Stone Cold Knockout (House of Pain Book 1) by Lavender Parker Read Free Book Online Page A

around the reservoir in Central Park, allowing Gennifer to catch up with him. The early morning air was mild and the sun was bright in the sky. It was a perfect morning for a jog. She had suffered through the swim but she seemed to be enjoying the run. He'd almost gone easy on her in the pool when he saw how much she hated to swim. Almost. If she wanted to win, she had to be in shape. She was out of shape, but she wasn't a quitter. Even though he was retired, he kept up his training routine everyday without fail. Gennifer was strong but she hated aerobic exercise and that would be her downfall. If she did not have stamina, she would fail in the ring. Period.
    But she would keep going until she dropped. She would rather die than fail. He had learned that much about her in the short time he'd known her. She was a true fighter. Just as she caught up with him, her footfalls matching his, he sped up, leaving her in the dust. He couldn't help but smile as he heard her annoyed growl behind him. Training Gennifer was not going to be dull. He'd known it the second she'd stripped down and stepped into the pool. All of her smooth brown skin on display just for him had been almost too much. His hands itched to touch her. But he could wait.
    With Gennifer, he had a feeling the wait would be worth it.
    He didn't often get hung up on women. In fact, he never did. His mind was usually on other things. But Gennifer fascinated him. He didn't know how long it would last, but he was interested in how it would pan out. Perhaps, after they fucked, the mystery would be solved and he would go on about his life. Perhaps, Gennifer was a passing infatuation, like he used to have on girls in school. A bit of hair pulling and she would be out of his system. Perhaps.
    Only time would tell.
    He heard her speeding up behind him, her feet pounding out a fast rhythm. Grinning, he let her chase him, knowing that she would probably be dead on her feet and useless to him afterwards, but her competitiveness was... cute. He took a right and ran up a slight hill, heading up a small trail toward the reservoir. He'd been running in Central Park every day since he'd moved to New York and he knew it like the back of his hand. She followed him and he resisted the urge to glance back at her, even though he wanted to. He could feel the sweat dripping down his face and between his shoulder-blades. He glanced up at the sun-filled sky and realized he felt alive. His daily routine was completely disrupted and normally he hated that, but today, he felt good. He felt better than he had in awhile, in fact. He slowed to a stop and couldn't stop himself from looking back at her.
    She jogged up the trail, her long legs crossing the distance between them in no time. She dipped her head under a tree branch and moved through a swath of sunlight. The light illuminated her face in a beautiful way. For a minute, he could only stare at her. A rare smile crossed her lips as she neared him and he let out a ragged breath. There was something about her. Something that wouldn't let him look away. She took advantage and sped past him, her scent curling around him on the breeze. He reached out for her, but he was too slow and she slipped right through his fingers.
    She tossed her head back and laughed, a genuine laugh that caught him off guard. Then she was gone, disappearing around a bend in the trail. He had no choice but to follow her, but he cut down a side path on his right and picked up his pace. Adrenaline shot through him as he caught a glimpse of her through the greenery. Chuckling to himself, he pushed himself harder, his muscles straining. She didn't see him until it was too late. He cut her off at the fork and caught her around the waist. He hauled her off her feet and her surprised shriek echoed through the trees. She wriggled against him, kicking her legs and throwing her elbows, but he held fast.
    “I win,” he said, his lips pressed against her ear. The breeze blew her hair in