On the Ropes 1: Leap of Faith

by Michelle Cary

  Actually, Lexi didn’t have a clue about Fernando. The big Italian wrestler started the same time she had seven years previous, but they’d never crossed paths in a manner that required more than an obligatory hello. What she did know was her cousin’s infatuation with Fernando had caused Aubrey to lose complete focus of her career. It wasn’t a mistake Lexi planned to make.

  Desperate to find something to distract her from Aubrey’s incessant chatter, Lexi let her gaze fall to the wall of mirrors. She studied the others working out in the small gym they always came to when their rolling circus hit Philadelphia. Surprisingly, the place seemed empty, and disappointment filtered through her at the realization that there would be no escaping Aubrey’s monologue.

  Ready to accept her fate, Lexi was about to turn back to Aubrey when the main door opened and in walked The Tribunal. Her body jerked with shock, and she nearly stumbled as she ran in place. Her attention remained on Logan’s reflection as he dropped his bag in the corner then moved over to the mats to stretch. Tanned muscles rippled and flexed beneath his tank and shorts, and Lexi barely remembered to breathe.

  “Lexi, are you listening to me?”

  Aubrey’s voice penetrated the haze of lust fogging her brain. “What? Um… No, I’m sorry. What did you say?”

  “What has you distracted?” Aubrey followed Lexi’s gaze. “Or should I ask who has you distracted?” She slowed her treadmill. “Damn, cuz. Who’s that gorgeous hunk of muscle?”

  “That’s Logan Lanier,” Lexi replied. “He and the other two are part of EUW’s new wrestling stable called The Tribunal.”

  “Damn. I’d be happy to commit a crime if he’s the one handing out my punishment,” Aubrey cooed.

  Lexi arched a brow and turned to look at her cousin. “I thought you were gaga over Fernando.”

  Aubrey shrugged. “I might be gaga, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a sexy man when I see one. Speaking of seeing—” Aubrey nodded toward Logan. “It appears that Mister Sexy is eyeing you up.”

  Slowly, Lexi turned back and found Logan was indeed watching her. She held his gaze only to feel her body begin to tingle with a long-dormant awareness. How in the hell was she supposed to accomplish a good workout with him staring?

  She was still pondering that question some time later as she struggled to focus while lifting free weights. Every time she finished a set of reps, she’d check the mirrors to locate Logan, and every time she found him studying her. Even while he’d participated in a burpee contest with Jason and Cole, his attention focused on her.

  She turned to the weights, picked up a set of dumbbells, and moved back to work on arm curls. Lexi widened her stance just a little, straightened her back, and lifted her head to look at the mirror. Her body jerked at the sight of Logan standing directly behind her. Her eyes widened as she stared at his reflection, catching his smile.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you.” His low tenor sent tiny trembles of desire vibrating through her body.

  “I-it’s fine,” she managed to reply as she lifted the weight. “Can I help you with something?” Like washing your back or tending to your every desire? She nearly rolled her eyes at her wayward thoughts, but somehow managed to stay focused.

  He arched a brow as his grin widened, and she swallowed hard. Was it possible he could tell what she was thinking? “Actually, I came over to help you.”

  God, yes! She could think of several issues he could tend. “I don’t need any help,” she replied instead.

  “Really?” He reached over her shoulder, his fingers grazing hers as he removed the weight and returned it to the rack.

  Doing her best to ignore the ripples of need rolling through her body, she pretended to be indignant. “Hey!”

  “Relax.” He picked up the next size weight and placed it in her hand. “I was just going to show you that you’ll get a better workout by going up a weight and doing fewer reps.”

  His hand rested below hers, propping her up as she wrapped her fingers around the dumbbell. She turned to look over her shoulder at him and barely resisted the overwhelming urge to lean into him and kiss the slick skin on his neck. Why did he have to be so close? “I don’t want to build muscle, though,” she replied and was surprised by the breathlessness in her voice.

