Page 13 of I Am Lioness

She laughed. “How thoughtful of you.”

“So to what do I owe the pleasure of hearing from you?”

“Your offer. I want details, that is if you have time for that right now.”

“Even if I didn't, I'd make the time for you.” I admitted.

There was a short yet excruciating bout of silence before she said in a hushed voice, “You're sweet, you know that?”

For you, yes.

“I'm selectively sweet.”

“Way to take a compliment.” She chuckled. “So what exactly does this offer of yours entail?”

“It's simple. You tell me what you're looking to get out of each session, we link schedules, and BAM, personal trainer at your service.”

“That's it? You made it sound like there was so much more to it.”

“Perhaps it was all a ploy to ensure I’d hear from you again.”

I could practically hear the smile split her face in half. “And what made you so certain said ploy would work?”

“I wasn't certain at all but I hoped like hell it would.”

Instead of a response, I heard muffled voices through the line. It went on for a several moments before she said suddenly, “I have to go.”

The high from our conversation plummeted.

“But we’ll talk later?” She added, her tone almost hopeful.

Relieved to hear her say that, I conceded. “You can bet on it. I'll be here.”

“Good night, stud.”

“Sweet dreams, beautiful.”

I ended the call and dropped my phone onto the couch beside me, the entire conversation instantly replaying in my mind. While it had been the highlight of my week, it also made it that much more difficult knowing that a phone call was far as it could go for the time being.

But I’d take whatever I could get.

It was probably better this way anyway. Our sexual attraction was off the fucking charts and I wanted Hazel to know I wasn’t just attracted to her body. I was attracted to every facet of her being, both inside and out.

The distance would allow us to really get to know one another, to develop trust, something any successful relationship—even friendships—thrived from.

And I wanted us to thrive.

Sin City waswithout a doubt one of my favorite stops on tour. Not only was it a magnificently beautiful place to visit, it also put us all in a fantastic mood from the moment the city came into view, high above the ground.

The Strip was a bedazzled playground of casinos, hotels, and endless entertainment options, teeming with diverse life 24/7. From drunk bachelor’s to your typical suburban family of four—and everything else in between—Las Vegas offered a little something for everyone, making it a magical experience unlike any other.

Aside from the Finals, fight night in Vegas was the ultimate adrenaline high of the season. Something about the thrilling, super-charged atmosphere surrounding the city, along with the jam-packed arena and rambunctious fans, amped me up to a whole ‘nother level.

Even Bernie, Jason, and Manny buzzed alive with energy. They roared in excitement after each win like a group of teenage girls at an N’Sync concert. If only the cameras would focus on them instead of me for five seconds, they would have been able to capture that hysterically priceless image for all time. I’d pay big money for those prints too.

This year proved to be no different than the three seasons prior. From the moment I stepped into that cage, my opponent—Bethany ‘Black Widow’ Harris—was annihilated in record time. Four tap outs and a KO in the final round. It was almost too easy. Almost.

After a few photo-ops and autographs with some of my fans, the boys left me to freshen up while they waited out by the SUV. Jason assured me one too many times that he’d be back to escort me out after the crowd died down, but twenty minutes later, as I was on my way out of the locker room to meet him in the lobby, I nearly ran headfirst into Reyna.

---