"Okay, maybe not at the gym," Aiden grumbles.
I chuckle and give him a light shove. "Go. I'll wait."
With a dramatic sigh of exasperation, he adjusts the bag on his shoulder. "Yes, ma'am."
Just as he turns to walk toward the locker rooms, Lucy comes up from the heavy bag room on the far side of the gym. She perks up when she sees me.
"Dani," she says happily. "I was just about to text you. We're doing a self-defense seminar for a bachelorette party next week and we need some women to show the moves on the guys. Want to help Remy and I?"
I perk up at the question. "Are you kidding? That sounds amazing, I'm so in." I look at Aiden. "Are you doing it?"
Aiden lets out a groan, his head dropping to my shoulder. "You get way too excited about the idea of bitch-slapping me. Should I be worried?"
This time, I'm the one that smacks a kiss to his cheek. "You should be worried when Istopgetting excited about the idea."
"Here, here," Remy calls from the mat.
"What is it about you women being so violent with your own boyfriends?" Tristan asks in a confused tone, looking to Jax for an answer.
Who just raises his hands in surrender. "Don't look at me, I'm the only one around here whose girlfrienddoesn'twant to punch him in the face."
"Lame," Remy and I say at the same time. And then grin at each other in victory.
"Okay, back to the topic at hand," Lucy says, attempting to tamp down on her smile and failing. "You in?"
"I'm in. Just text me the day and time and I'll be here."
"Wonderful," she says, turning back toward the bag room. Right before she reaches the door, she calls over her shoulder, "And if you like it, maybe we can get you in here to start training."
My resoundingyescomes at the same time as Aiden'sno.
"Not a chance anyone is teaching her how to fight," he growls. "I already have to peel her off of drunk assholes at the bar. If we teach her how to fight,I'mgoing to end up in jail one of these days when a couple of said asshole's buddies decide they don't care that a girl is beating up their friend."
I turn to give him a sour look. "Are you saying you wouldn't enjoy taking on some bad guys with me? I'm sure Batman and Robin have loads of fun fighting them."
He narrows his eyes at me. "In this instance am I Batman or Robin?"
I only smile in answer.
"Jerk," he mutters, poking a finger hard enough into my side that I yelp. Then he's bending down to throw his gym bag over his shoulder and turning to head toward the showers. But before he does, he grips me firmly by the nape of the neck and gives me the kind if soul-altering kiss that he usually reserves for when he really loves me.
"Perfect girl," he breathes against my mouth.
I'm too breathless, too overwhelmed by the love I feel for him in return, to respond.
* * *
When we get back to my apartment, Aiden opens the door with his key and promptly throws himself on the couch, looking every bit as comfortable as he's become in the past few months.
"Are you still good to have dinner with my dad this weekend?" he asks me.
"Yeah, I already finished edits for the City Hall job," I respond, unpacking my computer from my backpack and placing it in my usual work spot on the kitchen counter. "But don't forget we have Rachel's baby showernextweekend."
He lets out a groan. "Why do I have to go to that again? That's a chick thing, aren't men outlawed at those things?"
I let out a heavy sigh. "I have no idea. I just know Tommy begged me to make you go. Plus, if I have to play weird baby-in-the-ice-cube games, then you're suffering with me."
Aiden only blinks at me. "I don't know what that means but now I'm scared." When I only laugh, his eyes narrow.