His partner noticed me staring and withdrew, tapping his gloves in a ‘time out’ gesture. Elliot paused sparring in confusion before following his gaze to lock eyes with me. He stiffened, lifted his chin in a ‘What is it?’ gesture but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even move. I was pretty sure that lust was written right across my face but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.
With a weary sigh, Elliot shoved a glove under one arm and pulled, then ripped the other one off. Finally, he removed hisheadgear, his hair wild with sweat as he moved to the ropes and peered down at me.
“Can I help you?” he said gruffly.
“Yes,” I croaked, trying very hard not to let my gaze drift back to his bare, dripping chest just inches from my face.
“What is it?”
“Work.” I forced the word out. One was all I could manage. I was overwhelmed, not just by his physicality but the way he was talking to me. Anger radiated from every cell of his being, and I couldn’t understand why.
“I still have five minutes on my session.”
I folded my arms and met his gaze resolutely. Not least because I was annoyed, but because his angry expression made him look all the hotter and I couldn’t physically handle it.
He sighed, and turned to his sparring partner. “Nick, I gotta bounce.” Then he climbed through the ropes and dropped to the floor beside me, heat emanating from his powerful form. “I’ll be with you in five.” Without meeting my eye, he loped to the changing rooms, and I felt like I could breathe again.
If I hadn’t been in lust with Elliot Fox before, I was now. My desire was completely, utterly primal, tearing through every rational thought and argument I’d made since I’d met him.He’s a colleague. RJ has banned workplace romance. You have too much riding on this.But I didn’t care. I wanted him so badly I hurt. On shaking legs, heart pounding, I made my way outside, hoping the fresh air would restore my sanity. Soon enough, Elliot bounded out, hair damp from a shower and kit-bag slung over his shoulder. He didn’t slow down when he saw me, just charged down the pavement ahead and I had to do an ungainly trot just to keep up.
“Slow down,” I said, “I’m not as fit as you.” And he was so very fit.
“Too bad.” He moved even faster, eyes on the pavement ahead.
“Hey! What’s going on?” But he only increased his speed, pulling ahead with ease as he turned down RJF’s street. “Elliot!” I ran after him, yanking at his elbow. “Seriously, Elliot, what the fuck is wrong with you?”
He rounded on me, eyes flashing. “You kissedRalf.”
“No, I—” Then I stopped. “Wait, how do you know about this?”
“I heard you!” he accused. “You and Juno just this morning.”
“Oh.” I remembered Juno’s teasing and laughed. “That? Oh no, it’s not what you think.”
“Y-you’re laughing?” he spluttered in outrage.
I’d never seen him so irate. “I’m laughing because it didn’t happen.”
“I know what I heard.” He loomed over me. “Why? Whyhim?”
Elliot was mad with rage at the very idea of me kissing Ralf. Was that because he hated Ralf or because he liked me? Oh, the irony that I wanted to kiss Elliot Fox right now, this moment, more than I had ever wanted anyone or anything in my life. It was going against everything I’d ever practiced in my career but every cell, every element of my body was charged, ready to burst into flame if Elliot Fox so much as breathed on me.
“Are you … jealous?” I couldn’t help it; the words came out in a low purr.
His lips thinned. “That’s a fucking ridiculous thing to say.” He started storming towards the office.
“Elliot, stop!” I called after him. “For fuck’s sake, I didn’t kiss Ralf!”
He stopped and wheeled to face me. “Juno said—”
“Juno got it wrong,” I told him. “Ralf kissed me, I rejected him, end of story.” Then, because I was fired up, I went on, “Even if I had kissed him, so what? It would be nothing to do with you.”Although I really want it to be.
Twin spots of red appeared on his cheeks. “You’re right. None of my business.” He turned as if to go but then stopped. “He’s an asshole, you know that, right?”
“Fuck’s sake, what is it with you two?” I said. I might have had my issues with Ralf, but Elliot’s loathing clearly eclipsed anything I felt.
“He’s a fucking thief!” Elliot yelled.
“What?” Of all the things I’d expected Elliot to say, that wasn’t it.
