Passionate Kisses 2 Boxed Set: Love in Bloom

by Magda Alexander

“It will be for sure. Do you want to me stop anywhere while we are out?” Fern was his lifesaver, for sure.

  He walked around the center counter to the fridge. After pulling out the breakfast necessities, he paused at the window to watch the rain blast against the glass, he said, “How about you switch out her summer clothes for the fall and winter? I’m sure she’ll need new items like socks. Make me a list and I’ll buy whatever she needs.” He didn’t like Fern shopping for Addison. If Rally had a full schedule and Addison needed something right away, he allowed Fern to go, but that was a rare occasion. He wanted as much influence in Addison’s life as he could get.

  Fern replaced Addison’s bowl of cereal with a toy and moved over to the sink while Addison happily played. She hummed as she washed the dishes. Fern returned to Addison and lifted her out of the pink high chair. When Addison put her head on Fern’s shoulder, Fern smoothed Addison’s baby-fine hair down in the sweetest way. The moment of life happening in front of him made his breath get caught in his lungs.

  “Hey, Fern,” Rally said, making the nanny stop and turn back to him.

  “Yes?” Concern etched at the corners of her lips.

  “Why don’t you take the evening off? Didn’t you mention that you want to watch that new Channing movie?”

  “Oh my gosh, yes! Are you serious?” Her bright smile appeared.

  “Absolutely. It’s a treat from me as a way of saying thank you for everything.”

  She giggled as she hurried over to give him a half hug, squishing Addison between them. His baby girl giggled with delight. “Sorry, sweetie,” Fern said to Addison as they hurried out of the room, a new happy skip to his nanny’s step as they went.

  Yes, he’d done the right thing to treat her to that movie even though her day off wasn’t until tomorrow. Now back to breakfast. A thick piece of baked ham, scrambled eggs, two slices of whole wheat toast, and a bowl of fruit. The breakfast of champions, for sure. As he baked the ham, scrambled the eggs and splurged with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar, chopped fruit and toasted his bread, he thought of Grace. Those gorgeous green eyes of hers. Her sweet smile that made him weak in the knees. He even remembered her thin hands that looked dainty but didn’t make him doubt about their skill in pleasuring a man. And he pictured her hand on him. The idea of Grace touching him anywhere made his skin burn with desire. Damn. This wasn’t a good time to fantasize about her. Not when he had to be in the gym in forty-five minutes. He’d already taken his shower and by the way his dick stiffened in his workout pants, he might need another to cool down. She needed to get out of his head.

  No Grace. Not now, not ever.

  *****

  Her GPS alerted her that the gym address was along the main street in downtown Portland. She pulled up in the only available parking spot for blocks and hurried down the sidewalk. Too bad she didn’t have an umbrella and didn’t want to waste the time buying one. Her hair was already plastered to her face. Her shirt stuck to her skin underneath her inadequate jacket. This was why she lived in sunny California. She hated the cold, gloomy rain.

  The clock display on her phone reminded her of how late in the day it had gotten. After the rest of the drive to Portland, she checked into her hotel, and with the help of some pain reliever, took a three hour nap. Now she was here, ready to take on Rally and use her assets to get him to open up to her. Her father was right-like always-and she’d been approaching this all wrong. Well, not anymore!

  The address listed on her phone should be one of them along the block. She eyed the street numbers as she huddled in her jacket, trying to fight off the chill threatening to take over her. Two-zero-three? The pale yellow numbers barely stood out under the rain water flowing down the building. She squinted. The number matched the one on paper but the building didn’t look like a gym and lacked a sign. It didn’t even have windows. Maybe on the backside, overlooking an alley or parking lot? Just a metal garage door and smaller door with chipped paint to the right of it with one step in front. She shook her head. She must’ve gotten the addresses mixed around. Leave it to her to screw such a simple task up. Maybe Ray was right… she was in the wrong field.

