Page 29 of 4th Degree

My brain struggles to filter through the possibilities. Time or money, right? That’s what she reacted to? If it’s time, I can’t really do anything about that. But if it’s money…

Money. I can fix the money problem.

Why am I so eager to keep her?

I’ve never stopped anyone from quitting before. I’ve never wanted anyone in the gym who didn’t want to be here.

It’s because she does want to be here, I tell myself, ignoring the whisper of my subconscious telling me that it’s something else.

“How about this,” I start, ignoring all other thoughts. “I’ve been looking to hire someone to help clean the gym. The mats have to be cleaned between evening and morning classes, so I don’t have nearly as much help as I want. If you clean for me, I’ll let you train for free.”

And thank God that hope softens her expression. I’m so relieved to see it that I don’t even mind that it’s followed by narrowed eyes.

“I don’t like being a charity case.”

My head shake is vehement. “It’s not charity. Anyone who works for me gets to train for free, just ask any of the assistant instructors.”

The skepticism doesn’t leave her eyes, but it does dull.

The thought that Skylar might not have the easy life that someone as kind and hard-working as her deserves is like a nail in my lungs.

“Do you actually need the help?” she asks, almost as a final, pride-filled pushback. “Or are you just making up a job for me?”

My lips twitch, and my chest finally loosens with my exhale.

“Trust me, you’d be making my life a lot easier. Right now, I’m basically doing it myself, since I only have one of the high schoolers helping me. And you don’t want to know what teenage boys think counts as clean.”

That gets a reaction I didn’t expect. A smile blooms across her face, and it’s so…adoring that I have to blink my surprise away.

“I definitely do,” she says with a tinkling laugh. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to explain that deodorant is required, not optional. It’s like they think hygiene will give them a rash.”

Interesting. A younger brother? Clearly, she’s very fond of him. Is she the oldest? What is she like with her family?

“So you get it then. You’d actually be helping me out. I’m tired of cleaning the mats myself.”

Her lips purse as she tilts her head, amusement shining in her eyes. “Too good for a little cleaning, Coach?”

I wonder what my name sounds like on her lips.

Fuck, these thoughts... Who am I today?

“Hardly,” I force out. “I’m just tired of doing it. I’ve cleaned so many mats, I’ve probably contributed to the hole in the ozone layer with the chemical fumes. Twenty years later, and I feel like I’ve paid my dues enough times over to not want to clean anymore.”

Skylar lets out a whistle. “Twenty years? Sometimes I forget how long you’ve been in this game.”

My eyes narrow on hers. “You calling me old again, Skylar?”

She bites her lip to hide her smile, but as she shakes her head, it slips through anyway. “Never old. More like…experienced.”

My blood rushes hot at the way she says it. I’m well aware of the fact that I’ve got at least a decade on my fighters, but it’s never made me feel…old. Especially when I can keep up with even my best competitors.

But hearing Skylar call it experience instead of age is… I don’t know what it is. But it suddenly feels like I’m crackling with sensations I shouldn’t be.

“That I am,” I say, deeper than intended.

Sure enough, Skylar’s pupils dilate at the sound, and I can’t look away.

It takes her a second to snap out of the haze she fell into—that we both fell into. She clears her throat and says, “So, um, you just need me to clean the mats? Anything else?”

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