I know she didn’t forget my birthday on purpose. With everything going on in Olive’s life, I really can’t blame her for not remembering. Still, the way she wishes me a happy birthday makes me the happiest guy in the world. And I’m determined to spend the rest of the day with her, just like we used to.

We walk over to my bike, and I hand Olive a helmet.

“Are you for real?” she asks doubtfully. “I really don’t want to ride that thing.”

“Are you walking?” I ask with raised eyebrows, and with a roll of her eyes she puts the helmet on.

“Looks good on you,” I say with a cheeky grin. This earns me a muffled thanks as she climbs on behind me. When she clasps her arms around me it feels great, and I rev the engine, happy to get us the hell away from Becky and her gaggle of clones.

“Do you mind if we stop at the gym first? I have to pick up something,” I say over my shoulder.

To be honest, that last part is a total lie. There’s nothing I have to pick up, I’m just trying to think of an excuse to get Olive to the gym. I have something special planned.

“Sure, that’s fine,” she raises her voice over the roar of the engine, and holds onto me tightly. I can’t get enough of her clutching onto me for safety. I can’t stop grinning as I drive away from the party, leaving everyone behind us.

The gym’s not far, and I pull into the parking lot within a few minutes. We climb off my bike, and Olive takes off her helmet and shakes out her hair. The way she does that stuns me into silence, and I just stare at her, my mouth wide open.

She’s so fucking beautiful. I don’t know whether the fact she has no clue is hot or annoying, but she has no idea how desirable she is.

I busy myself with putting away our helmets, then risk it and grab her hand. She looks surprised but I feign nonchalance and pull her toward the back entrance.

“My coach gave me a spare key,” I babble. “I spend so much time here, he thought it would be better if I had one. I’ve been training a lot.”

“I noticed,” Olive says while I unlock the door, never letting go of her hand. And then we’re inside, I lead her toward the boxing bags.

“Are you saying you noticed my extremely handsome, muscular body?” I ask solemnly.

“Yes, stud,” she purrs, fanning her face, teasing me. Jesus, I could get used to her being all fun and flirty like that. Though I’d probably have to pounce on her. I’m already dying to.

“I have to look for something,” I tell Olive as I turn on the lights in the room. “It will take just a second. Do you want to have some fun while I do that?”

“Sure.” She shrugs uncertainly, looking around the room. “What is there to do here?”

I take some women’s boxing gloves off a shelf and toss them her way. She catches one, but misses the other and it lands on the floor. I do my best not to laugh.

“You could try some moves on that thing over there.” I point to a boxing bag. “I’ll just be a minute.”

I leave the room before Olive can object. I know she’s not a boxer, but I wanted to get her to the gym to maybe help her let off some steam.

Okay, fine, and I wanted to impress her with my moves, as well. Anything to get that pretty face smiling.

I sneak into the changing rooms and peek around the door, trying to see what Olive will do. I’m not really looking for anything, but I make a mental note to bring out a pair of sneakers from my locker and pretend I forgot them here.

At first, she doesn’t do much of anything, standing in the middle of the room and stepping from one foot to another awkwardly. She’s so fucking beautiful.

Even if the room were full of people, my eyes would be drawn to her. It’s always been that way. If only she’d let me get close enough, she’d see for herself we make perfect sense together.

She stares at the boxing bag, looking unsure of herself. Finally, she puts the gloves on and awkwardly hits the bag. It doesn’t even move. She looks uncomfortable as fuck. I need another trick. Thankfully, I have an ace up my sleeve.

“Mind if I put on some music?” I shout, my voice echoing across the empty space, heading for the stereo.

“No, that sounds good,” she yells back, and I put in a CD I made for myself to work out to. It’s all angry tracks with fast beats. Perfect for letting out all the frustration that builds up deep inside.

That’s something I’m pretty familiar with. I’ve beaten the hell out of that bag many times thinking about the way Olive’s been treating me lately—ignoring me, refusing to acknowledge there was ever a connection between us.

When I started training, my life changed without me even wanting it to. I got into a different clique at school, and people liked me better. I got bulkier, finally filled out. But I never wanted things to change between Olive and me. At least not in the way they did.

