Page 13 of Kiss-Fist (Deaf Hearts #1)

In order to distract myself, I turn up early to work the next day, switching shifts with Kyle because he wanted to party and sleep in. And really, it’s fine. I own the damn gym. It’s the least I can do.

So here I am, setting the weights back that people left strewn around the ground, when a familiar figure walks through the front doors.

My heart thumps in my chest at the sight of him. Robbie looks tired, his hair a mess, his clothes rumpled.

Delicious is the first word that comes to mind, and I tuck that word away so I can figure out how to sign it. I’ll tell Robbie what I think about him.

How I want to lick his balls and swallow his dick .

The thought of him standing above me, watching as I slowly suck him down makes my own dick throb.

Without hesitation, I move toward him, my body almost shaking with need, but I don’t reach out or touch him despite how much I want it. Not after that handshake he tried to give me.

The truth is, I’m not sure that he’s into me.

Leaf says it’s more complicated than that though.

He says there are cultural differences to account for that I don’t totally understand.

Obviously, there are communication problems, which will take a while to solve, considering I’m learning a whole new language.

He reminded me it wouldn’t be as easy as I think. And the more Leaf talked about it, the more I understood. I get why Robbie may be reluctant to go anywhere with me beyond that kiss. But damn it, I’m determined.

I want to get to know him. I’m willing to do whatever I need to.

It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but I don’t mind that.

I enjoy the process. And I want him to understand that all of this is important to me because, in spite of the fact that I can tell he’s not thrilled about wanting me, I want him to know I’m worth the risk.

I just need a chance.

I stop in front of him, seeing him with two other men. They’re signing far too quickly for me to decipher any of it, so I turn my gaze back to Robbie, who is staring at me in shock.

It’s obvious he didn’t expect me here, which tells me he knew my schedule and was trying to avoid me. Shit , that stings. I can only hope it doesn’t show on my face.

His hand moves to his hair, and he pats it down, trying to look more put together, but clearly, he doesn’t know I love this rumpled look on him. I want to be responsible for him looking like this after a nice, hot round of sex.

He must see it in my eyes because his cheeks turn red, and he glances away, glancing at the two other men he’s with.

I recognize them both. The muscular one has pale skin and freckles, strawberry blond hair, and there’s a scar under his left eye.

He comes in every weekend and usually works with Zev.

The other is Rhett, the interpreter, and clearly the freckled man’s boyfriend.

He’s a little thinner than his boyfriend, but with definition in his arms and chest now that he’s been working out more often.

Robbie waves his hand, and the two of them stop, turning to look at him and then me.

Then they continue to sign, stealing occasional glances at me while they do, and I’m left to stand there like an outsider, like a fourth wheel.

This must be what Robbie feels like when he’s around hearing people all day. That realization is jarring, and I run a hand across the back of my neck as I wait for someone to include me. Not that they need to, but fuck, I want to be part of this.

I want to know what they’re saying.

I need more than the app Leaf handed me. It’s helpful. It’s allowed Robbie and I to have more than just hello and me awkwardly misspelling words, but it’s not enough.

I’m going to have to hire a professional tutor and take a class. I mean business.

As I plan this in my head, the three of them continue to chat.

And at some point in the middle of the conversation, Robbie and his freckled friend nod at Rhett, who turns and takes pity on me.

“Hi,” he says aloud, shocking me slightly.

I wasn’t expecting him to speak for some reason.

“Thom, right? We met when I first started.”

I swallow heavily. He signs while he speaks, and I realize that he’s including them in this. As he should.

“Yes, sorry. Hi. Good to see you again.” I sign it for good measure because Robbie’s gaze is on me like a damn laser. Robbie’s friend is staring at me too, his eyes narrow and assessing.

It’s like I’m on trial, and I am not used to feeling like this.

I know I’m good-looking—I get ogled at work all the time, and I’ve had more than one client get a little too friendly with me. But this is different. I don’t think I like it.

Rhett rolls his eyes, spins, smacks Robbie’s friend on the stomach, and signs a word I do recognize: ‘Don’t.

’ He turns back to me and extends his hand.

“I’m Rhett,” he says like maybe I’ve forgotten.

He spells his name kind of absently, like it’s a habit, then signs something I don’t recognize, but I’m about eighty percent sure it’s his name sign.

