Contender: An Everyday Heroes World Book (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Tiffani Lynn

  My body relaxes beneath his, as if what he’s said is enough. For some reason, I believe him. He hasn’t done anything to make me think otherwise; my brain just kicked in.

  “Listen, I’m going to head home. I’d love to stay here and enjoy your flawless skin and sweet little body longer, but I know it’s too soon for more and you’re too tempting.” His fingers move lightly over the swell of my breasts, still trussed up by my bra. Then, with a little kick of his legs, we are both sitting upright. I climb off of him and redress, minus the torn panties that lay in a ball on the floor. He buttons and zips his jeans and tugs his shirt back on. Then he grabs my hand and leads me to the front door. Before he opens it, he leans in and kisses me hard and long. “I had a great time before we even made it back here. Can I see you again?”

  I nod, still a little dazed from the kiss.

  “Okay, I’ll call you tomorrow and see when you’re available.”

  The next day, when I return from my run, there’s a message from Keegan, asking me to call him. Well, at least he isn’t playing hard to get. I thought for sure I’d get a text saying he was busy and would call later, and then not hear from him for a couple of days. I can’t hide the little spark of excitement that fills my chest when I hear his voice.

  “Thought I would call before I start my workout. Call me when you get a chance. I’d love to see you again.”

  Before I can stop myself, I’m hitting call back on his number. When it goes to voicemail, I say, “Tag, you’re it!” Then I giggle and hang up. That whole thing is so unlike me. Giggling? Tag, you’re it? I’m generally more serious than that and I rarely giggle. Geez. I better not be turning into a girly girl. The next call I make is to Ahmod. If I don’t call to tell him how things went, he’s likely to drive to Sunnyville and demand a play-by-play. After a half hour of questions and answers and more giggling, I finally tell Ahmod I have to go.

  “Collins, I love this sweet, happy side of you. He’s bringing out the girl I used to know, and for that I owe him a big fat kiss.” I thought Ahmod was being all sentimental, but of course he jazzed the end up with something to make me laugh.

  “Make sure I’m present when you try that so I can pull you out of the bushes when he tosses you there.” We both laugh and say goodbye. Then I head to my dad’s house to start going through my mom’s things. I’ve been promising to do it since I moved back and up until now, I just couldn’t make myself do it.

  Eleven

  Keegan

  It’s been two weeks since my first date with Collins and every time I’ve seen her has been a little sweeter. She seems to open up more and relax. Now, I’m able to see how she grew up with those hilarious Malone boys; she’s got an awesome sense of humor and always seems ready for adventure. It’s funny that she kept all of that locked up. Grant told me when we were working out yesterday that they’re all happy to have the real Collins back. When I asked what he meant, he explained that since she’s come home from Colorado Springs, she’s been stoic, even angry at times, and had completely lost her adventurous side. When I asked what the difference is, he just laughed and tried to catch me with a left hook. Luckily, I hadn’t let my guard down and was able to block it without too much thought.

  I’ve been invited by both Sam and Collins for Sam’s special spaghetti night dinner they have every week. I was going to walk home with Sam and help him with dinner, but I had a few new people come in wanting a tour, and I can’t pass up a chance at signing new members.

  When I knock, it’s Mr. Sutton that answers the door with a big grin on his face. “Mr. Sutton, good to see you, sir.” I reach out to shake his hand and he chuckles. “You’d better call me Fred unless you want me to call you Mr. Ranger.”

  I grin at him. “No, sir, that would be weird. I’m not sure I’ve ever been called that in my life.” We shake and he ushers me inside to the scent of garlic and sauce cooking.

  When I reach the kitchen, Collins is setting the table and Sam comes to me first. We complete our special handshake and I realize I’ve grown to love those special handshakes. I could see him four different times in a day and he would still greet me with it every time. Within ten minutes, we’re all seated at the table, filling our plates and talking. It’s a far cry from my first special spaghetti night.

