This Round for Love

by Malia Mallory

  I nodded. “Where are we with tickets?”

  “Waiting on a final floor plan,” Greta answered.

  “Okay.” We needed to get going on tickets immediately. Even if we didn’t know the final floor plan, we could sell tickets for the completed areas. We could always release more tickets later.

  “Advertising. Where are we there?” I asked.

  “We’re ready. Just waiting on authorization from Carl and the funds…” Greta trailed off.

  I resisted rolling my eyes. “Looks like I need to talk to Carl.” Fun. Fun. Exactly what I wanted to do today.

  ~ * ~ * ~

  Darcy

  I stalked past the receptionist straight to Carl’s office. I knocked on the doorframe and stepped inside. Carl was on the phone. He completely ignored me.

  I sat down and barely resisted crossing my arms. I tried imagining the placid, mirror surface of a lake to cool my temper, but all I could conjure were huge rolling waves of destruction.

  Carl glanced up, frowning. He put his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. “I’m going to be a few.”

  “I understand. I’ll wait.” I wasn’t leaving. No way. No how. We were getting things in motion, and we were doing it today.

  Carl huffed. “Let me call you back. I have someone in my office.” He hung up the phone. “What’s so urgent?”

  My temper sparked. “What’s so urgent? I’m not sure where to begin, but I’ll start with the arena construction. Nothing is happening there. Why not?”

  “Well, you know these construction guys. They’re so busy and they jump from job to job.” Carl held out his palms and shrugged.

  My eyes narrowed. “Is it true they’re owed a payment?”

  Carl bobbed his head. “I…yes. Maybe. The manager in accounting has been out. New baby.” He smiled. “It’s possible there was a problem there.”

  I didn’t know if he was trying to put me off or if he truly believed this was no big deal. “Carl, how can you not know?”

  Carl’s eyebrows snapped together. “I’ve been doing this job a long time—”

  “That’s not the point. The point is hosting a successful event. Absent workers or not, it’s up to you to oversee the planning. What’s the number?” I had sympathy for the kinds of trouble that arose at a resort on a daily basis, but I didn’t have much sympathy for not addressing priorities.

  “What number?” Carl puffed out his chest.

  “The contractor. Who is the contractor? What is the contact information, and how much are they owed?”

  “Bakersfield. We work with Tom Bakersfield directly. I don’t know the amount offhand.”

  “Can you get him on the phone?” I asked.

  Carl didn’t hide his surprise. “What? Right now?”

  I counted in my mind. I wasn’t going to let my temper get the better of me. If I wasn’t in control, I wouldn’t be taken seriously. I tamped down my emotion. “Yes, now. It might be helpful to have you in on the conversation, but either you get him on the phone or I will.”

  Carl raised his hand, wagging a pudgy finger in my direction. “Now you listen here. Things were just fine before you arrived, and they’ll be just fine after you leave.”

  The stretching thread that held my temper snapped. “This isn’t a pissing contest. This is getting shit done. Are you going to help or not?”

  Carl pulled on his sleeve and picked up the phone. “Get Bakersfield on the phone.” He slammed down the receiver.

  I took a deep breath. “I’m not here to cause you trouble, Carl. I’m here because there are delays—unacceptable delays. They need to be fixed immediately.” I needed cooperation. Was that too much to ask?

  Carl took a deep breath and calmed himself. “It’s always good to have extra hands.”

  Fine. He wanted to pretend I was helping him? I didn’t care. “It’s my understanding that tickets are ready to go pending the final seating. Is that correct?”

  “Is that what Greta told you?” He smoothed all hint of irritation from his face.

  “Yes.” My teeth ground together.

  “Then it’s correct.”

  “Why aren’t we advertising yet?” I asked.

  “Well, it seemed prudent to hold off until tickets were actually available. You don’t want someone hearing about the fight on the radio and then they can’t get a ticket. They’ll forget all about it.”

  “I disagree. Plenty of events are promoted without all the final arrangements being in place. Is this something you can follow up on? We can get a preliminary campaign going and then when tickets are live, we’ll change it up.”

