Page 21 of Fight (Kitsune #2)

F riday afternoon was a hot and humid day.

I was eager for the monsoons to start, just so the afternoon rains would cool us off a little.

I changed from my shorts and tee shirt into a swim suit, slathered my skin with sunscreen, and grabbed my towel and a bottle of water before I heading down to the pool.

I put my water and towel on one of the tables surrounding the pool, before I jumped in and started my laps.

I'd barely been in the water long enough to warm up my muscles, when someone reached in and grabbed my ankle as I turned.

Not knowing who was there, I came out of the water swinging.

Devon saw what I was doing before I was able to make contact, and stepped back out of my reach.

When I realized who it was, I stopped, mid-attack.

"You startled me. If it weren't for your reflexes, you'd be on your ass by now." I pushed the water out of my face.

"It's good to know you can defend yourself."

"I can. Don't worry about that."

"I do worry about it, especially after the other day." He bent down until he was sitting on his heals beside the pool, so he was closer to eye level with me.

"I did well enough to put that idiot at the clinic in his place the other day."

"You did. But what if next time, it's not some little idiot, instead it's a guy my size, or like that guy I fought the other day. Mike is bigger than Terry. You wouldn't have done so well against someone that size."

"Are you so sure?"

"Pretty sure." He nodded. "But I want to do something about that, I want to teach you some self-defense that you can use against anyone, my size, even someone Caden's size if you need to."

"Caden's huge."

"He is, and after those notes, I want you to be able to take someone that size down if you need to, whether it be a dominance situation like the other day, survival, or just because they pissed you off."

"I guess I can't really argue with you for wanting to teach me to defend myself. If you wanted to protect me by stopping me from doing what I wanted, it would be a different story, though."

"I know, that's part of why I'm doing it this way."

"What do you have in mind?" I eyed him suspiciously.

"I want to find a gym, use the mats, and teach you what you need to know."

I thought about that a second. "It would be best if we don't go anywhere public. We'd have to hold back with our strength and speed. I don't know about you, but I'd be too busy concentrating on that, I'd have a hard time focusing on learning anything."

"I thought of that but I'm not having any success finding us a private gym to use. I decided to ask you, and see if you can think of any place we can go."

I thought for a moment. "Yeah, actually I can. Let me call Raine and see if we can use his place."

"Raine has a gym?"

"Kinda. He's converted his garage and he and a few friends work out there regularly. I used to tease him about it, though, I guess if I'm going to ask to use it, I’m gonna have to stop that."

"Yeah, probably." He laughed. "Why don't you climb out of there and call him?"

"Because I'm not done with my swim. You can sit down and wait, or go do whatever. I'm going to finish my swim before I do anything else. You know, you could call him." I suggested as I splashed a little water at him before I turned and went back to swimming.

I don't know how long I swam but when I surfaced again, I found Devon lying back on one of the loungers, waiting.

I'd obviously been a while because he'd gone home and changed into a pair of long denim shorts and a faded tee shirt with "You want a piece of this don't you.

..Too bad" stretched tight across his chest. He had a cooler sitting next to him, and a cold can of beer in his hand.

I lifted myself out of the pool, while he watched.

I ran my hands through my hair to push out the excess water, before putting my hands on my hips.

"You got one of those for me?"

"I don't know, you going to make that phone call?" He gave me a smug look.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Yeah, let me dry off so I don't short out my PCD." I picked up my towel and started drying off.

"Then, of course I have one for you." He grinned, digging into the cooler and pulling out a cold can. He popped the top open and held it out for me.

I rubbed the water off my skin, before wrapping my hair in the towel and taking the drink from him.

"Thanks." I lifted the cold, wet can and tipped it back, taking a long drink. I sat the drink on the table, and finished drying my hair and skin. I tossed the damp towel into the chair, then sat down and reached for my PCD.

When Raine picked up, we spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries, finding out how each other were doing before I asked him if we could use his gym.

He wanted to know why, and when I told him that Devon wanted to teach me self-defense, he readily agreed, but he wanted to be there.