But she pushed me away, pushed so far, I nearly gave up. But tonight I’m getting a glimpse of hope. She’s warming up to me again. Truth be told, I haven’t changed as a person, and I know Olive will always be one of the good girls. We’ll always get along. A six-pack and a new haircut don’t mean I’m a different guy.

Olive’s hips start to sway with the music, and I love the way she lets go of her inhibitions. She starts hitting the bag again, this time with more determination. She gets more focused as she starts to work the bag. One punch at a time. Slowly, she’s letting go.

After a bit, I can tell she’s in the zone, so I move into the doorframe where I can watch her. Her hair is wild, cheeks flushed, her mouth looks sexy set in that determined line. She nudges her glasses up the bridge of her nose and exhales.

I can feel my cock getting hard in my jeans, so desperate to get closer to her. I want her. I want the sexy, geeky neighbor girl more than ever.

She’s really getting into it now. Punching the bag hard, just like I was doing hours earlier. I can see her trying to rid herself of all those demons haunting her, and I want to help her. I want her to get it all out until she can finally breathe. I know how helpful the boxing is. I’ve been trying to quiet my own demons for a year now.

I approach her slowly, and as soon as Olive sees me coming closer, her posture stiffens and she stops hitting the bag. “It’s okay,” I tell her softly. “Let me help you, okay?”

She hesitates before finally nodding, and I come closer, standing behind her. We’re so fucking close now, almost touching but not quite. I need to feel her skin against mine so very badly, but I settle for this.

I take hold of Olive’s wrists and position them the right way. “Look, you have to hit like this, otherwise you’ll hurt your knuckles,” I say softly, slowly moving her hands so she hits the boxing bag.

She relaxes in my arms, but only a little bit. I can still feel the tension inside her, the knots in her shoulders, the way she doesn’t want to let go completely.

I get it. I was the same way starting out, afraid to let go of everything. But when my coach taught me to relax, the wins started coming. The weight on my shoulders started dropping. I got better, and my head got clearer. I want the same for Olive.

I help her for a little while longer, and with each punch, she grows more relaxed in my arms, until she’s almost hitting the bag herself.

“You’re doing great,” I say proudly into her ear, and before I can stop myself, I’ve pressed a kiss to her hair.

Olive moves away fast. She’s looking at the floor, her cheeks beet red. “Okay, I think I’m done,” she says shyly. “We should get going. I’m sure you don’t want to spend your birthday boxing with me, right?”

I laugh, throwing my head back. Coming closer to Olive, I take her hands in mine and catch her fearful gaze. “There’s no place I’d rather be,” I tell her honestly, pulling her back to the bag. “Now show me what you’ve got, Olive. I don’t believe that’s the best you can do, is it?”

She gives me a defiant look. “I’ll show you,” she mutters under her breath and moves in closer to the bag. “I was holding out on you, Axel. Didn’t wanna embarrass you, you know.”

I smirk as she steadies the bag. “Oh, I see. You didn’t want to beat me at my own game, did you?”

“Obviously.” She’s laughing now. She starts punching the bag tentatively, and I’m proud to see she’s doing it the way I taught her.

She’s so sweet, so fucking irresistible as she gives that bag all she’s got.

I watch her let her rage out on that bag. I can tell the exact moment when she forgets I’m in the room with her. Finally, she’s going to let it all out, and I’m so happy for her.

I retreat to the corner to observe my brave girl. She’s wearing herself out, but the adrenaline in her veins means she doesn’t know it yet. Her hair is plastered to her forehead, and she’s hitting the bag harder—not as hard as I usually do, but it’s obvious she’s doing her best.

She delivers one last blow when I see her expression falter. And I reach Olive just in time to stop her falling to the floor. I take her in my arms as she breaks, tears flowing from her eyes.

“Axel,” she whimpers.

“Shh, it’s okay,” I try to calm her down. “I know, baby. Shh, it’s okay.”

I hold her as she whimpers and cries. The same thing happened to me when I was starting out. I’d broken out in a rage instead, punching everything that came close to me, but I know the feeling—utterly vulnerable and raw.

I knew it would happen to Olive. I needed it to happen. I know it will help her in the long run. But I’m not about to tell her that.

Right now, all she needs is for me to hold her. And I do just that until she slowly starts shaking in my arms and the whimpering stops. She’s snuggled close to my chest, gripping onto my T-shirt which is soaked from her tears.

