“You think I can’t?” she said belligerently. “But then, even you said that I’m ‘smart and brave.’”
Colin looked puzzled for a moment, then his face showed that he remembered. “Holy crap!” he said under his breath. “It wasn’t a dream. It was you.”
“You want to get back?” Mike said.
“Gemma,” Colin said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”
Mike stepped between them. His hands wore the pads and his ribs were protected from her kicks. “Three minutes,” he said to Luke. Gemma gave more punches to Mike’s raised hands and when he turned to the left, she slammed her right shin into his side. The resounding smack echoed off the trees and made everyone gasp.
Colin had stepped back, closer to the tree, but he was directly behind Mike and she couldn’t help but see him.
When Rams yelled, “Come on, Gemma, show him up,” her kicks increased in speed and force. She knew Rams was referring to Mike, but in Gemma’s mind she was hitting Colin. How dare he forget her? Like she didn’t exist! But then he was a Frazier and rich, while she was—
Her punches were frantic, getting harder and harder. When Luke called time, she didn’t hear but kept kicking and hitting.
She stopped when Mike threw his arms around her and pinned hers to her side.
“That’s enough,” he said into her ear in that special voice that trainers use. It was half dictator, half guardian angel.
She buried her face in his sweaty neck so no one could see her. “Did I make a fool of myself?”
“Far from it. Even my sister is looking at you in awe, and Sara wants to adopt you.”
“Yeah?” Gemma asked as she pulled away from him.
The audience started clapping in appreciation of the show, and they came forward.
“You were great,” Joce said.
Tess said, “Mike tried to teach me to do that but I wasn’t any good at it.”
“See you in the
gym next week?” Luke asked Gemma, then he elbowed Rams. “Maybe if you show up, Gemma will go a few rounds with you.”
“No thanks,” Rams said and there was such sincerity in his voice that everyone laughed.
Gemma enjoyed the accolades, but when she looked past them, she saw Jean still seated and watching all of them. When Jean stood up, she looked like she wasn’t sure what to say or do. As for Colin, he was still standing by the tree.
Sara pulled a clean towel from Mike’s bag of equipment and handed it to Gemma. “Who wants some watermelon?” Sara asked. “Luke, will you help me with it?”
In the next minute everyone had left, leaving Gemma standing alone with Colin. She still had on her gloves and she couldn’t get them off by herself. She looked for Mike, but he was talking to Sara.
Colin took Gemma’s hand and began untying the laces. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Really, really sorry. If you want to bring charges against me, I’ll understand.”
“Charges? What for?” A lot of her anger was gone, worked out in sweat and exertion.
“Rape,” he said, his face serious. “If I pulled you to me, you wouldn’t have been able to get away. Even if I was asleep and dreaming, that’s no excuse. Legally, it’s still rape.”
Gemma shook her head. “It wasn’t forced. If it was, I was the one who did the . . . You know.”
“Yeah?” he asked, his eyebrows raised. “If you . . . ? Then why are you angry at me?”
“Because you forgot!”
Colin looked like he wanted to laugh but didn’t dare. “Only partially. My dreams have been haunted by you. Maybe we could—”
“Colin,” Jean said as she walked close to him and slid her arm through his. “I think you should let Gemma clean up now, don’t you?” She looked at Gemma. “You were really impressive and you look great in those shorts. Doesn’t she, Colin?”