by Lea Hart
Standing, he held up his hands. “I’m in great shape because I spent six weeks in Vegas. I did the whole program that UFC offered at their campus and I worked out at a gym with a new coach for four weeks. I took advantage of our break and trained like a beast. I’m not a fighter who needs to cut twenty pounds two weeks before a fight, and I’ve had hundreds of fights, so it’s not like the mental piece is an unknown. The best things I can do are have a solid fight strategy, stay injury-free, and spend as much time with the woman I love as I can. Those are the things that are going to ensure my success in the cage.”
“But Matt…”
“No, buts. You asked me what my professional glory meant to me and I never answered you. Let me try to do that now.” He sat down, scooted his chair in front of hers and picked up her hands. “None of this means shit if I don’t have you with me. I set out to become the best at what I do and I’ve done that. I’m a world champion twice over and I’m planning on doing it again. But if you and I are not together, then it’s just something to do to pass the time until we are.” He lifted her hands and pressed a kiss to them. “If I have to choose between another gold belt and being with you, then I’m going to choose you. I need to be with you so that I can breathe.”
“I don’t deserve a man as good as you.” She leaned forward and rested her head against his chest. “I don’t want to stand in the way of you achieving your dream.”
“Honey, you are my dream. I just spent the last two months without you and I don’t plan on ever doing that again.” He lifted her face and held her chin. “You want to help me win?”
“Of course.”
“Then follow doctors’ orders so that you heal properly and then give me all the sexy loving you can until I step into that cage.” He watched her tongue peek out as she ran it over her bottom lip. Groaning, he threw his head back. “I didn’t say torture me.”
“You are not the only one with needs. It’s been a long time and I’m barely holding on to my control.”
He framed her face with his hands and pressed their mouths together. Slicking his tongue along her lips, he waited for her to open and then devoured her the way he’d been dreaming about. When he let go, he grinned. “We’ll just make out until we can do more.”
Pulling him back, she spoke against his lips. “Less talking and more kissing.”
“Sounds perfect.”
***
Bree sat at the dining room table and reviewed an endorsement offer for Logan King. The defensive end was about to move to Florida to join his new team and they had added two new deals to his portfolio. Matt walked up, rested his hands on her shoulders, and snorted. “Is Logan still asking for hugs?”
Bree looked up and shook her head. “No. For your information, he is dating Stephanie, who is an intern in our office. Apparently, he is head-over-heels for our beautiful accounting major from Stanford.”
Matt sat down next to her and laughed. “No way.”
“Way!” Bree responded. “Do you remember the day he was in my office and you gave him a hard time?”
“It wasn’t a hard time. It was more of a discussion.”
Lowering her eyebrows, she waited to see if he had anything else to add. When he smiled and kept his mouth shut, she gave up. “As he was leaving the office that day, he ran into Stephanie and he’s been romancing her ever since. When I say ‘ran into’ that’s literally what happened. He knocked her over and when they got themselves untangled, it was him who was knocked over.”
Pulling out her phone, she checked the time. “Stephanie is going to be here in a little bit because she’s bringing me files from the office. If I had to guess, I’d say Logan is going to be with her. He doesn’t like her to drive alone, so he makes sure he’s free to drive her back and forth from the office.”
“How is he going to make it work if he’s moving to Florida?” Matt asked.
“Not sure. Stephanie is graduating in June and I don’t know what their plans are.” She lifted the contract she was reviewing and smiled. “This is an endorsement deal with Dunkin’ Donuts and we completed one with Sprint a couple of weeks ago. He’ll be lucky to end up with an accountant as a girlfriend because she’ll make sure he doesn’t blow it.”
“Which reminds me, I’m supposed to look at Kendra’s plan and sign off on it. I haven’t been real interested in studying it and I should dig it up and review it.”
“Yes, you should,” Bree responded.
The doorbell rang and he stood. Before he left to open the door, he kissed her head. “Good thing my girlfriend is a Stanford grad because she’s going to make sure that I take care of business.”
“You bet your buns I will,” she called out. The sound of the door opening and Logan’s deep voice made Bree laugh. The man was more than head-over-heels.
Stephanie walked in with a big smile and Bree saw Logan right behind her, carrying two large totes filled with files.
“Where do you want me to put these, sweetheart?” Logan asked Stephanie.
“Let’s take the files out and stack them up for Bree. We don’t want her to lift anything.”
Logan followed Stephanie’s directions and then made sure she was happy with the way he stacked them. Bree bit back a little bubble of laughter as she caught Matt giving her a what the heck look. One of the most feared defensive players in the NFL was like a puppy begging for approval.
Stephanie took Logan’s hand after he was done and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for carrying those totes in for me.”
When Logan blushed, Bree knew that brainy Stephanie and brawny Logan were perfect for each other. “Just so happens that I’m reviewing your contract with Dunkin’ Donuts, Logan. As soon as we’re done with it, you’ll have free donuts for the rest of your life.”
