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Sweat stuck my shirt to my chest, a tee with the Knockout logo on it. Since my girlfriend happened to be one of the employees, I’d gotten an invite to the staff picnic. They had it every year at Penn Treaty Park, right at the Delaware River. The coolness coming off the water was welcome. Get a bunch of workout buffs together, and already we were trying to one-up each other with challenges.
Cortez and Corbett were currently in a push-up contest, and a few of the guys were crowded around them, egging them on.
Sam stood by the picnic tables with Brooks and Jace, both trainers at Knockout. I’d been walking to the waters with Emmit and August, folks I’d started to get to know well. Considering how much time I spent at the gym, these people had become a second family. It didn’t hurt that they did regular breakfasts together at the gym, which I’d gotten the invite to.
The trainers I’d grown closest to were Brooks and Cortez, and we’d gone out to the bars with them outside of work. Apart from them, I’d also met Sam’s elusive friend Maeve, who lived in the suburbs. My footfalls softened as I switched from pavement to grass, making my way over to my girl.
As far as my friends went, Nina was the most important one—and she’d forgiven me completely. If anything, we’d been spending more time together since she was mending her relationship with Sam while simultaneously hanging out with me. My heart warmed whenever I caught them laughing at an old joke or bringing up a memory they’d shared—like watching them heal in real time.
The historical markers and statue of William Penn stood out nearby, and the lap of the water to the shore was soothing. I was stuffed from all the amazing picnic food that had been brought out—a huge hoagie spread, chips and dips, potato salad, and insanely good chocolate peanut butter cupcakes from one of the local bakers. I was cheating today on my strict regimen, especially with a fight coming up. However, with Sam’s care and training, I’d never been better in the ring. We were a fucking power team, and I couldn’t wait to keep rising the ranks in the MMA scene.
I neared the picnic table, and Sam’s gaze slipped to mine. The bloom of affection in her dark eyes sent my heart fluttering every time.
“Got tired of watching the water?” Sam asked.
“Clearly, the food beckoned.” I sat next to her. Sam slipped her arm around my waist and pressed a light kiss to my lips. I melted at her touch, at the electricity that danced up my spine every time I was in her arms. I could be a fierce-as-fuck fighter in the ring, but in bed, Sam took the reins. I loved it.
“You two are cavity-inducing,” Brooks said, a smug smile on their lips.
“Thanks, I aim to please,” I said with a grin.
“I’m glad you locked this one down, Sam.” Jace, the gruff older guy, was just as sweet as the rest of the employees around here.
“See, they all love me,” I preened, and Sam brought my back flush against her front.
“How could anyone not?” she murmured in my ear, her lips brushing it.
I swallowed hard, a deep sense of satisfaction taking root inside me. When I’d arrived in Philly, I’d lost my girlfriend and my trainer, and I’d been looking for somewhere new to settle down. I could never have imagined it’d be in the arms of Sam Taylor, my first crush.
I leaned back into her, the ever-present warmth filtering through me. The love she sparked inside me was so much more powerful than a wildfire. It had the steadiness of a hearth. She was the first person I wanted to see in the morning and the one I wanted to fall asleep next to every night.
I stared out at the Delaware, the sunlight sparkling across the river, filled with potential and dreams. Those were the same I witnessed every time I looked in Sam’s eyes. I hadn’t realized it when I was younger, but the connection I felt was the strongest force on earth. This woman wasn’t just my partner, my love—she was my future.
