Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Eva
Before I headed to Kain’s gym, I sat down on the couch, facing my grandfather, who was watching his favorite TV show.
“Getting ready for your self-defense lesson?” he asked, beaming.
“You set me up on a date.”
“And?” he replied as if it were no big deal.
“We don’t know each other well,” I said.
“That can take time. Right now, just have fun. You’re still young. Go out and see who can make you feel loved and worthy. See what you like so that you can weed out what you don’t like. If you’re always hiding from the past, you’re never going to move forward.”
There was the truth. Grandpa knew about my recent relationship with Dennis.
“One flawed man doesn’t mean all of them are flawed, Eva.
I mean, we all have flaws, but there are levels.
Dennis was a rotten apple. Kain appears to be a decent, stable man with a plan for the future.
It takes grit to run several businesses and to take care of that fine body. ” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Grandpa!” I shook my head in disbelief and amusement. I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with him.
“What? I was young once. I know what you girls look at and wonder.” He rubbed his round belly. “I don’t have those Superman abs anymore, but other qualities make up for it. I want to make sure my favorite granddaughter finds the happiness she deserves.”
“You mean your only granddaughter.”
“My only and favorite,” he said. “Forgive yourself for any past mistakes, Eva. We all make them. Move on.” He shifted forward in his chair and reached over to pat my hand. “Give yourself a chance to be happy again. You have so much love to give. Don’t let it go to waste.”
I didn’t know why, but tears welled up in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks.
I had so much love and support around me.
Why should I let one bad experience hold me back?
Grandpa was right. It was time for me to start over.
Relationships were like floral arrangements; if I failed at one, I could make a new one—a better one.
Maybe I had a chance with Kain, and maybe I didn’t. But I’d never know if I didn’t take the first step.
“Thank you,” I said.
“You’re welcome. Now go to class and learn how to kick butt.”
Laughing, I walked back into my bedroom.
What should I wear to self-defense class? Should I wear tights and a baggy T-shirt? Or should I wear looser knit pants? Was I overanalyzing?
I picked up my phone and texted Kain.
Eva: Hi. What should I wear for my class? Something tight or something looser?
Kain: Loose is more comfortable.
Eva: Okay. Thanks.
Kain: Miss me?
Why was I blushing? He wasn’t even in the room.
Eva: You miss me?
Kain: All the time.
A burst of warmth bloomed in me.
Eva: Just a warning. I haven’t been to the gym in a long time. Gonna be slow.
Kain: Don’t stress. I’ll take it slow.
My mind went elsewhere with this last statement. Behave, Eva. He meant the self-defense class, nothing else.
An hour later, Kain took me on a tour of his massive fitness center with a section that was currently being renovated.
“What’s going in there?” I asked, standing next to him.
He wore a navy T-shirt with the studio name on it and loose gray pants, looking handsome and irresistible. His muscular arms revealed intricate tattoos that intrigued me. What inspired a person to cover their bodies with ink? What did each of those artworks symbolize?
“A bigger café and spaces for other vendors to lease,” he said, watching me stare at his arm.
“May I touch it? I’ve never seen such detailed art.”
He smiled. “Sure.”
My fingers traced the thorns, vines, leaves, flowers, abstract shapes, and curvy lines that intersected, making everything look complex yet beautiful.
“Looks almost like a maze.”
Something sparked in his eyes. “You’re very perceptive.”
“What inspired it?”
He lifted a shoulder. “The will to survive.”
That one statement did something to my body. I didn’t know if it was his words, the honesty in them, or the flash of pain in his eyes that revealed a different side of Kain. What did he mean by the “will to survive”?
The mystery of Kain Kessler deepened.
“Will I get to find out what you survived?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked at me for a long moment, making me think my question was too personal.
“If you’re uncomfortable with it, that’s okay. I’m just curious.”
He stepped up and tipped my chin up so our gazes met. His eyes took on a darker shade, more emerald with orange flecks.
