“You missed my sparring session yesterday.”

Daniel pasted on a fake smile to hide his irritation. He’d somehow managed to get through his mock interview session for the day without seeing Mateo. It seemed his good fortune wasn’t holding. “I got sidetracked. Did you win?”

Mateo made a dismissive sound. “No one really wins or loses a sparring match. It’s just practice.”

He’d lost. Just as Isaac said he would. “I’m here for another two weeks. Maybe I’ll catch you the next time.”

“Or maybe I could take you to dinner tonight?”

This sucked. Thanks to agreeing to take part in Drew’s special training program, he had to come here for work. Mateo’s offer posed a problem Daniel didn’t need. If he said no, there’d be hard feelings, but there was no way in hell he would say yes.

“Daniel, could I get your opinion on something?”

Daniel flashed Mateo an apologetic smile and turned away at the sound of Isaac’s voice. His gaze never wavered from Isaac as he crossed the room. Isaac’s expression remained closed, even once Daniel was at his side.

“You looked like you needed rescuing.”

Daniel couldn’t keep the relief from his voice. “Yes. Thank you.” Isaac’s bland expression gave him pause. “Although you don’t look happy about saving me.”

There was a shift in Isaac’s eyes, and Daniel knew—he was laughing on the inside. “He’s still watching you. I’m trying to look professional, since I’m sure you’re hoping to avoid a nasty work entanglement.” Isaac cocked his head to one side and seemed to think it over before adding, “Unless you want what Mateo is offering.” There was a tiny part of Daniel that hoped to see Isaac’s jealous side. He didn’t get the chance. “Oops,” Isaac said with a wince. “It didn’t work. Here he comes. I tried.”

Daniel glanced over his shoulder. Isaac was right. Mateo was closing in fast. “Jesus,” Daniel said under his breath. He pulled his cell phone out and pretended to answer a fake ring. Daniel watched Isaac fighting back a smile. Damn, he’d tasted those lips—fucked them. Daniel regretted nothing. Mateo slowed when he spotted Daniel on his phone but didn’t stop. Instead, he focused on Isaac. Daniel made an unsavory discovery. Mateo was a player. The man didn’t care who he caught. He intended to drag the sea with his net. It didn’t matter which fish he entangled first. He honestly hadn’t needed another reason to be turned off by Mateo, but there it was.

“That’s unfortunate,” Daniel said, playing his comments off as part of his phone conversation. It really was bad luck for Mateo. For the next two weeks, Isaac already had more man than he could handle.

Isaac shot him a knowing gaze before focusing on Mateo. “What’s up, man? How’d your sparring match go with Remy yesterday?”

Mateo’s entire demeanor matched a man on the make—from his slimy smile to his way he held his shoulders. “It was a learning experience, which was the point, of course. But I was actually hoping I could convince you to slip on the gloves today and meet me in the ring.”

“I’ll call you back,” Daniel said, putting an end to his fake call. This, he needed to see. He sidled closer, inserting himself in the conversation. “Did I overhear something about a sparring match between you two?”

Mateo’s practiced smile flashed Daniel’s way. “Yeah. I’m trying to convince Isaac to step in the ring with me. From what I hear, he gave Gregor McCully a proper beat down a few weeks ago.”

Daniel hadn’t heard that, but he couldn’t watch every level of each sport all the time. He switched his attention to Isaac. “You beat McCully?” It was no wonder he’d moved here, then. That put Isaac light years ahead of other boxers to challenge for the Super Middleweight title.

Isaac shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I got lucky.”

A snort escaped Daniel. “No big… are you insane or being modest?”

Isaac shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable. He’d never seen the man react in such a way, and Daniel had definitely put Isaac in some uncomfortable positions. Isaac’s gaze swept the room, as if he searched for an escape. “If you give me a few minutes to tape up, I’ll spar,” Isaac finally said, making Daniel wonder if Isaac would rather do anything at all other than discuss his win. Proving him right, Isaac walked away, leaving Daniel staring after him.

Daniel focused on Mateo. “So he really beat McCully?”

Mateo nodded. “By knockout.”

“Yet you want to step in the ring with him?” Daniel asked, incapable of keeping the disbelief from his voice. He knew Mateo was good, but Isaac had twenty pounds on Mateo, which might not seem like much, but it mattered a whole hell of a lot in the ring. Not to mention, the man had gotten his ass handed to him by Remy. Granted, Remy was a former champion, but Remy was smaller than Mateo.

The smirk shaping Mateo’s lips gave Daniel a chill, and not in a good way. “You know he fought the MMA circuit for years before this, right? I totally want him to show me his every move. MMA fighters have fantastic hip control.”

