by Kami Larke
“For today, yeah. Come on.” He gestured for her to follow him. He reached a room on the far side of the gym and pushed the door open.
Abby stepped inside and looked around. Rob could see the question coming.
“I decided to make yours a one on one session. I thought you might be less self-conscious that way.”
“Oh,” she said, her tone giving away her relief and surprise. “Thank you.”
Rob nodded. “Okay, let’s get started. Now, if you are attacked in the street, you won’t have time to limber up and stretch, but I want you to every session, whether it’s out there”—he jerked over his shoulder to indicate the rest of the gym—“or in here”—he pointed down at the mat.
Abby nodded. “What exactly do I do?”
“Follow my lead,” he said, happy she hadn’t asked too many questions. For ten minutes, he put her through the paces, showing her the correct stances and postures for stretching he wanted her to use.
“Wow, I feel like I’ve been through a steam roller,” she said as they completed the last stretching exercise.
“Baby, we ain’t even gotten started.” He gave her a half smile.
“Oh boy,” she replied.
For the next forty minutes, he showed her basic moves and holds. He urged her to keep practicing them until she had every one down pat.
“I want this to be almost instinctual,” he told her as he wrapped his arm around her throat. “Remember what I told you, if you can’t get your chin under the arm, what do you do?”
It was a couple seconds before Abby replied. “Scream for help?”
Rob chuckled, then tightened his hold. “Do you really think you are going to be able to get a sound out if someone has your throat this tight, or tighter? Think. What are you supposed to do?”
He almost felt bad for her as she struggled weakly in his arms. Relenting, he loosened his hold. Just as he relaxed his arm around her neck, Abby let her elbow fly backward into his ribs. Rob let his breath out in a woosh, only to have her stomp her foot down hard on his instep.
She twisted out of his grasp and brought her knee up. Rob barely managed to jerk upright before she broke his nose. As her leg came down, she caught the inside of his right knee, putting as much force as she could into the kick. Rob felt his knee going sideways and went with the motion. Far better to fall than risk a twisted knee.
Laying on the mat, he looked up at her, seeing the sparkle in her eyes as she took a defensive stance.
Getting to his feet, he proceeded to jab and strike out at her, she ducked, feinted, and countered his every move. Grinning, he stepped it up, testing her to see just how much prior training she had. This was something she had left out of the interview yesterday.
Abby spun, delivering a roundhouse kick to Rob’s kidneys. With a grunt, he fell to the mat again. With a twist, he was up again, in attack mode. As soon as his hands touched her, she went still. His instincts screamed at him that she was up to something. As his arm circled her neck again, she tucked her head down, doing exactly what he had told her. Her foot shifted, trying to stomp down on his tender foot again, but he moved just in time. She overcompensated for the move, and her aim was off when she jabbed backward with her elbow, striking slightly higher than the first time. Rob gasped as pain shot through his sternum. His hold loosened and she spun free once more, this time successfully bringing her knee up to his face, bloodying his nose.
Rob fell to his knees, his hands cupping his nose as blood gushed from it. Abby gasped in horror, then rushed to the bench next to the door, grabbing towels and bringing them back to Rob.
“Here,” she said as she thrust the towel into his hands. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Rob shook his head as he stemmed the flow.
“That was a great session,” Rob congratulated her as he held the towel to his nose. “Don’t worry about it. I was a professional fighter for years. It’s not the first bloody nose I’ve ever had.” It is the first that a student managed to give me, though. He’d never admit it to her, but the punches, jabs, and elbows she had delivered had left a mark. Some were better than others, but he had a feeling she was holding back on her training.
“Thanks,” Abby said with a faint smile that only served to confirm his suspicions.
“What training have you had?”
Abby gave him an innocent look at first, only to have it dissolve under his steady regard.
“Okay, fine, so I have had a self-defense course before, but it was a long time ago, like back in college.”