Logan pulled out a chair for Stephanie and then took one himself. “Thanks, Bree. That money is going to come in handy when we start having kids. Stephanie has agreed to give me four and I’m hoping to talk her into a fifth.” He took her hand and held it gently. “But we’re waiting until she finishes graduate school. The next two years are going to be about getting to know each other and…” He turned to Stephanie. “What’s the other thing we’re doing?”
“Building a strong foundation,” Stephanie replied. Her cheeks were pink as she gazed at Matt and Bree. “I’m sure they’re not interested in hearing about this, though.”
“Yes, we are,” Matt said as he sat next to Bree.
“We’re like Beauty and the Beast,” Logan said. “Stephanie is beautiful, smart, and kind and I’m the beast who plows into men for a living and will keep her safe. It’s hard to believe that she’s willing to take me on.”
“No, it’s not,” Stephanie replied. “You are the best man in the world.”
“Are you moving to Florida after graduation?” Bree asked.
Stephanie held up her hand and showed them her engagement ring. “Yes. I know it’s crazy, considering that we’ve known each other for only three months, but when you know…you know.”
“It’s small,” Logan said. “She wouldn’t accept the first two I bought, so this is the one we settled on. She said she didn’t need a big ring to know I loved her and this is what she chose.”
“The first one looked like an ice cube,” Stephanie added. “It was so sweet, but we shouldn’t spend that kind of money on jewelry.”
Bree laughed and then noticed that Logan didn’t join them. Seemed he still wanted her to wear a big ring and was going to figure out a way to talk her into it. She knew that in the world of professional football, it was important to show how well you were doing by how well you took care of your family. Logan hadn’t come from much and she figured that he wanted to spoil the woman in his life because he could. Having Stephanie as a partner was going to ensure that he didn’t go too far. “Stephanie, if you want some experience while you’re in school, I’ll see if my friend Ronnie needs some help. She has a wealth management business in Florida and she’s a Stanford grad. Most of he
r clientele are professional athletes, so it may be a good fit for you.”
“That sounds terrific. If you give me her contact information, then I’ll send her my resume.” She turned to Logan. “Isn’t that exciting?”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to work, remember?”
“Yes, but I want to. Remember?” Stephanie slipped her hand away from Logan’s and stood. “We shouldn’t take up any more of your time. I know you just got home from the hospital and you probably want to rest.”
Logan stood as well and took Stephanie’s hand. “Thanks, Bree, for working on the Dunkin’ Donuts thing.”
Matt stood and shook Logan’s hand. “Congratulations on your engagement and good luck in Florida.”
“Thanks, Matt.”
Logan led Stephanie away and Bree waved from her chair. Those two were so googly-eyed over one another that it was almost too much. Leaning back, she realized that was her cynical side talking. What Logan and Stephanie had was perfect because they had both come from difficult backgrounds and they deserved all the love and happiness they could give each other. It certainly wasn’t something that either of them was going to take for granted. Which she realized was a good reminder. Having Matt in her life wasn’t anything she was going to take for granted. Being alive wasn’t either.
It was time to grab everything good with both hands and hold on tight. Before being shot she had decided to go all in with Matt, and the incident had only made her resolve stronger.
In the end, she just wanted someone to choose her…over everyone else, under any circumstance, and Matt had done that. It was time she did the same thing. Choose him, always and with no hesitation. After all, you never got anywhere unless you went all in. Logan and Stephanie were a perfect example and if they could do it, then so could she and Matt.
Matt walked back into the dining room and sat down. “Those two crazy kids are smooching up a storm in front of Logan’s truck.”
“Maybe we should follow their example and go lie on the couch and pretend like we’re in high school.”
“That’s a damn fine idea.” He scooped her up, carried her over to the couch, and gently laid her down. He lifted her T-shirt and checked her stitches. Something he did at least a half-dozen times a day. “It looks good. I think they’re starting to dissolve.”
“Quit acting like a fussy nurse and start acting like a boyfriend and come smooch me.” She watched his eyes darken and figured he liked her idea. “Maybe I’ll let you get to second base.”
He lay down next to her and made sure that he wasn’t crowding her in any way. “We’re going to keep it PG today because you are still recovering.”
“PG is boring. How about PG-13 with a little R thrown in for good measure?”
“Why are you torturing me? I’m hanging on by a thread and I don’t need to hear anything about PG-13 or R.”
“You’re not a patient. Maybe I’ll do some things to you. No need for both of us to suffer.”
“We’re in this together. When you can, then I can.”
Running her hand up his T-shirt, she sighed. “Fine. PG smooching. I’m desperate and I’ll take what I can get.”
“Don’t worry, Bree, we’ll be back to acting like rabbits before you know it.” Cupping her face, he kissed her gently. When he lifted his mouth away, he winked. “Two times a day for the rest of our lives should do it.”
Laughing, she pulled him back down for a kiss. Wait…had he just said for the rest of their lives? Before she could think about it further, her phone buzzed. She was expecting something from USADA confirming the new policy on doping managers and she was anxious to see if that’s what was coming through. Releasing his mouth, she gave him a small smile. “Honey, can you grab my phone?”
“We were smooching. Why do you care about your phone?”
“I’m waiting for something from USADA.”
