A few people scatter the narrow hallway as they say goodbye to their family members. I look up at Seth and his toothpick flicks across the span of his lips as he teases it with his tongue. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

I stop walking and cut in front of him. He pulls the thin, wooden toothpick from his mouth and his eyes focus on my face.

“For going back to the gym to talk to my dad and for saving his life.”

Seth’s eyebrows crinkle slightly, like he’s uncomfortable. “You don’t have to thank me...”

“I do. Why does thanking you make you so uncomfortable?”

His gaze flits to the floor as he sticks the toothpick back into his mouth. After what felt like an eternity of being silent, he lifts his gaze to me, looking even more uncomfortable than before.

“Because I’m not used to it.”

“You’re not used to being thanked?” I brush my finger along his forearm.

“I’m usually the cause of a problem, not the solution.”

I frown. He doesn’t even realize how much he’s helped me. He’s helped me not fall back into the same routines with Blade. He saved me from Brent and improved my relationship with Dad. Before Seth, my dad was a lot more like my mom—always pushing for me to move back home and because of all of that the next words fell from my lips without thought.

“You’re my solution.”

His lips twitch and he removes his toothpick as the tension in his expression melts away. His arms surround my waist, drawing me closer. To see him relaxed and happy sends a strong, tightening feeling through my chest. All I want is for him to be happy and I’ve never wanted something so badly in my life. Seth pulls me into him, resting his head on mine and his hand trails comfortingly up and down my spine. I’m scared to pull away—I don’t want to. I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. The feelings I had for Blade pale in comparison to what I’m feeling now. Love? No—yes—I don’t know. I’m confused. Is love meant to be so sickening? I feel sick—I feel like crying. I feel like crushing Seth in my arms and never letting go. I’m almost certain I’d completely dissolve into nothing without him. I want to run away because I’m absolutely petrified. Seth likes me, I know he does, but what if there’s no future here. I’m not a mind reader, but I’m certain this isn’t what he’d expect of me after barely one day of being together. I can’t scare him away...

***

I’ve been sitting around dad’s room for the last two hours while he sleeps. Mom has brought her nail kit in for something to do and since she’s done her nails twice already, she decided to attack mine. I can’t complain I suppose, they are in need of some serious grooming. I’ve been biting them too much lately.

I miss Seth. After the hospital yesterday Seth and I hung out around his house. His Mom wasn’t home and we didn’t have sex because Darryl put the ‘no sex until after the fight’ restriction on him. Seth was a little eager to break it and just tell Darryl that he didn’t have sex, but I felt bad and told Seth to wait.

“So, your boss is a nice guy.” Mom says casually.

I almost snort. “Yeah, he is.”

She rakes the nail filer over my skin and I wince as its rough edge scratches my skin. “He’s handsome, too.”

I drag in a breath. “Yes, he is.” I used to think Mason was so, so, so handsome and I’d even flush a little when I thought about him, but then Seth showed up and in my opinion, no one holds a candle to his looks, not even blue-eyed, blond haired Mason. Mason is bright and innocent—too much of a gentlemen in most instances. Seth is dark and confident. He doesn’t care for being subtle. He doesn’t care how he looks to other people. It thrills him.

“Have you ever thought about—”

“Don’t go there, Sandra.” Dad interjects. His voice is husky from sleep. “It’s her boss and he’s too old for her.”

“Age doesn’t define a man. He’s successful and handsome. You’re young so children shouldn’t be a problem.”

I pull my hand away from her, insulted. “Seth is young, handsome and successful.”

“But Seth’s looks won’t last long when he’s constantly getting beaten by men bigger than him. He can only be successful for short periods of time in his line of work and it’s not something you want to raise your children around. I mean, how long have you two been fooling around? It’s just fun, right?”

Dad hits the button on his bed and slowly raises himself to a sitting position. “Who cares if it’s just fun or not. Seth is a good kid. He saved my life.”

“Yes, but it was more of a ‘right place at the right time’ kind of thing.”

Are you kidding me? “That doesn’t mean you should be any less grateful.”

Powerless anger rages through me, making my throat curl tightly around my words. My mom says a lot of pointless, hurtful things—all with good intention (or so she claims) but nothing she has ever said has upset me to the point of becoming extremely angry with her, until now. I glance at Dad, he’s shooting daggers at Mom too and I realize this isn’t the time or place to argue with Mom about Seth. If she wants to be snobby and ungrateful, fine. Let her be, but it won’t change my opinion. Ever. I’ve seen underneath Seth’s hard, cocky shell. I’ve seen his soft side. I’ve seen him vulnerable and hurt. There’s more to him than meets the eye. A hell of a lot more.

“Anyway, Dad, when can you go home?”

The pink blush in Dad’s cheeks fade and Mom huffs, hating the topic change. “Hopefully after lunch, I have to wait two weeks before I can go back to work, but after that it should be okay. They’ve encouraged me to do more cardio and eat better foods as well. Boston is definitely off the cards for me now.”

I try to give him an encouraging smile, but even I felt its sympathetic curl. “I’m sorry. I know how much going to Boston meant to you...”

He flicks his hand like it’s no big deal, but I know otherwise. He was so upset in the gym yesterday when Seth and I said he couldn’t go. “It’s alright. At least one of us is going.”

I blink. Oh. He means me. “I’m not going either, Dad.”

“Why not?” He’s just as confused as Seth was when I told him. “Have you and Seth had a fight?”

I swear I hear Mom’s breath catch hopefully.

“No. I have work.”

“And is Seth okay with that?”

I shrug. “He isn’t too happy about it.”

Mom jumps at her chance to enter the conversation. “Those fighter types are very hard headed.” Dad rolls his eyes. “He hasn’t hit you or anything has he?”