  Toward the end of dinner, I broach a subject I’ve been contemplating since our first date. “Collins, I’ve been thinking about it and I’d like to offer you a part-time job teaching self-defense, mainly to women, but also to anyone who is interested. We can work the class around your schedule, but I think it’s an important service to provide. Do you think you’d be interested?” I shovel the last scoop of spaghetti into my mouth and chew, waiting for her to mull it over. I know she has a passion for it. She’s mentioned it a few times now, and it didn’t dawn on me that, until now, she probably had nowhere to teach it. There is a fancy workout gym across town, but I don’t think they have the floor space for something like that.

  Sam pipes in first. “Collins, that would be awesome! We could work at the same place!”

  I glance over at her dad, who is pretending to eat, but the smile on his face is unmistakable. Finally, I set my fork down and wait.

  “What made you ask me that?” she inquires. Here is the cautious Collins that I first met. Not the adventurous woman that’s been coming out of her shell the past couple of weeks.

  “I’ve been trying to think of some programs we could implement that would actually help the community. I wanted to open a boxing gym here, but I want to be able to help people too, and what better way to do that than to teach them how to protect themselves.” I fold up my napkin and place it on the table.

  “How would you want me to do it?”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, confused by her question.

  “Small classes of a few people or a huge class of a bunch of people? Will I be doing it alone or will I have help?”

  “I will leave that up to you. I have the funding for it, so that’s not an issue. I would be willing to help with the classes, and my friend Brown is moving here; I know he’d be willing to help too. If you have anyone else in mind, we could talk about that too.”

  “I can help!” Sam shares.

  Collins looks over at him like she’s unsure.

  “Why don’t you come to the gym tomorrow when you get off work, really look around and think about it. Sam and I will give you a demonstration of what he’s learned, and you’ll realize you have plenty of help. If you don’t want to do it, that’s fine, I can approach your station chief and ask for recommendations for the job.”

  “You’ve put some thought into this.”

  “Yeah, I’m not just another pretty face, you know.”

  Everyone laughs and Collins throws her napkin at me.

  The next evening, Collins enters the gym in her uniform and I can’t help but grin. She makes that masculine, boxy uniform look like something out of a fantasy. It’s also a pretty big turn-on to see the confidence shine in her eyes when she’s wearing it. She owns that uniform in a way that’s so much sexier than any boxing ring girl in a skimpy bikini. I show her to the ladies’ locker room and give her a lock to secure her belongings, and then Sam and I practice while we wait for her. When she comes out, I have to fight getting hard right there in the middle of the gym. She’s in black spandex shorts that show off her little, muscular legs, and a tight tank top that makes me want to grab a giant T-shirt and throw it on her so the few guys working out won’t gawk at her. Her red ponytail shines as it swishes behind her as she hustles over to us, obviously more excited about this than she was at dinner last night.

  “Okay, guys. I’m ready to see what my baby brother can do,” she goads him. He hates when she calls him that.

  In a rare show of angry emotion, he turns and glares at her. “I’m not a baby! I’m a man!” he insists.

  She lifts her hands and fights a smile. “I know, you’re right, you’re right.” When he huffs and turns around, she winks at m
e so I know what she was doing.

  Before I can set things up, she grabs him from behind, and thank God, he reacts appropriately. He elbows her in the gut, causing her to double over, then he stomps on her foot and swings back with an elbow to the neck. As he tries to spin away though, he trips and lands on the mat. He still has a lot to learn, but for him to react to something he didn’t expect and be that effective, I’m proud, even if he did probably ruin any chance of me making out with his sister tonight.

  I help him up and turn towards her. She’s rubbing her neck with one hand and holding her stomach with the other. Sam rushes over. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “Oh, Sam. Don’t apologize. I’m so proud of you. I didn’t think you had it in you to hurt anyone. Keegan has taught you well.”

  “He’s also been teaching me to punch the heavy bag so I can get a power punch. He promised that if I keep practicing, he will give me a name like his.”