Grumbling, he got up and grabbed her phone from the table. When he came back with a smile, she wondered why he was so happy. “What?”
“You still have our picture from Valentine’s Day as your screen saver.”
“Of course I do.” She ran her finger over their faces. “It always reminded me what I wanted to hold on to.”
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and pushed the button. Holding it up, he showed her the same picture. “Me too.”
“I love you, Matt.”
“Say that a thousand times and I’ll never get tired of hearing it.” He sat down next to her and kissed her. “Check your email and then let’s get back to kissing.”
“Yes, sir.” She opened her email and found the one from USADA. She read it quickly and then pumped her fist in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
“What?”
“USADA has accepted the terms we set forth to resolve the issue of the doping manager who was responsible for the inconclusive results for you and Bruce. Nicole and I’ve been working on this for months.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Our friend Victor looked into the doping managers in Vegas who are responsible for testing fighters signed with the UFC. He did a background check on everyone and then we started combing through them to see if anyone might be motivated to falsify reports. Stephanie was a big help with the project, as was our other intern. They discovered that many tests were administered by one person and then submitted to the laboratory by another. The idea behind the legitimacy of the testing is that one set of hands administers the tests and then signs them into the lab. That wasn’t happening in Vegas and by terms of the contract made those test results invalid.”
“How did USADA or UFC get away with that?” Matt asked.
“We believe it was a function of the program growing too fast. The UFC wanted to put the new protocol in place as soon as possible and USADA wanted the contract to do it. What neither side understood was that it was going to take more time and resources than either company had in place.”
“Did the doping manager that administered the tests screw with our results?”
“No, but the one who signed them into the labs did. Apparently, the guy has a brother who was an MMA fighter a couple of years ago. He was in a bout with Bruce and got knocked out. The fighter never returned to the circuit and the doping manager blamed Bruce. He messed with your labs to make it look less suspicious.”
“How in the hell did he think he was going to get away with it?”
“Our best guess is that he figured the sheer volume of tests would make a couple of inconclusive ones less obvious. I’m not sure that he was operating with a full deck. What Nicole and I decided to do was ask for new protocol in testing in exchange for not making our investigation public. The information that Victor’s company put together would be embarrassing for everyone involved.”
“So now what?”
“USADA agrees to a new protocol and hopefully it will result in accurate test results for every UFC fighter. I had the meeting with Grayson to let him know what we were doing. If he didn’t agree, we were going to file suit with the district attorney in Colorado.”
“So, if you hadn’t decided to extend him professional courtesy, then you wouldn’t have been at The Ritz-Carlton?”
Bree took his hand and held it. “Don’t start down that road. You change one thing, you change everything else.”
“Don’t try and sell me the butterfly theory. There is no way you were meant to be anywhere near Grayson and his bad choices.”
“I’m not willing to change one thing about my life because I’ve ended up exactly where I’m meant to be.”
“I’d like to argue with you, but I know going up against a woman who graduated number five in her Stanford class doesn’t give me a chance of winning.”
Leaning back, she smirked. “Really? I would’ve thought the whole happy girlfriend, happy life theory would’ve stopped you.”
“That too.”
“Can we get back to our smooching now that I have a bit of a professional victory under my
belt?”
“Sure. Seems my kick-ass girlfriend has some needs and it’s up to me to make sure she’s good and satisfied.”
“Seems so,” Bree responded as she tossed her phone and grabbed him for a kiss. “Kiss me real good this time.”
“Every time,” Matt said before he sealed their mouths together.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Tuesday, July 4th
Matt had four days until he climbed into the cage to defend his title and Bree knew he was ready. He’d told her last night that he was in the best shape of his life both physically and mentally. And she believed him. There was a calm confidence surrounding him that told her he was looking forward to the battle in front of him. He was matched up with a man named Marco Galvan who had recently come over from Bellator. By all accounts, the guy was the real deal and had an arsenal of ground moves that would make the fight interesting on Saturday.
At least, that’s what the fighter kept repeating to the press anytime he got the chance. Which was often. The guy had a strong social media presence and posted several things a day across all the platforms. He had a ton of followers and Bree wondered if Matt was ever going to embrace that side of the business. When the company had signed him, Jeff hired a social media consultant to update his accounts and that’s where it had been left. Matt didn’t post a lot of things and she couldn’t really blame him. The line between building your brand and keeping part of your life private wasn’t something he was real comfortable with. So, he erred on the side of only posting things that had to do with his workouts or sponsors.
Some people went through their days capturing every little moment with a picture so that they could post the narrative on Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter. She and Matt were not those people. When he’d asked her if she was okay with him posting a picture of them on his Facebook page, she was surprised. He’d told her that he wanted the world to see why he was happy and about to have the best fight of his career. She had agreed and the picture he’d posted of them from the beach was picked up and reposted all over the internet. It was the first picture he ever posted of his private life and a ton of people found that interesting. His face had been everywhere for the last eight weeks because of the promotion the UFC was doing for his bout, as well as the Adidas and Carl’s Jr. commercials that were running. The fact that he was sexy as hell and a heartthrob only added to the blaze of popularity that had been burning around him.
