Bending down, Jami grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. “You never were a very good liar,” he stated with a teasing smile as he pulled her to the center of the mat and turned to face her. “Let’s start with the basics,” he said, loud enough for Victoria to hear him.
“If someone tries to attack you, there are certain areas of the body that are most vulnerable.” Looking at her expectantly, he said, “Show me one.”
Alyson looked over her shoulder at Victoria, who was watching intently to see what she would do. “You want me to attack you?” she asked Jami.
“Yep, pretend I’m an attacker, and do the first thing that comes to mind.”
“But you’re not attacking me,” she pointed out. “What if I hurt you?”
Smirking, Jami said, “Trust me, you won’t, but if you want me to pretend to attack you to make it easier, then I will. Turn around.”
She did as he said. Victoria and Miles smiled at her, enjoying the game as it unfolded before them.
“Now, I’m going to sneak up on you, and I want you to try to hit me.”
Biting her lip, Alyson started to laugh. “Fine, but when I do, remember I warned you.”
Concentrating, Alyson tried to tune out the noise from other people training and focus on her immediate surroundings. The air stirred one second before Jami’s arms came around her from behind, and instantly, Alyson reacted. Her head jerked back, brushing Jami’s nose as he released her.
“Good,” he praised her. Turning around, she found him smiling. “The nose is one place you want to go for. The others are the eyes, throat, groin, knees, and legs,” he explained, pointing to those parts of his body.
“This time, I’m going to come straight at you. When I grab you, I want you to open your hand like this.” Taking hers, Jami spread her fingers and thumb open, creating a wide V. “Go for my throat like this,” he directed her, jerking her arm toward him and thrusting her hand against his throat.
A tingling sensation traveled from his fingers locked around her wrist, all the way down between her legs, and Alyson blushed, hoping he couldn’t tell how turned on she was becoming. Nodding, she dropped her gaze and stepped back, taking a ready stance.
Standing in front of her, Jami’s eyes locked with hers and the slight tip of his head was the only warning she got before he came at her. Taking her by the arm, he hauled her forward, and Alyson opened her hand and jabbed it at his throat, just like he showed her, stopping short so she wouldn’t hurt him.
Immediately, his grip loosened, but he didn’t release her. Jami’s nostrils flared as he looked into her eyes, and her breath quickened in response. Her hand relaxed against his throat, her fingertips finding his erratic pulse easily. Was he feeling what she was? That pulse-pounding attraction? That heated connection that she had felt growing between them since the first time he crawled through her bedroom window when they were kids?
“Do you want us to leave so you guys can make out, or do you plan to show us a couple more moves?” Miles asked from the sidelines.
“Miles,” Victoria scolded him as her cheeks started to pinken. “You’re going to embarrass them.”
With all his teeth showing, Jami set Alyson away from him. “I’m not easily embarrassed,” he informed Victoria, then lifted an eyebrow. “But judging by the way Ally is gnawing on her lip, I think we better move on.”
Crouching, Jami pinned Alyson with a heated look that had her squirming in her skin. “This time I’m going to come at you hard. No mercy, got it?”
Swallowing hard, Alyson mirrored his stance. “What do you want me to do this time?” she asked with trepidation, because she knew he wasn’t going to go easy on her. This was the real deal. Jami planned on taking her down, and after seeing how easily he was able to take on Miles, who stood several inches taller than she did, she knew she was going to have to come up with a good strategy, fast.
“Trust your instincts. Ready?” he asked, looking far too pleased for her comfort.
Tossing her pony tail over her shoulder, Alyson flexed her fingers. “Bring it, big boy.”
“You can take him!” Miles shouted at her.
“Woo, go, Ally!” Victoria called.
Alyson laughed. Despite the butterflies fluttering like crazy in her stomach, she realized she was having fun. She probably didn’t stand a chance against Jami, or any other man who might decide to attack her, but she’d damn sure give it her best shot.
