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I nodded, my face flaming as I returned his gloves. "I should go back to my hotel and change first."
As I left the gym, I touched my tingling lips, thinking of the kiss that almost was. I needed my blazer and blouse to shield me from this new heat between us that threatened to sear my professional armor.
TWO DAYS PASSED AS I continued to trail Ryder through his daily routines at the gym. I was determined to uncover the layers beneath his tough exterior. The gym became my second home, a place where I observed him in his element, hoping to catch more glimpses of his nature.
I watched Ryder as he worked through his drills: skip rope to hone agility, footwork, bench presses for strength. His movements were precise and powerful, his focus intense. I was mesmerized by his skill and strength. But then something else caught my attention on the second day—the service dogs in the gym.
They were a beautiful mix of breeds. Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Labradors, all wearing blue vests. As they entered the gym, Ryder paused at their arrival, looking up from his workout to view them with a smile.
The dogs were ecstatic to be there. Their handlers allowed them to go to him. They jumped around him, practically begging for his attention as he rubbed their heads affectionately and fed them treats. He even laughed when one of the juveniles nipped at his shoes. His tenderness towards the animals was unexpected, something I hadn't seen before in our interactions together. I found myself melting a little at this new side to him.
I allowed a Golden Retriever to sniff my hand before I scratched it behind the ears. “Did you train your brother’s service dog?” I remembered him telling me about his brother coming home from military deployment.
Ryder nodded. “He came all the way from Hoboken to get the dog.”
“Do you still train them?”
“Whenever I can. I volunteer on Sundays when I'm not scheduled for a Saturday night fight.”
My heart warmed as I watched Ryder interact with the dogs, his usual gruffness dissolving in their presence. The Golden Retriever nudged my hand, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. His tail wagged left to right. “Seems like I made a new gym buddy.”
Ryder studied our interaction. “He's got good taste."
I grinned at him, appreciating the playful banter. "Or maybe he senses a fellow dog lover."
His lips quirked into a genuine smile as he continued to pet the dogs. "Yeah, maybe."
I felt a connection forming, a shared appreciation for something beyond the world of MMA. As the dog wagged its tail at me, I sensed camaraderie with Ryder, even if it was just over our mutual affection for these four-legged companions.
Ryder's voice cut through my thoughts. "I've got physical therapy in ten minutes.” The smile was gone from his face. “You'll need to head out."
His abrupt dismissal took me by surprise. We'd been getting along, bonding over the service dogs he trained. Now he sounded like he couldn't wait to get rid of me.
“What I told you should be enough for one page of your story at least, right?”
Wow. Just like that, and we were back to the drawing board.
“Sure.” I gathered my things, annoyance simmering under my skin. "I'm going to the café to put my notes together. I don’t want to make you late for your appointment."
He didn't respond, just watched me with an unreadable expression. I strode out of the gym into the bright afternoon, the heavy metal door closing behind me.
The coffee shop on First Street offered a welcome respite from the suddenly charged tension I experienced with Ryder. I sank into a corner booth after ordering a double latte, the scents of fresh coffee and pastries soothing my ruffled feathers.
Rubbing my temples, I pulled out my laptop and added to the list of notes I'd compiled on him and the Fury Combat league. Concentrating proved difficult. My thoughts kept drifting to Ryder and his abrupt one-eighty in attitude.
One moment we were laughing and swapping stories, the next he couldn't wait to kick me out of the gym. I didn't understand what had changed or why he seemed so determined to keep me at arm's length. Did I ask too many personal questions about his brother and the service dogs? I really was interested in how he trained the dogs for a good cause. I wasn’t doing this to write some sensationalist piece.
With a sigh, I took a long drink of my latte, the warmth spreading through me. I couldn't figure Ryder out, but I wasn't ready to give up. Not yet. There were more layers to him than he let on, and I aimed to discover each one.
Even if he seemed intent on blocking me at every turn.
An hour passed before I felt a cool autumn draft. My eyes lifted over the laptop screen to see Ryder walk in. Despite being caught off guard that he was in here, I couldn't help but stifle a yawn.
His keen gaze found me. “No one should be drowsy in a coffee shop. Did they run out of caffeine?"
I managed a sheepish grin. "It takes more than one latte to get me wired. This is only my second of the day. Well, four, if you count the double espresso shots."
“You might want to control the caffeine if you’re building strength to hit those punching bags.”
