Fenton paused on the trail and smirked down at me. "I would love for you to handle my business."
My cheeks flared red from more than exertion. "I thought we agreed this was strictly professional."
"Is it professional to evade my question?" he asked. "Do they teach you that in agent school?"
"Fine. If I sign you, then I get a bonus. I also get an office and a chance to get off the road," I said.
He did not ease up his fast pace. "And, what will you use the bonus for? Tropical vacation? Sports car?" he asked.
"The bonus will just cover the closing costs on my first home," I said.
Fenton stopped to admire the desert view. "A house? With a picket fence and everything?"
I frowned at the same view and felt him watching me from the corner of his eye. "It’s the next step. Buy a house, build equity."
"What kind of instruction manual on life did you read that in?" he asked.
"It’s what people do," I said. "I know it doesn't really fit your whole fight hard, play hard vibe, but it is what makes sense for me."
"So, instead of being out on the road, you'll be going to the same office every day. Then, you'll go home to the same house every night. Where's the fun in that?"
"Who said life was fun?" I turned around and faced the steep trail back down to the car. "I have a plan, and I'm sticking to it. I don't see anything wrong with that, no matter what you think. I'm going to work until I have security. A solid bank account, a house, and way to take care of myself. Once I have that, then I can figure out what else I want without risking everything."
Fenton followed me down the trail, moved in front of me, and held out his hand. "I get it. Why do you think I want to do everything on my own? I can't involve other people until things feel stable. Gotta be on solid ground first."
I took his hand and we both stumbled down the rocky path. We held on to each other for balance as we walked back down to the car together.
Chapter Six
Fenton
It was worse after I dropped Kya at her hotel. At the gym, there were constant reminders of my work. On the trail, there was the heart-pumping climb. In the car, there was the quiet of our impasse. Kya was convinced she needed me to get what she wanted, while I was fighting hard to get what I wanted alone.
She had made a convincing case for getting an agent before the title fight. I would need someone to take care of the details, secure the right money, and watch the contracts. Someone I trusted. And, I trusted Kya Allen. It felt strange, but not when I thought about how she hid nothing.
Kya had even confessed her life plan. She was going to work until she earned a certain security – the career, the bank account, and the house. Things that had always stayed out of reach for my mother. My mother did not have the education for a career. She had worked two jobs, sometimes adding hours as a house cleaner, and still her bank account was always empty. We had rented a one-bedroom apartment where the kids had the room and my mother slept on the couch.
That was exactly why I refused to share my life with anyone. Until I could provide those things, I was better off alone. If my father had done that, they would have been happy. He would not have left. My mother would have recovered. My sister would not have skipped school to make easy money.
It was dangerous that Kya and I wanted the same things. Even though the ride back to the Strip was silent, I feared she heard me thinking her same thoughts.
I went back to the MGM Grand to shower. Instead of shadowboxing my new moves under the spray, I closed my eyes. She was there, her breasts heaving from the hike. Her copper hair brushed back into a loose ponytail, her neck showing the lightest sheen of sweat. I wanted to lick it, to taste her.
I imagined her in a hidden turn just off the trail, her skin like warm honey in the sun. Kya below me, open, wanting. I squeezed my eyes shut to hold her there and pleasured myself under the hot spray of the shower.
Thinking she was out of my system at least for the night, I considered ordering room service. When I reached for the phone, I thought about inviting Kya to join me. I slammed the phone down and got dressed. I needed to get out.
Two floors down, the elevator doors opened on the perfect distraction. Talia tossed her silky black hair over her shoulder and strolled in.
"What floor?" I asked.
"Pick one," she said.
She stepped forward as I leaned around her to press the ground floor button. Her breasts brushed under my chin and she plumped them up and then heaved a little sigh.
"Glad I ran into you," she said. "Are you glad to see me?"
I admired the cleavage she kept in front of my eyes. "You look beautiful, as always."