Another Door Opens

38 - Beaten to the punch

- MILES -

I somehow ended up partnering with Eden this morning and it was wildly uncomfortable for me.

I think it came about because Wolfe had sprung up a conversation with one of the other guys before Eden arrived a little late, and when Grayson joined them in discussing and coaching them on a particular technique they were then practising on each other, they just carried on. Wolfe very sweetly checked with Eden that it was okay, and she stared at him flatly as if there was no need at all to ask. Since partnering with Grayson the other week, she’s actually seemed a lot more confident and comfortable working with people other than Wolfe in classes, like she’s finally overcome any self-consciousness hurdles she previously had in place and was just diving in, loving boxing as much as I guess we all do. 

Today was my turn, and I loved and hated it in equal measure.

“You’re holding back, Miles,” Eden said, seeming annoyed that I would be doing so. I’m not able to unleash on her like I would one of the other guys. I’m not that much of an asshole, and I think it’s programmed into my brain to ease off to avoid hurting her. Apparently she isn’t impressed by my attempts at chivalry.

“Yes, and no matter how much you frustratedly scrunch up your nose, or squint and stare me down for it, you can’t convince me to do otherwise,” I said definitively, not having any idea how Wolfe feels at all comfortable with the amount of force he now uses when working out with Eden.

“You’re worse than Wolfe was in the beginning.”

“Well, I’m sorry that I feel somewhat uncomfortable with hitting a woman. Especially a friend,” I said, knowing within half a second that I had put my foot in it when her eyes narrowed even more on me and she dropped her arms.

“You think I can’t take it because I’m a woman?”

I have a feeling I’m destined to lose out whichever way I answer this one. “I feel like if I say yes, then you’ll think I’m some kind of misogynistic scumbag who inherently believes that women are weaker than men, and if I say no, then you won’t believe me anyway. So, I plead the fifth,” I smirked at her as she crossed her arms at me, uncomfortably trying to manoeuvre the pads through the knot she was making with her arms, and knocking her boobs about in the process. It was hilarious, and hot as hell.

“Miles, I can take it,” she insisted, seeming determined to make me believe her, tightening the grip she had across her chest, which just made her boobs pop out over her top even more, which I became aware that she noticed when her arms immediately unfolded and she sent a jab into my stomach. “Perve.”

She didn’t look annoyed at me. In fact, she actually seemed a mix of flustered and entertained, and when I shrugged and held out my arms with a ‘can you blame me?’ expression, she blushed and started giggling, doubling down on her little punches to my stomach which I managed to fend off by skirting around her and wrapping my arms around her waist to pin her arms by her side.

“I see you are both following my expert instruction to the letter then,” said Grayson slyly, looking only slightly annoyed by the disruption to his class that Eden’s delighted squeals were causing. More than anything he looked entertained and impressed that I had seemingly finally cracked open the friendzone I’ve existed in with Eden, and clasped my shoulder in encouragement. 

“He started it,” Eden said petulantly, brushing herself out of my grip on her with one final sneaky, backwards hit on me, slightly lower than the others had been, which naturally resulted in me wide eyed, wincing and clutching at my groin in pain.

Eden looked mortified, as did Wolfe when he sauntered over curiously to investigate. “What’s going on?”

I took an unnaturally long and deep intake of air to centre myself before replying because apparently Eden wasn’t going to offer up an explanation to her brother.