Bad Boy Love - Ben (Bad Boy Love Series Book 2) Read online

  That thought wouldn’t leave his mind as he watched her hold her side for another moment and then straighten her spine and meet his eyes. She had to try twice before she could find her voice, but find it she did, stunning him with her request.

  “Teach me how to evade a blow like that.”

  “No way.”

  He met her eyes, amazed at the determination blazing within them. Irena had a fire burning inside that he hadn’t seen before, and it was even more of a turn on than the skintight outfit she wore. After watching both his mother and his sister stay in abusive relationships and succumb to drugs, he was finished with weak women.

  But a tough one…he liked that idea. A lot. Too much.

  Despite Irena’s pink outfit and the good-girl attitude, she was tougher than any woman he knew. Which was bad. Very bad.

  For him.

  “Please.” She pleaded with him, her eyes fixed on him. “I need you to teach me.”

  Don’t get sucked in by the tears and the tits. She’s a woman and they’re all treacherous. But Ben wasn’t necessarily listening to the little voice in his head. His body and now his mind wanted to know more about her.

  He sighed. “I’m sorry if I hit you too hard.”

  Irena’s eyes lit up. “You didn’t, Ben. It hurt – a bit. But if you’d intended to injure me I’d be on my way to the hospital right now.”

  “You’re right. I wanted to make you give up, but I guess that didn’t work out?”

  Her lips curved up into a small smile and once again his heart did a somersault. Her lips might be the death of him. Or maybe just his downfall.

  “Okay. I’ll teach you,” he said, resigned. “It may get rough at times, but that’s how fighting is. The most important part is to always stay in control, of yourself and your opponent. But most importantly of your emotions, because anything can happen when you’re carried away by your emotions.”

  I of all people know that.

  Ben looked at Irena, and she nodded, her expression much too eager for his liking. “It doesn’t matter who you’re trying to fend off, brute force is never an answer.”

  “How do you know I’m trying to fend off an attacker?” She answered with wide-open eyes, creating the need in him to press her against his chest. Protect her from everyone and everything. Even himself.

  “I can see it in your eyes. I may be a simple gym owner, an ex-con with a record that includes attempted murder, but I’ve never been stupid.”

  Her eyes clouded over. “You think I don’t know all of that? Your past is the exact reason why I came here. And…” She tilted her head. “I never believed for a second you were stupid. You were double-dealt back then, I just haven’t found out why or by whom.”

  Ben scowled. “Leave the past where it belongs. Or I may regret my decision.”

  Irena searched his eyes for a moment and a strange feeling clenched his heart.

  “Okay. You’re the boss.”

  Chapter 6

  Two hours later, Irena had called a cab for a ride back to Georgia’s apartment, her mind whirling with everything that had happened. Against her better judgment, she was attracted to her trainer. It was confusing.

  Despite his rough and rugged exterior, Ben had been gentle with her. Well, if you could call a grueling workout and a blow to her ribs gentle. But even then, he’d been in absolute control. She’d met his eyes when he’d hit her, and she’d noticed the calculated restraint. Deep inside she knew he’d never truly hurt her. It had been his way of sending her a message. A message to give up.

  She could actually understand why he didn’t want to teach her, but she wasn’t in a position to respect his reluctance. And like a good sportsman he’d readily accepted his defeat when she wouldn’t give up.

  Irena smiled and her girlie parts came to life when she thought about Ben’s impressive appearance. He was the prototype of masculinity, without even trying. The virile energy he exuded and his domineering personality made everyone – including Irena – stand to attention. He was more man than her husband and all his friends put together could ever be.

  I should be afraid of him. He could crush me with one hand. Yes, but he never would do that. He’s a good guy. Irena had to laugh, good guy probably was the one label no one would ever attribute to Ben.

  Georgia waited for her at home. “Hi, Sweetie. How was your workout?”

  Irena’s eyes locked on her friend. “Wonderful. I knew Ben Moretti would be the perfect trainer.”

  “You’re not planning to go there again, are you?” Georgia asked with eyes wide open.

  “Of course I am. I told you. I’m gonna learn how to defend myself.”

  Georgia rolled her eyes. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Are you hungry? Want to have lunch with me?”

  After finishing college, Georgia had soon become a popular food blogger and only a year ago she’d been asked by the Michelin guide to work as a freelance restaurant critic for them.

  “Only if we can stay incognito.” Usually Irena loved going out with Georgia, because her friend always received special attention when she revealed her identity.

  “Sure, we’ll go to a tiny Japanese place I’ve discovered.”

  Over lunch, Georgia asked more questions about Ben and easily picked up on Irena’s infatuation for the hot trainer.

  “Don’t tell me you’re falling for that guy?” Georgia said.

  “I’m not.”

  “So how do you explain that you’ve talked nonstop about his incredible body, his scorching hot tattoos, and his ripped abs. That sounds a lot like having a crush to me.”

  Irena shook her head. “That’s only professional appreciation. I mean, he’s my trainer and it’s only normal to notice the good shape he’s in.”

  “So I assume, the stubble on his jaw and the shaven head are a vital part to his shape, right?” Georgia teased her.

