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Chapter Two
AVA
The 4:00AM alarm on my phone jolted me awake the next morning. My groan echoed in the bedroom of the extended stay suite as I reached out to shut the annoying noise off. I had a gym date with Ryder at this ungodly hour of the morning.
Once the alarm was silenced, I rolled out of the bed and staggered into the bathroom to wake myself with a hot shower. The water temperature had the opposite effect and made me want to get right back into those warm covers and go to sleep.
I forced myself to ignore the allure of the bed and go to the dresser instead. I reached for a folded sweater and stopped myself. Would it be out of place to show up at Warrior’s Den, all suited up for business well before business hours?
I pushed the sweater aside and reached for workout clothes instead. After shimmying into the spandex, I threw on a fleece hoodie and laced up my running shoes to head to my rental car in the hotel parking lot.
My parents left Sunridge soon after I went away to college. They high-tailed it south to Florida to become snowbirds. Sold the house and everything. They told me they were tired of all the Illinois snow and blustery wind. So it left me without family or a place to stay when I took on this assignment to interview Ryder.
As I drove through the modest downtown at dark-thirty, I noted how things changed since the time I lived here as a kid. More modern multi-story buildings set up shop next to the historic courthouse and the city hall. I stopped at a cute café at the corner of First Street to grab a latte with double espresso shots before I drove to the gym.
Surprisingly, there were six cars already parked outside. These fighters were serious about their training. With fame and fortune at stake, who could blame them?
I walked into the Warrior's Den in my workout gear, ready to get started. I removed my hoodie and caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror next to the front desk. Were my leggings too tight? I tugged on my tank top. Being tall had its perks, but having all of your shirts look like crop tops wasn't one of them. Was this doing too much?
I put my doubts aside and walked onto the gym floor to the nearest weight rack, grabbing a pair of twenty-pounders. While I was waiting for Ryder to show up, I figured I might as well get my squats in.
The gym buzzed with activity, the sound of weights clanking, rubber soles squeaking against tiled floors, and the rhythmic thud of heavy bags being punched. Sweaty figures moved in a blur around me as I made my way to the side of the room—athletes in tees and shorts chalked up their hands, some bowed their heads in silent prayer before stepping into the ring, and powerlifters grunted as they strained against gravity. In between sets with my meager weights, I watched as they pushed their bodies to the limit. There was an unspoken camaraderie in the room. They had a mutual respect for one another.
I was on my eighth rep when I saw Ryder.
He stared at me, and the faintest smile danced across his lips as he leaned against the boxing ring from across the room. His tee shirt molded to the V-shape of his torso and his defined pecs.
I lowered my weights and turned my face to the side before he caught me staring. Already I was sweating. The latte gave me a caffeine jolt, but seeing Ryder made me wish I had ordered an iced coffee instead.
He came over, wiping his brow on a towel. "I was wondering when you were going to show up in something other than those heels and skirts." His eyes roamed over my figure, lingering at my breasts and the swell of my hips.
Heat rose in my cheeks. I gave him a coy smile, folding my arms over my chest. "What can I say? I like to keep people guessing."
“People, or just me?” He chuckled, the sound low and gravelly. "Well, you've kept me guessing long enough. Time for your first lesson."
"Um, first lesson in what?"
"Boxing. You want to learn all about my routines for your story, right? Nothing's better than first-hand experience." A naughty smirk appeared on his face. "You're dressed for the part. You can borrow a pair of my gloves."
My heart raced as he guided me over to one of the punching bags. The thing was almost as tall as he was, and probably had over two hundred pounds’ worth of chains and sand inside. I stared at it while he made my hands disappear inside the gloves.
“You ready?” His hand was warm on my back, sending tingles up my spine. I breathed in the scent of him—sweat, leather and something spicy.
"This is a jab." He demonstrated, throwing a quick punch at the bag. It swayed like a smaller bag. "Keep your fist closed, aim for the center, and push off from your back leg and hip."
I copied his stance and threw a punch. It barely moved the bag. I cringed on the inside, imagining how cartoonish I looked with the large boxing gloves on, unable to swing a basic punch.
"More power." He came up behind me, grasping my hips to adjust my form. I froze, acutely aware of his hard body against mine. "Like this."
He guided my arm back and then forward in a sharp thrust. This time, I managed to make the bag sway. "Yes, exactly like that." His breath was warm on my neck, and I shivered. "Think you've got the hang of it?"
I turned to find his face inches from mine. "I'm a fast learner."
"I can see that." His gaze dipped to my mouth. "You're full of surprises, Ava."
My lips parted as he leaned in closer. The tension between us was as taut as a bowstring. I wanted nothing more than to close the distance, to lose myself in his kiss. But a shout from the boxing ring made us spring apart.
"They're finishing up. It's my turn for a second round." Ryder ran a hand through his hair. "See you later?"