“This is Mellie.” He uses another sign, so now I’m sure that’s what it was. “And you know Robbie.”

I pay close attention to that one. It’s different from the name sign Robbie showed me before. I quickly tuck this new one away to use later because Robbie makes a noise of distress and hits Rhett on the shoulder.

Rhett just turns, grins, and shrugs. “Robbie’s talked about you a lot.” Robbie makes that same noise again, a sort of whine in the back of his throat, and tugs on Rhett’s shirt .

Fuck, those noises are so hot and endearing. I really like them.

The other guy, Mellie, is openly laughing into his hand. Fuck, they know. They all know what a goddamn dipshit I was. They know the line I crossed with a client. They probably know I want to do it again.

Fuck. I own this place, but when Dex finds out, I am so getting fired.

Elbowing Rhett out of the way, Robbie steps up. ‘Sorry,’ he signs, mouthing along. I don’t recognize what he signs next, but I can read the words off his lips with the way he exaggerates his movements. ‘Ignore them.’

Something in me relaxes, and I reach into my pocket for my phone because my lexicon is just not big enough yet, and I make sure my text audio reader app is on before I write to him on the screen. I hate that Rhett will hear this read aloud, but I’m too excited to see Robbie again to care.

Me: Are we ok?

Robbie: Yes, why? Not good I’m here today?

Me: No! Its fien, but u wrer gon last sesin

Robbie: Sorry need to switch time, this ok?

Me: * thumbs up * U want 2 wrk out w/me?

Robbie stares at the phone, then back at his friends, then at the phone again.

He’s not on my schedule, and I decide that if he does want to work out with me today, I’m not going to charge him.

Today is my day to just observe and make sure no one’s doing anything ridiculous anyway. So I can do both.

Probably.

My ADHD made sure I was never good at multitasking unless it was during sex. Then I can do all the things. But that’s not helpful right now.

Robbie licks his lips, and oh hell, I want to put my mouth on his mouth.

I come back to reality when Robbie nudges me and hands me the phone.

Robbie: I walk treadmill, but will text later to reschedule. Yes?

Disappointment floods through me. I wanted an excuse to get my hands on him again, but I can’t exactly say that now, can I? But hey, at least he’s not running away from me. Unless…unless he wants to. Unless he really was trying to avoid me by showing up today.

Oh my god, I’m overthinking this.

Right?

By the time I get my shit together, Robbie’s already wandering toward the machines, lagging behind Mellie and Rhett. I sneakily snap a photo of those two, then pull up Zev’s number and shoot him the photo.

Me: Met ur freinds. They cool or hate me bcuz im hearing ?

Zev doesn’t answer, not that I expected him to. We’re not, like, best friends, and he has a mountain of personal shit he’s been dealing with. But damn it, if he was here, this might be easier.

I do my best not to be a creep though. I walk around machines, clean a few things, spot a young college kid who is doing the rowing machine for the first time, obviously because she’s doing it painfully wrong.

I shoot her a few words of encouragement as I fix her posture, and I feel good when she sighs in relief.

“So it’s not supposed to feel like something’s ripping my spine out through my shoulders?”

I laugh as I adjust her one last time. “Nope. You want the workout to burn, not tear you into little pieces. But you’ve got this.”

She beams at me, and I smile back and watch her do a few reps before she slows down. “I think I actually do.”

I offer a fist to bump, and her knuckles meet mine. It feels great until I turn and catch Robbie’s eyes in the mirror. He’s glowering at me like he wants to set me on fire. Fuck, what now? What could I possibly have done wron?—

I don’t even get to finish the thought. He’s so focused on me that he doesn’t notice his shoelace. I do—but only at the last second. It catches in the tread, and as he fails in his attempt to lift his foot, he falls.

My brain stutters over itself for too long, and it takes me a second to get my legs to cooperate with what I want them to do.

When I start moving, I’m not fast enough to catch him.

I hear a dull thud and a soft cry as his side hits the hard plastic.

He didn’t put the clip on for the emergency stop, so the tread keeps going, hurtling him to the ground.

The pliant, rubbery floors burn like a motherfucker as I slide on my knees the rest of the way toward him, but I barely register the pain. My skin has probably scraped all the way off, but it doesn’t matter.