“What training have you had since there? That roundhouse didn’t come from self-defense.”
“Tae-bo?” she suggested unconvincingly.
Rob just looked at her, automatically shifting the towel to stop the blood flow. “You and I both know you didn’t learn that watching exercise videos. You really need to come clean with me on this.”
“I took tae kwon do a few years ago. I guess some of it stuck.”
Rob nodded. Now things were starting to make sense for him.
“So how are you doing with the diet aspect of this?”
“I’ll be honest, I don’t like having to change my food groups that much, but I get the reasoning behind it.”
“Good, so you’ll do it?”
Abby grinned at him. “Already have. In fact, my friends came over last night to help clean out my pantry and fridge. Crissy brought Italian, which I did not eat, even though it’s my favorite. I had a grilled chicken salad instead.”
Rob smiled back at her. “Good. I know it’s hard to fight temptation, but it’s worth it in the end.”
“Are you okay?” Abby asked again, nodding at the towel Rob had forgotten he was holding to his nose.
He pulled the now bloody cloth away, touching his nose experimentally. “Yeah, I think it’s stopped now, for the most part. That was a good move, though.”
Rob crossed to the bench and grabbed another towel and wet it, using it to wipe the blood from his face.
“Here, let me,” Abby said, taking the cloth from him. Rob sat quietly as she gently cleaned his face and neck.
“I think you owe me for this, though,” Rob said suddenly. Abby’s eyes flew to his.
“Owe you?” she asked faintly.
“Dinner at least,” he insisted.
“Dinner.” She repeated, dumbfounded.
“Great, I’ll pick you up at six.” He didn’t wait for her to object, but rose, gave her a cheeky grin, and left.
Abby stared after him, not saying a thing.
As Rob approached the desk, Helen glanced at him and then at the door of the exercise room he had just been using. Abby was emerging, holding several towels in her hand. She crossed to the desk, not making a fuss about the rags, and quietly gave them to Rob.
“You probably ought to go disinfect the mat,” she suggested softly.
“I will. See you tonight.” Abby gave him a startled glance and ran to the locker room. Helen watched in confusion as Abby hurriedly emerged, still in her workout clothes, with her bag and fled the gym.
“What the hell did you do to her, boss?” she asked, her artfully threaded brows rising to her hairline.
“Asked her on a date.”
“Are you flipping serious?” Helen squealed. “Was this before or after she bloodied your nose?”
Rob gave her an indignant look. “After. I kinda, well, guilt tripped her into it,” his voice dropped to a low mutter as he finished the sentence. Part of him wanted to feel bad about how he had wrangled the date, but another part, the part that was attracted to Abby, was crowing in delight.
“I better get the room cleaned up,” he said abruptly and marched across the gym, Helen’s laughter in his ears.
Chapter 6 ~ abby
“He asked me out,” Abby shouted in the confines of her car. Jade was on the line, the call routed through her car’s sound system.
“You don’t have to holler, babe,” Jade replied. “So, did you say yes?”
“I don’t know,” Abby answered miserably. “He says he is picking me up at six.”
“Then I’d say you said yes,” Jade answered, a slight hint of laughter in her voice.
“How did this happen?” Abby wailed.
“Sweetie, how does anything happen in life? Count your blessings that you got someone who has all his own teeth and doesn’t smell like kimchi.”
“You’re no help,” Abby groused as she pulled into the parking garage at her apartment.
“Not trying to be, love,” Jade said cheerily. “Do you need me to come over and help you pick out an outfit?”
“Oh, shit, I don’t even know where he’s taking me.” Abby felt like pounding her head against the steering wheel.
“Okay, so that is a definite yes, you need help.” Jade laughed. “I’ll be there in ten.”
“Thank you,” Abby said in a weak voice before ending the call and getting out of the car. She took the elevator to her apartment, not wanting to waste time trying to climb all the stairs. Peanut greeted her with excited barks as she opened the door and dropped her duffle bag on the floor. Picking up the leash from the table in the small entry way, she clipped it on the dog’s collar before reluctantly heading back out again.