Sizing him up, Alyson quickly took note of all his vulnerable places. She could go for the eyes, but she could really hurt him with her nails if she wasn’t careful. She had heard that slamming the butt of your hand into an attacker’s nose was a sure fire way to make him back off, but it was dangerous and could result in death if she accidentally hit him too hard. Both of those options were immediately swept off the table. The same deal went for the throat, leaving her with the lower body.
She was still deciding on the best course of action when Jami lunged. Reacting purely on instinct, Alyson brought her leg up and kneed him in the crotch. Dropping to his knees, Jami groaned as he cupped himself and fell over on his side.
“Holy shit,” he gasped. “Why didn’t you go for the knee?”
Grimacing in sympathy, Alyson kneeled down beside him and combed her fingers through his hair. She felt terrible. Why hadn’t she gone for the knee? “You told me to surprise you,” she said anxiously. “Surprise!”
To her amazement, Jami burst out laughing. “Leave it to you…to choose that part,” he stuttered, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain.
“Here, man, this will help.” Miles produced an ice pack and passed it off to Alyson. “I used to get hit in the sack all the time when I played basketball.”
All eyes were on them. Apparently, no one had ever seen Jami take a fall before. Or maybe it was that it was at the hands of a girl? Either way, Alyson felt more than a little awkward as she pulled Jami’s hand away. For a brief moment, she considered how she was going to do it. Did she just hold it against him? Should it go on the outside, or inside of his shorts? It was hard to say since she didn’t own testicles. Rather than make the decision herself, she dropped the pack into Jami’s palm.
“Thanks,” he grunted, “but I don’t think I can move. I need you to do it.” Hooking his thumb in the waistband of his shorts, he pulled the material away, revealing a tantalizing bit of tanned, toned skin.
Alyson’s mouth watered just a little bit as she looked down and glimpsed the light trail of hair that started below his navel and ran down to disappear beneath his clothing. Olivia referred to it as a happy trail, and she could understand why. She was feeling pretty darn happy just then.
“Why don’t we go see if we can find a bottle of water while Ally helps him out?” Victoria gently nudged Miles and guided him away, giving them a modicum of privacy.
Alyson’s face burned as she took the pack. Was she really going to stick her hand down Jami’s pants?
Looking up from under her lashes, she took a peek at their ready audience. Half the men in the place were either discretely watching the situation play out or openly ogling them.
“Ally, please,” Jami grimaced.
Okay, then, she could do this. There was absolutely nothing hard about icing the balls of the guy you wanted to have sex with in front of a room full of eager men, especially when she was the one who delivered the blow that landed him in this prone position in the first place.
With the pep talk out of the way, Alyson lifted her trembling hand and began sliding it down the front of his shorts.
Jami’s skin was like a furnace. Extreme warmth kissed the back of her hand in stark contrast to her icy fingers. She felt the soft hairs on his stomach glide across her skin and her tongue pressed against the back of her teeth as she imagined kissing him there.
The pack touched his bare skin and Jami sucked in a sharp breath, his stomach clenching against the frigid temperature. “Careful, babe.”
“Sorry.” Even slower than bef
ore, Alyson continued on her path easing the pack down the front of his shorts. She froze as she felt the path of wiry hairs. “You’re not wearing any underwear?” she hissed, her eyes widening on his.
Immediately, the pained grimace vanished and Alyson caught the teasing glint in Jami’s brown eyes as his hand covered hers. “I am, but I wanted to see if were brave enough to stick your hand down my pants. Now I’m surprised.”
Laughter erupted all around them, and Alyson felt the skin on her neck tighten as embarrassment took hold. “You’re such as bastard,” she said, glowering at him. Turning her hand over, she shoved it the rest of the way down his pants, and slapped the ice cold pack down on his naked flesh.
“Holy shit, that’s cold!” Rolling away from her, Jami leaped to his feet. Plunging his hands down his pants, he yanked the pack out. Alyson watched him with a satisfied smile as Jami stood there, his chest heaving.
Lifting his arm to point his finger at her, Jami issued what she took to be a threat. “I didn’t get to show you my secret weapon.”