“When the time is right, I’ll tell you.” His gaze intensified on me, awakening ripples of nerves. “But you might not like that version of me, Eva.”
“We all have our flaws.” I swallowed. “No one is perfect.”
“You’re perfect to me.” His voice grew low and hoarse.
I rolled my eyes. Not wanting to blush, I changed the topic. “Can I see the rest of this incredible fitness center?”
The gym was already crowded for the afternoon hours with people of various ages.
“I like your supportive area.” I looked at the older men and women working on ellipticals, treadmills, rowers, and even weights.
“We have trainers on staff in that room helping the older clients with the equipment.”
Fancy equipment and spacious rooms for specialized training and spaces for classes were located throughout the center. Kain took me into an empty room.
“Where’s everybody?” I looked around at the wooden dummies in the far corner of the room, the punching bags, and other complex-looking equipment.
“I reserved this room for you.”
“Oh,” I said, nerves spiraling within me.
I was self-conscious about my first self-defense class, so this one-on-one was perfect. But that also meant I’d be with Kain the whole time. The thought of it brought heat racing through my body.
True to his word, he started out slowly, giving me a summary of what self-defense was about.
It required self-awareness and preventative strategies, like walking in well-lit areas.
He demonstrated some basic moves, which included the ready stance, palm-heel strike, front kick to the groin, hammer fist punch, and so on.
After some stretching, Kain asked me to watch him, then practice the moves.
“Muscle memory is important. It’ll help you react as though it’s ingrained in you.”
I nodded, understanding that I needed to know every movement like it was second nature.
“Sometimes when people encounter dangerous situations, they become paralyzed by fear, forgetting everything. So the more you practice, the more your body will get used to the reflexes, punching, kicking, dodging, and so on.”
Sweat streamed down my face as I mimicked Kain’s moves. Smiling, he gave me a towel. “You’re doing great.”
He walked over to a wall and opened a hidden refrigerator. Pulling out two bottles of water, he returned to my side and offered one to me.
“Thanks.” I gulped it down. “That’s because I have a fabulous teacher.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good. Why?”
“Today is your first day. I don’t want you to overdo it. But if you’re up for it, we can try the punching bags.”
“Let’s do it,” I said. “It’s been so long since I’ve gone to the gym. It feels good to be active.”
“All right. Put these on to protect your hands.” He handed me a pair of boxing gloves.
“Why aren’t you using any?” I studied the gloves.
“I’m used to it.” He flexed his fingers. “My hands are already rough.” He grabbed my hands and lifted them to his lips. “But yours aren’t.”
Energy zapped me where his lips touched my hands. As though he felt it too, his eyes flickered.
I pulled on the gloves and mimicked Kain punching the sandbag. It was harder than it looked. I had to hit the heavy bag hard for it to shift.
Twenty minutes later, I sagged against the bag, hugging it with tired arms. “I don’t think I can punch anymore.”
“Let’s get a drink and a snack.”
“Okay.” I turned and tripped, falling forward, but Kain caught me in time.
He wrapped his arms around me, collapsing onto a mat with me on top of him.
“Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed, lifting my head to stare at his smiling face. “You okay?”
“More than okay.” He wrapped his legs around mine, like a predator capturing its prey.
I felt his bulge against me, and heat bloomed in my core.
In one move, he flipped us, and I was under him with my wrists above my head. Was it wrong of me to feel vulnerable and excited to be at his mercy?
“Is this part of the training?” I asked, my voice low and seductive.
What happened to my voice?
“This is the Kain-wants-Eva move,” he replied, his voice sounding like mine.
He looked down at me with strands of dark brown hair falling over his forehead, making him appear more dangerous and more mysterious. His lips were so close to mine, making me squirm beneath him. Bad move. His bulge seemed to get harder and hotter all at once.
Oh my God. What would it feel like to have him inside me?
The muscles in my core flexed in desperation.
