“Come with me tomorrow. You can get in a little workout. Wouldn’t hurt for you to know a few self-defense moves.”
“Really? Yeah, that sounds fun. I have class all day, but I’m done at around three P.M.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at three-thirty,” I said, happy that she’d agreed to see me tomorrow. My plan was working.
“Okay. When do you fly out?”
“Tomorrow night around eight. So maybe we can just grab a pizza after the workout?” I said. Because pizza and workouts were something friends did. Didn’t matter that I was already fantasizing about seeing Jade in her workout tights all sweaty and tired.
Focus.
“Sounds good. So, um, are you just sleeping at your place tonight?” She fidgeted with the ring that still hung on a chain around her neck and stared down at her hands when she asked.
I leaned forward and tipped her chin up to meet my gaze. I was taking a different approach this time. If Jade wanted to put me in the friend-zone I was going to have to put her there as well.
“Are you asking me to have a sleepover again?”
“What? No. I mean, I hadn’t thought about it,” she whispered, avoiding my gaze.
Bullshit. It was all either of us were thinking about.
“I think another sleepover might be dangerous,” I said, waiting for her jade greens to lock with mine.
“You do?”
“I do.”
“Why?” she asked, holding her chin up high now, like it was a shield against what I might say.
“Because the next time I’m in bed with you, I won’t be there as your friend. I’ll be there because you want me as much as I want you. And you’ll be mine in every way.”
“Oh,” she said, her eyes doubled in size as they took me in.
“Do you remember what we were like together? The way we made one another feel?” I asked.
“Yeah. Of course.” Her voice was just above a whisper.
“Good.” I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. My fingers found her trembling hand in her lap.
She didn’t move. She stayed completely still. She just held my hand and her breaths came hard and fast. Fuck me. I used my other hand to adjust myself from where I sat. The last thing I wanted was to get out of the car with a raging boner.
My lips hovered right beside her ear. “Okay, let’s get you inside.”
I pulled back and she shook her head, wiping her palms on her jeans. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s go.”
I smiled as I got out of the car, knowing how I was affecting her. I walked her to the front door.
“Alright. See you tomorrow afternoon?” I asked.
“Yep. Sounds good. Thanks for dinner.”
“See you tomorrow, More Jade,” I said, walking backward to my car.
She waved and tripped over her own feet when she stepped inside, and I heard her laughter fill the air around me. And I fucking loved it.
When I got back to my place, I pulled out the sketchbook I’d purchased at the art gallery a few weeks ago and flipped through the pages. Drawings of Jade filled my book. Writing music was an outlet for me, but it was something I shared with the world. Even my MMA fighting was something I did with Gio. But, drawing, sketching—that was mine. No one saw these but me. And I liked it. I didn’t hold back. At some point I’d share them with my girl. But she wasn’t ready yet.
I flipped to a clean page and pulled out my charcoals and got to work. It cleared my head. I poured my feelings onto the paper. I liked the imperfection that came with using charcoals—a reflection of life. Some of the most beautiful things were imperfect. And you could blend all those imperfections together on paper, just as you could in life.
And Jade Moore—well, she was perfection on and off the paper.
“Good, Jade, keep your arms up and protect your face,” Gio said, as Jade bounced around on the mat beside me.
This was by far my favorite workout yet. Jade wore black leggings and a white tank with a pink sports bra beneath it. Her dark hair was pulled back in a long ponytail that trailed down her back. Jade was small, but she had more muscle now. Her arms were defined and cut. Obviously, she’d worked hard this summer.
“Like this?” she asked.
“Yes,” Gio said, glancing over his shoulder at me. “Go take a few laps, Cruz.”
That fucker. I was enjoying the show.
I finished up my third lap and Gio walked over to me as Jade did push-ups on the mat. “You want to spar with Simon again? He’s got a fight coming up and he said you challenged him more than any of the sparring guys they have lined up for him.”
I ran a hand over my chin. “Yeah, let me make sure Jade has time to hang out for a bit.”
“Yeah, you probably need to spar. You didn’t get in much of a workout aside from the one your eyes got staring at her ass the whole time,” he said with a laugh.
I flipped him the bird and jogged over to Jade. “Hey, do you mind if I spar with this dude real quick? It won’t take long. And then we can go grab a bite and I’ll take you home.”
She wiped her forehead with a towel and turned to face me. Her face was glistening, her cheeks pink and her hair sweaty. And damn if I didn’t fight the urge to pull her against me and kiss her hard.
“You’re going to fight someone?” She didn’t hide the anxiety in her voice as her brows pinched together with concern.
“We’re going to spar. He has a fight coming up and needs someone to practice with.”
She blew out a long breath. “I don’t like the idea of someone hitting you.”
“Well, then I’ll try not to get hit too much.” I laughed and reached for her hand, leading her over to the octagon.
Her hand fit in mine like it belonged there. Because it fucking did.
Simon’s trainer nodded. “Thanks for doing this, Cruz.”
“Yeah, no problem,” I said, turning to Jade. “Stay next to Gio.”
“Jesus, is he always this crazy around you. I’ve never seen this side of his moody ass,” Gio said to Jade with a laugh.
I flipped him off again and Jade laughed.
Simon bumped fists with me. “Don’t go easy on me. I’m about to face my toughest opponent yet. I need to get pushed.”
I nodded. “Alright.”
We both moved around the mat and I let him make the first move and set the pace. He came at me with a cross punch, and it barely skimmed my shoulder. Jade gasped in the background, but I tuned her out.