Charles tipped his hat at her as she crossed the lobby. She waved, not having time to do much more before Peanut drug her out of the building. The poor dog barely made it to the small patch of grass out front before squatting and relieving herself.
“Goodness, girl, I guess I need to cut back on how much water I leave out while I’m gone,” Abby said laughing. Peanut just looked up at her and yipped before heading back up the steps to the building.
“Short trip today,” Charles commented as she made the return trek across the lobby.
“Yes, she knew what to do and took care of business. Um, I have a visitor coming at six,” Abby told him, trying hard to not blush.
“Oh? Is she on the list?” Charles asked, as he reached under the desk to pull out the notebook that held the list of all approved persons to enter the building.
“No, he is not. At least, not yet. I need to add him, I suppose.” She stepped closer to the desk, tugging Peanut with her.
“Yes, ma’am. You of all people know how important it is that we make sure everyone that comes in is approved.”
Abby nodded, before telling him Rob’s name. “He’s my personal trainer and is picking me up tonight for um….” She stumbled to a stop. Charles took pity on her and spoke.
“Yes, ma’am. I have him down now. Make sure you let him know he has to check in with me before he tries to go up.”
“Yes, I’ll make sure to let him know. Oh, and Jade is supposed to come by here shortly—” She was cut off by Jade greeting her from the entry. Abby smiled at him and hurried off to meet Jade at the elevator.
“Hello, Peanut,” Jade greeted the dog. “Well, you don’t look so hot,” she said as she straightened and looked over Abby.
“Gee, thanks,” Abby said wryly as they stepped into the elevator.
“So, I’m going to guess you haven’t taken a shower yet,” Jade said as she closed and locked the door. Putting the leash back in its usual spot, she put her hands on her hips as she looked at her friend.
“No, I haven’t. I don’t know if I’m going to have time for this.”
“Oh, no you don’t.” Jade warned her. “It has been far too long since you went out on an actual date, and I am not letting you weasel out of this one. March yourself into that bathroom and take a shower. I’ll root around in your closet and find something suitable.”
“How do we know what is suitable when we don’t even know where he is taking me?”
“Maybe you should call and ask the dress code for tonight?”
“That would imply that I’m taking this seriously.”
Jade shook her head at her. “We could also have Charles call up once he gets here and tell us casual, dressy or formal.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Abby protested, even though the same thought had crossed her mind. “I’m sure there is something in there that is casual but can be made dressy with just the right touch,” she looked at her closet as Jade pushed her into the bathroom.
“Go, shower. I’ll see you in a few.” Smiling, the woman turned her back on Abby and disappeared into the closet.
Thirty minutes later, Abby emerged from the shower, scrubbed, shaved, and moisturized. Jade was nowhere to be seen.
“Jade? Did you leave?” She called out as she walked into the bedroom. There, laid out on the bed, were four different outfits. Shoes for each were lined up on the floor below each one.
“Oh, there you are,” Jade said as she emerged from the closet holding another dress and matching shoes.
“What’s all this?” Abby asked, gesturing at the clothes laid out.
“Just a few things I found for you. By the way, your handsome hunk isn’t as thoughtless as you think. He called while you were in the shower, and I answered. He told me where you are going for dinner. It made it a lot easier to pick the outfits.”
“I see,” Abby said, tightening the towel around her. “Where is he taking me?”
“To bed if you’re lucky,” Jade said with a wicked grin. Abby groaned. “Okay, okay, he’s taking you to the House of Blues for dinner.”
Abby’s face brightened. She loved the variety of shows that you could catch at the House of Blues. Without thinking she reached for her favorite casual dress Jade had laid out on the bed.
“Not that one,” Jade slapped her hands away.
“But you laid it out for me,” Abby protested.
