by Ward, Penny
“Sure, Mom. I’d like that.”
I really did want to see her too.
I wasn’t lying.
Somehow, the thought of meeting with my Mom and using her as a shoulder to cry on appeased my hurt emotions.
I finished my picked-at meal while I talked with Mom on the phone.
We made plans to meet at the apartment after work.
She was bringing her boyfriend over, and I’d finally get to meet him, but he wouldn’t be staying long. They were only in town for a couple nights before they were heading back out on the road.
It didn’t matter to me.
If I only got to see Mom for an hour, I knew it would be enough.
Memories of when I was a child and she’d hold me when I was upset popped into my head. That was what I needed now: reassurance that everything would work out, that everything would be fine.
Even if it was all a lie.
Although, I was smart enough to know that this development in my relationship with Ryan wasn’t unexpected, not really.
I’d known what kind of person he was before I’d started the relationship.
I also knew it wasn’t the end of the world.
I would find someone else that I cared about the way Mom seemed to care for the man in her life.
Enthusiastic about meeting Mom that evening after work, I finished my meal and returned to the gym.
Jill smiled at me, her eyes holding a “That’a girl!” message in them.
I didn’t blame her.
I hadn’t thought I’d be able to return to work myself. It was going to be difficult to work if I had to look at Ryan the entire time, but that’s what doors were for.
Walking into my office, I noticed the leggy blond sitting on a bench, watching Ryan, Boris and Tyres training with Derrick.
The three men all had fights coming up.
I knew that the competitions were meant to show what the gym members could do, entice new people to come train with them, and bring more money to the gym.
I’d been helping Mitch with the financial portion of preparing for it all.
Even though I was an accountant, when he’d asked for help with advertising and updating social media sites with information, I couldn’t say no. Somehow, even though I knew nothing about marketing, I managed to bring a little attention to the gym through the various social sites.
I didn’t understand any of that.
How could one spend their entire life online?
Then again, I was always piled high with facts, figures and numbers, so who was I to judge?
“Claire.” I heard Ryan call my name, but I ignored him as if I hadn’t heard him. Maybe it was childish, but I had better things to do with my life that listen to him explain his playboy ways. I had a job to do. “Claire!”
I stopped at the door to my office and turned around to glare at him.
He still looked good, and my body still longed for his.
There was no denying either fact as my gaze raked over his naked chest gleaming with sweat and down over the loose pants he wore.
“Can I talk to you?” he asked. There was pain in his voice, as if he regretted his decision, but I didn’t care to hear his sob story.
“I’m a little busy right now. I have plans for this evening and still have lots to do before I go home,” I told him in a matter-of-fact voice.
Without waiting for an answer from him, I turned away, opening my office and stepping inside.
Usually, I left my door open because I’d become accustomed to watching the men train as I worked.
Today, I didn’t want to even chance glancing up at Ryan.
I closed the door with a soft click.
Maybe I was angry with Ryan, but there was no reason to take out my aggression on the door. It hadn’t done anything wrong, after all. It wasn’t the door’s fault I’d been stupid enough to fall for the playboy fighter.
With a heavy sigh, I sat down at my desk, determined not to think about Ryan or the blond or even Mom or her boyfriend or Kate or Dad.
I concentrated on my work, settling in to get through the figures that could be cut down to start bringing more money into the gym versus out.
At the end of the evening, I was satisfied with the progress I’d made.
I went out and made a progress report to Mitch, who seemed pleased with what I told him. That was good because I still often felt like I was stumbling over my own feet where this job was concerned.
I was learning to love the challenge though, and it was a challenge.
I actually liked this job, despite the fact that it was something I never would have picked willingly if I’d had any kind of choice when I’d discovered it.
“Good work, Claire. This is exactly what this place needs.” He smiled at me, his eyes warm. “I’m glad we found you, or you us. You have no idea what I might have had to do if you hadn’t shown up when you did.” He shook his head.
“Close the gym?” I thought I knew the answer, but it was always good to confirm information before presenting an opinion either way.
“Yeah.” He sighed. “I still may have to. This competition is one of our last chances to bring this place back. You have no idea how much we need this.”
I smiled at that. I think I knew better than he did—at least where the numbers were concerned. “I know.”
He was venting, I knew, and glad for the momentary distraction from my own issues, I let him.
How could I not?
It allowed me to forget for a moment that Ryan was busy entertaining a certain blonde with a killer body.
“If those three out there don’t win their individual fights, I will probably have to close this place down. I just can’t keep up a gym that isn’t making any money, and with no new students coming in, there’s no money coming in.”
I sat down in the chair across from Mitch, knowing that this was going to take a little longer than I’d anticipated.
I didn’t mind.
I understood his need to tell someone his issues.