  A woman, dressed in running shorts that showed off her long, lean legs and a zipped-up hoodie, ran passed her and up the one step. She pulled open the door with the faded numbers, giving Grace the chance to peer inside without actually entering. From the doorway, she had a glimpse of a guy taking some jabs at a punching bag. Holy crap, she’d been right after all. She grabbed the door, pulled it open all the way, and stepped inside. The scent of sweat and dirty armpits assaulted her senses, making her eyes water. They needed a better ventilation system or showers… something.

  Before she had a chance to escape to the fresh air outside, a stout, dark-skinned man with a shaved head sauntered over. A clipboard was held at his side. A smile emerged as he held out his free hand. “Name’s Felix. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m Grace Avery. Nice place you have. With no sign out front, I almost missed it.” She eyed the busy place but didn’t spot Rally anywhere.

  Felix’s strong fingers pinched the muscle on her arm, snapping her attention back to him. “Yep, you’re trainable. Already have some of the good stuff I develop in my fighters. Let me show you around.” He turned and motioned with his clipboard for her to follow. His voice stayed light but the words kept flowing, not letting her get in a word or correct his assumption. “Some trainers think that agility makes up for strength. Not me. I work on both strength and agility. You have the strength for being a puny thing.”

  Heat collided with her cheeks. “I’ve never been called puny before.”

  Felix chuckled. “It’s a compliment.”

  She shrugged in response. “I’m really not here for training, but thanks for the offer.”

  Her words made him stop right in the middle of the padded floor. His eyes widened. “Now it’s my turn to blush. You’re not? Why didn’t you speak up in the beginning then, lady?” If he was blushing as he claimed, his tanned skin hid it well.

  “I’m a reporter from ‘Boxers United Magazine’. I’m doing a feature on bachelor boxers and would love to interview some.” She took a deep breath and hoped her line worked. The idea had come to her last night while driving and prayed that if her plan worked. Maybe if she wasn’t hanging around to just meet Rally, she’d be accepted here. And if all else fails and she is forced to find other employment, she would have the option to submit the series of articles to other markets. Maybe even in a book.

  He tucked the clipboard under his arm before crossing them. “Hm. I don’t want you to distract my guys.”

  Just what she was afraid of. She needed to get his permission in order to stay. Felix was the gatekeeper at this gym. “I won’t be any trouble. I promise. My assignment is due in just under two weeks. Can’t I stick around the gym, get some of them to be featured in my series of articles, and give you a good mention?”

  “A mention, huh? Me, personally? Or the gym?” His eyebrows knitted together. ‘I’m not the gym owner. You know, just the trainer. I might as well be the boss though.”

  “I can give one to you and the gym for graciously letting me hang out here and visit with your fighters… when they aren’t busy, of course.”

  He stood, staring down at the space between his feet. His hands clasped to his beefy hips as he rocked back and forth on his heels. She didn’t dare make a sound until he jerked his head up and grinned.

  “Got yourself a deal. Maybe I can bring in some new people and whip out some new champions. That’s what I do.”

  “Well, Felix, you’re the right man for me to know then, huh? Who do you suggest I interview first?” She didn’t even hope for Rally to be named. She knew it wouldn’t happen.

  Felix turned to scan the gym. Two guys sparred in the large ring dominating the room. Two additional guys waited at the ropes. Another several-probably five, or so-guys hit a variety bags on one wall. Three women and a man did a cardio routine on the far side
of the gym. Some one on one training was going on in the back. Lots of potential here and Rally wasn’t anywhere around. Hopefully she had the right gym.

  “Try Elliot. He’s single and loves the attention. Or Triple T. I gotta get back to the mats.” He waved the clipboard over his shoulder as he hurried to the guys in the ring.

  She stood there in awe as she watched Felix climb through the ropes. He motioned for one of the fighters to return to the corner where Felix gave him pointers on the angle of his glove. The fighter nodded before meeting his opponent in the center ring again. Applying Felix’s suggestions, the fighter made contact with the other guy’s stomach, shoving the opponent back a step. The guy swung back, but the punch was blocked.

  Felix clapped a hand against his clipboard. “See that? It’s all about the angle.”