“Yes, to illustrate how much more awful it is than some of the other stuff you have in your closet that is begging to be worn.”
Abby pouted as she tightened her towel again. “Well, what about that one?” She pointed to the jeans outfit Jade had laid out.
“Better, but still not where I want you to go, babe.”
Abby sighed. She hated when her friends did this to her. Why couldn’t they just hand her the clothes they wanted her to wear and be done with it?
“What do you want me to wear then?” she asked, resigned.
“This,” Jade said, pointing to a pair of faded, distressed jeans and a spaghetti strap cami-tank. She had included a blazer to top it off in deference to the cold. About the only part of the outfit Abby liked was the ruched grey leather knee-high, high-heeled boots.
“Jade, get serious. The girls need some serious support. I can’t wear a bra with that, and that top won’t give me enough support.”
Jade gave her a wicked grin. “That’s kinda the point, to let him know your assets are real.”
Abby blushed again. She didn’t mind her cup size, even found it amusing at times how hung up on it men got, but it was times like this she really hated being so well endowed.
“Go on, get dressed.” Jade flipped her hands at Abby, as she exited the bedroom. She paused for a second to stick her head back in the room as Abby turned to the dresser for underwear.
“I’ll be back in a few to help you with makeup and jewelry.”
Abby giggled as Jade winked at her before exiting the room again. In no time, she was dressed and seated at her vanity, letting Jade expertly do her makeup. She was pronounced ready to go at quarter till six.
“Want me to wait for him to get here?” Jade asked.
Abby chewed her lips, undecided. “No, I’m a big girl. I can do this on my own.”
“Right, I heard about you bloodying his nose.” Abby’s gaze flew to Jade’s.
“Just how long was your conversation while I was in the shower?”
“Oh, he didn’t tell me that, Dario did.” Jade gave her a devilish grin. She had been dating Dario Kendall-Stone, the wrestler, for over two years. The man was a serious powerhouse and an up-and-coming star in the Columbus Wrestling Alliance. He had recently been approached about joining a couple of other teams, but he was staying loyal to CWA.
; Jade gave her a hug and stood. “All right. Have a great night.”
Chapter 7 ~ rob
His phone rang as he pulled into the parking garage attached the Abby’s building.
“Um, Rob?” the woman’s voice was hesitant.
“Speaking,” he answered. He had a feeling it was Abby. She sounded different than the woman who had answered earlier who introduced herself as Jade, who in her words was getting Abby ready for him.
“Hey, it’s Abby. Um, when you get here, you have to check in with Charles, the doorman. He will let you up to the apartment. I’m in 5B.”
Rob didn’t tell her that Jade had already told him this. Grinning, he replied, “Thanks for the heads up. I’m almost there. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Hanging up the phone, he pulled into the visitor slot in the parking garage and cut the engine. He checked his appearance in the mirror before getting out and shoving his phone into his pocket. Whistling, he made his way into the building.
The golden light of the lobby seemed to exude a warmth that was distinctly missing from his own home. Thick carpets softened footfalls. Stepping fully into the lobby, he glanced around and spotted a uniformed man behind a high desk, almost like a hotel reception desk. He supposed that made sense, since the building was a renovated hotel that was built over 100 years ago. He had considered getting one of the suites himself when they hit the market, but decided having a view of Chattahoochee River wasn’t worth that much money.
“You must be Mr. Rob, here for Ms. Abby.” The man grinned at him. “You do right by my girl, now.”
Rob grinned at him. “I certainly plan to.”
“Head on up, I’ll buzz her and let her know you are here.” Rob nodded his head and stepped to the elevator bank. “Fifth floor,” the man called to him as the doors closed.
Just as Rob raised his hand to knock on her door, it swung open.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Jade called as she stepped out, almost into Rob. “Oh, sorry,” she exclaimed, jumping back slightly. Grinning impishly, she nodded at the door. “Head on in, she’s ready for you.”
