Letting go of Grace (2 page)

“I’ll eat when I’m hungry, Aiden.” I go into the living room as he walks into the kitchen. A few minutes later he hands me a water bottle and a granola bar. I roll my eyes at him and take it.

“Fine.” I unwrap it and take a bite. I have no desire to eat it, but I do, so he will shut up. When did I become his charity case?

“Let’s go.” I let out a small grunt and get up and follow him into the garage. He walks over to his SUV and opens the door. I climb in and watch him walk around the front and get in. I don’t ask where we are going because I really don’t care. My eyes watch the shoreline as we drive along the coast, staring at Grants driveway as we drive past it. For a second I wonder where he is right now, then I dismiss the thought with a big “I don’t give a fuck.” I watch as we go through town and head down a side road. I see a big building and we park out in front of it. I still have no idea where we are going as I get out of the truck. Aiden gets out and grabs a bag out of the back seat and I follow him to the doors. When we walk in I hear club music and see four boxing rings. Aiden gets greeted by everyone there. I follow behind trying to be invisible. I’m not in a very sociable mood. He goes to an empty ring and turns and looks at me.

“You have a lot of anger. I thought this would help.” I sigh exasperated.

“I need boxing gloves for her.” He points at me and a guy walks right over with two gloves and hands them to me. I have never paid much attention to boxing matches, so I have only a small idea of what I’m in for. The guy looks at Aiden.

“You’re going to fight her?” He smiles and nods.

“She might be small, but she can pack a punch.” I smile at this and watch as Aiden gets his stuff out. He waves for me to come over to him and I do. He tapes up my hands and I begin to feel again. I will fight all this rage out. I never thought about this, but it’s a great idea. What have I got to lose? I watch as he finishes taping my hands then he places my gloves on me. It’s a weird feeling as I watch him tie them. A different man walks over to help Aiden get his gloves on. Then he walks over to me and gives me a helmet of some sort and a mouth guard. I feel stupid as he places it in my mouth. Once we are done he motions at the ring and we get in. I listen as he gives me a fast lesson on how to punch and how to block and we start sparring. I know he is taking it easy on me, but I give it my all and go for it. He blocks fast, but I have a lot of anger and I keep going at him. I give him a few kidney shots and he actually shows some emotion like I’m actually hurting him. Out of the corner of my eye I see we are drawing a crowd and we start to actually box. He gives me a few cheap shots, but I learn fast to keep my hands up at all times. He tells me what to do and I listen following all of his directions. I punch him a few more times and it feels good. I’m picturing punching Grant. He gets me good in the ribs and I feel like I lost my breath.

“You OK?” he asks quickly and I pop him right in the face.

“Sucker.” I back off and see the grin.

“You fight dirty.”

“Well look at the size of you and the size of me. Isn’t there supposed to be a bell?”

“No, we fight till you come back.” I nod at him and start throwing some right hooks and jabs. It feels good to get it all out. I continue to pretend he is Grant and I keep throwing hard swings. I hear some of the men giving me tips from the side and I take them.

“Hey, I thought you were on my team?” Aiden looks at the trainers and they laugh at him.

I feel my confidence come back and get close to him. He backs off and I feel like I have to chase him. He is enjoying this, too. I walk away and put my back to him. I feel him coming up behind me and turn fast and give him a perfect upper cut. I back off when I see blood and run over to him as he walks over to the side of the ring. I try to get my gloves off, but I can’t. The trainers are in the ring and one takes off my gloves. I go right to Aiden. I grab his face and he smiles at me.

“I’m so sorry, are you OK?” I put my hands on his face and he takes mine with his gloves still on.

“I’m fine, just happy to see you back.” I lean closer and look down at his bloody lip. He licks it with his tongue and smiles.

“You need ice.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You’ve never boxed before?” one trainers ask me. I shake my head no as I start to untie Aiden’s gloves.

“You should consider it.” I smile sheepishly at him as he walks away.

“Aiden, I’m so sorry.” Someone hands me ice and I place it on his lip. He pulls it out of my hand and I feel bad. I give him a remorseful face as he pulls the ice away.

“It felt good, right?”

“Yeah.” I nod my head at him, thinking, ‘fuck yeah it felt good!’

“That’s it?” He starts to study me and I know what he wants to hear so I give it to him.

“Almost as good as joining the mile high club.” I smirk at him and bite my bottom lip.

“Gentlemen, she’s back,” he yells and everyone looks at me. I turn red and slap him for being loud.

“Thank you. This was what I needed, but next time I want to fight your brother.” A trainer walks by.

“Which brother?” I don’t even think about it.

“Grant.” I cringe after I say his name. I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t want to start rumors.

“If you can kick Aiden’s ass, you can sure as hell kick Grant’s ass with a lot less effort.” I grin at the trainer and think about beating the hell out of Grant.

“Don’t get any ideas.” Aiden says, tapping my nose. He knows what I was thinking.

“I’m going to run for a bit, get me when you want to leave.” I get out of the ring and head over to the treadmills I saw when I entered the gym. I hop on one and start to run. I raise it higher and higher until I’m in a full sprint. Aiden walks over and hops on the one next to me and catches up to me. He goes a little fast but I don’t try to compete, he is almost a foot taller. And way stronger. Probably less of a klutz, too. My luck I would stumble and fall off. I keep my pace but carefully look around as I run. I watch a match and look at the boxers’ techniques. I want to do this again. I really need to find a place like this when I get back home. I watch Aiden slow down and eventually get off. He walks past me and I can’t help but stare at his beautiful body, as he saunters to the weights. Slowing my machine down I decide to take advantage of Aiden and his muscles. Slowly I make my way over, but I walk at a snail’s pace because I’m memorized by his body. The way his muscles flex as he lifts the weights. A thin sheen of sweat makes his entire body shine. I swear he is glowing.
Close your mouth, Hannah. Get it together!

