Page 18 of I Accidentally Hired a Shadow Walker
“Yes,” I pursed my lips, imagining the pre-workout making him itch without exercise because that’s what it did to me. “Apologize for teasing me and then we can go inside.”
He hesitated, considering if he really wanted to give in to me. Then, after the frustration sparked by my stubbornness kicked in, he apologized.
“Ms. Brown, I apologize for teasing you about your crazy stalker.” He fluttered his eyelashes, making me notice those green eyes. “Can you please find it in your heart to forgive me?”
“Yeah.” I waved him off. “Quit your pathetic begging and come on.”
Raymond headed straight upstairs to get started in the gym while I went into my office to change. I always kept a few spare outfits for working out in the closet. I took my time getting ready. He had made me wait for his slow ass driving; he could wait while I made the hard choice between my purple fit or my turquoise. And what shoes would I wear? I had a few options—of course I had to give it ample thought. When I made my way up to the gym dressed in the purple workout set—a pair of shorts, and a form-fitting tank top—he was already doing some stretches and warming up, so I joined him.
“What's your style?” I asked him as I stretched my calves. They had been giving me some issues, and I wanted to make sure I didn't catch a cramp while we worked.
“My style?” He raised a brow.
“Hey, you asked me to come spar. What kind of sparring are we doing? There are different styles, you know—wrestling, taekwondo, karate…” I mimicked each as I listed them off.
“How about some basic grappling? Does that work for you?” he asked. “We can see where it goes from there.”
“If you want to keep it simple, that works for me.”
“Right…” He trailed off, raising a brow. “You’re going to try to hurt me, aren’t you?”
“I wouldneverdo that.” I finished stretching then got into my starting position. “Come on, make your move.”
“I think you should go first. I don’t want to hurt you.” He winked. “This is supposed to be friendly, so show me what you got. I’ll adjust to it.”
“Just like a man.” I rolled my eyes. “You think I can’t take you? I run this business, remember? I know what I’m doing, so, come on.”
He came for me, and I proved my point quickly. As he reached for my shoulders, I dropped down, initiating a double leg takedown that landed him flat on his back. He hit the mat hard, and I smiled as I heard the air escape from his lungs.
“Oh, shit.” He coughed as I got up, giving him room to breathe. “You’re stronger than you look.”
“Not the first time I’ve heard that.” I stepped back, readjusting the tie around my hair. “Don’t go easy on me, big boy.” As soon as he made it to his feet, I punchedhim in the jaw.
“You want a fight, huh?” he laughed. “What happened to friendly sparring?”
“Hey, you said I needed a release.” I shrugged. “That’s how I get it.”
“As long as you promise not to hold it against me if you get hurt.” He grinned. “I mean, I wouldn’t want you being upset with me.”
“I can handle myself. Let’s go!” I got into a fighting stance.
Raymond didn’t hold back that time. He rushed me, lifting me from my feet and slamming me to the ground in one, swift move.Payback.
“Damn!” I shifted my hips, put my foot into his chest, and kicked him away from me.
“You said not to go easy.” He shrugged.
“And I meant it!” I did a kick flip up from the ground, took two rushing steps, and kneed him in the gut. I followed up with an elbow to the spine.
From there, it was a full-on fight. We both launched our attacks, meeting most with skillful counters, but now and then, a hit would land. The longer we went, the less the big guy held back. Before I knew it, he was tossing me around the gym like I was a grown man, just the way I liked it.
Eventually, he got the advantage over me. I was strong, but I still had to hold back. Sure, I could have used my ability to give me an advantage, but that wouldn’t have been fair. So, I tucked those magical abilities into my back pocket when he went for a move that once again landed me on my back.
Instead of quickly shifting into the next move, Raymond lingered. His breathing was quick, sweat dripping from his brow. He looked down at me, andboom. There it was: that tension everyone expected when two grown adults of the opposite sex claimed they’re just friends. When my eyes met his, green and consuming, I felt my body respond.
Oh, hell no!The thought flashed through my head just as that heated look reached his eyes.
I shifted my weight; the muscles in my legs burned, but I was determined to get out of the compromising position. The shock worked in my favor as I flipped him, grabbing his arm and locking in a tight armbar. While I had caught him off guard, it wasn’t enough to stop his instinctual response. I hadn’t had the submission hold long before he displayed strength I hadn’t seen in a man before. With me still locked on his arm, he lifted me in the air and crossed the room. His locs slapped me in the face, adding salt to the wound as he slammed me back down onto a stack of mats.