  “What do you mean like his, you have a name.” She looks a little confused.

  “I mean like ‘The Punisher’! I’m getting a cool name like that, but he says I have to earn it, so I’m working hard.”

  Collins fights a smile. “You’re right, you definitely need a name if you keep getting tougher. It’s only right.”

  We spend a half hour going over more moves and discussing the logistics of the class, and before it’s over, she’s agreeing to teach a class to see how it goes. She wants to advertise first at the domestic abuse shelter. Starting with a smaller group and working with battered women feels like a good place to start. On the evenings we have the classes, the gym will be closed to workouts so the women can feel safe to learn without a bunch of prying eyes. I can’t help but feel a strong sense of pride, both for the woman I’m dating and the fact that I’m finally doing what Lou wanted me to do, which is make a difference.

  Twelve

  Collins

  It’s now been two weeks since Keegan asked me to teach this class. Tonight is the first of seven sessions and I have five women here for the class. Sam and Keegan are the only two men in the building. I didn’t want to spook any of the women with men lingering around, and Keegan agreed.

  All the ladies are standing around the mats in various forms of workout wear; most of it looks like stuff they borrowed from someone at the shelter or got at a thrift store. They come from various socioeconomic backgrounds and are black, white and Hispanic, proving that domestic violence can affect all women.

  “Welcome, ladies! I’m Officer Collins Sutton and I’ll be teaching the class for the next six weeks; the seventh week will be proving you can do what we’ve taught you. These are my helpers, Keegan ‘The Punisher’ Ranger, who may look scary, but is actually a big softie, and my brother, Sam Sutton. They’re only here to assist, and if at any time you feel uncomfortable, we can switch helpers; they won’t be offended.” All the ladies nod and a couple give timid smiles.

  “The purpose of this class is not for you to go around picking fights but to be able to protect yourself if you end up in a situation where you could be hurt. You may think that you are too little or too scared to fight back, but I’m here to tell you that you can take down someone bigger than you with the moves you will learn in here. You also don’t need to have a lot of strength, just the element of surprise and the proper moves. My brother, Sam, has been learning self-defense from Keegan and was able to take me down two weeks ago. I was shocked at how effective he was. Think about that. I may be small but I’ve been trained in hand-to-hand combat and self-defense tactics. I didn’t expect him to be able to fight me off and he did it, effectively. You can too.”

  Sam’s chest puffs up with pride and his smile widens. I need to remember to thank Keegan for that.

  We spend the evening going over a couple moves and letting the women practice those on all of us. Misty, the smallest and most meek of the group, was the only one who wouldn’t let anyone touch her. It will take her longer than the others, but I refuse to give up on her. Judging by her timidity, I’d say she’s the most recent resident of the shelter. I’m lucky she even came out tonight, but I’ll work with her as much as necessary for her to gain confidence and control of her life again.

  Once class is over, Keegan drives Sam home because it’s dark, and I head for my house. Keegan’s going to shower and come to my place for dinner and a movie. I’ve been dying for this time alone with him the last couple of days. We had Sam’s spaghetti last night. On Tuesday, I had to work late when another local robbery happened at the end of my shift, and I didn’t see him at all on Monday. Who knew I’d be so excited to spend time with someone like this. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so giddy or happy.

  A knock on the door a half hour later signals Keegan’s arrival and I practically skip to the door. When I open it, he rushes in and takes me into his arms. With a small kick, he shuts my door and takes my mouth in a searing kiss. “How long have we been apart?” he asks as he comes up for air.

  “An hour at most.” I giggle.

  “Damn, seems like years.” His mouth travels across my jaw and down my neck, and my body ignites. The buzz I’ve been feeling in my lower belly all day, knowing he’s coming over, is nothing compared to the full-blown body trembles coming on now.

  “Bedroom,” I breathe, ready to take this to the next level. Screw dinner; we can heat it up, and no movie will be better than some time between the sheets with Keegan.

