by Olivia Chase
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Diane comes back over and begins rattling off stuff about the coach, and what she’s going to help him do so he can have the proper equipment and such to train Hale. I can’t focus on her words. All I can think about is that whatever is going on between me and Hale might be real, and it’s just getting started.
It’s time for Hale’s next fight. His opponent is someone who’s been getting good buzz from his amateur fights in the Midwest. Diane seems unconcerned though, her attention focused on her newest investment. Not that I can tear my gaze away from him, either.
Hale’s shorts showcase strong thighs that almost make me salivate. Those muscles…holy hell. I want to run my fingers along them, feel them moving beneath my hands. Down his knees to cup his calves. And then work my way up to stroke that sexy V of his torso…
The announcer breaks in to interrupt my thoughts, and Hale slides between the ropes and enters the ring. Diane is rambling on about how good Hale’s looking out there. All I can think about is that he wants to take me on a date.
Do I want him to win this match?
Hell yes.
Even though it means hurting someone else.
And I can tell myself all I want that it isn’t personal. But the truth is, it is. I don’t care about him boxing at all. I care about the deeper things I see going on behind his eyes. I care about the way he looks at me, and about what he wants for himself.
But why do I care about someone I hardly even know?
The bell dings. The two men in the ring start that delicate bouncing dance around each other, although with Hale, the movements are more subtle, and his feet are more firmly rooted to the canvas.
His whole body screams power, intensity, ready to ignite and explode into action.
Fans are screaming and hollering both men’s names. Neither is paying any attention to what’s outside of the ropes.
Hale’s opponent bobs in to deliver a punch, but Hale smoothly leans back and dodges the blow. Watching him in action, he’s a caged animal. All aggression. His face almost seems angry, tight with tension. He’s focused.
It’s so hot. Imagining all that focus on me as he’s stripping me out of my clothes… I find myself shuddering a bit at the erotic thought.
Then Hale rears back and delivers a blow that almost makes my own teeth rattle with the intensity. The man staggers, gloved fists flailing in the air, and drops to his knees, then slides all the way down.
The crowd explodes with screams and chants. Holy shit, he did it again. It hadn’t even been thirty seconds.
Hale’s face is cool as he lifts his hands in the air.
“He’s amazing!” Diane roars, clapping wildly. “I can’t fucking believe it! Oh, we’re gonna go far with this man. He’s it.”
I stop hearing what she says, because I’m staring at Hale…who connects eyes with me. I can’t breathe. Can’t move. But I sure as hell can read what’s all over his face.
He won, and he plans to ask me out. My whole body erupts in goose bumps. I’m nervous. I’m excited.
I’m conflicted.
Hale exits the ring to the thunderous applause, people clapping him on the back. He heads over to Diane, who offers him a handshake. The three of us walk into the back room, and he drops onto a bench, swabbing at the back of his neck with a towel.
“Spectacular,” Diane says, dropping onto the bench beside him. Her thighs brush his, and I find myself having a strange reaction. Not jealousy. I can’t possibly be jealous. He isn’t mine. Hell, I’m not even sure I want to date him.
Lies, my brain whispers.
Diane is rattling off a whole bunch of praise to Hale, who is unwinding tape from his meaty fists. Our eyes find each other again, and a hot flush warms my torso under his scrutiny. His eyes alone could knock me out.
“I’m excited about where this is going,” Diane is saying. She isn’t even noticing that he’s looking at me—probably because she thinks I’m invisible. “Been a while since we’ve seen a dark horse in a tournament like you. A knockout fighter with power in both fists, with the looks, charisma, and the ability to make waves as a pro.” She nibbles her lower lip as she thinks something over. “I’m getting you a PR person.”
That snags Hale’s attention. “And what will they be doing for me?”