  He moved closer, practically wrapping his big body around hers as he shifted to support her arms. “This isn’t about building muscle, sweetheart. It’s about building stamina. Now just follow what I tell you.”

  Slowly she turned her attention back to the mirror and nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight reflecting back. With Logan’s body pressed against hers, she could feel the heat radiating off his big frame, and there was no way to mistake the desire she saw in his eyes. Hell, even she had to admit they looked good together. Still, it didn’t change the fact that she wasn’t interested in pursuing a new relationship. Am I?

  “Now, slow, purposeful movements,” he guided. “Less repetitions. Maybe one set of eight on each arm, instead of the two sets of twelve you were doing.” For reasons she couldn’t quite explain she followed his direction without further argument. She didn’t think he knew better than her trainer, but something deep inside her seemed to bloom under his guidance. It wasn’t desire so much that welled within, though that was definitely present, but something more akin to a need for his approval. Why she could care what he thought, she wasn’t sure. All she really knew was that suddenly his praise mattered to her. Damn if that realization wasn’t just a little disconcerting.

  He lowered his head and whispered against her ear. “That’s very good sweetheart. You follow direction well.” Then he brushed the softest of kisses over the spot just behind her ear. Lexi’s knees damn near buckled under the sudden wave of lust that swept through her. More than a little unnerved by her body’s reaction, she stepped out of his embrace and set the weights back in the rack.

  “Um, thank you for your help,” she mumbled but couldn’t bring herself to look up at him. “I think that’s enough instruction for today.” She grabbed her towel off the bench and made a direct path for the bathroom. Her heart pounded so hard she swore it might just beat right out of her chest. She pushed open the bathroom door, walked straight to the sink, turned on the faucet, and began to splash cool water on her face.

  After the horrible ending to her previous relationship, the last thing she wanted was to try again. She still had moments where her mind struggled to cope with the tragedy of that terrible night. How could she possibly bring herself to move forward after what happened? She lifted her head and stared at her reflection. Still, she couldn’t deny her body’s needs, and for reasons beyond comprehension Logan seemed to pull at all those needs, forcing them to the surface, where she had no choice but to face them.

  She slapped a hand against the porcelain sink as frustration slowly mingled with desire. Of all the gyms he could have gone to in the city, why did he have to pick this one? Wasn’t it bad enough that she’d have to see him on a daily basis at work? Without some sort of break from his overwhelming persona how long could she possibly hold out before succumbing to his will?

  She’d spent years working around muscular, sometime half-naked men and never once felt anything akin to desire. So why him? Why now?

  Maybe this insane attraction she felt simply had to do with him being new to the company? Was it possible that her affinity for him would eventually fade with time? That was it! All she had to do was figure out a way to deal with Logan until her desire faded. With new resolve she straightened her spine and headed for the door. After all, she’d been in tough situations before, and she’d handle this one just like she did the others. EUW was a big company, and she could sometimes go days without seeing certain people. How hard could it be to purposely avoid Logan Lanier?

  Chapter Three

  Logan opened the door to the weight room and stopped at the sight of Lexi in front of the mirror doing arm curls. Her attention shifted from watching her form to looking at his reflection. A s
exy smile tipped her lips. “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting here for what seems like hours.”

  His heart skipped a beat, then sped up as the implication behind her words became clear. He stepped inside, let go of the door, and waited until he heard the solid thud behind him. Alone in the room with her, he moved forward, stalking toward her with one purpose in mind. He couldn’t wait to bury himself balls-deep inside her lean little body. “You know I’d never intentionally keep you waiting, right?”

  She returned the weight to the rack and stood to face him, her skin slick with perspiration. His fingers itched to slip around her waist and feel the warmth of her flesh, and his mouth watered in anticipation of her kiss. He stopped mere inches away from her as he fought to control the monster inside. The last thing he wanted was to unleash the beast and scare her away. Though somehow he doubted she frightened that easily.

  She flicked her gaze up to meet his stare; desire smoldered in her eyes and impatience clawed at his insides, demanding satisfaction. “I need you, Logan.”