Holding up her hands, Alyson shook her head. “No thanks, I’ve seen plenty ‘secret weapons’ in my lifetime already. How does the saying go? If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all?” Deciding now was a good time to beat feet she turned her back and started walking away.
Bad choice.
The sound of Jami’s bare feet charging across the mat hit her ears a split second before she was lifted off her feet and swung backward through the air. Screaming, Alyson gripped his forearms banded around her waist and held on for dear life as the room spun.
Landing on her back in a move that was surprisingly gentle, Alyson broke free and rolled to her hands and knees. “What the hell was that?” she screeched, keeping her guard up in case he tried to pull another heart-stopping stunt.
“That, babe, was a suplex.”
“You suplexed me?” Getting to her feet, she brushed the hair out of her eyes and huffed indignantly. “Then what was that you did to Miles?”
“That was a suplex, too. There’re different kinds. Did I hurt you?” Jami asked softly, his eyes skating over her, inspecting her body for any obvious injuries as he sauntered toward her. Looping one arm around her waist, he touched his fingertips to her chest.
Her skin pebbled under his touch and Alyson closed her eyes to savor it. “No, I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“Next time, I’ll give you a heads up then.” Dipping his head, Jami traced his nose along the curve of her throat. His deep voice hummed in his chest as he reached her ear and took her lobe between his lips, sucking gently. “How does that sound?”
“That’s sounds good. Very good,” she breathed heavily, getting absorbed in the warmth of his breath against the side of her face. This close, she could smell the light, natural musk from the sweat beading on his skin. What would he say if she told him she wanted to lick him from head to toe?
“Hmm.” Nuzzling her nose with his, Jami landed a soft, sweet kiss to her lips. “Heads up,” he murmured.
Before Alyson’s clouded mind could make sense of what he’d said, Jami pressed his hand to her chest and tightened his arm around her waist. She felt his foot hook the back of her leg and then, for a brief moment, she was weightless.
They hit the mat together, with Jami’s big body crushing down on top of hers. Once again, Jami had ensured that no injury came to her. Still recovering from the whiplash, Alyson scowled at him, and Jami answered with another one of his devastating smiles.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Pressing closer, Alyson felt the unmistakable hardness of his erection pressing against her core through the thin material of his gym shorts. Alyson grew instantly wet. “Hmm, this is interesting,” Jami commented as he rocked his hips.
Alyson could pretend to be mad at him for tricking her, but with his body pinning hers and his arousal pulsing against her suddenly needy core, she couldn’t deny that she wasn’t only feeling anger toward this man.
She was feeling so much more.
Perched on his forearms, his strong arms and body enveloping her in its heat, Jami asked huskily, “You said yes before, but shit happened and…” His words broke off and his eyes searched hers. “If I asked you right now, what would your answer be?”
Yes. An unequivocal yes. Despite their rough patch, and the shadow of doubt she’d experienced, her answer had never really changed. Tightening her fingers around the material of his shorts, Alyson gave him a gentle tug, just enough to rub her pelvis against his. She didn’t need words to communicate her answer. It was written all over her face. It gleamed in her eyes. He’d pushed her past the point of no return, and she couldn’t care less. At that moment, Jami could tear her heart into shreds and she’d probably thank him for it. Right then, her body craved him enough to override common sense.
A shadow fell over them, and Jami and Alyson peered up at the disapproving scowl on Coach’s face. “If you two are finished getting better acquainted with one another, other people need to use this mat.”
“So uptight,” Jami muttered as he pushed against the mat and climbed to his feet. Reaching down, he pulled Alyson up with him. “You should probably see a doctor about that stick up your ass, Coach. It’s making you grouchy.”
Folding his arms, Don gave Jami a narrow-eyed look. “And you need to remember this is a gym, not a whorehouse. If you want to screw something, take it where it belongs.”
Alyson felt sick with embarrassment. She could almost feel every eye in the place on her. “I’m going to go change,” she choked out. As quickly as possible, she grabbed her empty water bottle and darted away. She didn’t dare look back, couldn’t stomach seeing those judging looks she felt aimed at her. She’d practically had sex with Jami right there on the floor. If he’d asked her to get naked, she would have. The world ceased to exist when she got caught up in his storm.
