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Maeve arched a brow. “How old?”
“Twenty-one,” I mumbled. Fuck, even saying it aloud made me feel like I was robbing the cradle. Still college age, but unlike someone who’d gone to college, Ames had already been out in the world for a spell. And hell, for being in her early twenties, she possessed unparalleled confidence. I wasn’t sure if it was genuine or just her sunshine attitude breaking through, but hopefully, she never lost her glimmer. That the world didn’t pummel it out of her the way it had me.
Maeve waved her hand in front of me. “Pah, twenty-one is fine. Old enough to know who you want to sleep with, even if you may not have figured out the rest.”
“And when do we figure out the rest?” I took another sip from my mocha.
Maeve snorted. “Fuck if I know. Tell me if you find out.”
Even though my skin prickled from the vulnerability of talking this over with her, some of the fuzziness in my mind had subsided. I’d been cycling through all-or-nothing mode, but Maeve wasn’t wrong in her assessment. Maybe as tactful as a wrecking ball, but I appreciated her unfailing ability to fairly assess situations.
“Enough about me,” I said, needing to escape the hot seat. Confiding in someone was bad enough, but no need to prolong my agony. “Tell me who you’re fucking.”
Because with Maeve, there was always someone.
“Nice pivot, but I expect a full report when you get over your misplaced loyalties and bang the hell out of your hottie.”
The idea of fucking Ames sent a wave of heat through me, like a blast of wildfire that sparked through my veins. Having her splayed on my bed, her wavy hair spread across my pillow. Seeing those long lashes fluttering while she moaned. I would spend hours mapping out her body with my mouth, watching every response, every sinful shudder.
I clutched the mug a little tighter, and Maeve snorted.
“And I’m looking for a new flavor of the month right now,” Maeve said. “Keeping busy with the Sun and Moon Collective. Did you know they’re letting me offer goat yoga? You should try something like that at Knockout.”
“Yeah, bringing a bunch of goats to a fight gym. That sounds like a good idea.”
“Hey, don’t knock it until you try it,” Maeve said, her eyes twinkling. “Pun intended.”
I groaned, but relief filtered through my veins. One single conversation with her had cleared my mind. Sure, being around Ames brought an edge of pain, but she was fucking gorgeous, and if we didn’t have our past connection muddling the waters, I would’ve said to hell with it and slipped between the sheets with her ages ago.
I took another sip of my mocha, letting the sweetness flood me as if it could somehow bolster my decision. I’d spent the past six months in a bit of a sex drought, mostly because I hadn’t been chasing like I used to. Maybe I was getting tired and old, but the thrill of landing a pretty girl and tumbling into bed with her wasn’t as shiny as it used to be. However, Ames had been pursuing me—something that sparked new energy through my veins.
The fact that she even looked my way was flattering—the woman was sex on legs—but I’d also have to be blind to ignore the chemistry that flared between us. My heart thudded a bit harder as resolve settled inside me.
The past kept taking and taking from me, whether memories knocked me down at the knees or the hurts still sliced me open.
It was beyond time I stole something back.
Chapter Seven
Ames
Iwanted to toss my phone into traffic.
The picture of Allie and Chaz together made me gag. All posturing and swooning, out to the local bars because that was the exciting sort of shit Allie had wanted to do when we were together. Apparently, karma wasn’t striking down on cheaters, because they were basking in new couple happiness while I’d needed to relocate and start over again. My skin prickled with anger that had burned deep within me for a while now.
Luckily, I was heading to the gym, so I could pound it out there.
My soles slapped against the pavement a little harder as I made my way to Knockout. Last weekend, when I’d spent the night in the bar with Sam, I’d been floating the day after. I’d hoped we’d turned a corner, that maybe whatever flared between us might deepen, but then training had resumed. She’d slipped into her normal distance, despite the way she stripped me down with her eyes.
God, I was going out of my mind.
The hit to my already fragile ego had landed, and I couldn’t afford to take another blow. I’d made it clear I was interested in her, but I refused to push.
I shouldn’t be pushing in the first place. Not with Nina’s sister.
However, Sam had infiltrated her way through my bloodstream. She’d always been a vivid part of my fantasies, and now, seeing her more mature and even hotter amplified all of those a thousandfold. Scars marked up her arms, and my fingers itched to trace the one on her cheek. And I was in for another sweaty session with her—training—where I’d leave just as sexually frustrated as before.
The sign stood out farther down the block, and I quickened my pace. I’d arrived early today, wanting to take my time in the shower and get some better stretches in before we started.
