“I’ve been around a long time, girl. You can call yourself his friend until you’re blue in the face, but I see right through you. You’ll twist him around your little finger, and then you’ll break his heart. That ain’t gonna happen on my watch.”
“You’re wrong,” Alyson said through clenched teeth. “You don’t even know me, so don’t lump me in with the status quo because I assure you, Jami means a hell of a lot more to me than he does even to you.”
“Look, Alyson,” Don said, his voice stern but tired. He paused, scrubbing two fingers over the creases in his forehead. “While I’m sure you’re just sweet as sugar—Jami certainly seems to think so—this won’t end well. I’ve never seen that boy twisted into so many knots before you walked through that door. At the very least, you’re a distraction that he can’t afford to have right now. He could lose a fight. He could lose everything he’s worked so hard to obtain. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
“I would understand you better if you cut the condescending tone,” Alyson bit out, “but yeah, I hear you.”
“Jamison needs to focus on his career. What he doesn’t need is to get saddled with a girlfriend or get trapped into being a father and becoming stuck in this city. I want better for the man. Jamison wants better for himself. And if you cared for him as much as you claim you do, then you will back off.”
His words struck her in the chest so hard, that Alyson stumbled back a step and dropped to the ground on unsteady feet. Looking up at him feeling like someone had dropped a boulder on her chest, Alyson turned and walked away without another word. She had come here with the full intention of being with Jami, unequivocally, by the time she left. Instead, she had been thrown by the conversation she had with a man who hated her for no other reason than he hated any woman who showed interest in Jami.
Flinging open the gate, she didn’t bother locking it behind her. She could feel Don’s gaze burning into her back as she walked away, and while she didn’t fully understand where all the hostility was coming from, one thing was clear: this wasn’t the end of it.
Even though she was terrified that what Don said was true, that she could really be doing Jami harm, that he could lose it all because of her—it was Jami that would have to send her away. Until then, she wasn’t going anywhere.
TWENTY-TWO
Work was killer. Alyson spent most of the day behind a desk answering phones and pushing papers. So it wasn’t that her feet hurt or her body ached from too much use. Rather, her brain had been turned to mush and her body had grown stiff from sitting in a beige cinderblock-walled room for eight straight hours beneath florescent track lighting that emitted a constant buzz she could still hear in her ears.
She stepped off the bus and hoisted her gym bag up her arm. Her heels clicking against the sidewalk, Alyson walked the two and a half blocks to the gym where she knew she would find Jami. He was working so hard to be the best. Couldn’t he see that he’d already made it?
Since it was growing late in the day and most people were just getting off work, Alyson knew the gym would be reaching its peak hours of business, so she wasn’t surprised by the amount of people there when she stepped through the doors.
In a word, it was packed.
Not seeing Jami right away, she decided to head back and change into her workout clothes before she tracked him down. When she’d talked to him last night on the phone, she hadn’t told him about her run-in with Don, nor did it appear that he had told Jami about it. Apparently they had come to an unspoken agreement that they would keep what happened between the two of them a secret. It was fine with her. She wasn’t eager to dump that information on Jami anyway. He already had a lot on his mind without thinking he had to run interference. Thankfully, they had been able to move past their own issues, at least for the time being, and were in a good place. Otherwise, being here now could get awkward.
After changing into a pair of gray yoga pants and a teal racer back top, Alyson took her time wandering through the maze of equipment. She felt bogged down from work and bogged down by Don. Her caseloads were getting heavier as the year wore on, and so was the guilt sitting on her shoulders.
Guilt that dug in even deeper when she found Don standing in front of the ring, leaning over the ropes as he watched Jami spar.
Don must have felt her there. Before she could look away, his head snapped up as he pinned her with his hard, steel gaze that told her under no uncertain terms that she was not welcome there.
Don’t let him scare you off. Ducking her head, Alyson bent down and pretended to tie her already double-knotted shoe.
It didn’t matter if he wanted her there or not, because it wasn’t him that she had come to see. Jami invited her, she reminded herself. He wanted her there, and she was looking forward to blowing off some steam.
Jami finished an entire five minute round that ended with him flat on his back, his legs tied like pretzels around his partner’s shoulders in a reverse hold that looked terribly uncomfortable to her before finally realizing she was there.
The moment he saw her, a smile split across his face and Alyson’s own smile grew. Releasing his partner, he stood and clapped him on the back, his eyes never leaving hers. “I’m calling it a day,” he told Don over his shoulder.
Alyson ignored his coach’s withering glare in favor of a better view. Jami bent to scoop up a white terrycloth towel from a heap in one of the ring’s corners. His shirt long discarded, he wiped some of the sweat from his face and chest as he made his way over to her. Her breath momentarily caught in her throat as she watched his skin stretch across his firm stomach, highlighting every ridge, every groove. She had to remind herself to close her mouth and control her reaction, because Don hadn’t left. Instead, he stood there, just beyond Jami’s left shoulder, watching them like a hawk.
“Hey, you,” Jami said, leaning over the ropes. At least he was happy to see her. “Take your shoes off and come up here.” Alyson kicked off her shoes, and Jami extended his hand to help her up. “I didn’t see you come in,” he said as he parted the ropes for her. “How long have you been here?”