  Scouting out a place to park her butt while still having access to the guys, she found a bench along the wall with a water cooler at one end and a stack of plastic totes on the other. She scanned the gym for plastic water bottles next to the fighters. None-a good indication that they weren’t allowed in the gym and every fighter would come over to the bench at some point. Not even Rally Brewer could avoid her there, if he showed up.

  She grabbed a disposable paper cup from the holder on the side of the water cooler and filled it to the brim. After taking a refreshing sip, she slowly walked to the center of the bench. In the middle of the seat, she’d had equal access to both locations that the fighters might be utilizing without having to jump up to greet them from one side or the other. When her cup was empty, she set it next to her on the bench and took out a small pad of paper and a pen to take notes. A recorder was in her small handbag, ready with fresh batteries, for any interviews she might capture today.

  A redhead with her hair pulled up in a ponytail and sweat dripping down her face came over to the bin to Grace’s left. The fighter swiped the sweat from her face with her forearm, her biceps flexing with the movement. Wow, she was in good shape.

  Making eye contact, Grace said, “Hey,” in greeting.

  The redhead gave a quick nod in lieu of a “hello” and lifted the lid from the tote, sending a foul swoosh of nasty air in Graces direction.

  “Wow,” Grace said, covering her mouth and nose with the sleeve of her jacket.

  “That bad, huh?” asked the female.

  Grace nodded.

  “I’m used to it, I guess.” She tossed the gloves into the bin and replaced the lid before grabbing her own cup of water from the cooler. “I haven’t noticed you around. You must be new.” She nodded at Grace’s notepad.

  This was the hard part of all conversations pertaining to her job. People either loved or hated reporters. It was rarely in the middle of the two emotions. “I love the sport but couldn’t do that. Actually, I’m here on assignment from my magazine. I’m Grace Avery.” She held her hand out to the woman, who took it and gave Grace’s hand a quick, strong pump.

  She eyed the tablet balancing on Grace’s leg. “Nice to meet you. I’m Rebecca Perkins.” She turned her attention back to the activity swarming around the gym like a colony of bees in a hive. “Good job, Jenson,” she called out to one of the guys in the ring. He’s good. He’ll go places. Who are you doing a story on?”

  “Bachelors in Boxing. Something that’ll give the fans an insight into their private lives as well as their boxing careers.”

  Rebecca nodded. “You know what I think is stupid?”

  It couldn’t be Grace’s idea for her story. She’d never seen anything like this done in the sport. Other sports, yes, boxing, no. “What?” Grace asked, hesitantly.

  “Females are really undervalued in this sport. Seriously. Who gets the headlines all of the time?” With her mouth set in a straight line, she cocked her head toward the men. The other female boxers had moved to another area to practice jarring, each paring into twos and taking jabs at each other and ducking when a fist came too close.

  “I can understand how that might be frustrating for you. You’re right about that, though. We have assignments most of the time, but I can put in a request to my magazine.” She didn’t mention that she’d only be able to if she got to keep her job there. She hadn’t even told Ray about her articles yet. Not without having the lead off being Rally Brewer. “Would you be interested in a bachelorette feature if my boss gives me the go-ahead?” The easy way out might serve her well.

  She shrugged but a smile peeked out at the corners of her lips. “I might. There’s some more women here who’ll probably be interested, too. Not as many of them as the guys but enough.”

  Grace liked the idea brewing. A whole batch of articles set around the gym’s single fighters. “Let me talk to my boss and I will get back to you on that.”

  A bald boxer climbed out from between the ropes and hopped off the elevated platform. He slipped the gloves off, tossing them into the stinky bin and didn’t put the lid back on. His attention turned to the medical tape wrapped around each hand.

  “Hey, Elliot. You looked good out there,” Rebecca said.

  Elliot! Felix had recommended him. Maybe the fighter, wearing light green shorts and a t-shirt with the gym’s name plastered across the front, would sit down for a break, giving her a chance to talk to him.

  “Thanks. When’s your next fight?” Elliot asked.

