, she tasted good and I want nothing more than to taste her lips again. Her berry flavored lip gloss is like crack to my system. It won’t take much before I’m a slave to her mouth.

  I’m walking at a brisk pace and Ceara is having trouble keeping up. “Connor? Can you slow down a little? Please?”

  “Sorry,” I say, looking around making sure the goon squad don’t find us. Something about those guys scares the crap out of me. When I’m sure the coast is clear, I walk at a slower pace to my car. There’s a big brilliant smile on her face as I open the door for her and usher her into the passenger seat.

  When Max saved me from Uncle Ricky, he and Layla had no problem buying me things, but I quickly put my foot down. I refuse to be a charity case. Max tried to explain that I wasn’t and when that didn’t work, he said I could work at the gym between school and practice that way I could buy my own things. I saved up for a year and a half for my Mustang.

  “Nice car.” Ceara giggles at me as I fold my big body into the driver’s seat.

  “Thanks, I mopped up a lot of sweat to get this baby.” I grin at her but the look of disgust on her face is obvious.

  “I work in the gym after training. I clean all the equipment for the next day of practicing.”

  Her eyes widen and she giggles. “That makes more sense.”

  It's only minutes before we pull into the garage that sits off the side of the house I share with Max and Layla. The garage door closes slowly behind us and Ceara’s breath catches in her throat when she looks around the dim room. “Ceara, can I ask a favor?” I ask with a dimpled grin. Her eyes narrow briefly before she nods her head sharply one time.

  “Can I have a kiss for good luck?” A small smile forms on lips I can’t wait another second to have pressed against mine.

  At her nod, I reach over, wrapping a hand around the back of her neck to pull her to me. Tasting her lips again is like heaven. It isn’t enough but it’s gonna have to be… for now. A tiny moan escapes her lips and I take it as an invitation to deepen the kiss.

  Moving is awkward with the center console in the way and I quickly break the kiss. Her glasses are slightly skewed, and I push them up her nose with my finger. “I have to get in there, but you’re gonna come watch the fight, right?”

  She looks unsure but nods biting her lip. She smiles shyly before looking away and I can’t help but wonder what’s going on in that pretty little head of hers as I jump out of the car and round it to her door.

  “C’mon, it will be fun.” I give her my best, and hopefully charming, grin and hold my hand out to her.

  “I don’t know about fun, but it should be interesting,” she mumbles, before allowing me to pull her from the garage and into the packed gym.

  Chapter 8

  Ceara

  The gym is packed and loud. There is a cage in the center of the room and Connor weaves us through the crowd of people gathered around. We make it to the front row just as one of the fighters throws a punch and blood sprays everywhere. I jerk to a stop, concerned the guy on the ground is seriously injured.

  Connor wraps
an arm around my shoulders and places a kiss at my temple before whispering in my ear. “Don’t worry, he’s fine. Looks worse than it is.”

  I look away from the fight and meet Connor’s gaze. His eyes tell me that he’s speaking the truth and I know I probably shouldn’t, but I trust him. I relax and Connor pulls me to where a small group stands wearing Rock Hard Gym shirts. I recognize Lennox from when I returned Connor’s sweatshirt, but the others are strangers.

  “Hey pretty lady!” Lennox smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back and give a little wave. He gestures to the blond standing next to him, “This is Tanner, the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  Tanner rolls his eyes and offers me his hand. “Nice to meet you. Ignore this lug head, he doesn’t know when to stop.”

  I giggle as Tanner makes faces at Lennox. It’s obvious the two of them are madly in love and it makes me think of a future with Connor. Whoa, I can’t be thinking like that. I’ll scare him away for sure.

  “Hey everyone, this is Ceara.” Connor introduces me to the rest of the group. Max, his trainer and owner of the gym, his wife Layla, and her sister Calla all offer friendly waves, but their focus is on the fight happening in the ring.

  “Come on baby, you got this! Knock his teeth in!” Calla shouts.

  “Her boyfriend Parker is the one in orange.” Connor once again whispers in my ear. I find I like the way his breath caresses my lobe. The thought sends a shiver through me. “Cold?”

  He steps back slightly and tugs his sweatshirt and tee off by reaching behind his head with one hand. How do guys do that? Who cares is my next thought. I’m once again treated to Connor’s naked chest, the muscles flexing as he separates the tee from the hoodie and tosses it aside.

  “Arms up.”

  “Uh, what?”

  “Hold your arms up. I’m going to let you wear my sweatshirt.”

  My body obeys but my brain is still processing. The fabric is halfway over my head when I think to tell him I’m not cold. One whiff and I decide I can pretend for the night. The cotton holds the scent of sweat and sandalwood. The scent is all Connor and it is causing reactions in my body I’ve never felt before. A tightness in my nipples and clenching in my core, feelings I’ll do anything to keep experiencing.