  “Yes. They are,” Irena answered, her jaw tilted at a stubborn angle.

  “You don’t believe that crap yourself, do you? You’re developing a worse crush on Ben than on that football player back in high school.

  Irena blushed. She’d made a fool of herself chasing the elusive football superstar in her junior year. “It’s not like that. And he’s checked me out, too. I could see the appreciative glint in his eyes.”

  Georgia gave a theatrical sigh. “Good girl. You’re not looking for a guy, are you?”

  “No. I have to stay with Fred; he would kill me if I ask for a divorce again. But it’s nice to feel the attraction. It’s been such a long time since I’ve felt feminine and desirable. And since we’ve been married, well, Fred… he just doesn’t notice me anymore”

  “Does Mr. Sexy have a website?” Georgia asked.

  “Sure.”

  Irena pulled out her smart phone and browsed to the website of Tough as Nails. Then she handed the phone to her friend, who perused the pictures of the gym, wrinkling her nose, until she reached the video where Ben showed how to properly do squats with barbells.

  “Wow. That man is…yummy. Rough, but yummy. Not boyfriend material, but nice to look at. I can see why he turned your lonely head.”

  Irena grinned, and then she hit her hand against her forehead. “Damn, I totally forgot. I need to buy new workout gear. You coming with me?”

  Georgia was Irena’s trusted shopping partner and always ready to hit the stores. “Sure let’s go and have some fun.”

  Thirty minutes later Irena stood in the middle of a fancy sporting goods store, trying to figure out what kind of clothing would blend in better with the other male customers at Ben’s gym.

  His remark about princesses in pink suits hadn’t been lost on her this morning. And to give him credit, she’d been the only person wearing any color other than black, grey, dark blue or white.

  Georgia approached her with a shiny pastel orange spandex in her hand. “Look, I just know this will fit you perfectly, and show off your assets. And the color will give your skin a healthy glow, and bring o
ut the brown in your eyes.”

  Normally, Irena would jump on her friend’s recommendation, but not today. The spandex was pretty, but it would look more than a little out of place in a gym full of guys with bulging muscles, tattoos covering their skin, knee-length shorts in dark colors, and tank tops or bare chested.

  “No. I need something to blend in, remember? No feminine colors like pink, orange, and pastels.”

  Georgia tightened her lips, but dutifully trotted off to find something else and came back with several pairs of black spandex boxing shorts.

  “Here try these.”

  Irena tried them on and then stepped out of the changing cubicle. The black, skin-tight shorts with a purple band around the waist hugged her body like a glove and ended around mid-thigh, low enough as to not be indecent or draw unwarranted attention to the bottom of her butt.

  “Wow. That’s nice. And not too flashy,” Georgia said. “Stay here. I’ll find some matching tops for you.”

  When Georgia returned with several cropped tank tops that would barely cover her ribs, Irena shook her head. “Way too much skin for a place full of testosterone.”

  Finally, Irena chose several of the boxing shorts in black with different colored waist bands and matching black hip-long spandex tank tops with a built-in shelf bra. As Irena paid for her purchases, Georgia shook her head.

  “I can’t believe you just spent three hundred bucks to appease some lowlife…”

  “He’s not a lowlife. You haven’t even met him,” Irena interrupted.

  “Irena, he’s an ex-con. He has a record for attempted murder. That makes him even worse than Fred in my opinion. I mean I saw the pictures. That man could crush you with one hand and you’re letting him throw punches at you? How crazy is that?”

  “It’s not crazy at all and he would never hurt me. Not intentionally anyway.” Irena’s pulse raced from the memory of Ben’s muscles bunch and lengthen during their warm-up this morning. It was wrong, but in this moment all she wanted was to get her hands on his abs… and other parts of him.

  Georgia rolled her eyes. “Remember he did time for attempted murder.”

  “Attempted means he didn’t follow through on it.”

  “I can’t believe you’re defending him. Your crush almost beat someone to death.”

  Irena couldn’t help wondering what horrible thing the other guy had done to make Ben lose his temper like that. The man she’d met seemed so controlled and in charge of himself.

  Chapter 7

  Ben sat in his office trying to finish that damn end-of-month accounting work, but he couldn’t get Irena out of his head. That woman made his entire body hum with need. He briefly considered hooking up with her for a night – just to get her out of his system. But his gut told him it one night would never be enough.

  No. It was better to stay away from her and find someone else to satisfy his libido. Irena meant trouble with a capital T, and he’d vowed to stay away from trouble since he’d been out of prison.

  “I’ll call her and tell her she can’t come here again,” he murmured more to himself than to anyone else. When he sensed someone standing outside his office door, he looked up to see Irena with an expectant smile on her face. Gone was the pink second skin, but what she wore now was even sexier. Irena wore tight black boxing shorts that hugged her hips and left most of her gorgeous legs bare, and her tank top presented her lush breasts in the most favorable way.

  All of his blood rushed south of his belt and he swallowed hard at the sight. His breathing became ragged, but for some stupid reason he couldn’t resist giving her a rare smile.

  “Good morning, Ben,” she said with the sweetest, happiest voice ever.

  “Morning.” He grumbled the greeting, realizing he liked way too much how this woman looked.

