Waving my hand towards her, I answer her. “All this pink. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear it, and now it’s all over you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Are you ready to do this?” Before I can answer, I hear a voice call from the side of the ring.

“Hey, Charlie, take Rugged Man down!” I look over to see Jace giving her a thumbs-up.

A faint blush spreads over her cheeks, and I vaguely remember her calling me that once when she was pissed at me. Raising my eyebrows, I have to ask. “Rugged Man? Aw, sweetheart, did you give me a nickname?”

She lifts her chin and looks me square in the face. “I may have given you that moniker the first time I saw you, and since you wouldn’t introduce yourself, it may have slipped out when talking to Jace.”

I grin, loving that she gave me a nickname. “So you think I’m rugged?” If it could, my dick would be high-fiving itself right now.

“Thought. I thought you were rugged. Now I’m not so sure. Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

“Trust me, sweetheart. You definitely will,” I promise, shooting her a wink.

Jace climbs into the ring and gets us started. We spend the first few minutes moving around the ring, one of us moving in for a quick jab or sidekick but then pulling back. Impressed with her technique, I know I’m going to have my work cut out for me, especially since my cardio has been lacking lately. I’ve sparred with women before, and I’ve never had a problem seeing them as equals when we get in the ring. There’s something about Charlie that makes me want to let her win, but I think she’d really kick my ass if I did that.

The first round ends without excitement. I admire the way her shirt rises up when she takes a drink of water, showcasing a toned stomach.

“Quit taking it easy on me. I know you can pack more in your punch than what you’re giving,” she says, catching on to my game. “Seriously, if you don’t fight me like you’d fight Jace, I’m going to make you sit through every episode of Duck Dynasty until you’re all caught up.”

There’s no way I’m going to endure that torture, no matter how many times she tells me I’ll love it if only I give it a chance. When the next round starts, I’m quick to stutter-step towards her, and I extend my leg and land a solid front kick right into her stomach, forcing her back. She grins, and I know it’s finally on. She moves in quickly, swinging her arm and hooking it at the last minute, catching me square in the jaw.

Holy shit, this girl can fucking punch.

Backing up, I shake it out and try to regroup, but she’s right on me. And just like I predicted, she roundhouse kicks me right in the upper thigh. I’m momentarily paralyzed as I watch her knee come up and move to the outside, splitting her legs wide open. Even though it’s covered, the skin-tight material shows off the sweetest spot.

Backing off a little bit, she’s bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Come on, Rugged,” she says mockingly.

“You think you’re cute, don’t you?” I ask, stalking towards her. She backs away from me, but I follow her. We circle the ring, predator stalking prey, but the roles are blurred when it comes to who’s who.

She ignores me and moves in to get in a quick jab in my ribs before pulling back. Her eyes are shining, and I’m so glad we decided not to wear mouth guards, because she’s smiling wide and it’s fucking gorgeous.

“Don’t you?” she asks, an innocent expression on her face. Shaking my head but smiling, I know I don’t have to answer that.

All the sudden, someone yells, “Knock him out, Charlie!” and she makes a fatal mistake, turning for a split second to see who it is. Little does she know that I saw Kale walk in and I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist cheering her on. I’ve been anticipating it from the moment I spotted him, and he didn’t fail me. The moment I see her head start to turn, I cross the distance between us, catching her off guard. She catches her mistake almost immediately, but it’s too late. I take her down with a sweep kick, and she falls, landing flat on her back. I’m quick to join her down on the mat, my legs straddling her on both sides. She’s trying to catch her breath, all the while glaring up at me.

“That was cheap,” she tells me, eyes pissed off.

Leaning down so our faces are close, I disagree. “Situational awareness, sweetheart. Boxing doesn’t end and begin in the ring. You have to be aware of what’s going on around you, all while being able to zone it out, too.”

Even though she huffs, I can tell she knows I’m right. Leaning above her, I’m trying so fucking hard not to move in and kiss her. Her face is flushed, her breathing labored, and she’s never been sexier.

“Don’t leave,” I’m saying before I can tell myself to shut the hell up. She looks up at me, eyes narrowed in confusion.

“I can’t exactly leave when you’re on top of me, Knox,” she says softly. And as hot as it what when she called me Wellington, I love the sound of her whispering my name.

“No, I mean once the summer ends. When Lucy gets back. I don’t want you to move out.” I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s true, and I might as well put myself out there. If I don’t, I’ll wind up in an empty house again, and that’s the last thing I want.

Her eyes widen and she inhales slowly before letting the air escape her lungs. “You want me to stay?”

Nodding, I bring my lips down to her ear. “Don’t leave me, sweetheart.” My legs are still straddling her, and since I’ve leaned down, our torsos are pressed together. I can feel her breasts pressing against my chest, and I’m suddenly imaging that we’re in the same position, but in my bed instead of the ring. Pulling back up, I look down into her eyes. She pulls her lower lip into her mouth, sucking on it for a moment before she lets it go. Slowly, she puts me out of my misery as she nods.

“Okay, Knox. I’ll stay.” I didn’t realize that my heart was racing until now. It’s finally calming down, knowing that she’s not going anywhere. Without another thought, I close the space between us and press my lips against hers. Her eyes widen, but I don’t move until I feel her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me in closer. Closing her eyes, she deepens the kiss. I move my lips with hers, slowly at first, savoring the feel of her until it’s no longer enough. I need to touch her, to taste her, and suddenly I don’t care that we’re right in the middle of the boxing ring.

Sliding my hand up her shirt, I trace the outline her of stomach, loving the feel of her skin. My tongue pushes against her lips, and she immediately parts them. Her tongue meets mine in a collision that sends all the blood in my body straight to my cock, and I swear I feel her lift her hips in response. Her hands move up to grip the top of my head. I take my free hand and wrap it around her ponytail, pulling slightly, and she moans against my mouth.

I’m more than ready to take her right here when I hear my name called, and I freeze. No fucking way. I’d know that damn voice anywhere, and I feel like life is fucking with me if I’m hearing it right now. Mother fucker, you have got to be kidding me. Pulling away from Charlie, I press one last kiss on her lips before moving away from her. Looking down, I see the look of hunger in her eyes, and I can’t wait to get her home, finally into my bed. I know this is a turning point in our relationship, and for once, I don’t freak out at the word.

Sitting up, she brings her hands to her lips. “If you wanted me to stay that badly, you could’ve just done that without even asking,” she says, a teasing light in her eyes.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I just couldn’t help myself. You’re right, I definitely thought you were cute, pouting while lying on your back after I put you there.”

Before she can respond, I hear my name called again, this time the voice closer than before

“Oh, fuck me,” I groan, and Charlie looks as me, confused. “Just go with it, okay?” I ask, hating what I’m about to do and more than pissed off that the moment’s been ruined.