Wow. Just when Daniel thought he couldn’t hate the dude more, Mateo would open his mouth again. Daniel switched his gaze to where Isaac stood, talking to Remy. Immediately, the tightness in his gut eased. Isaac wasn’t like most people. He might be a sexual powerhouse, but he didn’t carry himself the same as the Mateos of the world. It was refreshing. The silence coming from Mateo struck Daniel as odd. He snuck a peek the man’s way. There was something unnamed in the man’s gaze before Mateo caught Daniel staring and masked it behind a predatory smile. Daniel went back to watching Isaac as he mused over what he’d seen. He’d have to look into Mateo’s life. There was something there. Daniel loved a good mystery.

Remy looked their way and motioned for them to join Isaac and him. As one, they moved to the men’s sides. Remy was oddly serious as he eyed each of them. “Mateo, I understand you want to schedule some ring time with Isaac.”

Even though it hadn’t been a question, Mateo treated it as one. “Yes. Despite our different weight class, I’m always up for some practice time.”

Remy nodded. “Isaac says he’s willing, but it’ll have to wait until next week. You know the rules around here. Ring time is on rotation. Not to mention, Isaac is on the clock and I have things for him to do. Right now, Daniel, Aden’s office is open if you’d like to go ahead and do Josef’s mock interview. That’ll free up Friday for you.”

Daniel blinked. “Do I need Friday free?”

“Yes,” Remy said, as if Daniel had no say so in the matter. “You’ll be in Miami with us for Friday night fights.”

“Who is us?” Daniel wasn’t trying to be a dick. He was genuinely curious where this was headed.

“Aden, Isaac, and me.” Remy switched his gaze to Isaac. “Do you mind straightening out the weights section? These guys, I love them, but they’re messy as fuck.”

Isaac nodded. “No problem.” He headed off to do Remy’s bidding without a backward glance. Daniel desperately wanted to watch him go, but he was too focused on the way Mateo’s gaze followed Isaac’s every move. It seemed he wasn’t the only one. Remy’s eyes were narrowed on the man. His face cleared when Mateo turned his head and focused on Remy. The entire situation had Daniel’s curiosity eating him alive.

“Can I help with anything, Remy?”

At Mateo’s question, Daniel somehow managed to stare harder at the man’s features. Mateo’s voice had changed. He sounded softer—like he was an actual human. The muscles in Daniel’s shoulders tightened. A rock landed in his gut. This wasn’t good.

Remy winked. “You’re good, Mateo. Just go finish your workout.” He started to turn away before obviously remembering why they were standing there in the first place. “Oh, yeah. Don’t forget to put your name on the list for ring time next week.”

“Of course.” The silky note to Mateo’s tone had chills racing down Daniel’s spine, and not the good kind. With a wink for Daniel, Mateo walked away. Before he could stop himself, Daniel grabbed Remy’s elbow and steered the man toward Aden’s office. Remy didn’t argue. Thank god. He didn’t consider all the many ways Aden would kill him for manhandling Remy until it was too late.

The instant they were alone, he turned on Remy. “That guy is trouble.”

“Which one?” Remy didn’t sound unconcerned, merely confused.

“Mateo. I’m telling you, you need to keep an eye on him. I can’t explain it. It’s just a gut feeling. You should leave his training and sparring to someone else.”

Remy turned and closed the door before focusing on Daniel once more. “Okay. What’s going on?”

Daniel shrugged, feeling useless. “I just need you to believe me. Okay? I’m a damn good judge of character, and something about him… I don’t know. It’s just not right.”

“Okay. It won’t be hard for me to find excuses since I rarely spar any longer. Now.” Remy slapped his hands together. His demeanor changed, transforming into the version of Remy people found irresistible. “So, Friday night? Are you in?”

Daniel’s shoulders sagged under the relief of Remy believing him. “Of course. Just tell me when and where.”

“Meet us out front at eight. Nothing really gets going until around ten.”

Now that the panic inside him ebbed, Daniel was hooked on this new topic. “Why am I going to local fights with you?”

Remy’s green gaze flashed with mischief. “Do you have something better to do with your time?”

“No,” Daniel said, dragging out the word. “But I’m getting a vibe—like you’re up to no good.”

A mock gasp of outrage escaped Remy. His expression immediately shifted into that of a naughty child. “You caught me. I’m totally up to something. Give me a boost up, will ya?” he said, pushing his way past Daniel. “I’m about to tack this Photoshopped picture of Aden with Ariel Craymore up in the corner. Want to put some money on how long it takes him to notice it?”

“Who is Ariel Craymore?” Daniel asked as he helped Remy climb onto a cabinet in the corner and held on so the man wouldn’t fall.

“She’s a teenage pop singer he hates with a passion. He mutters obscenities under his breath anytime her name is mentioned. Speaking of which,” Remy added, smiling over his shoulder. “You should definitely start thinking up ways to throw her name into every conversation.”

Daniel’s face hurt from smiling already, and he’d been in Remy’s company less than ten minutes. “You get that Aden really is the luckiest bastard on the planet, right?”

