4
CHAPTER FOUR
LUKE
The first long, grueling day of exercise and sparring has turned into nearly a week of long, grueling days. By the time I get home in the evenings, I’m so damn hungry and tired that I have no energy for anything, except taking a hot shower and passing out on the couch. Andi wakes me when she gets home, and I shuffle upstairs to bed with her, only to crash again.
Andi has been putting in evening hours at the recording studio to practice for her upcoming tour. My early mornings and her late nights don’t give us enough time together. I’ve already been dreading leaving her to head to Vegas, but I thought we’d be able to make the most of our time first. When Mack said he’d whip my ass into shape, I didn’t realize how intense it would be.
But I have to admit that I love every minute of it.
My body is becoming a finely tuned fighting machine. The more I punish it, the more punishment it wants. The old saying is true—the mind will quit long before the body will. Mack pushes my mind to accept my body’s limits, and it’s creating a new man in me.
Mack said, “You have to be more mentally than physically ready to survive this training camp. And the physical part is lethal.”
How reassuring.
Bring it on. I can fucking handle it.
Leaving our bed this morning was pure torture. Andi had her perfect little body snuggled up to mine, and she felt too good to leave. I’d never skip my workouts now that I’ve committed to this—no natural disaster, no sickness, and no excuse. Andi is the only reason I’d ever even consider not going to the gym. She’s my one weakness. If she needs me, she gets all of my attention.
It’s still dark outside, and I’m in the kitchen making my breakfast with only the light over the stove illuminating the room. I’m piling on the carbs, fruits, and water before my morning routine, preparing my body for another day. Suppressing a yawn, I keep stirring the oatmeal until it’s at the right consistency. Immediately after I pour it into my bowl, two arms snake around my waist and a warm body presses against my back.
“Good morning,” I murmur into the darkness over my shoulder.
“Mmmm,” she replies sleepily.
“What are you doing up so early? You got home later than usual last night.”
“I miss you. It’s the only time I get to see you.” She yawns, showing how tired she really is. “We had technical difficulties at the studio, and it put us behind schedule with rehearsals last night.”
“Do you want some breakfast? I’ll make you something,” I offer.
“No, I’m not hungry yet. I just wanted to see you.”
Taking my seat at the table, I pull her into my lap. She eagerly takes her seat and places her head on my shoulder, nuzzling her face into the crook of my neck and putting her arm around my neck. I eat breakfast with one hand while holding her with the other.
“I could get used to this,” I tell her. “It’ll make it harder for me to leave you every morning, but I wouldn’t object to eating one-handed for the rest of my life.”
She giggles dreamily. “If this is what it takes to spend a few minutes with you, I’ll gladly get up early. But I’m going back to bed as soon as you leave me.”
Kissing her on the cheek, I assure her, “I’ll never leave you, Andi. I may be away for a while, but you’re with me wherever I go, always in my heart.”
Her arm tightens around my neck as her other arm wraps around my chest. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to last months without seeing you.”
“We’ll figure it out, baby. I know I won’t make it six months without you, but I don’t doubt that we can make it work somehow.”
I’m forcing my insecurities to take a backseat, but it’s not easy. My issues are just that—mine. Andi doesn’t doubt my love for her and she trusts me unwaveringly. Reciprocating those sentiments is the least I can do for her. If I asked it of her, she’d drop out of the tour and go with me to Vegas. As much as I’d love to have her at my side, I’d never do that to her. She could very well ask the same of me, but she wouldn’t. It’s not in her nature to be selfish.
I have to remind myself of these facts about a thousand times a day. Every time I think about calling her and telling her to come to Vegas with me instead. Every time I think about how every woman in the world wants the man she’ll be touring with. Every time I think about how perfect she is and how very far from perfect I am, and how I don’t deserve the love she gives me unconditionally.
Every time I think about the way Travis Malone looks at her.
He tries to hide his thoughts, but I obviously know how a man thinks. Andi naïvely thinks a man and woman can be just friends. That may be true for a woman, but nine times out of ten, the man is contemplating how he can take advantage of the benefits. Travis is definitely contemplating the things he can do with Andi, and it makes my blood boil.
I reluctantly leave after breakfast, sending Andi back to bed, and make my way to the gym. The thoughts of Travis making a play for Andi help fuel my workouts, making me stronger and faster every day. As I finish my cardio segment of my workout, Mack approaches me.
“Joe called. He wants you in Vegas on January second so your body can start acclimating to the different environment out there. Our flight leaves at eight that morning,” Mack states.