  “That adds to the cost, you know.” Carl’s voice was thick with condescension.

  “Low attendance is a bigger problem. This is going to be televised. How do you think empty seats will look?” My father would probably be watching if he didn’t decide to come down in person. Jay Murphy, who owned the promotion company, would be there for sure. His office was in Miami.

  The phone buzzed and Carl picked it up. “Oh hey, hello there.”

  I pointed to the speakerphone button.

  Carl pursed his lips. “I have Darcy Winthrop here. She’s helping with the Sand Brawl. I’m going to put you on speaker here.” Carl hit the button. An echo came through the phone line.

  I leaned in. “Mr. Bakersfield? This is Darcy Winthrop.”

  “Hello, Ms. Winthrop.”

  “Thank you for speaking with me. I’ve been inside the arena, and I saw that there was a section still incomplete. Can you give me an update?”

  “The men were pulled off when a milestone payment didn’t come in. Carl knows that.”

  I looked at Carl, but his face remained blank. “What would it take to get crews back on the job and the job completed as soon as possible?”

  “When the payment goes through, I might be able to get guys back there by the end of the week.”

  I controlled my irritation at Carl. “I’m going to get payment coming your way immediately for the remainder of the contract.”

  Carl hit the mute button. “We’re not talking about petty cash. That’s a lot of money.”

  I managed to resist rolling my eyes. “These payments don’t come out of your operating budget, Carl. You know that.” I hit the mute button and spoke toward the phone. “I’m going to have a financial officer at our headquarters in New York call you. We’ll arrange for an immediate transfer of funds. Does that work for you?”

  “Yeah. That works. When we receive it, we’ll see what we can do.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Bakersfield. I appreciate your assistance.”

  Carl’s eyes were hard. “Thanks, Tom.” He disconnected the call. “You don’t know how things work.”

  I rose to my feet. “Things aren’t working. That’s the whole problem. This event needs to be a success. We can make it a success. Either help or not, but don’t get in my way.” I knew my statement wasn’t going to help my relationship with Carl.

  I walked out with my knees knocking. I didn’t think of myself as the confrontational type, but Carl had a knack for pissing me off. He was all evasion and excuses. He might try to cause trouble for me. He certainly seemed like the type. But I wasn’t counting on my father to back me up. I was counting on the results to speak for themselves.

  Chapter 4

  Darcy

  Something drew me back down to the fighter’s gym, and I found myself outside the door. I walked inside. Grunts and sweat filled the air.

  I wandered through the maze of hanging bags and weight benches until I reached the first ring. Two men sparred inside. One was Ford. Sweat glistened on his skin and I had the sudden desire to lick it off. Whoa—down, Darcy.

  I realized I’d wanted him to be here—had hoped he’d still be here. I told myself I just wanted to ask him some questions and that was true, but it wasn’t the whole story. Ford drew me to him. He was rough, raw, and sexy as hell. I probably wasn’t even remotely his type, but it wasn’t wrong for me to look, was it?


  There was a flurry of punches, and then the two men broke apart.

  “That’s good for now,” Ford said. He glanced my way.

  I thought I saw a flicker of awareness in his eyes, but maybe it was my imagination.

  Ford climbed out of the ring and walked toward me. My stomach flipped and my muscles quivered.

  “What brings you down here?” He pulled off his gloves and unwrapped the tape protecting his hands.

  “I have a few questions for you, if you have the time.” I hadn’t only come to ogle him. I really did think he could give me some insight.

  “I have time. Shoot.”

  I pointed to the ring. “Is that sufficient? Do you prefer to practice in a regulation setting?” I hoped Greta had the training facility covered. I suspected she did, but if she didn’t, it could create bad feelings with the fighters. They wanted a good place to prepare, and who could blame them?

  His eyes followed my gesture. “The rings are fine for sparring and practice. Some guys like getting a feel for the cage, though.”

  “And the other equipment?”

  “I have no complaints.” Ford smiled, revealing one slightly overlapping tooth. It was barely noticeable, but I found it cute and endearing. I didn’t imagine he’d appreciate my thoughts. Fighting must be hard on teeth.

