“Could be a Jeopardy question one day,” she teases. “Better bank that information.”
“It’s right here,” I say, tapping my temple. “Now let’s teach you something you can actually use. Let me see your jab.”
She sticks her left arm out.
“No, you’re right-handed. You’ll jab with your right, not your left.”
She repeats the same movement with her other hand.
“Whatever you think you know from doing those aerobic videos, forget it. Forget it all,” I tell her, shaking my head. “It’s like this.”
I demonstrate a few jabs on the bag, popping the leather with my fist over and over. I follow it with a cross a time or two, just so she can see it in order. When I stop and look at her, she’s watching me with a smile. “Did you get that?” I ask.
“I got that you look hot as hell doing it.”
I look at the ceiling. “Did you see the mechanics of the punch?”
“I saw the way your back ripples,” she says, moseying my way. “And the way your legs flex and—”
“So you got nothing.”
“I got nothing.” She stands on her tiptoes and I bend so she can kiss me. “Can I see it again? One more time. I’ll try to watch your arms this time.”
We spend over an hour throwing punches, stealing kisses, and learning how to turn your hips over for a roundhouse kick. By the time we’re done, we’re lying on the mats catching our breath.
She turns her head and faces me. “This was fun.”
“Really? You liked it?”
“The boxing was fun. It’s a good workout.”
I nod in agreement.
“But I really liked being here with you. In your space, you know?”
Rolling onto my side, I move my hand so I’m touching her. “I’m trying to figure out how I can show you I want you to be a part of my life but do it in a way where I don’t worry about you.”
“This place is harmless, Dom.”
“Right now,” I agree. “But when it’s open, there are people in here that aren’t savory. Take Gary, the guy from some place in Texas that no one can find on a map. The guy is flat-out weird, Cam. Serial killer material.”
“Oh, he is not.”
“He is too! Weird as fuck. Then there’s Noah, the kid that snorts more shit up his nose than I care to know. And Bond, the asshole I only tolerate because he’s a good sparring partner.” I play with a lock of her hair, twirling it around my finger. “I don’t want to risk you to any of them. I won’t. I just have to figure out safe ways to incorporate you into this. Okay?”
“Okay.” She leans forward and presses a sweet, sweaty kiss to my lips. “Now, since you’re all give-y today, I have a question. A request.”
My stomach churns at the look in her eye. “What?”
“Will you go to the charity event with me this week that I’ve been planning?”
“No.”
“Come on, Dom,” she whines, rolling onto her back again. “It’s just for an evening. It won’t be fun, I won’t lie, but I really want to take you with me. Don’t you want to see what I’ve been working on?”
“I’m proud of you, whatever you’ve done. But . . .” I imagine seeing the two wenches from the restaurant there and being under their scrutiny. “It’s not my thing.”
“You brought me here. I want to bring you there.”
“You took me to Hillary’s. Same difference.”
“No, it isn’t. Not at all.”
“Then I can’t imagine the excitement I’d have at a charity ball,” I deadpan.
She gives me the best glare she can muster, which isn’t much. “Will you at least think about it?”
“You think about this,” I say, getting to my feet and looking down at her. “You consider what it might be like if I got my hands on Graham. Then ask me again to accompany you if you think that’s a great choice. In the meantime, I’ll be in the ring if you care to join me.”
I walk away, hearing her scramble to her feet behind me. “No one is here, right?”
“Nada.”
“You know what we could do . . .”
I grin, knowing exactly what she’s thinking and start peeling my shirt off.
Camilla
“I CAN HANDLE THIS,” I laugh. The wind blows through my hair, the sunshine warm on my face as I look up at Dom. “I’ve babysat kids before.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I see his attention switch direction and land on my cleavage. I squeeze a little tighter than necessary and watch his pupils widen just a bit.
“Do you want to go to the gym today? Or stay home and play with Ryder?” I ask.
“Gym.”
“Then get your ass out of here,” I say, swatting him on the behind as I step to the side. “Ryder! Don’t go down the slide headfirst, okay?”
“Okay!”
He repositions himself at the top of the slide and scoots down the metal incline and into a pit of sand below. Picking himself up, he goes right back around to do it again with the biggest smile on his face.
The playground behind their apartment complex is minimal at best. A slide, a broken teeter-totter, a little dinosaur that just bobs back and forth, and a couple of swings are it. Ryder knows no difference. This is his favorite place in the world.
“What are you going to do all afternoon?” Dom asks, coming up behind me and folding me into his chest. His chin rests on my shoulder as we watch his nephew.
“This, probably. I, um . . .” I force a swallow, a little nervous and a little embarrassed about my next sentence. “I brought some designs that Sienna has for the company she’s thinking about launching with a friend in Illinois. She asked me to take a look at them for some reason, but I don’t know why—”
“Because you’re smart.”
My cheeks heat and it has nothing to do with the sun.
“I heard your suggestions for The Gold Room. Have you ever thought of doing something with design? Maybe interior design or something? Your house is beautiful.”
“Thanks,” I blush.
“You should, Cam. I think you’d be great at it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” he laughs, kissing the top of my head.
“Well, I’ve strangely enjoyed it. And, this might sound dumb, but I’ve been thinking about how to use design and combine it with volunteer work and scholarships and stuff to see if I can come up with a way to make a difference somehow.”
“That,” he says, kissing me sweetly, “is an awesome idea. I love it.”
My grin causes my cheeks to ache.
“I want to talk about this more. But right now, I need to go. Bond’s probably already waiting.”
I bite my tongue and don’t say the words that come so naturally—the question about why he’s doing it or why he can’t just stop. While I don’t understand the answers, I know what they are. And I know this is important to him. So instead of going there, I smile. “Have fun. Be safe.”