Page 29 of Bad for You

I’d been trying my damnedest to avoid Jesse…Grifter, the last few days. I’d taken lunch to work instead of going to the café, and instead of dinner at The Mule with Addie last night, I’d taken up Kate’s offer and had dinner with her, Eric, and Maddie.

But it wasn’t working. I kept seeing him everywhere. And as I walked down the street toward the gym with Eves now, I spotted not one but two bikes parked out front. I knew Grifter’s bike. I’d admired it plenty of times. Especially when he’d been sitting on it.

Eves glanced at me, concern in her brown eyes. “It’s okay if you don’t want to go in.”

She had a message for Dane from one of his clients about a time change for his appointment, and Dane wasn’t answering his phone.

I wasn’t ready to see Jesse. Maybe it was cowardly, but I didn’t care. I was definitely waiting out here.

Brooks walked out of the hardware store up the street.

Nope. No.

I grabbed Eve’s arm and dragged her into the gym. What had I done in a previous life to deserve this? I’d been avoiding Brooks as well. I hadn’t worked out exactly what to say to him yet.

And right then, Jesse…dammit, Grifter was the lesser of two evils. We’d already had it out. There was nothing left to say. So I could walk into the gym with Eves and smile and pretend I was cool. Better that than a discussion with Brooks about why I didn’t want to see him anymore.

I glanced around the large room. The sounds of fists hitting leather with force, grunts, and deep voices echoed around the room. The smell of sweat and aggression filling the air—

My mouth went dry.

He was in the ring with Dane. They were sparring.

My knees went weak. Stupid knees. Yes, I am pathetic.

Damn him for being so goddamn beautiful and sexy. Every inch of his inked chest, arms, and neck was on display. I swallowed thickly as my traitorous body heated.

He was wearing nylon shorts, and he had tattoos on his legs as well. Not as many, and mainly on his thighs, but the man was a walking, talking work of art.

“Come on, pretty boy,” Dane goaded. “Hit me like you mean it.”

“At least you’ve finally acknowledged that I’m prettier than you,” Grifter said back, casually. “It’s the nose, right? How many times have you broken yours?”

“Three,” Dane said, smirking, then jabbed, connecting with Grifter's side.

Grifter returned with a jab of his own and motioned to his own nose. “Two. Which is why mine looks rugged and yours looks like a barnacle in the middle of your face.”

They came together again, fists flying, the smack of leather gloves meeting flesh filling the room. When they came apart again, they were grinning, both in their element.

Eves stayed quiet at my side, hanging back. They hadn’t seen us yet. She was obviously enjoying the show as much as me.

“Your dick looks like a barnacle,” Dane said.

“Why have you been looking at my dick, Calero? Jealous? I feel sorry for Everly, honestly.”

Eves snickered beside me.

Dane chuckled. “Why? Because I’m so big?”

“You wish, Thumbelina.”

Dane barked out a laugh. “Pencil dick.”

They were jabbing and snickering, acting like they were in the fifth grade and loving every minute of it.

“Anaconda more like,” Grifter said.

“Jesus,” Eves muttered. “I wondered what they talked about when I wasn’t around. I wish I’d stayed ignorant.”