Page 50 of Burn for You (Flirting with Forever 3)

“On the contrary, Sherlock. I just said everything I needed to—with my eyes, with my lips, with my body. Put your detective skills to work.” The edges of his lips twitch into a smile.

His overconfidence is actually exactly what I need right now, no matter that it makes me want to kiss that cocky grin right off his face.

“Can I see you after I’m done at the gym?”

Chapter 28

Damon

Frank and I circle each other, our gloved hands up in defensive stances. We’re running drills again, as we so often do right before big fights. I strike three times. He does the same. Repeat. Should be a pretty simple practice. I just need to focus, pay attention, and defend myself when needed. Frank is a great student, and he’s fast, dodging my strikes and doling them out like a pro.

Over and over in my head, I run through everything Piper told me. She’d said she hadn’t known it was me until just before we’d met. In fact, thinking back, she’d been close to tears when she denied knowing it was me the whole time. And if that’s the case, she hadn’t been using the app against me. The thoughts and feelings we’d shared there had been real after all.

Dare I hope that I could have Piper and Sherlock4Love? Fuck me, how’d I miss that she’s the total package? She’s a naughty-talking, Sherlock-loving, sweetly-curved, English-teaching goddess. Piper is Sherlock4Love. I have to keep reminding myself because in my head, they are still separate people. But put those two together, and I think I may have found what could be the love of my life.

Frank’s fist slams into my cheek. I reel backward several steps, shaking my head. Damn, that hurt. Totally my fault, too. Here I am, pondering all aspects of my potential relationship with Piper, when I should be doing my damn job and paying attention to Frank. I deserve to take one to the face.

“Shit, Damon. I’m so sorry.” Frank winces as his eyes are drawn to the side of my face where he just hit me.

I blow out a quick breath, trying to get my head back on straight. I hadn’t even tried to defend myself. I work my jaw around until I’m convinced I’m okay. “Not your fault. My focus slipped. Good lesson for you to see learned.” I chuckle. “Again. Seems like I keep trying to point this one out to you. Awfully generous of me to keep taking hits to teach you something.”

“I can

totally work with the bag if you need to be somewhere else, man.”

I shake my head. “No, we’ll finish. Just call me out if you see me not with you again, would you? I don’t need a fist to the face twice in one night. You’ve got some heavy hands.”

And so Frank and I circle each other, going right back to sparring. I struggle through about ten more minutes before my mind starts to wander. I can’t even help myself. If everything Piper said was true, there’s just one thing that’s standing between us. It’s the same thing that has always been there—the job.

I know what I need to do.

Chapter 29

Piper

I’m a bundle of anxious anticipation. I look back over our earlier conversation via Tryst, wondering what exactly Damon, aka Prof.M., has to say to me.

Prof.M. to Sherlock4Love: I’ve been doing some thinking.

Prof.M. to Sherlock4Love: So much so that Frank nailed my cheek.

Sherlock4Love to Prof.M.: Ouch. I have ice here.

Prof.M. to Sherlock4Love: Don’t worry, it’s not the first punch I’ve taken to the face.

Sherlock4Love to Prof.M.: Well, I know that. I witnessed another one.

Prof.M. to Sherlock4Love: Right. I’ve been distracted by the same person. Twice. Thanks for that.

Sherlock4Love to Prof.M.: Oopsie.

Prof.M. to Sherlock4Love: Quit being cute and send me your address, would you?

Sherlock4Love to Prof.M.: 870 Shady Grove Lane, Apt 2.

Prof.M. to Sherlock4Love: Be there in twenty.

I’m nervous. Anxious. A little overwrought wondering how this is all going to go down this evening. Biting my lip, I open my text messages. I’d been filling the girls in all week on how crappy things were and how badly I’d messed up by not being up-front the second I’d seen Damon at the restaurant. But what can I say? He’d started pushing my buttons like he always does. It seems what I’d actually witnessed was a very jealous Damon, hurt when he’d thought I was dating someone else. I’d be more irritated about how irrational that jealousy had been, only I’d felt it, too, realizing he thought he was meeting someone else. Not that I had any claim to him at all; we’d only shared a few kisses and some growing feelings. Ugh. What a mess.

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