Dismayed, Alyson decided to forego a shower and cut straight to changing her clothes. She hadn’t done enough to get sweaty or smelly anyway. She was more concerned with getting the hell out of there as fast as possible.
Tearing her workout clothes off, Alyson stuffed her legs into her favorite pair of jeans. She’d had them forever, and it showed. There were holes in the knees, a tear in the back pocket that exposed whatever color underwear she chose to wear that day, and the legs flared at the ankle, giving her the illusion of having a curvy, well-balanced figure. In other words, they were perfect.
“You should have stuck around a little longer,” Victoria told her as she opened the locker beside hers and began undressing.
Sticking her head through the neck of her vintage The Who concert t-shirt, Alyson asked, “Oh, yeah, why is that?”
“Because you missed your boyfriend giving his coach a tongue lashing for embarrassing you.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Alyson grumbled. Balling up her exercise outfit, she shoved it into her duffle bag.
Victoria gave a half shrug. “Say what you will, but that man has definitely got it bad for you. And if I’m not mistaken,” she said, leaning in, “you have it bad for him, too.”
And Victoria was too observant for her own good. “I like Jami, a lot,” she confessed. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, but we’re adults now. We want different things. Jami might want me in the physical sense, but he made it clear that it’s all that he wants.”
Adopting a thoughtful expression, Victoria took a moment to change into her street clothes. “You know, men say and do a lot of things they don’t really mean. Do you want me to tell you what I see when I watch you two together?”
Sitting down on the hard wooden bench, Alyson turned so her body was facing Victoria and brought her legs up, folding them in front of her. “Lay it on me.”
Sitting, Victoria regarded her seriously. “I see two people who are very much in love, but they refuse to accept it. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like there is something that is holding you two back from jumping all the way in.”
 
; Alyson’s heart kicked in her chest. It terrified her that she was so transparent that a perfect stranger could see what she had tried so hard to keep hidden all these years. “You can see that?”
“I see something,” Victoria hedged. “But what’s more, I see two people who remind me so much of me and Tony when we first met. He wasn’t always the man he is today. Believe it or not, he used to be so sweet and caring, like Jami is with you.”
Alyson didn’t appreciate where she was going with this. Jami was nothing like her husband. He would never hurt her. Never lay a finger on her.
“I can see you shaking your head but it’s true. Jami reminds me of the man I used to know. He’s strong and full of spirit and determination. I’m not saying he is going to hurt you,” she defended as Alyson started to protest. “All I’m trying to tell you is that there are some similarities you need to be aware of. I know that in your line of work, you see this, me, every day, but that doesn’t mean you would recognize it if it were happening to you.”
Alyson frowned. Victoria had a point, and she made it well. It was always easier to pass judgments than accept them. Was Victoria right? No. But she listened anyway because Victoria was a good person who didn’t deserve to be ignored, and because she sensed that this was important to her.
“I know that I don’t know him very well, but Jami has a temper, and I know that if I’ve seen it, then you certainly have, too. One like his,” she said, dropping her voice into a harsh whisper, “usually ends up being destructive in the end. He’s like a time bomb just waiting to go off, and when he does, you need to make sure you’re as far away from the blast zone as possible. And trust me, Ally, he will go off.”
As much as she didn’t want to believe her, Victoria’s words hit too close to home. Doubt began to take shape, forming a rock in the pit of her stomach, and Alyson hated that Victoria had made her feel that way.
Cloaking her fear in anger, Alyson dropped her feet to the floor and stood. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she looked down at her so called friend. The concern in her eyes ratcheted up her unease, adding to her anger even more. “Thanks for your concern, but you don’t know anything about Jami. You don’t know what he’s been through. There’s a reason he has a temper, but he’s a good man. The best you’ll ever meet. I hope you stick around long enough to recognize that. I’ll see you outside.”