Perfect Pleasures

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  “Fuck you. I don’t know any sailors,” she replied. “Just an asshole who thinks he can do whatever he wants, and to hell with how it might affect everyone else.”

  “I’m not doing this with you, Kenzie,” Zachary said as he deflected a series of combinations that she’d been taught. He read her body language easily, amused by the frustration that painted her expression when she missed.

  “Why is that?” she questioned. “Scared? Think I might get the best of you? Or that you might actually have to show me an ounce of respect and kindness?” Her right hook hit him in the arm.

  “I’ve been nothing but respectful. Your problem is you expected me to just drop everything because you said so. You’re full of yourself, and I didn’t fall for it. I don’t have any need to give you any attention.”

  He danced from one side of the ring to the other, and she chased him, her frustration beginning to get the better of her.

  “Your problem is that you’re egotistical! And you’re arrogant!” She threw a hard punch that blew past him like a cool breeze. “And I plan to make sure everyone knows what an ass you are!”

  “You say that like I give a damn!” he said as he threw his own punch, aiming for the air beside her head. The swoosh of his fist rushing in her direction struck a nerve, her eyes widening as she spun left to avoid a strike of any kind.

  Amusement lifted the edges of his full lips. “No need to duck. Trust me, if I had wanted to land that punch, I would have.”

  “So you really would have hit me?” She threw a right hook, then spun a fast side kick that connected with his upper thigh.

  “You stepped into this ring. I didn’t ask you to come. In fact, you act like I want you here, but I don’t remember extending an invitation! So don’t get it twisted! You really don’t mean anything to me!”

  Kenzie looked at him for a moment with an unreadable expression, and then she suddenly lashed out with surprising venom: “You’re a coward! And a dick! I can’t believe Kai Tamura ever considered you his friend!”

  Zachary bristled. Her words were like a bolt of lightning hitting its target. He suddenly swept her feet out from beneath her. “I said I’m not doing this with you,” he hissed between clenched teeth.

  Kenzie hit the mat with a loud thud. The impact knocked the air from her lungs. Stunned, she lay flat on her back, panting as she sucked in oxygen.

  Zachary stood above her, one of the trainers pulling his gloves from his hands. He was shaking his head, frustration furrowing his brow. But there was no missing the contrition that seeped like mist from his eyes. He reached out a bare hand to help her up.

  Still trying to shake the fog from her head, her eyes fluttered open, her lengthy lashes batting rapidly. “Now you want to be nice?” she sputtered, tears brimming at the edges of her dark eyes. She swatted his hand away.

  Gamon and one of the younger sparring partners rushed to the center of the ring to help her to her feet. Gamon cut an eye in his direction, and Zachary shrugged his broad shoulders. He shifted his gaze toward Kenzie. She was flush with color, embarrassment flooding her cheeks.

  “I’m fine,” she said as she brushed the dust from her clothes.

  She shot him a look, her eyes narrowed as the two locked gazes for just a brief moment. With nothing else to say, Zachary turned on his heels and left her standing there. As she watched him storm off, tears clouded Kenzie’s vision. She was suddenly feeling like she’d ignited a bomb that had decimated everything around her, the damage too much to ever come back from.

  * * *

  “Well, that was unprofessional!” Stephanie said. “What made you get into the ring with the heavyweight MMA champ and throw a punch at him? Have you lost your mind?”

  “I got caught up in the moment.” Kenzie could just imagine her friend shaking her head, the look in her eyes scolding. She got defensive. “But he put me on my ass and that wasn’t cool!”

  “You threatened him!”

  “I didn’t threaten him!”

  “Yes, you did! The minute you made that comment about making sure everyone knew what an ass he was, you threatened to use your influence with your article to discredit him. I know that’s how I would have taken it.”

  Kenzie sighed. “Did I tell you he put me on my ass? And it hurt?”

