“Maybe he just misses when I come and go. I have no idea.” I technically still live there.
I pay my rent. Staying with Bear was only supposed to be temporary, but the circumstances changed with the passing of Johnny. Besides, getting out of my lease isn’t cheap. It’s safer to keep the place. I’ll think about it more when it’s time to renew it. Until then I’m going to keep paying my rent.
“If you’re dating someone, I need to know so that I can run a check on them.”
“I’m not dating anyone,” I snip back. My bedroom door creaks. I turn around to find Bear standing there. He folds his arms over his chest. The man takes up all the space in the doorway. He makes it clear he’s not going anywhere.
A strange guilt fills me about my response to Simon. It’s true that I’m not dating anyone. I have to admit that I’d been hurt and irritated at what had happened in the locker room over a month ago. I’d planned on making it very clear to Bear that it would never happen again. I wasn't some easy lay or whatever he thought about me.
All of that went out the window when Paige’s father passed. Bear hasn’t even tried to kiss me. We’ve all fallen into this routine. The anger I had about the locker room faded, and Bear and I have slowly become friends. In fact, what happened that day is so out of character for the Bear I’ve gotten to know.
“Good. We need to meet up. There are some things we need to check up on. Stuff I don’t want to talk about on the phone.” He doesn’t think anything can be talked about over the phone. When he used to say that, I’d get worked up thinking something was wrong. Not so much anymore.
“Can I get back to you?”
“Fine. Don’t make me wait,” he says before he ends the call. Clearly pissed at me.
“Who was that?” Bear asks when I set the phone down on my nightstand.
“An old friend.” I stretch the truth and quickly change the subject. “Paige fell asleep?”
“Yeah.” He steps more into my bedroom. He makes the space feel smaller. “They rescheduled my fight. I have to weigh in soon. I want you and Paige to be there.”
“Like they check your weight in front of everyone?” I ask. That sounds awful. I still don’t know much about the sport of fighting. People recognize Bear all the time at the store or when we’re all out getting ice cream at the park.
Bear is popular and not only with the ladies. A few men have almost fainted in their excitement meeting him. Bear doesn't seem bothered by the popularity, but he isn't into it either. I've easily gathered that he's one of the best. Paige usually fills me in on some of the details. She knows way more about boxing than I do.
“Yeah, they check my weight in front of everyone and announce it.”
“I’d die. I hate when the doctor weighs me.”
“Why?” He takes another step into my room.
“From how much you work out, I’m guessing you’re the weight they want you to be. I’m not as lucky. The doctor is always trying to get me to lose a little. Those BMI charts are stupid.”
“You don’t need to lose weight.” Bear’s eyes roam down my body and back up.
“Tell my doctor that.”
“I’d be more than happy to,” he says. I wait for him to crack a smile or something, but he doesn't. He's dead serious. “Your curves are soft. I always want to grab them.” My breath catches as he clears the rest of the space between us.
“Bear.” I whisper his name.
“I love when you say my name like that.” He reaches for me, his hands going to my hips, grabbing my curves.
“Bear.” I whisper his name again.
“We’re not in the locker room,” he points out. I shake my head no. We can’t do this. He must think I’m agreeing with him that we’re not in the locker room because the next thing I know, his mouth is on mine.
I know there’s no going back.
Chapter Fifteen
Bear
It’s been so long. I’ve held myself back for Paige’s sake, but Honey’s throaty voice did something to me, and my control snapped like a worn-out rubber band. I’ve been giving it time. Letting everything settle in. The wait is over.
“I’ve missed you. I’ve missed this,” I mutter against her lips. My mouth moves upward, peppering kisses against her cheeks and eyelids. I bite the tips of her ears and suck on her lobes. I score the delicate column of her throat with my teeth and soothe the marks with my tongue. I’m so starved and needy for her I even want to kiss her small, delicate ears. Every part of her. All of it.