  “I’ve been in the arena.” I tried to keep my eyes on his face, but it wasn’t helping. His eyes flickered with intensity.

  “Oh yeah? I heard…well, I heard it wasn’t ready. Gives me some worries, I’ll admit.”

  The look on his face indicated more than worries. He was taking it easy on me. “It’s true. There’s work to be done. I spoke to the contractor today.”

  “Taking it down to the wire, don’t you think?”

  I didn’t want to answer his question directly. It was obvious there were problems, but why start rumors among the fighters? “I do have a favor to ask.”

  Surprise crossed his face. “What’s that?”

  “Come take a look at the arena. Tell me what you think.”

  “I’m no expert.”

  “You are an expert. If you see something off, I’d like to know.”

  Ford shrugged. “Okay. After I catch a shower?”

  “Sure. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Sounds good.”

  ~ * ~ * ~

  Ford

  The water was hot—good and hot, but what I really needed was cold. Damn. Darcy Winthrop was a looker. She acted all business, but I saw the tension in her body. I saw how she reacted to me.

  Hell if I didn’t want her, too. I wanted to wrap that long length of dark hair around my hand and pull her to me.

  I shook my head and water flicked into the air. It wasn’t the time to get all tangled up with somebody—emotionally at least. Maybe she didn’t want that, either. Maybe she’d be interested in burning up the sheets together. Wouldn’t hurt to ask. Or maybe it would. I’d have to play it by ear.

  I pulled on clean clothes and threw everything else in my bag. As I walked to the arena, I wondered what Darcy would feel like. Was her skin smooth everywhere? Were her breasts firm or soft? I didn’t care. I liked them both ways. Darcy struck me as a woman with a deep naughty side, and that drew me to her.

  I’d make a small move. She could blow me off if she wanted. It was true I could find another girl easy enough, but something about Darcy intrigued me. There seemed to be a lot going on in that head of hers. It made me curious.

  I pushed open the main door. The lights blazed inside. I didn’t immediately see Darcy, but I sure as hell saw a mess. A quarter of the arena had no seating at all.

  I walked down toward the cage. That was the most important thing in my book. A few rows of seats near the front weren’t bolted down. Hopefully, no one would forget that.

  Then I saw her and my cock twitched. Dammit.

  Darcy strode down the aisle, her hips swinging side to side. Her slick heels accented her legs, and I wondered how she walked in them. She looked steady to me, though. Her tits bounced, just a little. It was subtle and all the better for it.

  She raised her hand. “Hi. Thanks for coming over.” Her pink mouth curved, and I thought of all the places I’d like to feel those lips.

  “No worries. Lighting looks good.” I pointed toward the ceiling.

  “Yeah. I don’t think they had to do much there. The space had been used before, but this was a whole new configuration.”

  I imagined her fingers wrapped around me and, with great effort, I pushed it from my mind. “Some of the seats that are here aren’t bolted down, just so you know.”

  Darcy examined the floor and frowned. “That would be bad.” Lines of worry appeared on her face, and I was almost sorry for putting them there.

  “What about sound?”

  “Sound should be good, too. Of course, I haven’t tested it. Have you looked over the cage?”

  “Not yet. I was about to.”

  Darcy nodded and tilted her head. She smiled, and I wondered if she’d flirt with me. She looked like she was thinking about something—something sinful. I don’t know why I suspected that Darcy was deeply sensual, but I knew it was true. It was there in the movement of her lips and the sparkle in her eye. It wasn’t wishful thinking on my part. I knew when a woman was interested.

  ~ * ~ * ~

  Darcy

  Seeing Ford stole my breath away. A man shouldn’t be allowed to give off so much testosterone. Women must throw themselves at him left and right.

  I didn’t want to come off like a groupie. I swallowed hard and tried to get hold of myself, but I feared he could tell. His eyes looked as if he knew I was softening inside. If he didn’t say anything by the time we were ready to leave, maybe I’d have to. I’d let men know of my interest in the past, but somehow Ford was different. He had the look of a man who’d hold you down and go for hours. A sensual shiver traveled up my spine. It was enticing, but yet a hint of feminine unease lurked in the back of my mind. I wasn’t afraid of him. Nor did I think he’d ever hurt me. But he might overwhelm me.

