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She raises her eyebrow, narrowing her pretty brown eyes at me. “Sonny, huh?”?
Dropping her hand, I let out a chuckle. “Yeah, 'cause you are just a ray of fucking sunshine.”?
Emerson rolls her eyes and shoves my chest away, trying to hide the growing smile on her face.?
“Come on, Champ… teach me something.”?
* * *
“Why are we at the punching bags instead of sparring?”??
“Because I said so,” I deadpan, and the way she bites her lip to stop from smarting back at me has my focus quickly slipping again.??
“Now jab, jab, punch. Alternating left and right until I say stop. Just take it easier with your left.” Emerson’s left wrist has been giving her some trouble after she twisted it during a jiu-jitsu training session.?
I watch as she takes out the anger she is feeling, toward having to listen to me, on the bag. Her precision, her determination, her aggression… I can’t get enough of it.?
“Okay, stop.” She throws one more round of punches. Most likely just to prove she isn’t listening to every word I tell her, no matter if I am her coach in this moment or not.??
“With the bag, I knew you would use your full power, unlike sparring with Sierra, and I wanted to see if there is a minor tweak you could make to give yourself even more power.”?
I see the look in her eyes change as she glances up at me. Now I have her full attention.Willing and ready.??
Why do I fucking thrive off that so much??
“You have the right jab down. But I want you to try to open your shoulder up more,” I tell her, moving to the punching bag and positioning myself in the stance. “And then actively remind yourself to throw the back of your shoulder into the punch.” My fist hits the black bag with a thud as I demonstrate what I’m saying.?
Emerson nods in understanding and moves in front of me to try for herself.??
“Yes, good…” I say as she strikes again. I pull her right shoulder back more, reminding her to open up completely to use her full strength.??
She does it again and follows up with two left jabs. “Exactly! Then hit them with one more heavy hitter from the left or right, depending on their reaction. Of course, for now, just do your right. I don’t want you to push that left wrist too much.”??
Emerson gets in the zone, really focusing on the use of her shoulder. The smile on her face when she turns to me after a few minutes makes my whole body come alive.??
“That felt so damn good… I can definitely tell a difference with my strength in my right side.” She rolls her wrist in the air, some of the wrap starting to unravel. “Especially right now with this little fucker giving me problems.”?
Taking two steps toward her, I grab the fallen material in my hand and begin re-wrapping it for her. “You’ll be back to yourself in no time. Honestly, you are fucking killing it, even with the injury.”?
When I look up, I realize how close our faces are. “Thanks, Lennox,” she whispers. My eyes trail from her pink lips to the beauty mark I love to stare at, back to her slender collarbone that’s probably going to haunt me in my dreams tonight.?
“Stop licking your lips like you want to eat me.” Her words shock the shit out of me, and I whip my eyes back up to hers. “That tongue of yours may put ideas in my head, Champ,” she sasses, and I recover quickly, pulling her into me.??
“Nothing I haven’t already thought about, Sonny,” I whisper along her neck, biting my tongue to keep it from tracing down her skin.??
She swallows audibly, and I see the increase in her breathing, pulse fluttering. “Why did you really call me Sonny?”?
I brush a strand of damp blue hair from her forehead. “Because I recently realized I don’t want to share nicknames with anyone else when it comes to you.”?
A questioning expression mars her face, but Snow’s voice interrupts us.?
“Emmy— Oh, ummm...”??
Emerson jumps back from me when she realizes our closeness.??
“Emmy… Frankie just called because she couldn’t get you on your cell to tell you she’ll be here in thirty minutes to pick you up for the game.” Snow gives me a knowing smirk. He’s suspected my feelings for longer than I’ve even admitted them to myself.??
Emerson grabs her things, tossing an uncertain glance back at me. “Will I see you at the game?”?