She gives him a dazzling grin, now that he’s looking at her. She knows how to work him. “I know just the person. She has connections to get you write-ups in the sports section of the paper. Maybe even a TV interview or two?” She grabs her phone and begins firing out a text message. “Sylvia has gotten some of her clients on the local morning show. We should also be talking with Detroit’s local stations, and more in the vicinity. Gotta think bigger.” She pats his thigh then rises from the bench. “Rest up. Big day tomorrow!” With that, she’s gone.
Leaving me standing in front of Hale, who is looking like he wants to drop me onto the bench and do wicked things to me.
I clear my throat. “Um. Congrats on the great win. Another quick fight. No messing around with you, huh?”
He rises and peers down at me, and my pussy throbs at his proximity. He’s all prowess, all power, magnetic. “I won. I want to go out to dinner with you. Tonight. Say yes. Don’t think. Just say yes.”
“Yes.” My heart is stuttering. This is insane. Against my better judgment. But I can’t resist him.
The bone-melting smile he bestows upon me drives away all other thoughts.
He so rarely fully on smiles, from what I can tell. But when he does, it feels like the sun is shining on me and me alone.
“Good. Tell me where to pick you up,” he says.
I’m supposed to go to my adoptive parents’ house this afternoon to hang out for a bit. He can pick me up there, I suppose. I rattle off the address. Oh God, a real date. This is insane. I swallow and add, “By the way, it should go without saying, but Diane can’t find out about this.” She’d string me up if she found out I was dating Hale, her golden boy. Not to mention the crossing of business boundaries.
His heated look at my lips has my throat tight.
He nods. “I know how to be quiet. I’ll see you there at seven.” Hale grabs his bag and walks off, leaving me staring at his tight ass and marveling that I have a date tonight with the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.
What the hell am I going to wear?
From her spot on the couch beside my adoptive father, Dana is beaming at me, a look I haven’t seen on her face in a long time. I press my sweaty palms to my skirt-clad thighs and try to maintain my calm. I’m already nervous—it doesn’t help to have her and Will both exchanging sly glances at each other.
“So tell us more about this guy,” Will says.
Part of the reason I’m nervous is because I have a feeling they’re not going to like Hale. He’s the opposite of our family—we’re more reserved, calm, and we never fight or yell. Hale is fiery, passionate…brutal.
They’re going to take one look at him and try to lock me in the basement.
I know their opinion shouldn’t matter. But it does. They rescued me from a terrible situation as a kid. Raised me in a stable home. Never yelled at me. Never berated me. Never made me afraid.
I’m beyond grateful to them for that.
“Well, he owns a bar and restaurant,” I hedge. “And he’s a boxer.”
Dana’s brow quirks. “So you met him at this event you guys are running?”
I nod.
Will frowns, a deep line between his brow. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to mix business and…”
“Pleasure?” I say with a laugh. “It’ll be fine. It’s just one date. We’re not running off to get married or anything.” I’m trying to downplay this so they won’t worry so much. They know my dating experience, which is pretty much nil.
The doorbell rings.
I jump up and say in a high pitch, “He’s here—gotta go!”
Dana smirks; she can see right through me. Always was able to. “Make sure he
comes in here and says hi. We want to meet him.”
Shit. I was hoping to dodge the inquisition I predicted was coming. Dana and Will are a little old-fashioned. My heart is jumping against my ribcage as I move to the door and open it.
I’m speechless.
Hale is in a white dress shirt, sleeves rolled up his forearms, and a pair of black pants that hug his legs like they were made for him. I’m pretty sure I’m drooling a little bit. He looks me up and down, from my red heels to my black skirt and deep plum silky top. “You look beautiful,” he murmurs, then leans in and brushes a kiss on my cheek.
A small gesture, but an intimate one that warms me all over. My heart gives a funny squeeze. “Um,” I say, backing away and opening the door wider. “Please come in. My folks would like to meet you.”
To his credit, he doesn’t react negatively to this, just strolls right in with a polite smile on. He goes over to them and sticks his hand out. “I’m Hale. Glad to meet you two. Your home is lovely.”
Will stands up and takes his hand, followed by Dana. “Please, have a seat,” he says, pointing at a nearby chair.