  Those four little words, spoken with such desire, snapped the last thread of control. He grabbed her by the waist and backed her against the mirror as his mouth slammed over hers. She tasted so good, like ripe peaches. He wanted more.

  Sinking into the kiss on a whimper, she wrapped her arms around his neck even as he worked to strip her naked. Now. He needed her now.

  Lingering in that space between dream and consciousness, Logan rolled onto his side and reached for Lexi. The moment his hand came in contact with cool fabric instead of her warm body, he opened his eyes. Damn it! Disappointment washed through him as cold reality set in.

  He swung his legs over the side of the bed and raked a hand through his tangled hair. Damn that fucking dream again! Ever since his encounter with her at the gym two weeks ago, she’d dominated his thoughts and starred in his dreams, resulting in a lack of sleep and constant distraction. Never in all his life had any woman consumed him the way she did. Beyond her long spiral curls and vivid eyes that added to her simple beauty was a passion and drive he hadn’t seen in many women. A smart, competent woman lived inside her long lean body, and he found that combination so damn attractive.

  A fact that both excited and bothered him.

  He’d driven himself hard to get to the big leagues of wrestling. Now that he’d arrived, proving his worth should be his only priority, yet he couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything but Lexi.

  The right thing to do would be to ignore her and refocus his efforts. She seemed to be doing her best to ignore him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do such a thing. Not when her mere presence pulled at him with such force.

  The electricity from touching her just one time stirred his erotic fantasies, and like an addict, he wanted more. Yet beyond the obvious physical attraction they seemed to share lay something else, some sort of mental connection, an aura that no one else could see or feel.

  Waking up without her conjured such a letdown he damn near wanted to cry.

  With a heavy sigh, he pushed up from the bed and headed for the bathroom. Another day, another city, and with any luck, another chance to get closer to Lexi Blackwell. Pent-up need, left over from his dream, gnawed at him, demanding to be sated. He turned on the shower, set the taps, then stripped out of his boxers, stepped into the tub, and pulled the curtain closed.

  With his back to the spray, he took a moment to let the water beat against his skin. Then he leaned his head backward and enjoyed the feel of it soaking his hair and cascading down his body. He closed his eyes only to have a mental image of Lexi, her naked body wet and soapy, consume his thoughts.

  On a groan of frustration, he leaned forward and rested his head on the cool tile. God, what he wouldn’t give to have her trim, muscular body in his bed, writhing beneath him as he showed her just how he felt. In his dreams, she cried his name out in passionate release. Would it sound as beautiful in real life?

  “Fuck!” He smacked the wall, sending water spraying in all directions, then turned to face the stream. This daydreaming was pointless and detrimental. He’d spent years honing his skills and knew how to control and channel his emotions and needs. So why couldn’t he get his shit together when it came to Lexi?

  Frustrated by his lack of control, he adjusted the tap so the water ran cold. Masked by the sound of running water, he could have easily found the relief he so desperately sought. He’d done it before, in other circumstances, but something about this situation made the act feel wrong and disrespectful. A cold shower wouldn’t be nearly as pleasant, but it would be effective and leave him guilt free. After all, the last thing he needed right now was another damn emotion to wrestle.

  * * * *

  Logan stalked into the hotel cafeteria, grabbed a tray, and began piling on food. Eventually satisfied he had enough on his plate, he scanned the dining area with the hope of finding Lexi. Instead, he spotted his teammates, Jason and Cole, sitting in the corner. He marched over to where the men sat, nearly dropped his tray onto the table, and slid into the empty seat.

  He caught Jason and Cole exchanging looks and immediately went on the defensive. “What?” He had just as much right as anyone else to have a bad day.

  Jason shook his head. “Nothing. You just seem a bit moody is all.”

  Logan scooped up a fork filled with scrambled eggs. “I didn’t sleep well.”

  “Again?” Cole observed. “You haven’t slept well since we arrived. What’s going on with you?”

  “I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Jason offered. “Logan’s allowed a woman to derail him.”

