Rocco ran a gloved hand over his jaw and shook his head. “You are the opposite of helpful.”
“Yet somehow you keep showing up for our little dates,” she pointed out. Yeah, he did, because staying away from her wasn’t an option anymore. That truth settled heavily in his chest as they started moving around each other again.
This time, the sparring felt different—less playful and more intimate somehow. Every touch lingered. Every blocked punch turned into accidental contact that neither of them seemed eager to break. Rocco caught her wrist again after another jab, instinctively pulling her closer, and Luna’s eyes flashed.
“There you go again,” she whispered.
“What?” he asked, knowing exactly what she was referring to.
“Touching me like you forgot we’re in public,” she breathed. His grip tightened slightly before he forced himself to let go of her.
“Is that bothering you?” he asked. “Are you finding it hard to focus?”
“No,” she admitted immediately. “That’s the problem.” His chest tightened at the honesty in her voice. God, he wasn’t used to this. Rocco wasn’t used to wanting someone this fast, or this hard. And he damn sure wasn’t used to someone wanting him back just as much.
The gym around them faded further into background noise until it felt like they were the only two people in the room. Luna came at him again, faster this time, and Rocco blocked automatically. She swept her leg out suddenly, knocking him off balance enough that he stumbled backward against the ropes. A triumphant grin spread across her face.
“I knew it,” she said.
“Knew what?” he asked.
“You’ve been going easy on me,” she said.
Rocco barked out a laugh. “You really think that?”
“I know that,” Luna insisted. He pushed off the ropes slowly, stalking toward her this time instead of circling. And for the first time since they stepped into the ring, Luna backed up. It was just one step, but he noticed. His eyes locked on hers as he moved closer.
“You want the truth?” he asked quietly.
Her breath hitched slightly. “Always.”
“I’ve been trying really hard not to put my hands on you.” That wiped the smugness off her face instantly. That worked for him because he was done pretending he wasn’t affected by her. She turned him inside out with need, and it was time that he let her know it. He was done pretending this thing between them wasn’t burning hotter every damn second they were together.
Luna swallowed hard as he stopped directly in front of her. “You say things like that,” she murmured, “and then act surprised when I kiss you.”
Rocco’s mouth twitched. “I wasn’t surprised.”
“No?” she asked.
“Nah.” His eyes dropped briefly to her lips again. “I was hoping you would do it again.” The look she gave him after that nearly destroyed what little restraint he had left. Slowly, carefully, Luna reached up and untied one glove with her teeth before tugging it free. Then the other. Rocco watched every second of it, probably too intensely—definitely too intensely, but he couldn’t help it. Her fingers slid under the front of his shirt once she stepped close again.
“You know what I think?” she asked softly.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“I think you spend so much time trying to control yourself that eventually—” She looked up at him through her lashes. “You’re going to snap.” His pulse kicked hard against his throat because she had no idea how close he already was to losing control. Or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing. Rocco reached up slowly, brushing sweat-damp hair back from her face, gently. He was always gentle with her, even when every instinct in him screamed not to be.
“And what happens if I snap?” he asked quietly. Luna’s lips parted slightly as she stared up at him, and then she smiled.
“Guess we’ll find out,” she whispered.
Rocco knew right then that staying away from Luna was going to be impossible. Not difficult or complicated, but impossible. She stood in front of him in the middle of the ring with that dangerous little smile on her face, fingers tangled in the front ofhis shirt as if she belonged there. And maybe the truly fucked up part was that it already felt like she did.
“Guess we’ll find out,” she whispered. Her words settled low in his chest, mixing with the adrenaline still pumping through him from sparring and the constant pull he felt whenever she got too close. Which was always.
His hand stayed against her face, thumb brushing lightly along her cheekbone—soft and careful. Like touching her too hard might break whatever this thing was between them. Luna’s eyes flicked to his mouth again. There it was—that tension and pull that had been building since the first day they met. Only now, there was nothing professional standing between them anymore. She wasn’t his doctor, and there were no rules. There was just her and him. And the fact that he wanted her more every second they stood there.
“You keep looking at me like that,” Luna murmured softly, “and I’m going to start thinking you plan on kissing me again.”