  “You took the class. I’m sure you’re not the first student he’s knocked down, and you probably won’t be the last. So now tell me what’s really going on with you and that man?”

  Kenzie suddenly got misty-eyed. Because she didn’t have an answer that made any sense. For two days, trainers had put her through her paces as she’d totally immersed herself in the sport, wanting to experience Revolution the way other clients experienced the facility. For two days, trainers had knocked her down, picked her up, and taught her how to not get hit. Zachary knocking her off her feet had been nothing none of the others hadn’t already done, but for some reason, coming from Zachary, it had her in her feelings.

  “I don’t think he likes me,” she finally said, nothing else coming to her.

  Stephanie was in full agent mode. “Does he need to like you? You were hired to write an article about him, which is due in the next few weeks, by the way. So why is it necessary for him to like you for you to do that?”

  “It’s not, but . . .”

  “But nothing. You can’t afford to be unprofessional, Kenzie. This is your reputation and your career that we’re talking about.”

  Kenzie blew another loud sigh, a part of her wishing she hadn’t called Stephanie to complain.

  The other young woman shifted into friend mode. “There must be something really special about this guy. I can’t wait to meet him.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because you like him. And you don’t like any man!”

  Kenzie laughed. “That is so not true!”

  “Yes, it is. The men in your life have always been disposable. But it sounds to me like you might want to keep this one around for a while. Which is cool and all, but, girlfriend, you really need to get out of your own way before you sabotage yourself and any hope that you might have.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m doing, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah! So let’s try to figure out why.”

  “I really like him, Steph! He has this commanding presence. He’s intelligent and funny and even a little snarky, like I can be sometimes. And girl, he is sexy as hell! And I mean well-endowed, from the top of his head to the bottom of his very large, sexy feet!”

  “So he isn’t one of your scratch that itch and get gone kind of guys?”

  “Hell no! He’s the kind of guy you desperately want your parents to like. The kind you get excited about taking home to meet your father.” Her voice dropped an octave. “If you have a father,” she muttered.

  This time Stephanie sighed. “You really need some serious counseling, and I say that from a place of love.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  “I’m serious, Kenzie. You really have some issues you need to work through. Between your mother and your father, you are all screwed up, and I can’t fix all your stuff.”

  “Well, don’t worry about fixing all my stuff. Just help me figure out what I need to do now!”

  * * *

  Zachary needed to fix what was broken, but he didn’t know where to even begin. Kenzie was a spitfire when she was angry, and clearly she was angry with him. He rubbed the bruise on his chin where the top of her foot had connected with his head. He smiled at the memory.

  He stood in the shower, washing away the sweat from the workout he’d just put in. He and Kenzie needed to talk, and he needed to initiate the conversation. He’d put the wall up between them, not allowing Kenzie into his personal space, despite her efforts to engage him. And when he had let his guard down, the moment brief, the ensuing emotion had knocked him off sides, surprising him. So he’d pushed her away, but closing himself off hadn’t been fair to her. He needed to say that and apologize.
But Zachary wasn’t good at saying that he was sorry. It wasn’t something he had ever practiced.

  He thought about Kenzie. He’d actually been impressed by her chutzpah. Stepping into the ring had taken a lot of nerve. He’d been pleasantly surprised to learn that she had spent all the time he’d been away taking classes and working with the trainers. She’d taken an active interest in what he loved to do, and a part of him wanted to think that she’d made the effort for him and not necessarily for the article she was supposed to be writing. He questioned her motives, but he wanted to imagine that maybe Kenzie was actually feeling something for him. Because if he were honest with himself, he was feeling something for her.

  He swiped a soapy palm across the erection that had swelled full and thick between his legs. His dick had been heavy with wanting since he’d laid eyes on the exquisite woman stepping into the fight ring. Hiding his desire had been close to impossible, and so he had to run. Now he was thankful for the cold shower, the spray of chilled water dousing the nerve endings that were screaming for attention. Leaning against the tiled wall, Zachary didn’t have a clue how he was going to start the conversation he and Kenzie needed to have. But as he stroked his male member, he realized that was the least of his concerns.

