He shook his head and gulped down some of his water, chewing on a piece of ice. “Bro, I am going to need you to get something through your thick skull.” A serious expression came over Arlo as he looked me dead in the eye. “You deserve to be happy, and if this woman is the one who makes that happen, then who am I to stand in the way? Besides, you wouldn’t be the first trainer to date his trainee.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as he raised his brow at me. “You’ve dated one of your trainees? You haven’t trained a woman in-”
He cut me off. “Exactly.”
My brows furrowed together. “So what would have happened with Val, had I not agreed to take her on after-hours?”
“Then I guess it would have been sayonara sweetheart, sorry you moved here for nothing.” He shrugged his shoulders. “You know I have a hunch for these things and Val is persistent enough, she would have gotten her way eventually.”
I choked on my burger. “You’re telling me.” Val was one of the most stubborn women I had ever met. “So I should go for it?”
Arlo just sat there and nodded. “You should also be completely transparent with her… about everything.”
Everything.
This meant opening up and inviting her into my world. A place where I have found a deeper level of intimacy than I had ever imagined, built on a foundation of communication, boundaries, and a shared understanding of power. A world where I enjoyed creating scenes as a form of art and self-expression through bondage and sensory play. A world wheretrust must be earned and respect and honesty were a must and in return… it offers a connection, truly unique on its own.
If I was going to pursue this, I definitely needed to be completely transparent with Val, and hope she didn’t think I was a freak. I’d need to earn her trust but it would be nice being in a relationship with someone who was understanding and accepting.
“You’re right,” I said calmly as I nodded my head. “You don’t think it’s too soon after Isabella and I-”
Arlo cut in. “I think when you know, you know. I’ve seen the two of you on the mat working out and sparring, it’s flawless. There’s a connection there, I can feel it – the other guys can feel it – you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t see where this could lead.”
“You better be right man.” I pulled out my phone and pulled up Val’s number and sent her a quick text.
Me: Hey Val, this might seem super random, but I was wondering if maybe you’d like to go out sometime?
Ding.
Arlo glanced down at my phone and smiled. “That didn’t take long.”
I could feel the heat building in my cheeks as I noticed her message.
Val: I’d love to go out with you sometime. I’m free tomorrow night.
I confirmed our date and slipped my phone back into my pocket. “Alright, mister matchmaker.” I pushed at Arlo’sshoulder. “Now, you’ve done your good deed, it’s time for you to spill the tea about your love life.”
Arlo began sharing about the woman who he had been seeing. They seemed pretty serious, and most importantly, he seemed happier than he had ever been. Things were going well at the gym, he was getting ready for a big fight, his love life appeared to be perfect.
What more could a man ask for?
Seventeen
Val
I stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel from the rack, still unable to believe Kaden had actually asked me out. I flipped my head upside down and began to dry my hair as the lavender scented steam wrapped around me. I hung the towel back up and exited the bathroom, walking over to my dresser to grab a pair of panties and the softest oversized t-shirt I owned.
When I first saw Kaden, I was instantly attracted to him. I think I had done a really great job at convincing myself the relationship between us was – and should only be – professional. Now, he had laid out the possibility of something more between us, and I couldn’t concentrate on anything else.
What was I going to tell Summer?
From the moment I mentioned him, she provided me with cautionary tales. Not to mention the reminder of Mark always looming over my head. I know she didn’t want me getting hurt again.
I shook my head in an attempt to remove those thoughts. I was not going to simplify my experiences and let anyone make me feel like what happened to me was my fault. I couldn’t go there.
My mental health had been great since moving to Colorado and I couldn’t let the reminders of my past bring me back down into my darkness. My mind started to wander and I picked my phone up off of the nightstand and texted Summer.
Me: Can you talk?