  Cole arched a brow. “Really? Well, I’ll admit there are some fine-looking Vixens here. It’s easy to get derailed. So who’s the lucky woman?”

  Jason grinned. “The Bruiser’s daughter.”

  “Damn, bro.” Cole dropped his fork on his plate. “When you aim, you aim high. She’s downright gorgeous.”

  Trying desperately to ignore his buddies, Logan rolled his eyes skyward and forked up another mouthful of food as Jason shared what he thought he knew.

  “True enough, but from what I hear, she’s lugging around a ton of baggage.”

  Logan stopped chewing and shot Jason a frown. “How do you know that?”

  “When I realized who you’ve been focused on, I started asking around. From what I’ve learned, she was involved with another wrestler starting several years ago. My sources tell me their relationship was volatile to say the least, and it ended with him breaking her heart. Some say he’s the reason for that car accident about two years back that nearly killed her.”

  “I remember hearing about that.” Cole pointed at Jason. “I thought it was just a storyline to give her some time off.” He cocked his head to the side and shot Jason a curious look. “That accident wasn’t scripted?”

  Jason shook his head as Logan now listened on with much interest. Maybe Jason’s PI work might explain Lexi’s aloofness with him. “Definitely not scripted. Apparently, she suffered some internal injuries and damn near died. After that, from what I hear, she swore off men to focus on her career and hasn’t dated since.”

  Cole folded his arms across his chest and looked at Logan. “Damn, Logan. Looks like you have your work cut out for you if you insist on pursuing this chick.”

  Did his buddies think he’d be deterred by this information? If anything, knowing what he was up against would make the task easier. He smirked at Cole. “Haven’t you ever heard that old saying ‘anything worth having is worth fighting for’? As far as I’m concerned, the more I know what I’m up against, the easier it will be to win her over.”

  * * * *

  Logan walked into catering and directly into what appeared to be a birthday party. Music blared, and stars mingled, some broken off in groups laughing and talking, but he couldn’t see Lexi anywhere. He made his way to the table and found a giant cake with HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKLYN written in blue icing. Well, he’d be sure to wish the pretty little Vixen with bright re
d hair a happy birthday. In the meantime he wanted to find Lexi.

  He snagged a piece of cake and a bottle of water and headed out of catering. If he knew Lexi like he thought, he’d find her hard at work getting ready for the show that night. Sure enough, he rounded the corner to the staging area and found Lexi sitting cross-legged on a crate, staring at her phone.

  Careful not to startle her, he dragged his booted feet across the concrete, making noise. She looked up, and a smile slowly slid across her face. His entire body warmed with knowledge that she was happy to see him.

  “Hey, handsome. Whatcha got there?” She eyed the plate.

  “A slice of Brooklyn’s birthday cake.” He held the plate out for her to inspect.

  She arched a brow. “Mmm…chocolate.” Then she slid over and made room for him to sit.

  He eased down next to her and set the plate down beside him. “So why are you here instead of being back in catering with everyone else?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t really feel like celebrating. I’ll catch Brooklyn later and wish her a happy birthday.”

  He nodded. “What are you watching?”

  She glanced at her phone. “Oh, it’s nothing.” She started to slide it into her pocket.

  Oh no, you don’t. He reached for her hand, stopping her. “Lexi.”

  She froze, her gaze slowly drifting up to look at him. There was sadness in her eyes that pulled at his heart. “What has you so sad, sweetheart?”

  On a sigh she held her smartphone up and pressed the Play button on the screen.

  Logan leaned in closer so he could see and was surprised to realize the woman on the screen was Lexi. She was watching an old match of her wrestling fellow Vixen Fiona, and she was kicking Fiona’s ass.

  Lexi kicked Fiona in the stomach, causing the brunette to double over. Then she grabbed Fiona by the hand and Irish whipped her into the corner. She ran at full force and slammed against Fiona, knocking the air out of the other woman. Fiona fell forward onto her hands and knees only to have Lexi deliver a leg to the back of her head, driving her face into the mat.