Sam
I steered clear of her for three long days. Every time I saw her in public, I turned and walked in the other direction. I avoided going anywhere near her house and even started running a long circuit around town to avoid her shop.
But I wouldn’t be able to do that forever. Especially not when all I could think about was her. I didn’t quite understand why I’d become so fixated on her. She was just another woman. Hell, when I was on the road, the number of women flinging themselves at me bordered on insane.
Since I’d moved here, hardly a single woman had looked at me, and I was good with that. I was laying low and trying to figure out my next step in life. But then she came crashing down off a roof and dangled herself literally right in front of me.
And that was the moment something inside me snapped.
I always had boxing. It was what kept me focused and moving forward in life. But the second she fell into my arms, something shifted, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.
Women like Cassidy wanted dates and commitment. She would expect me to spend time with her and give her a piece of myself that I had never given to another person. And after a while, the expectations would grow. She would want a ring and, eventually, a family.
And all I wanted was my old life back.
Deke was offering it to me on a silver platter. The one thing I thought I had lost completely, he was telling me was still within reach. I could still do the one thing I loved more than anything in this life. I could have my shot at redemption.
I could get back the life that I’d loved since I was in high school, training in my first gym.
All I had to do was make the call.
Standing outside the address Deke had texted, I peered through the glass at the empty space inside. It would be perfect for training. The building had been vacant for six months, but the landlord had kept it in top shape.
I dialed his number, knowing for certain this was what I wanted.
“Tell me you’ve decided to take my offer.”
Grinning, I shoved my hand in my pocket, fighting off the chill racing through me. “Let’s do it.”
“Ha! I knew it!”
The door to the building flung open and Deke ran out, jumping as he hugged me like we’d just won a match.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Getting the gym ready,” he smiled. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to turn me down. Come on. I gotta show you this,” he said, grabbing my arm and tugging me inside.
The space was even better upon walking inside. The ceiling was all exposed, giving it that rough feel. Deke had already outlined a track around the inside of the building, giving me a space to run when the weather was too bad. And the center was perfect for a ring.
“Come take a look at this,” he said, hurrying through a door at the back.
I followed, excited to see what was waiting. The back room was filled with all the necessary equipment for training, along with a massage table, a hot tub, and even an ice bath.
“You were so sure I would say yes,” I chuckled.
“Well, I knew after a few months, you’d get bored and need a distraction from the monotony of life.”
Striding over to a locker, I popped open the door and looked at all my old gear. My fingers slid over the gloves that I’d left behind when I decided my career was over. It was like coming home.
“Just in case you didn’t want that ratty stuff, I got you a few new things,” he said, opening a second locker.
Everything inside was new, but there was nothing like my old gear.
“So, ready to get to work?” he grinned.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Good. Then let’s make our way to the weight room. The first thing we need to do is get you in shape. You look like a ten-day-old loaf of bread.”
“What the hell does that even mean?” I asked, following him down the hall to a weight room all for me.
“It means you look old. And boxers who look old get taken hard and fast in the ring. Running might have kept you in shape for someplace like Montana, but if you’re gonna step in that ring, I need you at your prime.”
My prime was in the rearview mirror, and I knew it was gonna take a hell of a lot to get me back to where I needed to be.
“Alright. Let’s do this.”
“Ah!” he stopped me. “Not so fast. I also called in Doc to check you over and take some X-rays. The last thing we need is to work you too hard before you’re completely healed.”
“If I wait any longer—”
“Not an option,” he cut me off. “We do this right, or we don’t do it at all.”
“You’re the one who called me.”
Turning, he clasped me on the shoulder, his eyes intense as he stared at me. “That’s because I knew if there was anyone who could make a comeback, it was gonna be you.”
I could already feel my palms itching to slide into those gloves, and the feel of my toes hitting the canvas as I danced around the ring. But he was right. If I pushed too hard, too fast, I’d only end up hurting myself again.
“Okay.”
“First up. Let’s get you into the medical room for Doc.”
“He’s here?”
“Waiting as we speak.”
“Ten more, Sammy!” Deke called out, driving me relentlessly into an early grave.
But it had never felt better. It had been too long since I’d pushed myself this hard or had worked my shoulder to test the strength. And right now, even as sore as my arm was, I knew it was going to be fine.
I slammed my fist into the speed bag one last time, then stepped back, shaking out my arms as I hopped from one foot to the other. Breathing hard, I took a short jog around the ring, loosening my muscles before the inevitable ice bath I knew I was going to need.
As I cooled down, I started unwrapping my wrists, tossing them on the bench as Deke walked over and started massaging my shoulders.
“Not bad, huh? Don’t lie to me. It felt fucking good.”
