“You know I like it rough.” Tyler choked the words as much from embarrassment of his thoughts as the scratchy feeling in his throat.
A crimson flush suffused Jaime’s cheeks. He tried to hide his reaction by looking away as he stood up.
“I should probably get going,” Jaime muttered and avoided direct eye contact.
“Yeah, me, too,” Tyler said as they bowed. “Jenny’s expecting me to come over tonight.”
“Girlfriend?”
Tyler nodded. “She doesn’t like it when I’m out too late.”
They headed down to the changing room. When they got there, Jaime moved to grab his bag and leave.
“Didn’t I tell you I’m immune to your charms?” Tyler said without looking at him.
“Sempai?”
“I don’t mind if you change in here.” Tyler undid his belt and took off his gi top.
Jaime stopped in the doorway, clutching his bag to his chest.
“Unless you think you won’t be able to resist me.” A smile was all it took. Jaime exhaled the breath sharply.
“I’ll do my best, Sempai.”
There were certain unwritten rules when guys got naked around other guys. Rule number one was not making direct eye contact. Peripheral glances were unavoidable, but the gaze should never linger more than a few seconds. Tyler’s idiotic ego was almost disappointed when he looked up to see Jaime focused on his bag as he changed. Whatever the unwritten rules were for gay guys, they didn’t seem much different than those for straight guys. Neither of them spoke as they changed. Tyler was not sure what he was expecting, but Jaime didn’t behave any differently than the other guys. It wasn’t that Tyler was expecting Jaime to jump him; Jaime was too polite for that. Part of him wondered if he just wasn’t Jaime’s type. The rest of Tyler chastised the former for even thinking the thought.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” Tyler said once they were both changed and headed outside of the dojo.
“Sure, Sempai.” Jaime spoke without hesitation.
“Out of uniform, I’m just Tyler.”
Jaime nodded, a relaxed smile on his lips. “Okay, Tyler. What do you want to know?”
Tyler hesitated. The more he worked with Jaime, the more Tyler was convinced he belonged in the dojo. The problem was Jaime would have to get over his nervousness around the other guys if he wanted to hang around. His trepidation and hesitation only brought out their aggression. Tyler doubted any of them would be openly hostile with Jaime, but it was the little slights like being last to get a partner or being excluded from the changing room camaraderie that would wear on Jaime. Eventually he would get discouraged and leave. Tyler couldn’t force the other guys to like Jaime, but he could make sure Jaime didn’t back down from them. Tyler was confident that, if he stood his ground and demanded equal treatment, the other guys would have to respect him. If not, it wouldn’t be long before Jaime could handle any one of them in a sparring match. As hardheaded as Steve could be, he had to respect skill.
“Why do you have such a hard time working with the guys in class?” As soon as Tyler spoke the words, Jaime’s smile faded. “You have no problem sparring with me.”
Jaime shrugged. “I guess you don’t seem to have a problem with the fact that I’m gay.”
His voice trailed off before he finished the thought.
“Sensei Melissa would never let anyone get away with bullying you.” Tyler wanted to reassure Jaime, but he wasn’t sure how.
“I don’t want to make trouble for anyone.” Jaime’s eyes drifted back to the dojo. The sadness in them spoke of more distant and painful memories.
“Sometimes trouble is worth making,” Tyler replied and put his hand on Jaime’s shoulder. “It tests character and reveals strength.”
“Thank you, Sempai.”
“Tyler.”
“Tyler.”
The way Jaime smiled softly as he said Tyler’s name elicited an uneasiness in him. Tyler pulled his hand away. The heat from their contact still burned the palm of his hand.
“I’d better get going. Jenny’s going to be pissed as it is.” Tyler said quickly. “See you next class.”
Chapter 3
Over the next few weeks, Jaime and Tyler sparred after every class. Jaime was a quick study, and it wasn’t long before Tyler stopped treating him as a beginner and started treating him more like an equal. Tyler still had a good enough advantage that he usually wasn’t worried about Jaime getting the upper hand. That was until they went to the mats. Even though Tyler’s groundwork was improving, Jaime could always manage to get him so tied up Tyler had no choice but to submit.
Those precious moments between getting pinned and tapping out seemed to last a small eternity. Tyler’s pride and stubbornness wouldn’t let him admit defeat until he had explored every possible avenue of escape. A few times Tyler managed to reverse the situation and give Jaime a taste of his own medicine. Those victories were clumsy, fumbling efforts that looked like child’s play compared with Jaime’s grace and fluid strength. As much as Tyler wanted to win, there was something about being trapped against Jaime’s body that thrilled him. Muscles taut and straining, the rise of Jaime’s chest matching his own. In that moment, the separateness of their bodies vanished. Jaime matched whatever moves Tyler made as if he knew Tyler would make them before he did. Though Jaime could have easily broken Tyler’s arm a hundred times over or dislocated his knee, Tyler never doubted he was safe in Jaime’s grasp. His holds were firm and unyielding. With incremental pressure, Jaime brought Tyler closer and closer to the edge of his pain tolerance. Jaime always knew exactly how much Tyler could take and wouldn’t let him get away with experiencing anything less.
It was exhilarating in the way that good sparring matches and hard workouts always were. Tyler’s body craved the contact that was—brutal and rough, sensual and all consuming. Even as he struggled to free