  “I’m sorry if I’m too early,” she said with a shy expression on her face.

  “No. No. It’s just…” What should he say? You’ve wound your way into my body and my mind and I’d rather not see you again, because otherwise I might jump at you and devour you? Not good… “I hate doing the books.”

  A small smile appeared on her lips and the urge to kiss her became almost unbearable. “I used to like that…” She stopped mid-sentence.

  Ben’s curiosity was spiked. “What happened?”

  “I got married.” Her eyes took on a pained look.

  Ben’s world shattered to the ground and it took him a few moments to regain control of his voice.

  “You’re married?”

  He had no idea why he was disappointed. He didn’t do emotions and therefore didn’t give a toss whether Irena was married or not.

  “Yes. Four years ago. My husband wanted me at home to support his political career.” She looked at him as if she had to apologize for her wedded state. “So I dropped out of college and became a housewife.”

  “You don’t like it,” he stated.

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to.”

  He really should keep his mouth shut, it was none of his business what Irena did outside his gym. He closed the books, switched of his computer and prepared to leave the office.

  “You’re right. I didn’t mind in the beginning. I’d just turned twenty and life with Fred was glamorous and exciting. I met lots of high society people, went to all of the famous parties and galas, attended official events on my husband’s arm – but I soon started feeling like a pretty accessory. Something to pull out of the closet to show off, and then toss back inside until needed again…” Her voice trailed off. She paused and then murmured, “My life has become nothing but a shallow pretense of a real life. And that was before things went from boring to bad to horrific.”

  Ben looked at her and wondered what kind of a secret she hid and if it had anything to do with her husband. But he wouldn’t go there. No he wouldn’t. Irena wasn’t his responsibility.

  “That’s none of my business. Let’s go and train,” he said gruffly and led her to the small room in the back of the gym.

  Yesterday, she’d stuck it out and done amazingly well under his instruction, at least once he’d stopped trying to make her give up and quit. She’d be a good student. His best student.

  Irena’s tenacity showed once again as she began to follow his lead. He pushed her, and himself, through an intense cardio workout. Anything to rip out that need to kiss her from his body.

  She was covered in sweat by the time he stopped and he watched her throat move as she drank from a bottle of water. Her neck was long and graceful, and little wisps of hair had escaped her ponytail and curled against the back of her neck and scalp. His barely contained lust sprang to life. Is this how she looks after a passionate round of scorching hot sex?

  When Irena felt his gaze on her, she lowered the bottle and boldly held his eyes for a moment before he looked away. Hell, she had guts. His admiration for her grew when they’d started sparring and she remembered most of what he’d taught her the day before. She was sticking around and for that, he decided to relax and teach her a few new moves. It might even be fun. Getting close to that sexy bod wasn’t such a bad thing. His manly party jumped at the thought and he cursed his visceral reaction to her.

  “It’s one thing to be able to block a punch, or even a kick, but what happens if some guy puts his hands on you?” he asked, watching her eyes cloud with fear for a moment before she shuttered them.

  He’d hit a nerve. Had that already happened? Is that why she’d sought him out? When she opened them again, the fear had transformed into determination and something else. Arousal?

  “Why don’t you show me?” she invited, her voice a bit husky.

  Ben observed her and then walked around her a couple of times before quickly spinning her away from him and locking his arms around her upper arms. He used one arm to restrain her and then lifted the other arm up to circle her neck.

  She panicked and tried to get away, kicking back with her feet, to which he simply grinned and s
queezed her harder. When she instinctively arched back against him, tipping her head back against his shoulder, he let his upper arm slide in around her neck and he squeezed just enough to show her the fallacy in that movement.

  Her graceful neck rested so near to his face, he could smell her unique scented, fresh, flowery, and mixed with the sweat of hard work. It took all his self-control not to trail his lips down her neck and place little bites and kisses down to her collarbone. Her breasts heaved up and down and her backside pressed against his core made him think about anything but fighting. Her nearness tantalized him. Consumed him.

  He whispered near her ear, “Never give your opponent access to your air supply.” Then he loosened his arm and waited while she took a gulp of air. Instead of trying to get away from him, she wiggled her firm ass harder against his rising erection. Not good. Get a grip, Ben. “The best way to protect your air supply is to protect your windpipe. Push your chin down into the inside curve of my elbow and don’t stop the pressure, no matter what I do.”

  Ben tightened his lock around her neck again and she gasped, tucking her chin and digging it into the small space between his arm and her neck. He smiled and then released her. “That’s good.”

  Irena spun around, leaving him with a feeling of immense loss. “I never thought about doing that before…”

  “Guess that’s why you’re here,” he said and grinned. Teaching her proved to be a lot more fun than he’d ever imagined. Who knew that sparring exercises could be so sexy. Almost like foreplay.

  “You definitely are the right man to teach me.” Her brown eyes stared at him with a smoldering heat he wasn’t prepared for and he quickly broke eye contact, walked over to the punching bag and rolled it away from the wall. “You can’t fight if you’re unconscious. Get over here and show me how you punch.”

  Irena stifled a grin and joined him. “Like a girl I bet.”