Kain cupped the side of my face with his hand as lust darkened in his eyes.
He lowered his lips to mine, soft and gentle at first. But then hunger took over, and I opened for him, responding with the same urgency.
Our tongues battled in a war of need. His hand skimmed down my body and slipped under my shirt, roaming over my belly.
I moaned, loving his mouth on me as he dropped kisses along my jaw and down my neck.
His hand moved to cup a breast over my sports bra. I arched into him at the sensation, making me feel wanted and alive. He positioned his cock near my center. A rush of liquid heat gathered between my thighs.
“I want you so much.” He nipped my ear, his breath hot and desperate.
I wanted him too, but this wasn’t the place. We were at his gym, a professional working area. The details tossed me back to reality.
I gripped his face. “Not here. Not today.”
He sucked on my lower lip. “But soon?”
“I’ll let you know,” I said, loving how he made me feel.
“Soon.” He narrowed his eyes, making demands. “Don’t make me suffer.”
I sat up and bit my bottom lip. No man had wanted me like he did. I didn’t know what to say, but I needed some time, considering this was our first date.
“I don’t sleep with men on the first date.”
“This is technically our second.” Sitting up, he bumped shoulders with me. “Lunch with your grandpa was the first.”
“That doesn’t count,” I protested.
“You’re getting trained every day this week. Each session is considered a date. By the end of the week, you’ll know me very well.”
I grinned all the way to the café, where we got sugarcane drinks and sat by the wide windows with a lovely view of the street from the second floor.
This was one of the best days I’d had in a long time.
I didn’t think about responsibilities, how much money I needed for my dream store, the to-do list at work, or the uncertainties about relationships.
Kain made me forget everything and focus on us.
“Have you found out anything about the man at the Boston Harbor Hotel?” I asked, sipping my refreshing drink.
“The detective is still investigating. He said they’re looking at a few angles. The suspect could be part of a radical group that’s targeting certain individuals.”
“Do you know who the targets were that day?”
“Anastasia Masterson was supposed to sit at that table. Her granddaughter was already there, but she arrived late.” He leaned back in his chair. “Anastasia is a lawyer for a prominent firm in Boston. The other target was Noah Loomer, heir to Loomer Banks.”
“Maybe he was their client.”
“The explosives were only at two tables, but they created a lot of smoke, which scared and confused people. The chaos allowed the suspect to escape quickly. Anastasia and Noah both received threats.”
“What kind of threats?”
“He wants them to release information to the authorities; otherwise, he’ll hurt them again.” Kain leaned on the table. “You’re very curious about this case.”
“Maybe because we almost got hurt.”
“I got hit in the back,” he said.
“You did?” I got up from my seat, remembering how he’d used his body to shield me. “Where? Let me see.”
He patted the back of his shoulder. “It’s nothing.”
I placed my hand on it, rubbing it. “Did it bleed?”
“No, just a bruise from a shard.” He grabbed my hand, pulling me onto his lap. “I had a Kevlar suit and shirt.”
“I thought only law enforcement wore Kevlar.”
“Mine are specially tailored jackets, pants, and shirts. Overpriced, but worth it.”
Why would he need that kind of protective gear? Then I remembered him talking about the will to survive. What had happened to him to make him take this kind of precaution?
“The world has gotten so dangerous.” I looked out onto the street where people strode by. A man with sunglasses in a white T-shirt and jeans sat on a bench, looking into the café.
Our conversation continued about his upcoming projects. Something urged me to look outside again, and the man was standing now, looking up at us. A strange sensation slithered on my skin.
“Is it me, or is that guy staring at us?”
When Kain looked over, the man turned around and walked away.
“Passersby often look into the windows to watch the people working out,” he said. “It motivates them.”
The windows offered a view of the fitness area too. Perhaps that man was looking at people in the gym or the other three people in the café and not me and Kain.
His phone buzzed with a message, and his expression tensed.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” he said.
But I knew he was lying.