  “Next week. I’m heading out in two days.” She stood. To Elliot, she said, “Have a seat and talk to Grace. She’s doing a cool feature in a boxing magazine,” and motioned for him to take her spot. She turned to Grace. “It was nice meeting you and let me know what your boss says.”

  “Will do. I’m sure I will be seeing you around.”

  Elliot sat next to her but kept his face toward the ring as if the center of the world was located there, only glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

  She knew of Elliot, most people who followed boxing did but had never met him. He was almost as attractive as Rally. Elliot lacked the ability to make her heart flutter or infuse the urge to squirm on the bench to ease the pressure in her intimate areas… like Rally did every time she was around him. Elliot didn’t have that affect on her, but surely had women all over the place, willing to drop their panties or put a wedding band on their finger. He’d make a great guy for her feature.

  She introduced herself and still didn’t get a full glance in her direction. “Felix said I should talk to you about being featured in my article. Are you interested?” She was taught to give more information, some kind of bait to hook the person, but not right now. The tension in his shoulders and the set of his jaw told her that he had his guard up a mile high. She’d be lucky to tear it down.

  “Felix said that, huh?” He scratched his hand over his razor stubble. “Felix usually doesn’t allow anyone but fighters in here. He sets up press time with you guys for a reason.”

  She’d figured that to be the case and the very reason to throw in a perk for Felix. Her plan had worked so far. Now she was able to use the gym at her leisure. “He did, in fact, give me permission to be here and suggested I talk to you first. Well, he said you and Triple T.”

  His brows wrinkled. “Triple T, huh?” Shaking his head, he let out a grunt. “Why them? They get enough press time.”

  “I don’t know. That’s all Felix said. If you don’t want to do it then just point me in the direction of Triple T. I’d love to meet them.” Triple T was a set of twins, both boxers, nicknamed after their history of trouble and tattoos. To add to the hype, their names started with a T even though Grace forgot what they were at the moment because everyone referred to them by their nickname.

  “One of them is over there.” He nodded in the direction of the entire room as if she’d be able to identify the twin training. “But don’t bother. I’ll do your feature. What do you want from me? Interview? Follow me around some? Pictures, for sure.”

  She had her photography equipment back at her hotel. “An interview to start and then can I take some pictures of you at your home in the ne
xt few days?”

  “Tomorrow works well for me because it’s my rest day.” He turned slightly on the bench, giving her a better view of his profile. The stubble on his chin was neatly shaped in a straight line across his natural curve, telling her that the trim was his style. His hair was cropped really short, probably for little fuss in the ring. His dark features gave Elliot a harder edge to him than Rally had. Maybe her heart refused to see Rally in a darker light after he’d hurt her and then went over what he had to do to make things better. Rally had shown her that kind and caring side of him while Elliot was hard-wired with sex appeal.

  “Tomorrow works great for me. Does morning or evening sound better?”

  “Evening. We’ll throw some steaks on the grill and chat.”

  “That’ll be nice and I’m sure I’ll be ready for some home cooking by then. Restaurant food gets old after a while.”

  “You’re telling me,” Elliot said with a chuckle. “So you must travel a lot?”

  She nodded. Wasn’t she suppose to be the one the asking the questions? Here she was, feeling like he was the one interested in her life, instead of the other way around. Her interest only looming in the way of an article. “I do. I’ve been on the road for over a week now and will be in Portland for two more.”

  “Two weeks, huh?” He leaned an arm on the back of the bench and turning sideways, gave her a total frontal of him.

  She glanced at the recorder capturing this conversation and heat bit at her cheeks. The questions needed to be turned back around to him. “So do you travel a lot? How often do you go for matches?”

  He moved a hand closer to where her arm met the back of the bench. “Every few months. Most of us professionals have that type of schedule.”

  She went on to ask him all types of questions about his routine for training, some of his secrets to succeeding in his career, and his most inspirational memory as a boxer. When she asked the last question, a smile froze on his face and he didn’t respond right away.

  “Come on,” she said. “The women will love the sentimental memory.”