and they never asked me, we just fought for as long as it took to work off some energy, thanked each other and left—well, except for the occasions it progressed to a naked roll on the mats.
“Come on, let’s find you clothes, a shower and some food.” Connor bent down to peer into my eyes. His beautiful gaze searched mine, his mouth in a firm line as he tried to work out if I believed him about Rawson.
“In that order I hope?” I smiled and made it reach my eyes. My worry that Rawson would disappear from my life again was real, and it was almost impossible to hide that anxiety from Connor. He knew me too well. My heart flipped at the thought that I could lose Connor again, too. I had never stopped missing him. Now my heart squeezed every time I saw him and when he wasn’t near, I constantly watched for his return. I blinked and looked at our joined hands, a strange sensation of warmth settling in my chest.
A seductive grin curved his lips. “Okay, or we could drop the clothes altogether …” His other hand curved around my waist.
I gasped. Mother Wolf, I loved the feel of his palm curled around my cooling skin. My teeth worried my bottom lip as I itched to reach out and wrap my arms around him. “I’m sure you would like that.” Damn, but I’d like that too. I looked down at the mat, hiding my smile at the thought of eating a meal with him naked. He could be my personal dinner plate...
Connor chuckled and let go of me, jumping out of the ring and waiting expectantly.
I followed at a much less spritely pace, my body screaming with fatigue and my wolf grumbling at how hungry she was.
“You’ll get used to the aching muscles—eventually. It’ll get worse in the next few days.”
“Yeah, thanks for that. You sure know how to encourage a girl. Are you going to provide a daily massage for making me do this?”
As soon as the words were out, I flushed. Gods, it sounded like I was flirting with him.
“As I’ll be the one who makes that body ache everyday, I think it only fair that I’m the one...the only one, who gets to massage away that...ache.” His eyes melted into that enticing mix of bright blue and black.
My knees actually went a bit weak at the growl of possession in those words. I swallowed hard and gave him a small smile, not sure what to say to that, other than- Hell, yeah!
“This way.” I jumped as his breath fanned my ear and he placed his hand in the small of my back, not to urge me forward, but in a way that was comforting and more than a little possessive. I really didn’t mind at all. Connor remained quiet as he led me out of the training hall, even when D and Reed fell in behind us at the door.
I smiled at them, trying to muster some energy. “Hi guys.” I did a double take when they smiled back. They weren’t all as dark and moody as Stone, then.
Connor guided me through the west wing with his hand touching me in some way until we reached some stairs, and he had to step in front to ascend first. There was no conversation, which was fine, he seemed distracted and it was too much effort to keep up my usual snark with him. I hoped it wasn’t much farther to the showers; my body was shaking, and I didn't want to make a fool of myself by tripping. Of course, as those thoughts zipped through my head, I tripped up a step.
Connor turned around and looked down at me from a few steps above. His face softened. “You okay?”
I hesitated. “Yeah, I’m just tired.”
“Want me to carry you?” He grinned cockily.
I scowled. “Don’t you bloody dare, not if you value your balls.”
“There she is.” He laughed. “You had me worried there for a moment. I thought Rawson had overdone it.”
“He did.”
Connor chuckled and started walking up again. At the top, he turned left, and the sound of people talking and crockery banging echoed down the corridor.
“I thought we were doing clothes and shower first.”
He lifted an eyebrow, giving me his sexy smirk. “You’re hangry. And I won’t get anything out of you except a punch to the face if I try and have a conversation with you when you’re hungry.” He explained it to