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“You guys aren’t wearing your belts during class?”
“No, only for gi classes. This was a no-gi class.”
Max nods. “Okay. So he had no way of knowing.”
“He could have asked!” I say.
“Maybe he wanted to be put in his place by a girl,” Max suggests, winking at me. “Some guys are into that, you know.”
I shake my head. “No. He was just a presumptuous douchebag. I mean, he was strong; all muscles, and agile, and surprisingly quick. And he put up a good fight, we even stayed after class ended and—”
“Oh, now you’re talking!” Max inserts, arching his eyebrows seductively. “You stayed after class? To do what?”
“It’s not what you think. We stayed for another roll,” I tell him—and he chuckles.
“Oh, no, that is exactly what I was thinking,” he says, visibly amused. “You two, rolling together.”
Max’s lips twitch, a knowing glint in his eyes.
I roll my eyes at him, feeling the heat creep up my neck. “Oh, shut up. It’s not like that. He’s just… annoying as hell.”
Max leans closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Uh-huh. Annoying. And totally not your type, right?”
I meet his gaze, my eyes narrowing as I try to play it cool. “Please, Max. I’m not interested in him like that.”
“Sure,” he says. The expression on his face lets me know that he doesn’t believe a word I say—and I can’t blame him. Max is the last person on the planet who I could ever lie to.
“You know, it’s no shame to be attracted to other people,” he says, almost sounding like a well-meaning aunt.
“I don’t have time for a boyfriend,” I argue.
“Well, since you bark at every man who ever dares to come close to you, I’m sure we don’t have to worry about that, do we?” he asks, raising a reproachful eyebrow at me. “But there’s no shame in simply having a little fun,” he goes on, and a wicked smile appears on his face. “Not everybody has to be a boring Mr. Monogamous in a long-term relationship like me.”
“You’re definitely not boring,” I argue.
“Well, I’m definitely getting laid more than you,” he retorts. “I mean, when was the last time you had a little fun? I know you’re not a fan of one-night stands, but a little fling? No harm in that!”
“Not with someone from the dojo!” I object. “It would be too awkward. Way, way, way too awkward, trust me.”
He sighs and rolls his eyes at me.
“What a pity,” he says.
And a part of me wants to agree.
Chapter 6
Madison
The morning sun streams through the tall windows of the office, casting a warm glow across the polished floors. I’ve always appreciated these quiet moments before the chaos of the workday descends upon me.
Today, however, that tranquility is short-lived. As I settle into my office chair and start scrolling through my emails, Ann-Marie, my usually unflappable assistant, storms into my office, her brows knitted in annoyance.
“Madison, there’s a meeting scheduled for this morning,” she says, her voice edged with frustration. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I look up, surprised by her reaction. “A meeting? I didn’t schedule any meetings for today.”
She crosses her arms, her confusion palpable. “Well, neither did I. I just found out about it myself, and I had no clue you were in the dark, too.”
