Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 33401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
"Keep your guard up, Bailey."
Then, he strikes. Porter is fast, his fist blurring towards me. I block it, and even though there’s no force in the impact, the surprise makes me stumble. But Porter catches my forearm, steadying me.
"Try to aim for my gut. It'll be harder for me to deflect there, and you'll knock the wind out of me."
I nod, and I'm listening, but at the same time, I'm distracted. His touch, even through the padding, feels electric, and his closeness is intoxicating. He's so much larger than me, and the disparity between us makes arousal pool in my stomach.
This time, I'm the one who strikes first.
Porter blocks, and then his fist comes towards me. He's going easy on me, and I know he isn't really going to hurt me, but I'm still surprised at how lightning-fast he is. He deflects my blow, and before I can process what's happened, I'm flat on my back, with Porter hovering over me.
His arm is braced on the ground cupping my head, and his other hand is curled around my hip, his grip tight.
"That wasn’t fair," I complain, breathless.
He grins, half of his mouth pulling up—cocky, self-assured. His big body is plastered against mine, but we're both fully dressed and in public. It's torture for both of us, I think, not being able to take things further.
"You did good, baby," he murmurs.
"I was distracted…again,” I whisper back.
Porter's gaze darkens with the knowledge that it’s him making me unable to focus. "Yeah, but you still did well." Looking like it takes all of his willpower to do so, Porter helps me to my feet, and we both take our gloves off. "Next time I'm going to have you in here with my female trainer, Mel. That way you won't be distracted, and I can see the way you move from outside of the ring. It will give me a better visual."
I blush at the thought of Porter watching me intensely while I learn how to fight and probably get my ass kicked by this Mel. "That sounds…fun."
Porter huffs in amusement, following my line of thought. “Don’t worry. Mel is one of the best teachers we have. She’s patient. It will be good for you. But for now, go get changed. You've earned lunch, and I'm starving,"
Porter jumps down, and I follow after, my head spinning. Everything seems to be moving so quickly, and we've gone from zero to a hundred in a matter of days. Is this just casual to him? Does he feel the same way that I do? My emotions are all over the place, but even when I try to think logically, my brain goes back to him.
Porter. Porter. Porter. How can I focus when every single thing about him draws me in?
I head back towards the locker rooms, trying not to panic. This is moving so fast, and I've never felt like this before. I change as quickly as I can, my mind racing. When I emerge from the locker room, Porter is waiting for me. His expression is closed off, and I wonder what he's thinking. As soon as he sees me, though, his face clears. He takes in what I'm wearing and nods approvingly. "Good. Your clothes look comfortable enough.'
I blink a few times. "Comfortable enough for what?"
"Our lunch hike."
"A hike?"
Porter nods. "Yeah. There's a gorgeous view a little over an hour away. Starved Rock State Park. I've even got a lunch packed for us when we get to the midpoint of the trail. What do you think?"
"That sounds...amazing."
"Good." Porter's voice is a low rumble. "Let's go, then."
He leads me out, and we head over to his truck. As soon as we're on the road, his hand moves over to my leg, and I smile, letting my anxieties fall away for the time being. This all just feels so right. I have plenty of time to worry later.
It's a beautiful drive. The park is a bit away, but Porter drives along a country road, and it's gorgeous. I relax against the seat, letting the music wash over me. Porter's hand is still on my thigh, and every so often, he will squeeze gently or trace his fingertips up and down my skin, making me shiver.
Eventually, he pulls into a parking lot, and we hop out. The sky is clear, and I take a deep breath.
"Let's go." Porter grabs a backpack from the trunk. It's a big blue hiking pack, and the sight makes me smile.
"You had this planned all along, huh?"
"Uh-huh," he confirms. "Everything has gone according to plan except me having to pull that asshole off you, but that will be the last time that ever happens."
We fall into an easy rhythm as our feet hit the trail, and I’m relieved to discover that I’m not nearly as out of shape as I thought. "Why would you plan all of this?"