Read Online Stone Cold Knockout (House of Pain Book 1) by Lavender Parker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lavender Parker
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off of the wall and she let her legs drop from his hips. He swam around her and hiked himself up out of the pool. He grabbed his towel off the chair and dried off quickly. She didn't move from where he'd left her and for a long moment, Elvis' crooning voice and the lapping of the water against the sides of the pool were the only sounds between them.
Mikhail found a stick of gum in his bag and chewed slowly, tamping his anger down. A string of colorful obscenities crossed his mind, all aimed at himself. He'd offended her. He'd pushed too hard. He was a piece of shit.
“Hey,” she said, catching his attention. She draped her arms over the side of the pool and narrowed her eyes at him. “How do you say 'asshole' in Russian?”
“ Zhopa ,” he said, popping his gum absentmindedly.
“ Good to know,” she said. He stared at her for a long moment and she stared right back. Then he grabbed her coffee off the floor and crouched down beside her. He held out the cup. She took it, raising an eyebrow.
“ One sip. Then back to laps,” he said.
Chapter 6
T he next night at 7:00 sharp, Gennifer stepped into House of Pain and her heart dropped. Mikhail was already at a speed bag, looking sexy as ever in a sleeveless black T-shirt. He slowed his punches and caught her eye. With a groan, she ducked her head and hurried to the locker room. She was turning tail and running like a coward, but she was scared. She was scared that he was going to tell her that he couldn't keep training her. After laps, he had barely spoken a handful of words to her throughout the rest of their workout.
She screwed up. Royally.
In the locker room, she tossed her bag in her locker and slammed the door shut. She pressed her forehead to the cool metal and closed her eyes. Instantly, she could feel Mikhail's hands on her, his lips on hers. She could hear his possessive words in her ears and a shiver ran up her spine. She loved it when he said he wanted to fuck her. She loved the wild look in his eyes when he said it, too. She saw how much he wanted her. It was intense. Too intense.
So she'd pushed him away. She'd told him no when her body was screaming yes. She made him think that she didn't want him, because she was afraid. She barely knew the man, but he scared her. Fucking him would be a mistake. No matter how much she wanted to, or how much he tempted her, it would be a mistake. If she fucked him, it would only end badly.
She just had to keep telling herself that and she would be okay.
“ Gennifer?” A voice cut through her reverie and she jumped, her eyes flying open. Hector's redhead was standing next to her, in fancy yoga pants and a tight white T-shirt. She looked at Gennifer expectantly. “This empty locker room is kind of creepy, huh?” Erica said, looking around the big room.
“ I never thought about it.” Gennifer shrugged, her heart still drumming in her chest. “I used to have it all to myself.”
“ It's crazy that there are no other women here,” Erica said, slamming her locker door shut as well. “Is that usual?”
“ Well, it's an old school kind of place,” Gennifer said, running her hand through her hair. “We don't get a lot of new people.”
“ Can you show me around?” Erica asked, lifting a delicate eyebrow.
“ Do I look like the welcome committee?” Gennifer asked. “Isn't Hector around?”
“ Don't tell Hector.” Erica leaned in like they were sharing a secret. “But it's a little intimidating out there.”
“ A little?” Gennifer laughed. The girl was seriously out of her element.
“ You know all these guys. You know what to do. Just show me,” Erica said. “And then afterwards, I'll owe you a drink.” Gennifer blew out a breath. Did she want to babysit a newbie? No. But would babysitting a newbie keep her occupied so she wouldn't have to talk to Mikhail? Yes. Turning, she nodded in agreement.
“ Margaritas,” she tossed over her shoulder, making her way onto the floor.
Mikhail found a stick of gum in his bag and chewed slowly, tamping his anger down. A string of colorful obscenities crossed his mind, all aimed at himself. He'd offended her. He'd pushed too hard. He was a piece of shit.
“Hey,” she said, catching his attention. She draped her arms over the side of the pool and narrowed her eyes at him. “How do you say 'asshole' in Russian?”
“ Zhopa ,” he said, popping his gum absentmindedly.
“ Good to know,” she said. He stared at her for a long moment and she stared right back. Then he grabbed her coffee off the floor and crouched down beside her. He held out the cup. She took it, raising an eyebrow.
“ One sip. Then back to laps,” he said.
Chapter 6
T he next night at 7:00 sharp, Gennifer stepped into House of Pain and her heart dropped. Mikhail was already at a speed bag, looking sexy as ever in a sleeveless black T-shirt. He slowed his punches and caught her eye. With a groan, she ducked her head and hurried to the locker room. She was turning tail and running like a coward, but she was scared. She was scared that he was going to tell her that he couldn't keep training her. After laps, he had barely spoken a handful of words to her throughout the rest of their workout.
She screwed up. Royally.
In the locker room, she tossed her bag in her locker and slammed the door shut. She pressed her forehead to the cool metal and closed her eyes. Instantly, she could feel Mikhail's hands on her, his lips on hers. She could hear his possessive words in her ears and a shiver ran up her spine. She loved it when he said he wanted to fuck her. She loved the wild look in his eyes when he said it, too. She saw how much he wanted her. It was intense. Too intense.
So she'd pushed him away. She'd told him no when her body was screaming yes. She made him think that she didn't want him, because she was afraid. She barely knew the man, but he scared her. Fucking him would be a mistake. No matter how much she wanted to, or how much he tempted her, it would be a mistake. If she fucked him, it would only end badly.
She just had to keep telling herself that and she would be okay.
“ Gennifer?” A voice cut through her reverie and she jumped, her eyes flying open. Hector's redhead was standing next to her, in fancy yoga pants and a tight white T-shirt. She looked at Gennifer expectantly. “This empty locker room is kind of creepy, huh?” Erica said, looking around the big room.
“ I never thought about it.” Gennifer shrugged, her heart still drumming in her chest. “I used to have it all to myself.”
“ It's crazy that there are no other women here,” Erica said, slamming her locker door shut as well. “Is that usual?”
“ Well, it's an old school kind of place,” Gennifer said, running her hand through her hair. “We don't get a lot of new people.”
“ Can you show me around?” Erica asked, lifting a delicate eyebrow.
“ Do I look like the welcome committee?” Gennifer asked. “Isn't Hector around?”
“ Don't tell Hector.” Erica leaned in like they were sharing a secret. “But it's a little intimidating out there.”
“ A little?” Gennifer laughed. The girl was seriously out of her element.
“ You know all these guys. You know what to do. Just show me,” Erica said. “And then afterwards, I'll owe you a drink.” Gennifer blew out a breath. Did she want to babysit a newbie? No. But would babysitting a newbie keep her occupied so she wouldn't have to talk to Mikhail? Yes. Turning, she nodded in agreement.
“ Margaritas,” she tossed over her shoulder, making her way onto the floor.
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