  His face comes out of my neck and he asks, “Are you sure? I’m not trying to rush you.”

  “Quit asking dumb questions and take me to bed!” I command with a grin. He takes off running with me in his arms and I laugh the whole way. When we reach the bed, he tosses me on and stops to strip off his clothes. I prop myself up on my elbows and enjoy the show. “Slow down so I can watch.”

  Over the past several weeks, I’ve seen him in various forms of undress as we’ve explored each other with fingers and mouths, but I’ve never seen him standing before me in all of his masculine glory, fully naked and hard. Dear Lord, he’s a masterpiece. Every muscle is defined, from his neck to his ankles. There’s a sexy little trail of black hair that travels from his belly button to his pubic region and is kept nice and short. My nipples harden further as a rush of heat gathers in my center. I might explode just looking at him.

  “Why are your clothes still on, my little ginger?” he questions me as he approaches the bed with his catlike grace.

  “I want you to take them off,” I taunt.

  “You do, do you?”

  I nod, my chest heaving as I get more turned on.

  “What should I take off first?” he muses to himself. “I’m thinking these running shorts. It was hard to concentrate on much tonight with you strutting that tight ass around in those spandex shorts. I almost hoped you still had them on so I could tear them off when I got here.”

  “You like those, huh? Maybe I’ll wear them again if you’re a good boy.”

  “Oh, there’s no boy here, but I’ll make it good for you.” His confidence is crazy sexy and has me squirming as he slowly removes my shorts.

  “Commando?” he asks as he licks his lips.

  “Running shorts don’t require panties.” I tell him, even though I chose them so there would be less to remove tonight.

  “Sit up, Collins.”

  I do as I’m instructed and he shuffles my T-shirt over my head and tosses it to the floor. The lacy bra I’m wearing does nothing to hide my excitement, and instead of removing it he leans down and wraps his lips around my nipple and pulls it hard against the lace. The friction and suction combined causes me to moan and arch into him.

  His lips travel over the swell of my breast, up my neck and over to my mouth. I’m panting and not far from begging him to push inside me, but I can tell he’s in the mood to be in control tonight and I’ll be damned if it isn’t the hottest moment of my life. He reaches to the floor and plucks out a condom and sets it on the bed next to us.

  “Roll o
ver so I can unhook your bra.”

  I turn over and spread my legs a little, praying he’ll be tempted to touch me there. I’m aching for him. Instead, he smacks my ass on both cheeks, leaving a delicious sting behind. I’ve never enjoyed spanking before, but I’m about ready to ask for more, just to have him touch me.

  “Put your knees on the bed but keep your head and shoulders down.”

  I hesitate because I’ve never had someone make that request before. “You know it’s going to be good; I’ll be sure to make it that way, just trust me.”

  I move into position and his calloused hands move down my back and release the hook on my bra, then push the straps down to my elbows. “Take that all the way off and resume the position. God, you have the sexiest ass, Collins.” His hands run slightly over the cheeks of my butt and then his lips join them, laying small kisses on the flesh that still stings a little from his slaps. Before I can protest, his face is buried in my pussy, and at this angle, it’s different and amazing. Something I’ve never experienced. My body trembles as I grow closer to climax and he must feel it because he pulls away. The crinkle of the condom wrapper catches my attention and I turn to watch as he slides it over his considerable girth. Two of his fingers slide inside me and I moan as he spreads my juices, preparing me. I wiggle, impatient for him. He smacks my ass one time before he pushes inside and groans loud and long. “I’ve been dreaming of this every day,” he confesses softly. “But it didn’t even feel this good in my dreams.”

  Slowly he rocks into me, gripping my hips as he controls the tempo, halting me from pushing back on him. And damn it if I don’t want to reverse onto him, I’m so turned on I’m feeling frantic. I want him to pound into me harder and faster. My breasts sway and my nipples brush the bed, heightening their sensitivity.