I smother a groan and resume my seat, biting my lower lip. Please let this go fast, I pray. I know they care about me and want to make sure I’m safe and happy. But I also don’t want Hale to run off because of being grilled.
All day, since he asked me out, I’ve been nervously excited about the prospect of our date.
The questions start off innocently enough. They ask about the bar, Fugitives, and Hale tells them where it is and how it’s opposite his cousin’s bar, Outlaws. When he explains how they do promo deals together, Will nods and gives him an admiring look.
“I like that you’re not trying to drive each other out of business,” Will says.
Hale’s jaw tightens just a fraction. “Admittedly, we didn’t get along well at first,” he admits. “But we’re family. We put our squabbles aside for the good of our businesses and found a way to make it work.”
Dana tilts her head and studies him. “That’s interesting. What made you decide to get into the restaurant business? Have you always wanted to do that?”
“Actually, I’m wanting to pursue professional boxing,” he says. I see a glance slide my way. “I know it gets a reputation because people see it as violent, but boxing is more than just fists.” He pauses. “When I was a kid, I was really skinny and I used to get picked on. A lot. The neighborhood I live in…well, it isn’t the best. People could be pretty cruel.” He gives a wry grin here.
I find myself drawn in to what he’s saying. Will and Dana are rapt, too.
“Luckily, someone in the neighborhood showed me some boxing moves to help defend myself. I began to train, to exercise, to eat better. I stopped being that skinny kid who got the crap beat out of him. Boxing empowered me. It’s in my blood. And it’s a sport that takes dedication, discipline, and intelligence.”
The passion with which he speaks about it moves me. Have I ever felt that strongly about anything in my entire life? I don’t think I have.
“Is your family supportive of your boxing career?” Dana says.
Hale shrugs. “My family doesn’t quite get why it’s so important to me, but that’s okay. I’m not giving up on my dreams, even if I’m the only one supporting them.”
Dana gives Hale a gentle smile. “I admire your strength—I mean your inner strength and dedication. You seem like a sensible young man.”
Will nods in agreement. “Takes a lot of hard work to get where you are. I hope you do well in this tournament. Phoebe was telling us about how formidable you are in the ring.”
My face burns. Shit.
Hale gives me a sexy half smile. “So you were talking about me? That’s interesting.”
I cough and stand. “We should go now.” Before Will and Dana can say anything, I run over and hug them.
Dana hugs me back and whispers in my ear, “I like him. Have fun tonight.” She kisses my face and squeezes me, then releases me.
Shock renders me speechless for a moment. I thought for sure they would hate him, due to the nature of his career choices in boxing. But it’s the opposite. Hale has charmed them.
And admittedly, he’s charmed me too.
Maybe I was wrong to judge him so quickly, to judge his sport so quickly.
I turn back to him, and he stands. “You ready to go?”
The smile he gives me makes my heart flip. It’s like I’m the only person in the room. Have I ever felt that way before?
Hale puts his hand on the small of my back and leads me out the door. Thankfully, today has been pretty warm, so my long sleeves are enough. Not to mention the heat coming off his fingers…God, I’m going to be wet and weak for him before we even get to order our meal. How does he have this impact on me?
Hale opens the passenger door, and I slip in. He gets in his side, closes his door, and the car suddenly feels like all the oxygen has been stripped out. I can smell him better in here, a hint of musk mingling with the scent of man. All I want to do is breathe him in. Get my nose closer to his throat and take a long, long inhale.
My pussy is starting to swell with arousal. I dig my nails into my palms to get myself back under control. This is a date. Stop going nuts. I’m going to end up doing something to embarrass myself. Like humping his leg or something mortifying just to appease this desire building in me. I want those fingers grazing my skin.
Hale pulls smoothly out of the driveway, and we head down the road and turn onto the highway.
“So, where is dinner?” I ask him.
He shoots a quick glance over. “I chose a steakhouse that also has vegetarian and vegan options. Wasn’t sure what you ate. Figured that would be a safe choice.”