“What the hell, Mom? No, he hasn’t hit me. He’d never do that.”

She folds her arms tightly across her blue cardigan and I hear her tap her heel against the hard floor. “They snap easily, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Honey,” Dad says, pulling my attention from Mom’s face. “You should go. You only have a short time before he goes to pro. You can skip as many as you want then, but at least be a part of his beginning.” Dad’s brown eyes flick to his hands nervously and then back to my face. “When you’re in the gym, he’s distracted by you and when you’re not there during training, he becomes preoccupied with his thoughts, stuck in some far off world. As soon as Darryl blows the whistle and training is over he can’t get out the door quick enough.” His words make my insides swell. At least he can see how much Seth cares about me. “He can’t even go one fight without calling you to the locker room before he goes on. I don’t think he’s going to be able to be away from you.” He turns his attention to Mom. “If you opened your eyes just a little bit wider, Sandra, you’d see that Seth worships the ground our daughter walks on. He admires her. Initially, I knew he wasn’t the kind of guy I’d want around my daughter, but I can tell through his fighting, his training—everything, that when he cares for something, he’ll give it everything he has. You should be honored that Olivia has someone like him to respect her and to protect her because when we die—and we will die—we should want our daughter to be protected by someone who’d protect her as fiercely as her own parents would... and Seth’s that guy.”

I’ve never respected my dad more than I do in this moment. I know he likes Seth, but I didn’t know that he’d trust him wholly with his only daughter and that means more to me than words can ever describe. I kiss my Dad on the cheek and tear from the hospital room, leaving Mom’s defeated pout behind me. The clatter of my shoes ring in my ear as I sprint down the hallway.

“No running!” A janitor calls from behind me, but I ignore him. If I stop before I get to my car I might unwillingly come to my senses. After I see Seth, I’m going to call Mason and tell him that I want some time off because I want to be with Seth. I want to be there to support him, rain or shine, win or lose. If Mason doesn’t let me...then I’ll quit because life is too short to not have what you want. When you think back on your childhood or your life last week even, you don’t remember the hours you slaved at work or doing things you hate. You remember going outside. You remember being with your friends and loving life. I want to look back on my life and not regret it. If Seth becomes a distant memory I want to be able to honestly say I had the time of my life. Mason can take away my job, but I’ll still be alive. Alive. That’s a pretty big opportunity and I’d hate to waste it.

***

I know Seth will be finishing up at the gym any minute now and I want to catch him off guard. When I see Seth’s car in the car park, I pull up next to it and practically jump out the door before I put my car in park. The seatbelt snags me back in my seat and I groan. I probably should take it off. I unclip my seatbelt and manage to exit the car on the second attempt. I push through the glass doors and into the main area. I see Seth sitting against the boxing ring in front of his entire team and everyone’s attention is on me. My entrance wasn’t exactly subtle. Seth is covered in glorious sweat and it glistens all over. He stands abruptly, concern clear on his face and steps forward. I rush toward him, my breath coming out in sharp, short breaths.

“O, is everything—”

I jump and slam into him, crushing my mouth to his and ignoring our audience. I wrap my legs around his waist and I squeeze him against me with all that I have. My fingers run into his damp hair and I run my tongue along his plump bottom lip.

“...maybe we should leave.” Jackson suggest as I pull away.

Seth’s eyes search mine, trying to decipher what the hell is propelling my actions.

“I’ll go to Boston with you.” I tell him.

He tries to bite back his smile, but it spreads across his face in full force. “And Mason?”

His brown eyes never stray from mine. They’re penetrating me, coaxing me to say exactly what he wants me to say. And I say it. “Fuck Mason.”

His mouth claims mine again and I feel him carrying me away from our silent audience.

“If you two aren’t out in four minutes. I’m coming in.” Darryl calls after us.

Our mouths remained joined up until my back is pressed against cold concrete. I open my eyes and pull away. We’re in the shower room—the men’s shower room. It looks exactly like the woman's shower room...fancy that.

“Tell me again.” Seth groans, kissing my neck and making my head swim.

“I’m coming to Boston with you.” I say, emphasizing the words. His tongue glides against my skin, igniting the blood beneath it. I’ve missed him so much even though he dropped me home before he went to the gym this morning. I happily run my hands over his slick, wet body—around his neck, over his shoulders and down his arms, eliciting a groan from the base of his throat. He places a soft kiss at the tip of my nose and rests his forehead against mine.

“What made you change your mind?” I subtly revel in the sensation of his hot breath on my face. I don’t want to tell Seth what my dad said. Dad isn’t one to express his thoughts like that and I want to preserve it in its purest form straight from the source. I feel if I repeat it, it’ll lose its sentiment.

“Let’s just say, a little birdy helped me decide what’s important.”

I slide down his body until my feet are firmly on the ground. “I’m honored that you’re dad thinks so highly of me.”

Seth knows I was at the hospital with my dad this morning and I guess he put two and two together. I shrug, trying not to laugh. “Beauty and brains, that’s rare. Maybe it was Mom.”

He laughs once. “No, your mom thinks I’m the big bad wolf.”

“No she doesn’t...” Yeah. I’m not convincing anybody. For a housewife, Mom is very pushy.

“Either way, I’m happy you’ve decided to come with me. Now I can stop driving myself insane with plots.”

“Plots?”

“Yeah,” he smiles, dropping his shorts to shower in the wide-open room. Heat mingles with the blood under my cheeks. “I’ve been trying to think of ways to get you to come to Boston. Some were silly, some were strange and some were just downright illegal.”

His words coax a laugh from me and I watch as he walks over to the far wall and turns on the shower. The water pours over his body and soon steam engulfs the room.

“You’re not joining me?” He asks with a wicked smile.