“You have no idea how hard it is to stop.” His voice is raw and honest and filled with emotion. Somehow it makes me feel better knowing it isn’t easy for him. But it also confuses me. Why does he keep stopping?

“So why then?”

Nico struggles for a moment, “Because I want you to know me first, so I don’t scare you away.”

“Why would you scare me away?”

He thinks for a long moment, before he responds. “Because it’s who I am.” Nico looks at me and touches the side of my face gently with his thumb. “You’re a beautiful, smart, strong woman who is used to being treated like a lady.”

I’m confused at his words and Nico sees it on my face. He pulls me to him and buries his face in my neck. His breath is so close to my ear when he speaks, I feel the words throughout my body as he speaks them. “But when I finally get you underneath me, I’m definitely not going to treat you like a lady.”

Chapter 15

Elle

Regina buzzes in to tell me William is on the phone. It’s the first time I’ve heard from him since I told him I couldn’t see him anymore. When I told him I wanted to remain friends, it wasn’t just a line. Our friendship is important to me, and I’m glad he called, although I hadn’t expected to hear from him so soon.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” A second too long goes by that makes me feel like this might be an awkward conversation.

“I wanted to let you know that your letter was a success.” William’s tone is more business than friendship.

Momentarily, I’m not following the conversation. Then I realize what he must be referring to. “They’re going to let Nico out of the contract?”

“Yes, they seem to agree with you that it’s in their best interest to walk away rather than entertain a public lawsuit regarding their ethics.” My letter was a bit more underhanded than I normally would like. A thinly disguised, veiled threat to remind them we didn’t even have to be successful in a lawsuit over their ethics. The damage to their reputation would come through public persona, just from trying the case in a public forum.

“That’s great news. Have you told Nico yet?” My voice comes out a little more excited than I had intended it to.

“No. I called you first. If you want to call him and give him the good news, that’s okay with me.”

Briefly, I feel badly about wanting to be the one who tells Nico the good news. But another part of me wants to be the one that pleases him. William tells me he will fax over the termination paperwork for my review and I agree to look at it as soon as it comes over since they want a response quickly.

After we hang up, I realize just how clinical our conversation was and I feel badly that our friendship may not make it.

Chapter 16

Nico

I easily knock the first two guys Preach puts in the ring with me on their asses. He’s trying to build my confidence, but I’m losing patience. “Give me a real partner or I’m done for the day.”

Preach laughs at me. “They are real partners, you just got a bug up your ass today. But let’s keep it there for the next three weeks.”

It takes less than three minutes to blow through the third sparring partner, and I feel more frustrated than when I started. Preach is blowing smoke up my ass about how good I look, but I think he’s just giving me weak partners.

I spend the next fifteen minutes taking what the jerkoffs in the ring couldn’t handle out on the speed bag. My knuckles are swollen and bloodied by the time I’ve let off enough steam to take a calm breath.

Preach looks at my knuckles and shakes his head. We’ve been together too long for him not to recognize when something is bothering me. Sometimes he knows what it is before I do.

“What’s eating you son?”

“Nothing.”

“Alright. How’s things going with Elle?”

“Great.” I pick up the jump rope and begin to swing it at warp speed. The rope slips under my feet twice with each hop.

“Preach.” I lower my voice so none of the gym rats can hear me. “How long do normal people date before they sleep together?”

Preach laughs. He thinks I’m kidding.

“No really, how long?”

“Is that what this is about? You’re hard up?” Preach laughs and I get the urge to whip his ass with the rope that I can’t seem to stop swinging. I have so much pent up energy, it feels like I could workout for days and still be raring to go.

“That’s right, you’re used to the girls just dropping their panties at your feet before you open that foul mouth of yours.” Preach laughs. “You finally found one that’s making you work for it?”

Sal, the guy working the front desk today, whistles to get my attention. “Phone for you.”

“Tell whoever it is, I’m working out and I’ll call him back.” I look at Sal like he’s lost his mind for interrupting my workout for a phone call.

“Okay, but it’s a woman.”

I hear Preach and Sal snickering on my way to the phone.

Chapter 17

Elle

Hearing his voice on the phone makes me smile. I tell Nico the good news and offer to drop off the documents for him to review on my way to my three o’clock appointment. He promises unhealthy takeout for me in exchange for my time. His version of unhealthy and my version are vastly different, but I’m anxious to see him again anyway.

Traffic is much lighter than usual, and I’m early when I arrive at Nico’s gym. Early. I never get anywhere early, even if there are no cars on the road I’m usually late. The guy at the door eyes me suspiciously as I enter, he probably thinks I’m entering the wrong building. The red suit I’m wearing is one of my favorites. It pinches in at the waist and emphasizes my curves in all the right places. But I’m definitely overdressed for a gym.

“I have a feeling you’re in the wrong place, but I’m glad you came in because I think I’ve fallen in love.” His line may be all wrong, but his smile is friendly so I smile back innocently.

Nico smacks the guy in the back of the head, but I can tell he doesn’t really want to hurt him. “You got one warning Sal. Keep your comments and your eyes to yourself, or you won’t make it into the ring the next time I kick your ass.”

Nico walks around the front desk and puts his arm around my waist and pulls me to him protectively before kissing me sweetly on the lips.

Sal snickers as he rubs the back of his head and mutters something about Nico having all the luck.