Free Going the Distance (No Excuses Book 1) by Mila Rossi

let’s get outta here.”
    She got up in lazy protest, grabbed her purse and jacket, and followed him. A minute later, they were outside, where the fresh air revived her. She didn’t think it a good idea to continue being in his company because then all bets would be off, so she grabbed her keys out of her purse and started walking to the car. She hoped he wouldn’t start talking about what had just happened, because she was mortified at her own behavior. She could barely look him in the eyes.
    “Where are you going?” he asked, right behind her.
    “Back to the gym. Other than the movie, I didn’t have anything else planned for tonight.”
    He grabbed her wrist and spun her around. “It’s still early. I can think of plenty of things to do.”
    “Yeah, well, this time, I’ll be the one to turn into a pumpkin if I don’t get home before midnight,” she replied, pulling away.
    He growled, but didn’t push the issue further. They walked to the car, got in, and drove off.
    “If I would’ve known you’re such a baby, I wouldn’t have taken you to a scary movie,” she joked, needing to fill the silence.
    “And if I’d known you’d run off after coming all over my hand, I would’ve taken you straight to bed instead of going to the theater tonight.”
    She was too stunned and embarrassed to respond. Instead, she bit the inside of her cheek, replaying their experience in her head. She’d never think of the theater the same way again.
    “So when are we gonna finish what we started?” he asked.
    She inhaled deeply and hit the gas. “When you give me an interview, babe.”
    He gave a deep, raspy chuckle and she wondered when exactly that was going to be.
     
    ***
     
    A couple of days after having Sam melt in his hand, Trent was getting the shit beaten out of him in the ring by his sparring partner.
    “What’s the matter with you, Trent?” Ramirez shouted loud enough for everyone in the gym to hear.
    Trent was getting more furious by the second. He was trying to dodge Shayne’s jabs, but with people yelling in his ear every fucking moment, he couldn’t focus for shit.
    He moved to the left and ducked, barely escaping Shayne’s glove, then swung high to hit him with an uppercut. Shayne saw it coming and moved out of the way.
    For fuck’s sake! Throw something worth a damn!
    Trent ran a glove over his right eye as sweat started to impair his vision, then circled his opponent in the center of the ring. He was huffing and puffing, feeling like they’d been at it for hours.
    Shayne moved in, deflected a few of Trent’s jabs and threw a straight shot right between Trent’s raised hands. It landed perfectly, making Trent’s nose feel like it had just hit a brick wall.
    “Alright, break time!” Ramirez called out.
    “You cool?” Shayne asked, nodding at Trent.
    “Yeah, man.”
    Shayne jumped out of the ring and Trent wiped the blood trickling from his nose. At least it wasn’t broken. That would really take the piss out of things.
    “So what’s with you?” Ramirez asked, looking gloomier than he had in a long time.
    “Nothing’s with me,” Trent said, ducking under the rope to get out of the ring. He needed to wipe his nose and wash his face, not answer Ramirez’s interrogation right now.
    “I don’t know what’s going on inside that head of yours,” Ramirez said, following Trent to the locker room, “but you need to wake the fuck up. You’re fighting like shit out there, man. Shayne just gave you a bloody nose. Shayne, your sparring partner!”
    “I know who he is,” Trent shot back over his shoulder. He didn’t need to be reminded that the rookie in the gym was doing a better job than he was.
    He walked to the sink and turned on the cold water, then splashed his face several times while Ramirez watched him in the mirror.
    “You gonna stand there while I take a piss too?” Trent asked, glaring at Ramirez’s reflection.
    “I don’t know. Maybe you need help with that too, cause the