His thoughtfulness touches me. “I love steak, actually.”
“A girl after my own heart.” His gaze slides down to my legs. “You look fucking gorgeous. I want to strip that dress off you and lick you from ankle to throat.”
I flush. God, he oozes sexuality.
And now the pulse in my pussy is picking up harder. “You… Are you just trying to shock me or something?” I try to say evenly. “You say some pretty bold things.”
“I believe in saying what I’m thinking. And what I’m thinking about is you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since you sent me that fucking sexy picture.” His voice is a rumble, and I see him shift in his seat. His jaw twitches a bit, along with his fingers.
I think he’s turned on too. Turned on by me.
To think that I can make a man like this horny for me…I don’t even know what to do with that. It’s so fucking flattering and arousing at the same time. Some wicked-girl part of me is tempted to touch his thigh and see how he reacts. Maybe slide my hand higher…
This is so not me.
We arrive at the restaurant, a place a couple of towns over from Rock Bridge. I haven’t eaten here before. Hale pulls into a spot, and we get out of the car. That hand is back on me, making me feel special and also hyperaware of him.
The hostess seats us at an interior table, surrounded by plush deep red velvet curtains. The restaurant is designed to create intimacy. The candle flickering between us just adds to the ambiance.
A nervous flash hits me for some reason. I try to focus on my menu and gather my wits. I’m giving way too much weight to what’s happening.
He asked me out on a date. He’s a flirt, that much is clear. Doesn’t mean it goes any deeper than that for him. I’d do well to keep that in mind before I start overthinking this.
“Want a cocktail?” he asks me.
I look up at him. The light flickering on his face highlights the lean bone structure of his jaw and chiseled cheekbones. His eyes seem more brilliant, more emotive. And the way he’s looking at me…like he can see right through me…it’s unnerving. “Yes,” I say baldly. I could use a drink or two to help me take the edge off. “Um.” I look down at the menu, nibbling my lower lip.
“You have the sexiest mouth I’ve ev
er seen.”
That makes my head snap up and my eyes go wide. The sincerity in his voice, the appreciation in his eyes…my nipples harden, and I’m certain he can see them through my thin bra and top. “Thank you,” I whisper. “You…your mouth is…” A hot flush steals its way over my cheeks.
“Don’t stress yourself,” he says, smirking.
Thankfully the waiter comes in and takes our order. I get a regular martini, and Hale orders a stout.
When the waiter leaves, Hale reaches over and strokes my fingers, igniting my skin from the simple touch. “You intrigue me,” he says.
“Me?” I find him the intriguing one. “I’m just…no one.” A girl with no experience, sitting at a table with a sexual god. I can tell just from our brief interactions that he’d probably devour me in bed. And I’d die a happy girl.
“What made you choose event planning?” he asks, not moving his hand, even when the waiter brings our cocktails. I keep mine there, unwilling to pull away, needing his skin on mine more than I want to admit.
“As a kid, I used to be obsessed with throwing parties. All my friends would have me organize them for them. Sweet sixteen, grad parties…Dana and Will supported me in it and encouraged me to attend school to learn more.”
“So they’re not your parents? I mean, most kids don’t call their parents by their first names.” He flips my hand over and traces his finger along the pad of my thumb. “Although, I do call my old man Butch sometimes.”
My breath begins to tremble from the sensation he’s causing in my lower belly. “Um. No. They adopted me when I was nine.” I’m kinda hoping he doesn’t ask for more details. I’m not ready to talk about my birth parents. Besides, I’d rather think about what he’s doing to me right now, that long index finger swirling my inner wrist. Who knew a spot like that could be so erotic? “Are you doing this on purpose?”
“Of course I am. I want you so wet and turned on for me.” His fingers move up my inner forearm.
“I thought this was just a date.” I’m breathless now. Helpless against what he’s doing to me.
“It is a date. Aren’t you having fun?” His voice is seducing me, along with his fingers. “Besides, I’m being good. I’m not even telling you what I want to do to you right now.”