“Sorry,” she says, and I can hear the embarrassment in her voice. She tries to pull away, but I don’t let her. I need her close to me.

“It’s okay, baby,” I tell her softly. “You just got emotional. It happens to everyone. Do you want to tell me what you’re thinking about?”

She shakes her head uncertainly, but still, the words spill out of her mouth. “I thought about everything at home. How angry I am about what’s happening, you know?”

I nod, smoothing down the hair on top of her head. I’m so tempted to kiss her right now, but even my fucked-up mind knows that would be taking advantage. So I settle for pulling her closer, inhaling her shampoo. Strawberries and cream. Fuck.

“It’ll be all right, baby,” I tell her calmly.

“How do you know?” she whimpers. “It wasn’t all right with my mom. What makes you think it will be okay with Dad? You really think he’ll get a new job, and we’ll be able to repay all our debts?”

She gives me a long, hard look, and I tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know what will happen, and I can’t promise anything,” I tell her honestly. “But your dad is a good man, and you have my family and relatives who will help you whatever happens. You’re so very loved, Olive, both you and your dad. And we won’t let anything happen to you.”

A tear rolls off her cheek, and I swipe it away with my finger. Her skin is smooth and soft, and she feels so damn good. So right. Like I should have been doing this from the start.

She smiles up at me, the last remnants of fear and sadness finally fading from her gaze. Next thing I know, someone turns on all the lights in the room, and we hear voices in the changing rooms.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, but I can’t help the smile that’s made its way on my lips.

“Someone’s here,” Olive hisses, and I grab her, pulling her against my body. Her body relaxes against mine. I’m sure she doesn’t mean to, but she rubs that tight little ass against the front of my jeans. If she doesn’t stop that right this instant, I’m going to throw her on the floor right here and fuck her senseless.

I cover her mouth with my hand and she whimpers, like she actually wants me to do more. God, she’s making me harder than ever.

I pull her away as the voices grow nearer to us. Thankfully, there’s a back exit, and that’s exactly where I’m headed. I don’t have a clue why there are people here in the middle of the night, but if coach finds me here with a girl, I’ll be in deep shit.

We rush for the back exit and run outside, laughing like crazy. Olive’s eyes sparkle in the moonlight and she smiles mischievously. Naughty little minx.

She comes closer to me and I grab her by the waist and pull her close. She doesn’t resist. She knows what’s about to happen.

But I don’t kiss her.

“Ever been kissed, Olive?” I whisper against her mouth instead.

She shakes her head no, lashes fluttering as she looks up at me expectantly. Her chest is heaving against mine. She wants me to kiss her so badly. So bad, she’d probably do whatever I asked of her right now.

“Do you want to be?” I taunt, and she nods her head. I raise a finger to her lips and trail it across her cheeks, her chin, pressing down on the center of her pouty mouth. “You want to be kissed here … and here, and here?”

“Please,” she whimpers. Oh God, we aren’t even kissing yet, and I’m about to erupt with wanting her. She is perfect.

“Kiss me, Axel.”

My hand snakes up to her neck and I pull her head back, exposing her throat to my hungry mouth. She’s begging, muttering words I don’t understand. She sounds so needy. So deliciously desperate for me.

My mouth lands on her neck and I suck on her skin, not caring whether she’ll have a hickey in the morning. And fuck, does she taste good. Sweet and all mine.

“On my mouth,” she manages to get out. “Kiss my mouth, Axel.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I rest a hand on the small of her back, and she gazes at me expectantly. I stare into those hungry, vulnerable eyes, committing this moment to memory so I can pull it out and enjoy it for years to come.

“Say please,” I order her.

“Please.” She shivers in my arms. “Kiss me, Axel. Please, I need—”

And then my mouth is on her. I don’t know what ideas she had about her first kiss. Probably something sweet, innocent and PG13.

I don’t do PG13, though. I’m fucking R-rated.

I claim her with my mouth, make her whimper against my lips. I don’t let her move an inch, because in this moment, she belongs to me, and I’m tasting the dessert I’ve been waiting on for years.

“Oh God,” she mumbles against my mouth, breathing heavily. “God, Axel …”

I shut her up by deepening our kiss, tasting her. “So sweet,” I growl against her lips. “You’re so sweet …”

“AXEL!”

The shout comes out of nowhere.