"A gym? You dragged me out of bed of bed to bring me to a gym!?" I said turning to Ethan and he took a nervous step back.
Drowsily he'd dragged me out of the car and into the building until I let my gaze roamed the place and suddenly the sleep fled from my eyes as I turned to him. I could have been sleeping. By all right, I had every right to be mad.
"Technically it's more of a fighting club," he said and I swore for a moment as I saw red for a moment as I lunged for him.
But before I could get my hands on him, an arm was wrapped around my waist holding me back.
"No!! Let me at him, Cody," I said and the male holding me back was quick to pull me away before putting me at a safe distance from Ethan. The idiot was lucky.
"What has gotten into you?"
"I could have been skipping in the wonderful fields of Dreamland," I let out and he looked at me strangely. No doubt he thought I was crazy but you don't mess with my food or sleep. I was already having a hard time with getting it.
"Okay, I promise to punch him for you," was all he said before insisting I don't move from my place. Okay now I have a feeling they see me more of a child than anything.
Sure I was barely grazing 5'4 and named the shortest in my family but you realize in a life like mine it was a pro and con. Though most of the time it feels like a con. They tended to underestimate me, which at some point was good 'cause they never see coming. Good grief, I was beginning to sound like an assassin. After some time, of which I had beaten up Ethan and stuffed him into a car to dump him in the woods, in my mind of course, they parted seemingly coming up with a solution to their small argument, Ethan made his way towards me before stopping halfway.
"Are we good?" He asked and I narrowed my eyes at him wondering if those slashes that came up during animations appeared to anyone watching from the sidelines. Okay, I was beginning to see how they could relate me to a child.
"Just know, you owe me a lifetime of Oreos," I said and he grinned.
"Now that I can do, boo bear," he said blowing me a kiss and I rolled my eyes. Then again this man-child could have rubbed off on me.
"You haven't told me exactly what I'm doing here."
"Well, the owner of the club has to take care of his kid at times and it was sorta last minute, I promised I'd have a solution tonight," he said and I looked at him suspiciously.
What insane parent would have a child awake and in such a place way past midnight? I questioned myself but then thinking about it, I wasn't really that high on expectations when it came to this male. Maybe it had something to do with the fact the last time he said he had a surprise for me since I was such a good babysitter, I'd found the kitchen a mess and six sheepish looking eyes, paired with goofy smiles on flour covered faces, looking at me and a tray of burnt cookies. I'll probably always relive the horrors of that day as I cleaned to be looking forward to his surprises again.
"Stay put," he said after he pulled me into a room his eyes darting around almost nervously before closing the door and promising to come back.
In a driven stupor as I marveled at the charts put up in the place, I failed to hear the turning of the lock from outside. For such a rundown looking place, I could tell either; they had coached one or two well known fighters or rather jump-started them or the owner of the room had to be a master fan. That and the place looked too clean and pristine for a room above a gym. With that in mind, I just wished someone had prepped for what awaited me in the next ten seconds.
"What the.. Diana?"
Ryder Stone, ladies and gentlemen, and in all his glory as he walked out from a door I hadn't noticed and my jaw dropped. A towel wrapped low around his waist and another around his neck that entirely missed the drop that trickled slowly down his chest to his impressively taut abdominal muscles and I gulped. I was feeling parched, I concluded harshly trying to push away the thoughts of how much I'd have wanted to lick it as it disappeared to the towel held loosely by his small waist.
"See something you like princess," he called out his voice dropping down an octave effectively snapping me from my thoughts and I recovered quickly hoping not to give him the satisfaction of the fact I was ogling him.
"Meh, I've seen better," I said with a shrug but he only smirked at me as he checked me out from head to toe, his eyes twinkling in amusement.
"But, baby that's just because you haven't seen the entire package," he said his hand hovering over the knot the towel and I held my breath and yet my brain was already thinking ahead and daring him to do it but then my mouth beat me to it.
"Please spare my virgin eyes. I've already had enough," I blurted out looking away when I thought he was actually going to do it and cussing inwardly at myself as his chuckle reasonated in the room.
I was no prude if that's what you're thinking, but I was afraid I couldn't exactly handle the thought or sight of it. It was a fair and logical judgement to spare my poor heart. After all, it was already racing a marathon from the mere sight of his bare chest.
"If I'd known, I'd have walked out butt naked and finish the entire process at a go," he said and I shivered at the thought. I doubt both my brains and heart could have held it together.
"Just put on some clothes," I said slightly unnerved aware of his presence somewhere behind me just watching before he muttered an okay.
"All done," he said and I turned reluctantly to him.
"You know putting on clothes means all of them right," I asked when I found his shirtless self leaning against the wall.
"I thought about it but then I realized I'm too hot to cover up," he said and I shook my head amused. "And besides, you seemed to like the view so why not?"
He said and I rolled my eyes.
"Keep doing that and your eyes will roll to the back of your head," he teased walking up to me.
"Hmm, it would be a great relief from seeing your stupid face," I mused out loud and he chuckled.
"Really? That's the best you can come up with."
"I'm cranky when I'm sleepy don't judge," I said and he frowned as if suddenly realizing I wasn't supposed to be here before his eyes widened in shock as he made for the door. "What's wrong?"
"Locked," he muttered looking mad and for a moment I thought he was going to charge at it. "I should have figured."
But I refrained from asking as I took a seat on a nearby bench.
"You know you could always try to pick the lock?"
"You know this isn't one of those crime movies."
"I never said it was but I'm curious."
"About what?" He asked turning to me as he leant against the door watching me with narrowed eyes.
"I never said I was curious enough to ask," I said and he stared at me intrigued and I wondered at it. No one has ever given me such look before.
"You're a strange person you know that."
"I prefer the term unique," I said and he chuckled taking the space beside and we sat in comfortable silence but it was only for a brief moment before I got to my feet.
"Let's spar!?"
"Excuse me?" He asked looking at me as if I'd grown another head.
"Well, I can't stay here with you looking as if you've been punched in the gut," I said pulling him to his feet to the middle of the room where a mat lay.
"Diana, I appreciate.."
"Are you by chance, chicken?" I said and he looked at me with wide eyes.
"You won't let this go, will you?" He said and I grinned pulling the hoodie of me leaving me in my tank top.
"Nope," I said tossing it and he looked a bit hesitant.
"What if I hurt you?"
"Then I'll hurt you back," I deadpanned but it didn't seem to pacify him. "I know you won't hurt me, Ryder and don't let my lady problems bother. As a matter of fact my doctor would prefer if I exercised."
I said and I could see the faint blush on his cheeks making me chuckle.
"But I'm serious, one more excuse and I'll think you're chickening out," I said and he shook his head in amusement.
"I can't back out now if my pride is on the line now can I? But let's make this more interesting."
"I'm listening."
"If I win, I get to ask you any three questions I can think of."
"And when I win?" I asked and he gave me a pointed look.
"If you do, you may do the same."
"I can ask anything."
"Anything," he said as he took his stance on the mat.
I lost. Not sure how it happened but I lost and the idiot was still chuckling above me as I pouted. But at least he was looking pretty relaxed.
"You lost."
"Gee thanks for clearing that up Captain obvious. But how was I supposed to know you're good?"
"Hmm, how about the fact you found me here in the first place?" He said and I grumbled under my breath in annoyance, blowing the hair out of my face.
"You could have been a beginner for all I know," I said but all it did was make him laugh making his grip warm and gentle on the hand on my back. "Idea. How about I get off this hold and we call it a draw?"
"Knock yourself out Peters," he whispered in my ear and I grinned excited ignoring the fact he was still underestimating me.