Page 82 of College-Virgin & Dark Bully Next-Door

“Friday?”

“Friday,” she agrees. “No surprise visits here. And I won’t surprise you at the gym.”

“That was just yesterday. My brother came to spar with me.”

“Oh.”

“I like you being there, even if you’re the world’s biggest distraction,” I chuckle. “I feel like I have something to prove with you watching.”

“Then you’d better win on Friday.”

She hangs up, and I slump down. Sky doesn’t need me. She doesn’t need me to fight her battles. She doesn’t need me for comfort. She doesn’t need me for help. And only being wanted occasionally is going to fuck with my head.

The one relationship I’ve been in that’s lasted longer than a month had tons of communication. She wanted me involved in her life to an almost uncomfortable level, and she let me play the hero more than every now and again.

Sky is the polar opposite, and if she’s feeling shit, talking to her is an uphill battle.

Still, I make it to Friday. Work, my family, Peter’s invasive, probing questions, and my workouts keep me so exhausted it’s hard to think at all. Now that I’m here and ready to get in the ring, I feel ready. I wrap my fists, listen to my hype-up music and try to focus on kicking ass. I turn to grab my gloves and see Sky here.

“Hey,” I murmur.

She tugs on her braid, then takes a step towards me. “Was I bitchy on the phone?”

“A little,” I shrug, grabbing my glove and starting to tug it on.

Sky holds it so I can push my hand all the way in. She holds up tape. “Does this go on, too?”

“No, just the Velcro.” She puts it on, adjusts it twice, then pats it before picking up the other glove. She offers it up and meets my eyes. I sigh. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Family stuff,” she whispers. “I wasn’t in the mood for flirting or … talking.”

“And you still aren’t?” I guess, shoving my fist into the glove.

She smooths the first round of Velcro before wrapping and sticking the second round. “I take a while to process. I’m like a … a nineties computer.”

“But we’re okay?”

“You say that like I have other options?”

“You’ve made it clear you don’t need me, Sky. That’s kind of new to me. I don’t love it, but I’m trying to deal with it, but it … it makes me feel disposable.”

She grunts and pulls out her camera. “Just because I don’tneedyou doesn’t mean I don’twantyou around. I just suck at explaining and don’t feel like adding my problems to your shoulders.”

“My shoulders are broad. I can handle it.”

Sky strokes over my chest, sending tendrils of heat across my skin. I take a sobering breath. She gently kisses the spot over my heart. “Maybe you can handle me after your match. I’m here alone, no date, no chaperone.”

She’s tempting me with a damn good time, and she knows it. Despite every issue we have to iron out, I’m a sucker for more time with her, touching her, kissing her, all of it. My lips curve up. “Does that mean I get a kiss for luck?”

“You get two.” She stands on her toes and kisses me hungrily.

I grope her back with my useless boxing gloves and lick into her mouth. If sherefusesto need me, I’m going to make sure she wants me enough that she’s counting down the seconds until we can get out of here and get tangled up with each other. I suck her tongue, nibble her bottom lip and pull out every trick in the book before letting her go.

“Kick ass for me.”

“Yes, baby,” I promise.

And I do. I take plenty of hits, but remember to use my left, keep my frame flexible, bob, weave, take the open shots and use my head as much as I use my fists. I’m going to one up Rocky by winning, not just learning a valuable life lesson.

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