Maybe it wasn’t the most professional thing, but I’d come to realize that most of what Mitch did wasn’t in the professional sense but because he felt like it and it kept his employees happy to work with him despite the lack of funds coming their way.
He was a decent boss.
“Did you know that this place used to brim with students? We had people come from everywhere to train with our fighters. We went to every competition that existed and brought back hundreds of awards.”
I knew all of that.
I’d seen all the medals and trophies lining the walls.
There was always names etched into them, whether the name of the winners or the title of the competition itself. This place had been a big deal, once upon a time.
It was Mitch’s hope that this competition coming up would return it to its glory days, and in a way, I hoped for the same thing. I liked working here, and I really had no desire to leave. I didn’t want this to be a temporary job.
I wanted it to be a permanent one.
When I left Mitch’s office, it was hard not to look out at the training floor while returning to my office, but somehow, I managed it.
I had a few more pieces of paperwork to file and I wanted to clean up a little before I left for home.
First thing's first, I needed to call a cab to pick me up.
There was no way I was going to let Ryan walk me home.
Not after today.
Calling a cab only took a couple of minutes and cleaning the office a couple more after that.
I’d told the cab to be there in fifteen.
What could I do with that remaining time?
I didn’t know, but I didn’t want to stay holed up in my office just to avoid Ryan.
I was avoiding him.
I didn’t really have anything to say to him that would come out pleasant or nice.
Worse, I was afraid I might break down if I were to stick around and talk to him.
No, it was better that I avoid him for the time being.
The sound of yelling drifted through the wooden barrier of a door.
It was Derrick.
There was no mistaking his voice. His words were a little harder to distinguish, but I knew he was yelling at Ryan.
Feeling a bit like an eavesdropper, I creaked the door open to listen to what was being said. It wasn’t that hard.
I only had to open it a crack to hear Derrick as he tore into Ryan.
“You need to stop thinking about that woman and concentrate on this match!” he screamed. I knew that if I could see him, he was probably clenching his fists and beet red in the face. As it was, I could see Ryan’s face through the crack. There was a shame-faced expression I’d never seen cross his features before.
It was odd to see, and I felt a slight ache in my heart.
Was I the cause of such pain? Was I the woman Derrick spoke of?
There was no telling, really.
“You have to win this match, Ryan. You know how important it is—not just for me or you, but for this gym. Do you like working here?” I couldn’t hear his low reply from where I stood. “If you want to continue working here, you need to pull your head out of your ass, do something about the woman, and get your head on the mat again. And now.”
With a disgruntled huff, Derrick walked away, leaving Ryan alone looking at the floor in shame.
He appeared to be vulnerable and unsure.
Seeing Ryan that way was heartbreaking, in a way.
As if he knew I was watching, he looked up at me, catching my eyes.
The pain in his eyes was clear, and I knew I was the cause of it.
It didn’t matter why.
I was the cause.
I didn’t understand that when it was him with a new girlfriend, not the other way around, but I knew it was true.
A car horn honked outside, signaling the arrival of my cab.
Closing the office door behind me, I turned away from Ryan and left.
Chapter 11
Dinner with Mom was delicious, both in taste and company.
Eric was nice enough and I could tell right away that he and Mom adored each other.
They were good with just being a couple. I noticed there was no talk of marriage or engagements at all.
It made me smile.
“Are you going with Eric when he leaves town again?” I asked Mom that evening when we returned to the apartment.
She smiled at me, her face transforming into one of pure bliss as she said, “Yes, which brings me to another concern, Claire. I don’t think I’ll be returning to this apartment often. Would you like to take over my lease if we okay it with the complex manager?”
I would, and we spent the next hour hashing out details together.
We were about halfway through when a hard knock resounded on the door.
Mom glanced down at her watch. “Interesting. Eric’s back early. I guess his meeting went faster than he thought.”
She stood up and went to the door, but when she opened it, it wasn’t Eric waiting at the door.
It was Ryan.
“What are you doing here?” I asked from where I sat on the couch.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Dear, who is this young man?” Mom asked.
I could tell she was already smitten with him, even if she didn’t know who he was.
With a groan, I stood and went to confront the two.
“Mom, this is Ryan. He was the guy I told you about that I’ve been seeing—until today that is.” I glared at him. Then I smiled at her. “Ryan, this is my mother, Evelyn.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Miss Evelyn,” Ryan said, shaking her hand with a charming grin. “I really need to speak with your daughter. Is there any way I can steal her away from you for a bit?”
Mom liked him. I could tell in the way she lied to Ryan.
“Oh, would you look at the time. Hun, I hate to leave you, but I just remembered that Eric said he’d meet me down in the lobby about now.” She smiled at Ryan in apology and hugged me. “We’ll talk later, dear.”
