Page 10 of Sunflower Persona (Classic City Romance #2)

Kori

B uildings shouldn’t be intimidating. Stone and steel don’t have the capacity to be anything beyond inanimate materials, and it takes action and intention to create fear.

A static structure doesn’t have either of those.

It would be like saying a tree is intimidating.

Or a boulder. Yet somehow, approaching the tiny warehouse gym feels like walking toward my certain doom.

Okay, so maybe it isn’t the gym itself but the uncertainty that waits for me inside.

After my last visit, I looked up what jiu-jitsu actually is, and it seems terrible.

I get what Gage meant about not having a personal bubble anymore.

From what I gathered, the sport boils down to aggressive floor hugging.

I don’t want to aggressively floor hug anyone, let alone sweaty strangers.

No, thank you. Not my idea of a good time.

Daisy and I debated for hours if I should even come. There is no doubt in my mind that I’m going to hate it, but I didn’t want to stand Gage up, so here I am, hyping myself up in the parking lot like a fool.

One class, and I never have to do this again. I can do one class.

The bell above the door rings as I step inside, and I’m stunned by a wave of sound punctuated with the high-pitched squeals of children’s laughter.

More shocking than that is the deeper, bellowing laughter that comes along with it.

The sound isn’t one I’ve ever heard, but I immediately recognize its source.

Gage is laughing…with children?

This I’ve got to see.

A low wall separates the front mat from the doorway, and several parents are gathered around, watching whatever spectacle is happening on the other side. As casually as I can manage, I join them, and the scene taking place on the other side nearly causes my ovaries to explode.

When I heard children, I pictured actual kids, not toddlers, but the tiny people swarming around Gage can’t be more than five. He is on his knees, letting the kids climb all over him like little spider monkeys with an actual smile on his face.

It’s the smile that does me in.

What I thought was a crush before was mere embers compared to the raging inferno that sparks to life in my chest.

“He’s really good with them,” one of the moms tells me, without taking her eyes off the mat—no, him.

Jealousy crackles through me like lightning. I recognize the look on her face because it’s mirrored on mine. She wants him—who wouldn’t after seeing him interact with the kids? Hell, half the parents here have similar looks on their faces.

“Looks like it,” I mumble, holding back the urge to glare.

“Which one is yours?” she asks.

“Oh, no. I don’t have kids. I’m just early for my class.”

“That’s my Jack.” She points to the blond-headed child with his arms wrapped around Gage’s neck.

“He absolutely idolizes Gage. I swear all I hear at home is ‘Coach Gage this’ and ‘Coach Gage that.’ It is really useful for discipline, though. All I have to do to get him in line is threaten to tell Coach Gage, and he is on his best behavior.”

I’d be on my best behavior for Coach Gage too.

“I’m Ashley, by the way.”

“Kori,” I tell her, but I don’t have time to say much else before Gage calls the class to order.

The authoritative command he barks out has me going stiff at attention along with the rest of the kids, which causes Ashley to burst out laughing beside me. Her laughter draws his attention from the class, and for the first time, he notices me among the spectators.

He barely glances at her before his gaze lands on me.

His face goes blank for a breath, and then his lips curl into a wry grin and his eyes soften in a way that has my heart melting.

I hold my hand up and wiggle my fingers in an awkward wave.

His hand twitches at his side like he wants to respond, but he doesn’t and directs his focus back to the class.

For the first time, Ashley’s attention is fully on me.

So is the attention of every mom in this room.

Hell, even a few dads are staring in my direction.

The looks on their faces range from curiosity to outright hostility.

Both make me wish a wormhole would open up and suck me into an alternate dimension where the clouds are made of cotton candy, and everyone is an anthropomorphic bird.

Or I could bolt to the locker room. That is the sane option here.

“Girl, what was that about?” Ashley asks before I can go through with my plan.

“I have no idea,” I tell her with a shrug.