Chuckling, I nodded in agreement. “Really fucking good.”
“Feel like you could go ten rounds?”
“Not even close,” I snorted. “But I’ll get there.”
“And the shoulder?”
He grabbed my wrist and gently stretched my arm over my head, rotating it to check the flexibility. “Feels surprisingly good.”
“I’m telling you, Sammy. You gave up too soon.”
Rolling my eyes, I finally sat down and started shoving my gear in my bag. “How long are you gonna harp on me about that?”
“Until you know you can do this,” he countered. “I can’t believe you made me wait two weeks to get this up and running.”
“You had to get town approval for the facility. Not to mention, get the clearance for all the changes.”
“In New York, we’d have had it the same day.”
“This isn’t New York.”
“No shit. I’m freezing my balls off and it’s only Thanksgiving. Speaking of which, where are we eating?”
That was a good fucking question. I didn’t really want to eat with the entire Parker family, but my sister was married into it. Did I really have a choice?
“Not sure yet.”
“Well, wherever it is, make sure you don’t overdo it. We need you in shape.”
That just wasn’t going to work for me. “Actually, this is the first year that I’ll actually be able to enjoy Thanksgiving, and I plan to eat whatever the hell I want.”
“Sammy—”
“Nope. Since I started boxing, there hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t watched everything I eat. Just once, I’d like to enjoy a meal without feeling guilty.”
He shot me a warning look, but relented. “Just this once. And only because you just started training.”
I rolled my eyes, ready to hit the ice tub.
“Alright, let’s take you through the cooldown routine. You’re gonna feel it for the next few weeks until you get used to being in the ring again.”
Thankfully, I hadn’t stopped running, so I wasn’t completely out of shape. But I felt it today every time I hit the bag. My muscles had weakened, and even my stance was a little sloppy. That would all correct itself quickly enough.
Deke clapped me on the shoulder, shoving me toward the back room where an ice bath was waiting. I desperately needed it as my muscles protested against the workout I’d just given them. But I didn’t relish the thought of sinking into the cold water.
As soon as it hit my skin, I hissed, slowly adjusting to the temperature.
“You’re looking good. Not ready for any real fights, but it won’t take as long as I expected,” Deke said, gathering my things to wash.
“Couple more weeks and I’ll be there,” I grinned.
“Yeah, we’ll see about that. Hey, you know of any rentals in town?”
I leaned back against the tub, letting my eyes slip closed. “Not really. Why?”
“Cuz the place I’m staying is like something out of a horror movie. If you’re gonna train here, I might as well find myself something permanent.”
I immediately thought of giving him the house that moved from place to place depending on the day, time, and weather conditions, but that would leave me out on my ass.
Unless I stayed with Cassidy.
Not that it was an option. Fucking her a few times hardly gave me the right to ask her for a place to stay. But waking up next to her and sinking my cock deep inside her wouldn’t be a bad way to start my day.
Still, that would give her ideas about what was going on between us, and even though I thought of her every night, I wasn’t about to give her the impression that I wanted more than a few nights twisted in the sheets.
Not that we’d actually made it to a bed yet.
“You should check out by the ranch,” I remembered. “Murky Falls. They have rentals.”
“Probably sky high,” he muttered. “Isn’t that one of those resorts?”
“It’s getting there. You could go skiing.”
He grunted out a laugh. “Yeah, like I could ever stay upright on skis.”
“They have horses, too. A really gentle one named Susie.”
I didn’t bother to tell him that, despite being sweet, she scared easily. That day would stay between me, the horse, and Michael until I went to the grave.
“Not sure I’m much of a cowboy, either. But it might be worth a try. Now, where can I get a drink in this town?”
He grabbed the towel and held it out for me as I climbed out, shivering from the ice. “The Beaver and Boot is good.”
He shot me an odd look. “Do I want to know how a place comes up with a name like that?”
“I would imagine it has something to do with a beaver and a boot, but I’ve been wrong before.”
“Mind if I head out? I’ve got a hot date tonight with a woman named Georgia.”
The color drained from my face at his words. “Bennett?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
I shook my head, not ready to relive the experience yet. “Have fun.”
He waved me off as he headed out the door. I took my time taking a shower and getting cleaned up, doing my damned best not to think about going over to the bookshop and sneaking inside to see Cassidy.
I was going to have to find another way to see her that didn’t involve casually strolling around to the back door or slipping in when no one was on the street. But I hadn’t seen her in days, and I was itching for a release.
As much as I loved the fact that I could so easily sneak inside through the back door, I should probably have a talk with her about how unsafe that was.
But maybe not tonight.
Tonight, I just needed to get my hands on her.