Page 160 of Gym Bros
I frown at her, but she’s busy stroking her collarbone to draw attention to her chest.
The dude at the door nods us inside.
“Babe, holy shit!” Rachel says loudly.
Samuel’s head pops out of the t-shirt he’s pulling on, and his gaze lands squarely on me. His smile is broad and beautiful. I start to take a step toward him and then freeze when a man rises from a couch behind him, an equally and eerily similar grin for Rachel on his face until he notices me, and it turns into a curious frown.
Oh no. No. No. No. Shit.
Marcus.
24
SAMUEL
Adrenaline makes me high, and the fight was too short to burn it off. When I see Calyx looking like he just stepped off a runway walking into my warm-up room, I feel like a fuckinggod.
I charge him as I dry my face and head with a towel before tossing it aside and grabbing hold of him.
He squeaks as I plant my mouth on his and stiffens against me, his hands on my chest.
“Sorry,” I laugh, straightening out his suit. “I can’t believe you came.”
He glances over my shoulder, and I remember suddenly. “Oh—fuck—my dad’s here. He surprised me, too.”
Calyx takes a step away from me and nods at my father.
“Good to see you, Calyx,” Dad says.
“Marcus.” Calyx’s smile is tight as he looks back up at me. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks. I know what you’re probably thinking—the other guy must’ve sucked and that’s why I submitted him so fast, but he’s actually on a team that’s really good and has a decent record, but yeah—he was a little outmatched.”
Rachel laughs. “He actually did ask that. I didn’t understand his nickname. He didn’t get a single head shot in,” Rachel says.
“He tried, but I’m pretty fast. My back is also really flexible.” I wink at Calyx who still looks like he can’t quite process what the fuck he’s doing here, and honestly I can’t either, but it’s making my heart swell like twenty sizes bigger.
“Did you actually watch?” I ask him.
Rachel answers again. “We all did. Eyes open and everything. You looked great.”
I smile at her. “Thanks.”
Calyx is looking at my dad again. It’s bad timing for sure. I’m guessing it was hard enough for him to come today without having to face the manager he’s been dodging for months.
“Dad—hey?—”
“Actually—I?—”
Calyx gives his head the smallest shake at Dad’s words, and my father shuts his mouth.
“I’ll um…” my dad clears his throat. “Let you catch up with your friends. Dinner though?”
“Yeah, of course,” I say, turning to pat him on the shoulder despite the sudden chill in the room.
He gives me a warm smile. As he leaves the room, though, Calyx is staring at the floor. He didn’t even say goodbye to him. They barely acknowledged each other. Before I can ask if something happened, Rachel puts a hand on Calyx’s back and says, “We’ll be in the lobby. Congrats again, Sam.”
“Yeah—awesome win,” Priya adds.
