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“Hi, Soph. Did you talk to Sutton about this class?” I ask, joining the group.
“Nope, but he was adamant that Emma and I come after what happened at the party. I assumed you were the one who arranged it with him?”
I chat with Sophie and the other women from Mailbox until it’s almost time to start the class, although no one seems to know who told Sutton about the class or arranged for Mailbox to pay for them all to attend. Just as Carl claps to get everyone’s attention on the mats, Frankie slips through the doors, chugging the coffee in her hand.
Seeing her again, this close, sends a painful twist through my chest. I’ve been avoiding her at work all week. Needing to give myself the time to get control of my over-eager heart before I do something stupid, like tell her I love her.
“Sorry, sorry. I’m here.” She scurries forward to stand with the other women, attaching herself to Lauren’s side. I can’t help stealing glances at her as Carl explains the class. She looks tired, like she needs a vacation. Or like she’s been sleeping as badly as I have.
But even though the shadows under her eyes are noticeable from here, she still looks beautiful. Those big eyes, her delicate nose, the full lips I’ve been dreaming about kissing again. Hence why my nights have been sleepless. I want to pull her against me and let her rest, feel the way she melts into me, knowing I’ll keep watch for her.
The class is exquisite torture. Woman after woman practices throwing me to the ground. Some successful, some not. But all of them except Frankie approach me with confidence after the first try. Lauren hams it up, putting her foot on my chest and clasping her hands in triumph after she flips me over her shoulder and onto my back.
But not Frankie. She’s not timid, but every time she touches me, my skin lights up, and I have to resist the urge to pin her beneath me. We’re awkward with each other. I don’t know how to be this close to her without wanting her. Carl takes pity on me and tries to partner Frankie with himself or Liam as much as possible.
Class is almost over when Sophie stands in front of me. “She’s trying, Julian.”
I shake my head. “Sophie, not now.” I hold my arms out, waiting for her to be ready. Instead, she crosses her arms and glares at me. “What?”
“Let her talk to you.”
Hope flares in my chest, but I squash it down, hard. “She has my number. She could have spoken to me all week.”
Throwing her hands up, Sophie assumes the ready position. I grab her from the front, but she doesn’t move to throw me off. “You’re as scared as she is. One of you has to be brave enough to make the first move.”
I release her and step back. “Sophie, I already made a move. She didn’t make one back. I shouldn’t need to convince her to be with me.”
I nod to Carl before walking toward the front door. I can’t stay. Footsteps sound behind me, and a familiar voice calls my name before I get far.
I turn, unprepared for Frankie to launch herself at me. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and locks her legs around my hips. I stumble back and fall to the ground, taking her with me. We land in a heap, with me pinned beneath her. I have no words, so I stare up at her.
“Don’t leave.” She swallows hard. “I came to your apartment to tell you I want this to be real. But I was too scared to argue with you when you changed your mind—I didn’t know how to make you listen to me. All week I’ve been trying to find a way to talk to you, but I couldn’t find the words that were big enough for you.”
Frankie’s eyes are full of certainty as she meets my gaze. “I wasn’t ready. I’m still not. But if I keep waiting until I’m not afraid, I’ll never do anything, right?” Her eyes go soft. “Isn’t that what they say courage is? Being afraid and doing it anyway?” She cups my cheeks and presses a kiss to my lips. It’s soft, sweet, and unsure. “Be brave with me?”
“I thought you didn’t know what you wanted.”
“I want you.”
“Even though I’m too much?”
“You’re not too much. I wasn’t enough.”
My hands fall to her hips, holding her in place. “You’ve always been enough for me.” I search her eyes, looking for the truth of her words. Fierce determination is all I find. “Well, I can’t let you be brave all alone.” Sliding my palms up the sides of her body, I pull her close before capturing her lips with mine.
This kiss is different from any other we’ve shared. We melt into each other as equals. No pretense or need to prove ourselves to anyone else.
“Goddammit!” Lauren’s voice echoes through the gym, cutting through the oohs and ahhs of the women standing around watching us. “I missed it! Frankie, that was not the plan.”
Frankie laughs, pulling back and rolling to her feet. “Sorry, Lauren.” She reaches out to pull me to my feet. “Sorry to interrupt, Carl. I didn’t want to miss my chance.”
I pull her into my side. “You could have just answered my text.”
She grins up at me. “I could have. But I needed you to know that I meant it.” Frankie slips her arm around my waist. “You should check your phone after class, though.”
The last ten minutes are painful. I’m dying to see what she meant, but Carl keeps me busy until the only people left in the gym are Liam, Emma, Sophie, Lauren, and us.
“Am I allowed to look at my phone now?”
