Among the Echoes(28)

Normally, I would enjoy the silence. I can’t screw up anything else like I did with my little Florida slip up if I don’t talk. But I’m too curious about him to keep myself from starting another conversation.

"So, how’d you get into boxing?"

He turns back to face me, and a staggering warmth slides over his face. "My mom put me in boxing when I was a kid. Apparently, I was quite the handful when I was young, and she wanted to give me an outlet to get out the pent-up frustrations." He pauses to laugh to himself.

"You stuck with it all these years?"

"I did. By the time I hit middle school, I was a good bit larger than most of the other kids my age, and while football seemed like the likely sport, I just wasn’t interested. I grew up with just my mom, and I took the role of man of the house very seriously. I wanted to be able to protect her. I took up wrestling and enrolled in every self-defense class the community center offered, and when I wasn’t there, I was at the boxing gym." He stops to look over at me knowingly. His words from that first night flash into my head.

You remind me of my mother.

"Oh." I look down at my hands, twisting in my lap.

"Have you ever taken any self-defense classes, Riley?"

"Um. Yeah. Dave’s taught me a good bit. I swear I’m not always frightened like I was last night," I say unconvincingly.

"Was he the same one to teach you how to handle a gun?" he asks sarcastically.

"Hey! I know how to shoot. I just hate guns," I laugh, trying to defend myself.

"Let me teach you some self-defense stuff."

"What? Why?"

"Because I think it would make you feel a little more secure to know how to properly defend yourself. I mean, combine that with your stellar skills behind the barrel of a gun and you wouldn’t have to fear anyone," he teases.

If he only knew how much I really have to fear. No self-defense class will make me feel secure, but I still laugh at his silly comment. It feels good to make light of it even if I’m the only one in on the joke.

"It’s okay. You don’t have to do that," I answer, but he leans in close to catch my eye.

"Dave seems like he means well, but I promise I can teach you better, Riley. Let me help you feel safe," he implores and the gentleness in this huge man’s tone has me immediately agreeing. "Good. I’ll get a mat and move aside my furniture. We can do it in my apartment."

"Oh, God. That sounds like a lot of trouble. You don’t have to do that."

"No trouble. Tomorrow after work, okay?"

"Um, I guess."

He nods and turns right back around just in time to watch the last thirty seconds of the fight. "What happened to Dave? He missed watching Lopez get destroyed."

"You know, I’m not sure." I get up and head down the hall. I knock on the bathroom door, but I hear his voice from behind me.

"Over here, babe," he says from inside his room.

I walk to his doorway to see him lying on his bed, reading a book. His legs are crossed at the ankle and he’s wearing those nerdy glasses I tease him about all the time.

"What are you doing?"

"Reading," he states obviously.

"Okay, why are you reading? You missed the entire fight."

"I needed some fresh air," he says with a smile.

"In your bedroom?"

"The sexual tension was strangling me."

My head snaps back in surprise. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"All those little side glances and flirty smiles you two were tossing around the room were suffocating me." He makes a gagging gesture before giving me a wide smile.

"You have lost your damn mind! I was not flirting with him." I was totally flirting with him.

"No, you were mentally undressing him while he flirted with you."

"Shut up!" I whisper while reaching back to pull the door to his room closed.

"Don’t get all uppity. I was just giving you two some alone time to talk. That’s all."

"Well can you come back out? It’s awkward that you just disappeared."

"It can’t be that awkward considering I’ve been in here for over a half hour and you are just now coming to look for me." He winks and stands up off the bed. "I’ll be right there."

I head back to the den and find Adam sitting on the couch, fighting back a laugh while toying with the label on his beer.