Breaking her from her thoughts, Alyson stepped aside and took a look around the ring. She’d never seen one from this vantage point before. Everything looked smaller, making her feel like she was on top of the world, like someone important. Was this what Jami felt like when he competed? All those lights, all those adoring fans screaming his name—it must be exhilarating.
Jami shot her a brilliant smile, as he looked her over in open appreciation. “Only a few minutes,” she answered. “You looked pretty good up here. I take it practice went well?”
Nodding, Jami took her by the hand and directed her into the center of the ring. “Practice was great. The best day I’ve had in a while, and I have you to thank for that.”
Puzzled, Alyson tilted her head. “Me? What for? I was at work all day.”
Smiling indulgently, as if she should already know the answer, Jami stepped forward and circled his arms around her hips. “You gave me something to look forward to,” he rasped so close to her mouth that his lips brushed over hers. “I worked extra hard today so I could get Coach off my back.”
Biting the corner of her lip, Alyson grinned. “So you’re saying I inspired you to do better? No distractions?”
“Ally, I was more focused today than I have ever been. You could say that you inspire me to do a lot of things. Now, what do you say we get down and dirty?”
Looking over his shoulder, Alyson caught Don’s eye and raised her eyebrow at him. See, she wanted to shout at him, I’m not a distraction. I’m a fucking inspiration! Releasing the ropes, Don leapt to the floor and stalked away, tension holding his shoulders close to his ears. Good riddance.
Returning her full attention to Jami, she took his face in her hands and rose onto her toes to plant a soft, wet kiss to his mouth. “Let’s do it.”
Licking where her lips had touched his, Jami stepped back and settled into a low crouch. ?
??Brace yourself, Ally, baby. This might sting a little.”
***
Hours later, Alyson lay on her back, staring bleary-eyed at the canned lights shining from holes in the ceiling. Jami had put her through the wringer, twisting and tossing her body in so many directions that she had vertigo while lying flat on her back. Her head was spinning from the move Jami had just pulled on her, and her body ached everywhere. She was covered in sweat and she smelled so damn bad. All day protection, her ass. First thing tomorrow morning, she was switching her deodorant.
“Ready to go again?”
Lifting one exceedingly heavy arm, Alyson shielded her eyes and looked up at him. “Are you insane? I can barely lift my pinkie. No way, no how, nuh-uh. I’m throwing in the towel.”
“Lightweight,” Jami teased as he dropped down to sit beside her. His hand fell on her thigh and he gripped the muscle, gently kneading it.
“Oh, God, right there,” Alyson moaned. “Ohhhh yeahhhh.”
Chuckling, Jami shifted his body to face hers and began using two hands to massage her leg, beginning at her thigh and working his way down to her feet. “You keep that up and Howard is going to get the wrong idea.”
“Who’s Howard?” Alyson asked on a long, drawn out moan of ecstasy as Jami pressed his knuckles into her arch.
“The janitor. He cleans up after everyone leaves for the night.” Just then, a vacuum cleaner roared to life.
Jerking upright, Alyson searched the walls for a clock. “What time is it?” She had told Victoria that she would be late coming home for dinner, but she didn’t want her and Miles sitting around worrying about her.
“Calm down, spaz. It’s only eight. Plenty of time to tuck your houseguests into bed.” Picking up her other foot, Jami tugged on her leg and pulled her closer to him so that her legs draped across his, placing her near enough to feel his breath on her face as he spoke. “You did good tonight, for a newbie.” He smiled playfully and leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose. “I’m proud of you.”
Resting back on her elbows, Alyson stared at him. His dark hair was a disheveled mess, little pieces of it dangling over his forehead. His broad features were just as strong as the rest of him, the squared jawline and thick, full lips tilting up in a half smile he probably didn’t even realize was there lending to his innate seductive charm. “Has anyone ever mentioned how sexy you are?” she blurted out, figuring she might as well lay it all out there. Rip off the bandage. Take the plunge. No regrets. She hoped.
Turning his face down until his chin nearly touched his chest, a small smile crested on his face as Jami pinched each of her toes between his thumb and forefinger and gave them a wiggle. “All the time.”
“Not that you’re cocky or anything,” Alyson scoffed, leaning to the side to prop herself on one arm so she could slug him in the shoulder.
His face turning red, Jami’s eyes lifted to meet hers. The deep longing and vulnerability she saw in them made her stomach drop. This wasn’t fierce, angry, or playful Jami. This was something entirely new to her. “I might hear it all the time, but it’s never meant anything….until now.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and Alyson swallowed.
“Are you saying that you’ve never had anyone tell you they liked you and meant it?” The thought flabbergasted her. Jami was everything she could imagine wanting in a boyfriend. When he wasn’t being a typical alpha male, he was nice, gentle, and attentive. Who wouldn’t appreciate those qualities?
