hadn’t shown up. With him there, and the attraction I felt for you … I just didn’t feel it was in your best interest to continue putting us in each other’s way.”
“But you knew it was me. Didn’t that bother you?” Bryant asked, wondering if he’d been in her place, would he have been able to keep his identity secret in light of the chemistry that was between them.
“That’s why I kept my distance. I used the local boys or Tavvy for everything, or didn’t you realize that’s what I was doing?”
“I guess I just figured that was the way you trained people. I didn’t think too much about it.”
“My father is very much a hands-on trainer. If you’d trained with him before his stroke, he would have made you pay for every weakness you showed him in the cage.”
“Well, Alice, I really look forward to seeing him healthy enough to do that in the future.”
Alice shifted on the couch. “Mason told me about her. Natalie.”
“Yeah.” Bryant tensed, a grimace passing over his face. “That one hurt.”
“I can’t believe she tried to sabotage your training just to get paid.”
“It was my fault too. I shouldn’t have let myself be distracted so easily.” Bryant rubbed the back of his neck. “And then when I found out what you did, it just felt so familiar… But now I understand.”
He really didn’t want to keep talking about it. What he wanted was Alice. Giving up his self-control, he reached out and pulled the holder from her hair, letting her shining locks flow through his hands. He looked up and met her eyes again. “You could have explained all of that in a letter. Why come here to do it personally?” He was hoping that he knew the answer.
Alice licked her lips. She felt a bit awkward but she had to tell the truth. Meeting his eyes, she forged ahead. “Because some fight-boy got me all hot and bothered three months ago, with a promise to explore things further after his fight. Then I screwed up and drove him away, but I couldn’t forget him. I couldn’t put out the fire…”
Bryant had heard enough. He slammed his mouth down over hers, plunging his tongue into her open mouth and leaving no doubts about what he wanted to do to rest of her body. His strong hands pulled her against his hard body, molding her soft curves to his solid muscles. He held her tight on the couch. He didn’t want to let her go. He wanted her.
Alice gasped and allowed herself to relax against his hard chest. God, he feels good. So warm, and strong, and he smells so good… Alice pulled her mouth from their kiss, placing her lips against his neck, tracing the muscles over his collarbone.
“You smell so good. You feel even better.” Bryant pushed his hips up to meet hers. He groaned at the exquisite feeling of her sweet flesh against that part of his body that was hard enough to pound nails. After the incredible dry spell during training, after hoping and waiting for Alice for all this time, he was so turned on, he knew it was going to be a matter of the strictest self-control that would keep him from spilling himself in his jeans. He’d never been so turned on so fast.
When Alice slipped her hand down his chest, her intention to reach his groin, he grabbed her hand. He turned their bodies so that Alice was lying on the couch, and he was prone on top of her, teasing her.
Alice shook her head. “Please. I want to feel. With you. Please. Right now, I need you to take the hurt away.”
“Oh no! You’re hurt? Where? Is it my weight? Are you injured and I missed it? Show me.”
Alice bit her bottom lip. “Will you kiss it and make it better?” she whispered. She couldn’t believe how forward she was being. God, I hope I don’t sound like a whore!
Bryant caught the hesitancy in her gaze and suddenly knew she wasn’t injured. She was flirting! Playing along, he solemnly met her gaze and whispered, “I promise to make it all better. Show me, where does it hurt?”
Alice took his hand and placed
“But you knew it was me. Didn’t that bother you?” Bryant asked, wondering if he’d been in her place, would he have been able to keep his identity secret in light of the chemistry that was between them.
“That’s why I kept my distance. I used the local boys or Tavvy for everything, or didn’t you realize that’s what I was doing?”
“I guess I just figured that was the way you trained people. I didn’t think too much about it.”
“My father is very much a hands-on trainer. If you’d trained with him before his stroke, he would have made you pay for every weakness you showed him in the cage.”
“Well, Alice, I really look forward to seeing him healthy enough to do that in the future.”
Alice shifted on the couch. “Mason told me about her. Natalie.”
“Yeah.” Bryant tensed, a grimace passing over his face. “That one hurt.”
“I can’t believe she tried to sabotage your training just to get paid.”
“It was my fault too. I shouldn’t have let myself be distracted so easily.” Bryant rubbed the back of his neck. “And then when I found out what you did, it just felt so familiar… But now I understand.”
He really didn’t want to keep talking about it. What he wanted was Alice. Giving up his self-control, he reached out and pulled the holder from her hair, letting her shining locks flow through his hands. He looked up and met her eyes again. “You could have explained all of that in a letter. Why come here to do it personally?” He was hoping that he knew the answer.
Alice licked her lips. She felt a bit awkward but she had to tell the truth. Meeting his eyes, she forged ahead. “Because some fight-boy got me all hot and bothered three months ago, with a promise to explore things further after his fight. Then I screwed up and drove him away, but I couldn’t forget him. I couldn’t put out the fire…”
Bryant had heard enough. He slammed his mouth down over hers, plunging his tongue into her open mouth and leaving no doubts about what he wanted to do to rest of her body. His strong hands pulled her against his hard body, molding her soft curves to his solid muscles. He held her tight on the couch. He didn’t want to let her go. He wanted her.
Alice gasped and allowed herself to relax against his hard chest. God, he feels good. So warm, and strong, and he smells so good… Alice pulled her mouth from their kiss, placing her lips against his neck, tracing the muscles over his collarbone.
“You smell so good. You feel even better.” Bryant pushed his hips up to meet hers. He groaned at the exquisite feeling of her sweet flesh against that part of his body that was hard enough to pound nails. After the incredible dry spell during training, after hoping and waiting for Alice for all this time, he was so turned on, he knew it was going to be a matter of the strictest self-control that would keep him from spilling himself in his jeans. He’d never been so turned on so fast.
When Alice slipped her hand down his chest, her intention to reach his groin, he grabbed her hand. He turned their bodies so that Alice was lying on the couch, and he was prone on top of her, teasing her.
Alice shook her head. “Please. I want to feel. With you. Please. Right now, I need you to take the hurt away.”
“Oh no! You’re hurt? Where? Is it my weight? Are you injured and I missed it? Show me.”
Alice bit her bottom lip. “Will you kiss it and make it better?” she whispered. She couldn’t believe how forward she was being. God, I hope I don’t sound like a whore!
Bryant caught the hesitancy in her gaze and suddenly knew she wasn’t injured. She was flirting! Playing along, he solemnly met her gaze and whispered, “I promise to make it all better. Show me, where does it hurt?”
Alice took his hand and placed
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