Molly squeezed her back. “I doubt this thing with Deacon will be long-term. And guess what? I don’t care. I will be well versed in covering up hickeys all over my body by the time this ride ends.”

“Good attitude.” Presley hooked her arm through Molly’s again as they started down the sidewalk. “And not to make this about me, but you being with him is a bonus for me.”

“How?”

“Because you’ll be so distracted by thoughts of going all ‘hi-ho, Silver,’ riding Deacon’s naked bod all the time, that I’ll sneak in some funky design concepts, rope in new clients, and become Amery’s new favorite.”

“Don’t bet on it.”

•   •   •

AN hour of kickboxing coated her entire body with sweat.

Despite the heat burning her face, the pulse pounding in her throat, in her head, and in her hands, she stayed focused.

Somehow Molly had ended up sparring with Shihan Beck at the end of class. It surprised him when she didn’t fall for his abrupt switcheroos and could adapt on the fly. She gave herself a mental high five.

“All right. That’s it. Wrap it up and return to the mat.”

They gathered around Shihan.

“Starting next week we’ll rotate instructors. I’ll be gone from teaching this class for a month.”

Grumbles sounded. Mostly from Liv, who had a massive hard-on for Beck. And Molly suspected it was an actual hard-on. Although Liv dressed like a woman, her body was ripped like a man’s, and no woman had an Adam’s apple that prominent.

Molly wiped her face with a towel and started for the door. It might make her a masochist, but she loved the rubbery legs and tingling arms she got from working out, followed by the gradual cooling of her skin.

Shihan fell into step with her. “Impressive as always, Molly.”

“Thanks.”

“I won’t give up on getting you into our jujitsu program.”

In the hallway, Molly saw Deacon propped against the wall, waiting for her, giving her a hell of an eye fuck.

“It’s all about showing up for class,” Shihan said, oblivious to Deacon advancing on them. “Consistency assures you won’t develop bad training habits. You could be an instructor in no time, if you put in the time. Isn’t that—”

Deacon grabbed the ends of the towel draped around her neck, pulled her against his body, and laid a possessive kiss on her. After he staked his claim, he murmured, “Sweet and salty. My favorite combination, babe.” Deacon tucked her against his side and looked at Beck. “Shihan.”

“Yondan.”

“Just so you know? My woman is skilled enough to move up the jujitsu belt ranks at a rapid pace, but she’s never gonna slip on a gi.”

Molly gaped at him when he planted another kiss on her lips to forestall her argument.

Beck folded his arms over his chest. “I think the lady has something to say about that.”

Had the tension always been this thick between the new Shihan and the former Shihan’s best friend?

“Over the last year Molly has lightened Amery’s load at Hardwick Designs, which allows Amery to spend more time with Ronin. I’d guess if anyone has objections to Molly enrolling in extra classes to become a jujitsu instructor, it’d be Sensei. I doubt he’d be happy if his wife had to start working those crazy hours again.” Deacon shrugged. “But it’s your neck.”

“Point taken.”

“Sucks when your plans are foiled, huh?” Deacon drawled.

“You don’t know the half of it.” Shihan Beck’s gaze winged between Deacon and Molly. “Guess you’re not coming out for a beer with us?”

“Sorry. Got a better offer.”

“I’ll say, you lucky bastard.” Beck sent Molly a quick smile. “See ya.” He walked off, leaving them alone.

Without a word, Deacon towed her down the hallway into the conference room. He didn’t bother to turn on the lights. He just wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck.

Okay. This was . . . unexpected. And sort of weird, because Deacon had trapped her arms so she couldn’t hug him back.

He held her like that for several long moments. “How do you smell like goddamn flowers after you’ve been sweating your ass off for an hour?”

“I am sticky and sweaty. I reek.” She sniffed his breath. “You don’t smell like you’ve been drinking.”

Keeping their gazes connected, he brushed his mouth across hers once. Twice. Three times. “You always gonna babble before I kiss you for real?”

“For real? So the kiss in the hallway was what? Fake?”