“Basically, yes,” he said with a sobering nod. “There’re women around me all the time. Whether they look at me because they see something they like, or they recognize me from the ring, I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter. They’re all in it for one thing: bragging rights. I’m a trophy they can show off to their friends. You’re different, Ally.” Reaching out, he traced her cheekbones and slid his fingertips down the curve of her jaw. “When I look at you, I feel like you’re looking back at me. You see me, Ally. I’m not just Jamison ‘“The Judge’” Weston,” he said bitterly. “I’m a man. I almost forgot what that feels like.”
“How can anyone treat you like you’re just a name?” she asked herself out loud. Pushing up, she braced herself on one hand and reached out to him with the other, touching his lightly stubbled cheek. “You are so much more than that.”
Leaning into her touch, Jami turned his face into her hand and placed a kiss into the center of her palm. “Like I said, you see me.” Hooking his arm around her, he pulled her across his lap so she was straddling his thighs. “You’re too good for me, Ally,” he said, tilting his head back to look at her. “I shouldn’t have asked you to have sex with me, because you deserve more than that. You deserve a relationship, to be with someone who would worship every second he spent with you.”
Lacing her fingers at the base of his neck, Alyson smiled at him. “I’m not too good for you, Jami. You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re such a wonderful person. You’re a good man, a great friend. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” Taking a deep breath, she decided now was as good a time as any to say what she needed to say. “I would be lucky to have you.”
Locking his gaze on her, Jami studied her. She couldn’t tell what was going on behind those big brown eyes of his, but she sensed he was waging some kind of internal conflict, weighing his next words carefully. That could be a good thing, or a bad thing. All she knew was that the suspense was killing her.
Gathering her tight against him, Jami blew out a breath and rested his forehead against her chest. He groaned in frustration. “Ally, I told you, I’m not looking to get into anything serious.”
“I know what you said,” Alyson told him, cutting him off at the pass. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be together.” Giving his hair a gentle tug, she brought his head back to look at him. “I want you, Jami, and you want me. We’re not that different, you and I. We want the same things. I don’t need a relationship to be happy, Jami. I just need you. Everything else we can figure out later.”
“What about what Don said? I need to—”
“Screw what Don said,” Alyson snapped. “Don isn’t your father. He’s your coach.”
“He’s also my friend. He’s gotten me this far…”
“No, you got you this far,” Alyson said, the edge in her voice softening. Tilting her head down, she touched her nose to his. “I know he’s your friend, and he thinks he’s looking out for your best interest, but there’s a line. You can’t allow him to rule you. He doesn’t get to determine how you live your life. Only you get to do that.”
As Jami pondered her words, Alyson held eye contact. More than anything, she wanted to kiss this man. She wanted to touch him and hold him and love on him, and she wanted him to do the same to her, but she would not become what Don accused her of being. She wouldn’t use emotions to manipulate Jami, because she knew if she kissed him now, if she dipped her head down and stroked her tongue down the side of his neck like she had been thinking about doing all night, then she would influence his decision. She wanted to know that when he chose her, he did it because he couldn’t stay away, not because she disarmed him.
“There’s no easy solution here, is there?” Jami huffed. “Shit, Ally. Don has been there for me ever since I left home. He’s provided everything for me—a roof over my head, food in my stomach. He’s the whole reason I’m doing what I’m doing now. I can’t just ignore what he tells me.”
“Even if what he tells you is wrong?”
Giving her a squeeze, Jami pressed his lips to the underside of her chin. “I said I can’t ignore him. I didn’t say I had to listen.” He gave her another one of his heart-stopping smiles, and Alyson felt some of her apprehension melt away.
“So what are you going to do now? About this,” she asked, moving her finger between them. “About us.”
“Do you really think you can handle me?”
Skimming her hands down his chest, feeling the smoothness of his skin against her palms, Alyson responded huskily, “Do you thi
nk you can handle me?”
“Answering a question with a question? How evasive of you,” Jami teased. Gripping her butt, he tugged her hips until her heated core was firmly pressed against his stomach. His expression grew serious, heated in a way that sent shivers down her spine and white-hot desire pooling between her legs as his erection pressed in between them, demanding attention. “I can handle anything you throw my way. Now it’s your turn to answer.”
Combing her fingers through his hair, Alyson tipped Jami’s head back, exposing his neck to her mouth. Bending down, she caressed his heated skin with her lips first. Wanting more of him, her tongue slipped out to taste the salt on his skin. Dragging the flat of her tongue up the side of his neck, Alyson drew small circles on his skin as she made her way higher. Jami groaned low in his throat, a deep, vibrating sound that spurred her on. Oh, did she want this man.
Reaching his ear, she took the lobe between her teeth and nipped it. “I can handle you, Jami. Every inch of you,” she purred. Slipping a hand down between them, she stroked his cock through his shorts. It grew stronger under her ministrations, pulsing against her hand as she rubbed against him. Her own body quickened, her excitement growing to unbearable heights.
This was so against everything she was accustomed to. Alyson had never been the aggressor in any relationship. She always let the man set the tone, and maybe Jami had and she hadn’t realized it, but it didn’t really matter, because she wasn’t about to stop. She had Jami in her hands, literally, and she wasn’t about to let go. She’d wanted him for too long.
Grabbing ahold of her ponytail, Jami wrenched her head back. Through clenched teeth he asked, “What’s your answer, Ally?”