I set up a time for us all to get together and rang off.

"He said we can use his place, but not until tomorrow evening. He has someone there tonight." I took another drink. "Oh. And he says to tell you he's going to be there too, said he's gonna make sure you do it right."

Devon huffed and took another drink from his beer, not bothering to respond.

I finished my beer and stood, gathered my things and headed home, dropping my empty can in the recycling bin near the gate as I left. I felt Devon's eyes follow me.

"Where you going?" He asked as the gate latched behind me.

"Upstairs. I need to get ready."

"For what?"

"Did you forget? We're having dinner with my parents tonight."

"No, but we have plenty of time." He said.

"We do." I agreed. "I'm gonna go up and wash off the chlorine, then get dressed.

You're welcome to join me if you want." I heard him gathering up his things and grinned to myself, as I headed for the stairs.

I made my way up the to the third floor where my apartment sat and thumbed the door, giving Devon a teasing smile as he made his way up the stairs, I stepped inside and swung the door almost closed.

I walked into the bedroom, stripping off my wet swim suit as I went.

I left the door from the bedroom to the bathroom open and I heard Devon come in and close the apartment door as I dropped my wet suit in the bathroom sink, and turned on the water in the shower.

Goosebumps formed on my skin in the cool air as I waited for the hot water.

I heard Devon making his way through my small apartment, as I stepped into the tub and under the warm spray.

I tipped my head back, enjoying the feel of the hot water running over my head, and down my chilled body.

I reveled in the moment, only opening my eyes when I heard the rustle of the shower curtain, and Devon stepped in to the shower.

My eyes roamed his body, taking in every firm inch.

Desire had darkened his eyes from their usual pale gray shade, to nearly blue as they roamed my body.

I took in the familiar width of his shoulders, the taper of his torso, down to his narrow hips.

I moved out of the falling water and up against him.

Leaning against his body, I stretched up to place a soft gentle kiss on his lips before working my way down his jaw with gentle nips of my teeth.

Devon's arms rose to wrap around me, holding me snug against him, keeping me from slipping on the slick tub floor, as he lowered his mouth to lick and bite down the line of my neck and shoulder.

I shivered as much from the sensation of his mouth against me, as from the cool air on my wet skin.

Devon, still holding me, took a step forward, until the warm, running water ran over us both.

I moaned softly and dropped my head to one side giving him better access to my neck, as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I felt his interest pressed between us.

I lost myself for a moment in the combined sensations of his body against me, the hot water sliding down my body and his tongue and teeth playing gently along my skin.

I moaned again, louder this time and Devon pulled his mouth away.

"You make me lose my head." He said, his voice raspy with lust.

"I wasn't complaining."

"Not here. We'll slip and break our necks." He picked up my shampoo bottle and squirted some into the palm of one hand. "Turn around and let me get your hair."

I obediently turned, giving him my wet hair as I let the water rain down against the front of my body. I closed my eyes, and enjoyed the feel of his fingers massaging my scalp.

"Whoa, there." Devon's arm came around my waist again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I opened my eyes and saw the ceiling above me.

"You were swaying." He sounded concerned.

"I closed my eyes to enjoy you washing my hair.

" I picked my head up and turned around, raising my arms to work my hands through my hair under the spray.

Unable to resist the urge, I pulled one suds covered hand out of my hair and trailed the bubbles over his chest, inching lower until Devon stopped me, capturing my hand in his.

"I meant it. Not in the shower." His eyes still dark with desire, but serious at the same time. I knew I wasn't going to convince him that the shower was a good idea, at least not this time.

I finished rinsing my hair, and let the last of the soap rinse down my body, before switching places with Devon, careful not to let the soap I'd rubbed over him get on me. I climbed out of the shower, while he finished.

Still standing in the bathroom, I dried my face and shoulders then flipped my hair over and wrapped it in the towel.

I was reaching for a second towel to wrap around my body, when Devon slid the shower curtain open.

He stepped out onto the rug and instead of reaching for the towel I'd left on the rack for him, he reached for me.

He pulled the back of my body against the wet, dripping front of him.