“Well, honey, I’m jealous. Gage has never looked at any of us that way, and not for lack of trying on some of our parts.” She casts a disapproving look at one of the other moms, whose shirt’s neckline plunges so deep that her tits are practically hanging out.

I don’t really know what to say to that, so I shrug.

Gage and I are more than strangers, but we aren’t friends.

Not that I haven’t hoped for more. Sharing that seems like a bad idea.

It’s way too personal to get into with someone I met all of five minutes ago.

Although that might be how people make friends.

I’ve got the meeting-people part down, and our common interest here is Gage; I don’t want to talk about that, though.

He is mine, and I want to hide him away like a dragon protecting its hoard.

The rest of the class passes without further conversation.

Watching the kids makes me feel a bit better about what I’m about to get myself into.

If the kids can do it, so can I. Although most of their time is spent playing games that help them grow comfortable with the different movements without actually drilling.

The time they do spend working on technique looks like they are hugging and falling at each other.

It’s freaking adorable.

So is how seriously Gage treats it. He never once addresses them as if they’re anything but tiny adults.

As he calls the class to an end, he catches my eye and attempts to escape from the mat.

Heavy emphasis on attempts , because between the kids and their mothers, everyone wants his attention.

He doesn’t push any of them away and even gets down to the kids’ level when speaking to them.

It’s a complete one-eighty from how he acts at the bar.

“Hey, Kori. Are you ready for your first class?”

Unease crawls down my spine as the familiar low rasp of Gage’s goth friend comes from behind me.

Friend. Ha. That’s wishful thinking. The dose of reality pops my swelling heart and sends it flying around my ribcage like a deflating balloon.

It doesn’t matter how hard I’m crushing when he isn’t available.

“I—”

“Perfect. You are going to love it. I’m going to pair you up with one of the other newer girls, but flag me down if you have any questions.” She wraps an arm around my waist and guides me to the center mat without waiting for my response.

“You coach too?”

“Nope, I just help out sometimes. Chappy is the woman in charge tonight.” She jerks her head toward a tall, slender woman in the center of the room with a clipboard.

“What about Gage?”

“He only coaches the brats.”

“Is he not going to train?”

“These classes are below his skill level.”

“Oh.”

There goes any hope I had of talking to him today. I should have bailed when I had the chance. This was never anything more than business for him, and I built it up to be something more.

“Evelyn, meet Kori. I want you to work with her today.”

The woman she introduces me to looks about as comfortable as I feel. She’s wearing the same karate costume that everyone else is, but hers is stiffer and whiter than the rest. No one told me I needed a uniform. I’m going to stand out like a freak in my neon spandex.

“Hi,” Evelyn says, raising her arm in an awkward wave.

“Hi,” I mimic.

“You two are going to get along great. Have fun.” The terrifying woman smiles in a way that seems more threatening than friendly and leaves us on our own.

“Sorry about Karis. She can be a lot,” Evelyn says with a sigh as she fidgets with the end of her thick chestnut ponytail.

I file away the name for future reference. It beats calling her “the goth girl.” Especially since she doesn’t have the same edge here. It makes sense. I wouldn’t wear a full face of makeup or a dozen rings to work out either.

“Wait, you guys are friends?”

“Yup, and she’s been pestering me to join her here for months.

I tried to explain to her that my idea of a good time doesn’t involve rolling around on the ground with sweaty men.

Wait, that makes it sound way dirtier than it actually is—and like I’m shaming people.

People can do what they want with their bodies.

I just don’t want to be touched by strange men all the time. Especially for exercise.”

Her full cheeks grow pinker with each sentence she rambles.

“Then why are you here?”

“Karis is nothing if not persistent, and she always gets what she wants. Fighting it is futile.”

“She sounds lovely.” Sarcasm coats the words.

“She is…a unique person. But a great friend to have.”

“So does that mean you know Gage too?”

“Sure. I—”

“Line it up,” Karis shouts, cutting our conversation short.