  * * *

  Kenzie was throwing her clothes into the Samsonite carry-on bag that she had tossed into the corner when she arrived. The harsh knock on the front door was unexpected, and when she threw it open to find Zachary standing sheepishly on the other side, she was completely knocked off guard.

  “Can we talk?” he asked as he stepped inside, bogarting his way past her. He stopped short as he took note of her packing. He spun back around to face her. “Where are you going?”

  Kenzie rolled her eyes skyward. “I’m going home. I’m finished here.”

  “Why?”

  “You know why.”

  “I really don’t. So humor me.” He moved to the side of the bed as he stared down into her open luggage. He reached for a lace and satin tank top that rested on top, the garment sliding against his fingers.

  Kenzie moved brusquely to his side, snatching the lace from his hands and slinging it back into the suitcase before slamming the lid closed. “What do you want, Zachary? I really don’t have time for this.”

  “So who’s not being kind and respectful now?”

  The look she gave him was icy, her large eyes half-moon slivers. She stood with her arms crossed harshly over her chest. She closed her eyes for a split second to stall her rising emotion. When she inhaled, taking a deep breath of air, his cologne wafted up her nostrils, the aroma reminding her of something sweet and decadent. Nervous energy raced up her spine and deep into the pit of her stomach. She gasped, the sensation completely unexpected.

  Her eyes snapped open as Zachary took a step toward her, closing the space between them. He trailed a large hand down her arm. “We need to talk,” he said. “Take a minute and come on over to my place. Please. If you want to leave after that, then so be it.”

  She took another deep breath. “And what if I don’t want to?”

  “Then don’t. But I did say please. That should count for something.”

  Kenzie watched as he moved back to the door. He tossed her a look over his shoulder, his gaze smoldering. “If you don’t mind, plan on staying long enough to have dinner with me,” he said. He paused for a moment before continuing. “After that, if you still want to leave, I’ll have Gamon take you wherever you want to go.” And then he closed the door easily behind him. It was only then that Kenzie realized she was shaking, moisture suddenly puddling in her most intimate places.

  Chapter Six

  Kenzie had been sitting in the dark for over an hour trying to decide what she wanted to do if she did anything at all. Nothing about her day had gone as she had hoped. From the moment she’d heard the staff whispering about the champion being back, it had taken a downhill slide.

  First, she had wished for Zachary to seek her out, but he hadn’t. She’d even gone to his door hoping to find him home, but he hadn’t been there, the doors and gate locked tight. She had searched him out, but he had been like a magician, disappearing to parts unknown.

  Joining the sparring class had been a last-minute decision. By the time she stepped into the ring, her nerves were on edge. Her frustration had been acute, and then she’d thrown that first punch.

  She had read one of Zachary’s previous interviews where he talked about boxing being therapeutic, a balm of sorts to ease a fractured soul. He talked about how you released hurt and pain with each punch, feeling renewed when you’d let it all go. And for a brief moment, she had understood. But when he’d turned his back on her and had walked away, she’d been angry and frustrated all over again.

  The decision to pack and leave had come after little thought and much emotion. She found herself feeling fragile and needing to put some distance between them. Her friend Stephanie had been on point about her being in her own way and sabotaging herself. When it came to relationships, she was notorious for getting it all wrong, which was why Kenzie didn’t bother to do them at all.

  Now Zachary wanted to talk. He’d shown up smelling like the aftermath of a fresh spring rain, new car leather, and sin on Sunday. And that look he’d given her! His steel-gray stare had been everything but cold. His gaze had been heated, stripping her naked and burning like a hot massage in an ice storm, and she had melted. The way her body had reacted had been cataclysmic, unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. She hadn’t known how to handle it. Now she was sitting in the dark, not having a clue what she should do.

