Page 62 of Ignite

Ryan was crying out for male role models and my team was full of candidates. I’d issued the invitation to train with us and to his credit, Ryan turned up ready to work hard. Two hours later he’d even earned a respectful fist bump from Brody who’d challenged him to crunch until they spewed. Despite turning a pretty shade of green, Ryan kept up with our challenge beast until Korbin called time in his unique way. Korbin straddled Brody and taunted, “Should we find you a bunch of pre-schoolers to crunch against next week or are you sticking to high-schoolers?”

“Fuck … you …” Brody panted, collapsing back onto the cement floor. “The kid was pushing me. Pick on him.”

“Welcome to the party,” Korbin said to Ryan, offering him a hand and helping him up. “You can come down here and show him up any time.”

As everyone hit the showers, I threw out a casual, “Anyone who wants to go to the pub for a feed, first round of drinks are on me.”

Ethan to Rylee:Ryan just finished training with us.

I’d sent the text on a hunch, assuming if she had an opinion, she wouldn’t be shy in sharing. I didn’t have to wait long.

Rylee:What?

Rylee:He’s a boy.

Ethan:I’m taking the team back to pub for steak.

Rylee:He’s under-age.

Ethan:If you want him to be in the company of a responsible adult, you should join us.

Wearing fitted jeans and what looked to be a new, soft, and almost see-through floral shirt over a white singlet, Rylee turned up after we’d all arrived, looking hot as all hell. My team didn’t hide their appreciation, fighting to help her order and buy her a drink. When I didn’t react or intervene, she sat down the end of the table in between Eric and Ryan, and ignored me. I didn’t care. She’d responded to my bait and I could work with that.

Ethan to Rylee:Kill me now.

Rylee:Slowly or without warning?

Ethan:Silently.

Rylee:Date not going well?

Ethan:She thinks this is a relationship.

Rylee:What are you up to, third date? She’s probably put clean sheets on the bed.

Ethan:I wouldn’t know.

Ethan:I won’t find out.

Ethan:Confession time?

Rylee:Sure. Remember, I’m working on your baby and know how to slice a brake cable.

Finally. I’d gotten Rylee to admit to caring.

Ethan:She knows my biggest secret.

Rylee:That you’re a selfish asshole?

Ethan:I think you mean self-centered asshole. There’s a difference.

Rylee:You say tomato. I say tomARto.

Rylee:But enlighten me. What’s your biggest secret?

Ethan:I’m not emotionally single.

The three dots danced and went away. Danced and went away. I stopped living and breathing, waiting for her response.

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