  Ford stepped away and grabbed the cage, pulling hard. He walked around the edge, examining everything he saw closely. “I’m guessing the contract calls for a final walk-through?”

  “Yes, but I’d like to make sure we’re as ready as possible before then.” On second thought, ready as possible wouldn’t be enough. We had to be ready.

  “Sure. Well, I’m not seeing anything out of the ordinary besides…” He gestured toward the unfinished seating area. “Well, besides what’s obvious. Jay’s fair, but he’ll want everything as specified.”

  I nodded. I hadn’t met Jay Murphy yet. I only knew his name from the contract, but my father had spoken highly of him. He’d taken a regional organization and built it into a worldwide empire. That was the sort of thing my father respected.

  “So, what’s the allure?” I knew what drew some athletes—personal challenge and the chance to test yourself against the best in the world. What Ford did was different. All athletes risked injury, but fighters risked it deliberately and I wanted to understand why.

  “Allure?” Ford rubbed the back of his neck, and the muscles in his arm flexed.

  “Why? Why do you do it?” My curiosity was overwhelming me.

  Ford made a fist and swung it. “Fight?”

  “Yeah, fight.”

  “Because I can.”

  I wasn’t sure if his statement was evasive or profound. “Really? That’s it?” I didn’t know what I’d expected, but that wasn’t it.

  “It’s a test. A personal challenge to prepare myself—to be the best I can be. I have something to prove, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Everyone thinks I’m over, but they’re wrong.”

  “Why would anyone think you’re over?” I asked.

  “Because of my leg. I had an injury. My leg was broken.”

  My heart skipped. “Oh, wow. That must have been awful. But you’re okay now?” I should have researched the background o
f each participating fighter, and I was kicking myself for overlooking it.

  “Yes, and I know it. It’s everyone else that needs convincing.”

  I stepped closer. “I’m sorry you went through that.” I’d had injuries—a pulled muscle, and once, a torn rotator cuff. I knew how difficult those had been for me, and Ford’s injury sounded much worse.

  He waved his hand as if waving the memory away. “I don’t think about it. I’m looking ahead.”

  I moved closer until I was at the edge of appropriate personal space.

  Ford looked into my eyes. “Darcy, do you want me to kiss you?”

  The question surprised me, but I guess it shouldn’t have. It was what I’d been angling for, and Ford struck me as straightforward. “Yes, I think I do. Is that unprofessional?”

  “No. I want to kiss you, too.” The corner of his mouth turned up into a smile.

  Ford leaned in and my eyes fluttered shut. I swayed as his lips met mine, barely touching. Warm mobile lips nibbled my mouth and then his arms were around me, pulling me into his chest.

  Hot, tingling flashes of arousal spiked through me. I wiggled against him and he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue to the corner of my lips and pressing inside. I gasped as his tongue met mine.

  Ford’s hand gripped my ass, lifting me up. My fingers dug into his shoulders and I shook. This was what I’d been wanting for so long—the sudden whiplash of desire and the promise of more to come.

  The door clanked open and we broke apart. I looked up the aisle and saw Greta striding in. When she got close, she raised her hand. “I got a call. There’ll be an initial crew here in a few hours. I wanted to let you know the good news.” Greta’s gaze darted between us with speculation.

  My lips were swollen and my cheeks felt hot. “That’s great.”

  Ford nodded. “I’m expected at a local gym. There’s a guy I want to train with. I’ll leave you to it.” He turned away and walked up the aisle, his long stride eating up the distance to the door.

  I hid my disappointment, swallowing the words on my lips. I wanted to ask if I would see him later or if we could have dinner, but not in front of Greta.

  Greta continued to talk, but her words weren’t registering in my brain. My brain was mush. My whole body was mush—or rather it was a bundle of tingling pleasure. Ford put more into a kiss than I’d ever experienced before with such a simple touch.