My partner grabs my hand and leads me to the end of the line. We bow in, and then I’m in hell. No one told me there would be running or jumping or rolling. I’m fully ready to quit by the time we finish the warm-up. Fuck this workout thing. I’m out.

The only thing that keeps me on the mat is Gage watching from the fence. My skin prickles with the awareness of his gaze. It’s unnerving.

Once we start focusing on the actual technique, the situation gets a little better.

There’s a lot less moving and a lot more learning.

Plus, the only person I have to touch is Evelyn.

All things considered, it isn’t so bad. She’s as clueless as I am, so we spend most of the class laughing at how awful we are instead of drilling anything properly.

That part is actually pretty fun. By the time class comes to an end, I’m conflicted about what I want to do.

“Okay, spill. Why has Gage been watching you for the past hour?” Evelyn asks once we’re dismissed.

Her question causes me to trip over my feet.

“Are you sure he wasn’t watching his girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend? Gage? That’s a good one.” She wipes away fake tears from her eyes as she laughs.

“Isn’t he with Karis?”

That sends her into a fit of giggles so intense she doubles over.

“You’re funny,” she says once she catches her breath.

“So that’s a no?”

“Hard no. Like, not even if they were the last two people on earth levels of no.”

“But they seem close.”

“Oh, they are, but not like that. Which brings me back to him watching you.”

“He wasn’t watching me.”

“Sure, and I’m not—”

“Hey, Kor,” Gage cuts in as we step off the mat. After a second, he adds, “Evelyn,” but he doesn’t glance in her direction.

Maybe she was on to something, because I could burn alive from the heat in his gaze.

“Have fun, girl. I’ll catch you in striking Thursday,” my new friend says as she scurries away.

“So what did you think?” he asks once we’re alone.

“It was…”

“You hated it, didn’t you?” His brow furrows and his lips purse into a scowl.

“No. I didn’t hate it,” I say in a rush. It’s a lie, but I’ll say anything to get that unguarded look back on his face.

“But…”

“It wasn’t what I was expecting. Warm-up sucked, but the rest wasn’t so bad.”

“‘Wasn’t so bad’ isn’t the same as enjoying it.”

“I liked Evelyn.”

“But that’s the only thing,” he concludes.

“Yeah,” I say with a defeated sigh.

I wanted to love this place like he does. So much for finding a common interest .

“You aren’t going to offend me if you decide this isn’t for you.”

“But—”

“Seriously. No hard feelings. And if you like Evelyn, you should come to Cutter’s tonight. I’m working, but the whole crew is coming out for a few drinks.”

Nervous energy dances under my skin, begging me to claw at it for some relief.

Evelyn, I can deal with. But the whole crew?

That means Karis will be there. And the other man from before—the one with the flirty smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

And those are only the ones I know. He could have a dozen more friends, and I doubt they want anything to do with me.

“I’m not sure.” I run a hand over my other arm, pinching and twisting the flesh with each pass to help ground me.

“Hey,” he says and catches my hand in his massive one before it can do any more damage.

The all-encompassing heat soothes the swarming nerves into a dull buzz. His thumb runs along the back of my hands, straightening out my tense fingers one at a time until they relax back into their neutral state.

“No pressure. Think about it, all right? I’m sure Evelyn would be thrilled if you came.”

“Okay.” I can at least promise to think about it.

The corner of his lips curls in the smallest hint of a smile before he drops my hand.

“Let me walk you out.”

All I can do is nod. If I open my mouth, I’ll say something stupid and ruin whatever this is. He stays a step behind me as he walks me to the door, too far to touch, but close enough my whole body tingles with awareness.

It turns out that thinking about it doesn’t take long.

As soon as I’m free from his intoxicating presence, my choice becomes crystal clear. I can’t not go. This is the opportunity I’ve been so desperately looking for to make new friends, Gage and my crush be damned. If something does happen there…well, that’ll be icing on the cake.