“What should I do?” I ask after he spots me staring. He sits up and wipes the sweat off his chest.

“What do you want to do?” I wish I could say what I really want to say, but that would be wrong.

“I don’t know, I don’t work out.” He looks at me.

“Never?”

“I run at home, but no, I don’t know what to do with these things,” I point to the machine and Aiden gets up and sits me down. I enjoy the view of him with his shirt off and watch as he takes weights off. He positions my arms and shows me how I should push. I do twenty-five reps and he brings me to the next machine. I follow him all around the gym as he trains me. When we finish the last machine a trainer walks over to us.

“How was everything today?” He looks like he really cares about what Aiden is about to say.

“Would have been better if I didn’t get hit, but I think Hannah here had fun.” He puts his arm around me and I wrap my arm around his waist. We fit so perfectly together and that bothers me.

“It was fun, I can’t wait to get back into the ring.” They both look at me.

“Really?” I nod yes at Aiden.

“Let me get some ring time tomorrow, Dave.” He looks at me, “What time do you want to come back?”

“Whenever, I don’t exist here, remember?”

“I’ll take ten o’clock if you have it open.” Dave nods at him.

“It’s all yours.” I walk out smiling and excited for tomorrow.

We get into the car and my stomach screams at me. I have worked up an appetite.

“Sounds like you’re finally hungry,” Aiden teases.

“Do you have food at the house?” He shakes his head no.

“Can we stop at a grocery store? I’ll make dinner. It’s the least I can do after punching you in the face.” I can’t say it without laughing at him. He reaches his hand over and squeezes my knee. I squirm and nervously laugh even more. He pulls out of one parking lot right into the next one. I see a grocery store and start to think about what I should make.

“What do you like?” I watch him as he pulls into a spot and puts the truck in park.

“Everything, but I have to warn you, I have nothing in the house, but pots and pans.” I get out and start making a mental list. I grab a cart and push off as I hop on. Aiden runs up behind me and grabs the handle and pushes me. We are touching and I know this could be dangerous territory for us. When we reach the door I hop off and he pulls away. I attempt to distract myself by looking over the store and start in produce. Aisle by aisle I load the cart up. I catch his eyes every now and then and we smile at each other. When we get to the register it comes out to over three hundred dollars. I pull out my wallet and Aiden swipes his card. I give him a look and he gives me one back. Together we load up the cart. When we walk out I spot a liquor store. I glance at him.

“Want to drink tonight?” He smiles at me. This could be very treacherous.
Screw it.

“I’ll meet you at the truck.” I walk in and gather all my favorite men; Johnny, Jack, Jose and Jamison.

The cashier looks at me and I give him an apologetic smile. Apparently, my shame went out the window.

“Have a good night, ma’am.” He smirks at me.

“I fully attend to.” I grab my bottles and go out to the truck.

Aiden is playing with the radio and finally settles on a station when I close my door. He eyes my bag and raises an eyebrow.

“Ready?” I nod and he drives us home.

IT TAKES A WHILE TO
unpack everything. I really stocked him up. The once bare fridge is now full and I think Aiden likes this. I open cabinets and put things away not asking him where things go. I set up the kitchen as I want it and he doesn’t say a word. When I finish I look at him and I can tell he has been looking at me.

“I have to shower, then I will cook us dinner,” I inform him before walking into his room and then into his bathroom. I leave all the doors open. It’s a test for the both of us. I wonder as I shower if he will come in and try something or if he is really going to set me free? Part of me hopes he’ll try again. But I don’t feel disappointed when I get out and don’t see him around. I wrap a towel around myself and head into the bedroom. He walks in and goes into the bathroom leaving the door open while he showers. Is he testing me now? I get dressed quickly and put on some makeup then head into the kitchen.

I’m starving at this point so tonight’s dinner will have to be a fast one. I grill some chicken and make baked potatoes. I pull out some asparagus to grill alongside the chicken. I’m happy I bought spices because it would have been a dull dinner. Aiden walks out looking fresh and sexy from his shower. I like to see him in jeans and a T-shirt. I think it’s my favorite look on him beside the tux. He is barefoot, like me, and comes over to see what I’m making. I feel him behind me, but he doesn’t touch me.

“I’m too hungry to make a big, fancy dinner.”

“Looks good to me.” He finally touches my sides and I can feel the connection. I feel the tingles run right through me like a freight train. Using all my willpower I stay looking forward. It’s still there and I wonder how long it will take us to make the same mistake twice.

“I’ll set the table,” he whispers in my ear. The sensation of his hot, minty breath against my ear and neck sends a shiver through me. He gives my sides a light squeeze before he goes over to the table and places plates, utensils, and linen napkins out. I try not to watch him as he sets the table for the two of us. He slips out of sight as I get a platter out and put everything on it. When I see him again he has candles lit and he is placing them on the table. I sit down and he sits across from me keeping his distance.

“Dinner is served, master,” I say as I sit down.

“I’ll say grace.” I nod my head, and listen to his prayer. It’s the same one I said growing up so I join in. When I say amen I look up at him and he seems surprised.