For a long minute, no one speaks. I swallow, uncomfortable, hoping I didn’t ruin dinner.
“Oh, darling.” Mrs. Green’s eyes light with sympathy, and I barely resist the urge to squirm. “We’re so grateful that the Lord brought martial arts into your life to save you and bring you to us today.”
I nod, appreciating the sentiment but not convinced it was God who steered me into a dingy gym frequented by men with more tattoos than teeth. It’s a pretty thought, though.
Harley
Much later, when Devon and I are lying in bed after I’ve ridden him to orgasm, I rest my cheek over his heart and ask the questions that have been on my mind all evening.
“How did you get into MMA? And when did you meet Seth?”
He presses his lips to the top of my head and everything inside me liquefies. I’m just a puddle of melty goo in human form.
“One of my friends took me along to his gym when we were in high school. It felt like coming home. Like I belonged somewhere for once. I did it in secret for a while because Mom and Pops didn’t approve. Then, one day, the coach suggested I try my luck in the ring. I did. Had to forge one of my parents’ signatures because I was still a minor.” He strokes his fingers along the side of my face. “Do you think poorly of me for that?”
“No.” I kiss his pec. “We do what we have to. No judgment here.” But I do wonder how a guy like him could ever feel out of place anywhere. He’s a natural people-person.
“Thanks.” A breath rattles out of him, as if he’s relieved. “I met Seth a few years later, when Jase and I faced off. He kicked my ass, but he’d been on the scene for longer and apparently Seth saw something in me he liked because he offered me a spot at Crown MMA. That was that. Until recently, I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”
I wince. “I’m sorry you had to leave, even if it’s temporary.”
He sighs. “When are you going to figure out that you mean more to me than a place?”
“I think you need to kiss me a few more times first.”
He chuckles, and brushes his lips over mine. “Better?”
“Almost,” I tease. “So tell me, what was it like starting at Crown MMA as a relative newbie?”
“Honestly, I loved it. I fit with the people there better than I ever have with Mom and Dad, much as I love them.”
I tilt my head up to meet his gaze. “They do seem to have different priorities than you.”
“You have no idea.”
“What you said before…” I’m not sure how to broach this. “About belonging somewhere for once. What did you mean by that?”
He rolls one shoulder, his muscles stiffening almost imperceptibly. “I always got along well enough with my friends and the kids at school, but I felt like I was playing a role. At the gym, I was free to be the real me. Do I sound crazy?”
“Not at all.” I snuggle closer into him. “I know exactly what you mean.”
His body relaxes, and he exhales softly. “That’s why you’re perfect for me.”
“I hope so,” I whisper, so quietly I’m not sure he hears it. “So,” I continue, more loudly, “you haven’t introduced any other women to your parents. Was there anyone serious they didn’t know about?”
He toys with the tips of my hair. “Not before you.”
Eep. There he goes again. Muddling up my feelings. But this time, I like it.
“What about you?” he asks. “Other than He Who Shall Not Be Named, has there been anyone serious in your life?”
“Plenty.” When he glares down at me, I add, “You’ve seen how serious Seth is.”
He groans. “I meant romantically.”
My mouth tips up. “Then you should have been specific.”
Eye roll.