  Another thirty minutes passed before Kenzie finally moved. She was hungry, and Zachary had promised food. If hearing him out included a good meal, it would be worth the effort. She’d feel foolish about her behavior in the morning.

  * * *

  Zachary closed the cover to his book. It had only taken him six months to finish the three-hundred-plus pages. He’d started the suspense thriller just weeks before flying to Boulder, returning home for the first time in years. Then training had gotten in the way, leaving him no time to sit back and just relax. He’d finally been able to get through the last two-thirds of the novel over the past few days and was ready to start on another before something or someone got in his way.

  He glanced at his watch, then moved to the window to stare outside. Kenzie wasn’t coming, he thought, his mind racing as he tried to fathom how things had turned so far left with the two of them. For a brief moment, he thought about going back to her door to try and wrangle her over, to implore her to give him a chance. And then he second-guessed himself, changing his mind. If she wanted to come she would, he thought.

  He moved into his kitchen, staring at the pans of food resting on the stove top. He’d been ready to eat hours earlier but had waited, hopeful that he wouldn’t be eating alone. He was just about ready to give up that hope when he heard the faintest knock on his front door. A wave of excitement suddenly swept through his spirit. Kenzie hadn’t let him down.

  He hurried to the door and threw it open, the gesture just a hair shy of being too abrupt. Kenzie hesitated for a split second as he stepped aside to let her by. Neither said a word, greeting each other with their eyes. She paused in the front foyer, her hands pushed deep into the pockets of her low-slung denim jeans as she waited for Zachary to take the lead.

  “I was afraid you weren’t going to come,” he said softly as he closed the door.

  Kenzie shrugged. “I almost didn’t. But I’m hungry, and the cafeteria has closed.”

  Zachary smiled. “I’ll take that.” He turned and moved back toward the kitchen. “Come in so I can feed you.”

  As she moved into the dining area behind him, Kenzie came to an abrupt halt. There had been a marked change in the space from the last time that she’d been there. He’d actually set the table, and she was impressed by his good china, polished silverware, and the fresh flowers adorning the table. Zachary pulled out a seat for her, a
nd as she sat down, he trailed his fingers across her bare shoulder. His touch was heated, and she felt herself jump. He disappeared into the kitchen as she tried to regain her composure.

  Conversation between them was minimal, with little to nothing being said. The ease and comfort they’d felt the last time they were in his home was non-existent, and both felt off balance. There was no place for casual chatter, and neither was ready for the serious talk they knew would come.

  Minutes later, he’d given her a bowl of shrimp tom yum soup, and filled her plate with spicy beef salad and chicken red curry and rice. It was all too good, and they ate in silence, quietly savoring the moment.

  Zachary’s second plate was empty when he moved from the table to the fridge to grab them both another beer. “If you’re done, we can drink these out on the patio while we talk,” he said, eyeing her hesitantly.

  Kenzie met his stare and nodded. “I’m fine with that,” she said, rising from where she sat. She picked up both their plates and dropped them into the kitchen sink before following after him.

  Outside, they sat across from each other. Soft jazz billowed from the stereo speakers. Kenzie sipped her bottle of Singha slowly, hoping to stall the moment when things blew up between them. She was hoping for the best but expecting the worse.

  Kenzie’s rising anxiety had incited Zachary’s. He broke the quiet that had settled over them. “I’m sorry,” he said. He shifted forward in his seat, clasping both hands together in front of himself.

  Kenzie cut an eye in his direction. “You hurt my feelings,” she said, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could catch them. The comment actually surprised her because she wasn’t used to putting commentary to her emotions.

  Zachary nodded. He stood up, moving to the seat beside her. His leg brushed against hers, the touch teasing. He took a deep breath and then a second before he spoke. “I didn’t mean to. I really . . . I don’t know . . . I’ve just had a hard time with you being here and opening doors I had hoped to keep closed.”