She gave me a wink and slid past Ryan out the door, taking off down the hall with a swing of her hips and a hum upon her lips.
Mom!
I did not want to be stuck here with Ryan.
“What do you want?” I snapped.
He looked down at the floor. “I wanted to explain.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I think I get the picture, Ryan, really. There’s no need to explain yourself. You can leave now.”
I started to close the door, but he didn’t budge from the frame.
“No, Claire, I don’t think so. Nothing happened. Patricia always comes in before matches. She’s—” He waved his arms in the air as he tried to find the words to describe her.
Words I could easily say.
“A bimbo.” My lack of emotion showed in the word.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Wait. No. All she wants to be is arm candy for the matches. In the past, she’s been mine, and she expected the same thing this time because that’s our usual arrangement.”
“Ryan, you really don’t have to explain. It’s none of my business what you do with your side girls.”
He growled, running his hand through his hair and finally burying his face in his hands. “I don’t want side girls, Claire. That’s what I’m trying to explain. I want you.”
For a moment, I simply stared at him.
Then I started laughing uncontrollably.
“You’re kidding, right?” I asked. I covered my mouth to stifle more giggles. “That’s rich. Really rich. What are you, in love with me?”
His face sobered as he gazed at me. “Yes.”
The words caught me off guard.
I blinked at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
What had he just said?
“Excuse me?”
He entered the apartment.
I let him.
What else could I do?
I was still in shock upon hearing his words. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, watching my reaction as he said, “I love you, Claire.”
That was not true.
It couldn’t be true.
There was no way.
How long had we been dating?
Had we even been dating, really dating?
We’d never said the term to one another.
Mostly it was sex.
Even now, with him leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest, I could feel my attraction to him. I wanted him, even now. Wow, I wanted him.
But, to have fallen in love with me?
That didn’t seem plausible, especially for someone like him who was a definite player. Today had proven that without a doubt.
Maybe he was just playing me for more sex?
Maybe sex with the bimbo wasn’t as exciting as our romps?
“What about Miss Bimbo?” I asked.
Ryan pushed himself up straight and walked over to me, waiting until he was inches from me to speak.
“Patricia? She’s eye candy for my arm, Claire. That’s all. She’s meant to flirt and look cute and gain us sponsors. It’s what Derrick pays her for. In the past, I’ll admit I’ve also had sex with her a time or two, but if I really wanted her, would I be here, telling you that I love you? Something I’ve never admitted to any woman, even Patricia.”
Would he be here?
Why wasn’t he with the woman with legs so long that I felt like a penguin next to her— a short, ugly penguin, at that?
I sighed and my hands dropped to my sides.
“I don’t know what you want, Ryan. I will admit that I like you a lot, but I don’t think I’m ready to admit that I’m in love with you, and I definitely don’t trust that you’ve dropped your playboy ways.”
“Playboy ways?” he asked.
There was a grin on his face though.
“Don’t act so cute and
innocent—” He cut me off, his mouth capturing mine, his tongue diving into my mouth until I couldn’t think any longer.
There was nothing but me and him and the attraction that bound us to one another.
“Are we done talking for now?” he asked. “I’m willing to prove myself to you, but right now I just want to fuck you.”
He nibbled at my ear but waited to take it any further.
“No…”
He kissed my neck.
“No…” I tried to resist again.
“You want me,” Ryan stated bluntly.
I did.
I wanted that hot body to want mine. I wanted the passion. I wanted the heat.
And right now, this room was on fire with lust.
“Yes…” I moaned, not caring for the moment about Patricia or the competition or anything else.
I needed Ryan like he wanted me.
I needed his hands on my flesh, his cock buried inside me. I’d worry about his intentions for our relationship later.
For now, I just wanted him.
He didn’t wait for me to change my mind.
Our clothes came off before we entered my room, and I honestly hoped Mom wouldn’t come back up for a while—if at all.
It certainly would have been hard to explain the mess between the doorway and my room.
Ryan’s mouth was hot upon mine, his tongue dancing with my own in a delicious battle of will.
His hands cupped my face, making sure I couldn’t turn away from him, but that didn’t stop me from exploring his own body.
My hands drifted down the contours of his chest and abs, sliding lower until I gripped his cock in my hand and pumped it.
He groaned and nipped at my bottom lip.
“Yes, that feels so good, Claire.” I don’t know what turned me on more: his mounting desire or the fact that he bent his forehead to mine so he could watch me give him a hand job.
“Just shut up,” I growled.
He did, a heavy groan escaping his lips every now and then.
He wouldn’t let me have all the fun though, and it didn’t take long for him to bury his fingers deep inside my core.
Oh…
My hips bucked toward him involuntarily and a gasp tore from my throat.