Remy used a thumbtack to hang the pic before hopping back down to the floor. He flashed Daniel a sweet smile. “Not really. I’m the lucky one. You get that I’m an obnoxious ass, right? Aden’s the only person who’s ever spent more than a week in my company and hasn’t wanted to kill me.” He winced. “I’m not for everyone.”

“Well, you should be,” Daniel said, experiencing an overwhelming desire to pat Remy on the head—like a little brother. “I think you’re awesome. This isn’t me hitting on you,” Daniel tacked on, because he knew how all this sounded.

To his surprise, a bright smile lit Remy’s face. “I know. You’re a good guy, Daniel. That’s why we keep you around.” Remy headed for the door. He paused and looked back before opening it. “Plus, I think someone else we know has caught your eye, and I approve. So, should I send Josef in?” Remy asked, not giving Daniel time to react to his revelation.

Daniel chose to let it ride. “Sure. Send him in.” It wasn’t as if he could deny Isaac had his attention. Not to mention, Remy had set up a date with the man for Friday night. Daniel couldn’t deny, he kind of liked it here.

* * *

For Isaac, his day was one part avoiding Mateo and one part trying not to stare at Daniel. By the time he circled the building and headed up to his apartment, his brain was fried from the effort. One hot shower later and Isaac was somewhat closer to human. Beads of water still clung to his skin, and a towel was wrapped around his waist when a knock landed on his door. He already saw the problem with living above the gym. Everyone knew he lived there. Stowing his irritation, he answered.

Daniel stood on the other side, holding some grocery bags. Isaac’s nose tingled like he’d been drinking champagne. That was how ridiculously happy seeing Isaac made him. Daniel’s gaze swept over Isaac’s body.

“Mhmm. Goddamn.”

Isaac had to take a breath at Daniel’s appraisal. Without a word, he stepped aside, inviting Daniel inside.

“I brought food,” Daniel said over his shoulder as he carried the bags to the counter. “I’m not a great cook, since I rarely do it, but this fucking town has nothing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful here, but who—” Isaac overcame him, crushing the man against the counter and cutting off his words. He encircled Daniel’s waist and pressed his lips to the man’s nape. The air stuttering from the back of Daniel’s throat sounded as loud as gunfire. The thin towel did nothing to hide Isaac’s erection.

“It’s been hard watching you all day and not doing this.”

“That would’ve turned some heads,” Daniel said, sounding breathless.

“Yeah, and I need my job,” Isaac said as he trailed kisses down the side of Daniel’s neck.

“You also need food.” Even as Daniel made the claim, he reached behind him and massaged Isaac’s cock.

Isaac popped the button on Daniel’s pants. “You’re right. I do.” With the slightest urging, he had Daniel turned in his arms. Their mouths clashed. Isaac worked at setting Daniel’s erection free. He fisted and stroked until Daniel moved against his hand, openly seeking relief. Once he had Daniel mindless, Isaac dropped to his knees. He swallowed Daniel’s dick, reveling in the man’s cries. His knees dug into the hard kitchen floor. Isaac ignored the pain. He jacked off as he sucked Daniel’s dick—licking and taking the man down his throat. Isaac followed Daniel’s moans, using them as his guide. Every time Daniel’s muscles tensed and his breathing deepened, Isaac backed off and tightened his hold on Daniel’s cock, choking off his orgasm.

Daniel’s short fingernails scraped at the back of Isaac’s neck as he tried taking what he wanted. A growl reverberated off the walls of the kitchen. “Quit teasing,” Daniel ordered, sounding beyond frustrated.

“Trust me,” Isaac begged. He toyed with Daniel’s crown, purposefully driving the man insane before hollowing out his cheeks and taking Daniel deep. This time, when Daniel tensed, Isaac increased his pace. Daniel’s cock sawed in and out of his mouth, slamming against the back of Isaac’s throat. Isaac pumped his own dick faster, letting the pressure build. Daniel’s pleasure was his. Isaac exploded. He sucked hard. Hot cum filled his mouth even as it coated his fingers. Isaac moaned around Daniel’s cock. Daniel’s fingers dug into Isaac’s shoulders as he fought to stay upright beneath Isaac’s ministrations. Isaac didn’t stop licking and swallowing until Daniel begged for mercy.

“I guess it’s a lucky thing you had a towel,” Daniel breathed out on a chuckle.

“It’s almost like I planned it,” Isaac agreed as he cleaned up their mess and came to his feet. For a moment, they stared at one another. They had a connection. It was a tug at the center of Isaac’s chest. Maybe this would go somewhere. Chances were, it wouldn’t. That didn’t stop Isaac from slowly lowering his head, as if daring Daniel to deny there wasn’t something between them, before touching his lips to Daniel’s. Neither man attempted to deepen their kiss. They clung to each other as if memorizing the sensations of their lips brushing. Daniel was the first to touch his tongue to Isaac’s bottom lip, tracing the seam and seeking entrance. Isaac couldn’t explain why it felt like a win.