Chapter 13: Mick

Chapter Thirteen

MICK

“ G od, I haven’t had a corn dog in like a bazillion years. I can’t even remember the last time I had one. They’re so good. I should be eating them every day.” Josie licks her lips.

I swallow and stare at the deep blue sky so that my dick stays down. It’s not easy. I’d rather take ten punches in the nuts by Harry. “I don’t think there’s a lot of nutritional value. You might end up with rickets.”

“Rickets? Is that even a thing? Besides, how can you say the corn dog has no nutritional value? There’s protein and bread.”

“Two of the most essential foods on the chart.” I’d agree with anything she says.

“Exactly. Along with chocolate, pizza, and watermelon.”

Maybe not everything. There has to be a line somewhere. “Watermelon is literally all water.”

“No, because it has melon too. Melon has vitamin C, which we all need to grow and be healthy.”

“My hands are full”—I lift my corn dog and small paper boat filled with ketchup—“or I’d be looking this up on the internet because I feel like this is false.”

“Then it’s true because you don’t have any proof I’m lying. Or are you going to call me a liar?” She arches her eyebrow and plants a hand on her hip. Josie looks particularly hot right now in her cut-off denims and gray tank. The black strap of her bra is peeking out, tempting me to trace the thin satin down to the full cup.

“Never. Watermelon is the breakfast of champions. I’ll incorporate it into my everyday diet.”

“As you should.” She dunks her corn dog in my ketchup boat and then polishes off the last of her meal with great relish. Coming here was exactly what we needed. She’s lost the tightness on her forehead. Her shoulders aren’t hunched around her ears. The sun is shining on her face, and her whole face appears to glow. She makes me warm inside and not just the horny kind of warm but the happy warm. She spins around, her hair flying out like a silk curtain. A scent of strawberry and peach fills my lungs. Nothing from the boardwalk vendors would taste as good as her. Her bare feet kick up little clouds of sand as she skips across the beach. We should live here, in some condo near the ocean, and when I’m done training for the day and she’s put her headphones away, we can come down here and wade into the water, holding hands, eating greasy food and then kissing until we’re breathless.

Heads up!

Out of the corner of my eye, I see an object hurtling toward us. I drop my dog into the paper boat and jab my fist at the ball. It boomerangs back toward the volleyball players. They cheer and yell thanks. I toss the ketchup boat into the trash.

“Good reflexes,” Josie remarks.

“That’s my job.” I grin. “The best offense is never getting hit.” I do a small duck and weave to show off. Immediately I feel dumb, but she laughs, and that makes me feel even warmer.

“I want to see you fight. Do you have an upcoming match?”

“Sure, but not an official one. Just sparring in gyms. Everything is unofficial and off the books because it looks better if you have a perfect record. You can get into fights with better prize money and better opponents.”

“Will you always live in Vegas?”

“No, I can live anywhere. It’s just Pedro is here, and he’s the best in the business. Other guys started fighting when they were kids. Me? Two years ago. I’m just starting to get the basics down. All I really have is good instincts. I can sense a punch coming even before the other guy winds up, and my hands are fast.” So fast that I can get hits on Harry, a legend. “Why? Do you hate Vegas?”

“Not really. I mean, other than being in your apartment and at the airport, I haven’t experienced it, so I can’t say whether it’s a good place or not. I think I could live anywhere.”

“Vegas is good for e-sports.” I want her to love it there. I need to train with Pedro for at least six more months. Plus, a lot of unofficial sparring matches take place there.

She grimaces and kicks at the sand. “I don’t have the money for that, and I’m way out of practice. I had to stop for a while because of the harassment and, like any sport, you have to be doing it, training nonstop to be on the top of your game. I can’t afford the right type of rig and gear either. But, honestly, I'm okay with that. I like not having the pressure of winning at that level. It's enough to win in the game itself.”

“The rig and gear is an easy fix. Lots of people have sponsors.”

“Who would sponsor me?”

“Me.”

“With what money?”

“My prize money.”

“No. You should keep that and buy a nicer apartment. One with a window that actually looks out at something other than the brick wall of an apartment behind you.”

I don’t want to argue with her. We’re supposed to be having fun.

“Oh look, you can see our hotel from here.” She points to the enormous stone-colored building in the distance. “I can’t believe that huge place only had one room left.”

I shove my hands in my pockets. “Yeah, bizarre but it’s L.A. They probably have Hollywood things going on. There were more expensive places that had two rooms, but like you said, I have to save my money.”

“Right.” She accepts my lie easily. “It’s all good. It has two beds, and that’s all we need.”

Much to my dismay. I definitely asked for a king, but then my dick would be on her again. Maybe even in her. Two beds were probably better in the long run.