Holding Strong
Page 61
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Stack laughed. Seriously? How much money could a midtwenties California surfer-chick have? “I don’t know anything about your finances—”
“I could live comfortably without ever again working.” Her bare shoulder lifted again. “But sometimes I get bored.”
That was a mouthful. He knew she worked part-time for Yvette at the resale shop, so he’d just assumed...
Shaking that off, Stack said, “Doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire. Listen, any guy that gets ideas about you, gets them from this.” He waved a hand, indicating her face, down to her painted toenails and back up to that sinfully long, pale hair.
“But you’ve never had ideas?”
He laughed. “I’m breathing, right?”
Her eyes smiled even if her mouth didn’t. “So will you be my date to the wedding?” She held out a hand to strike a deal. “No strings attached.”
Still stung over how she’d harassed him, Stack hesitated. “I don’t know. It’ll mean I have to give up getting laid—”
“Not necessarily.”
Wait, fast rewind. Trying to look merely curious, he said, “What’s that?”
“I mean, I won’t do anything in the bathroom.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “And honestly, a closet isn’t sounding all that appealing, either. I prefer a bed. And nakedness.” Her attention dipped over him. “Overhead lighting wouldn’t hurt.”
His brain refused to function so he just stood there staring at her—visualizing every damn thing she’d just said, which included her naked in a bed under lots of light so he wouldn’t miss a single sizzling thing.
She kept talking, that slim hand extended, waiting for his agreement. “But I’m open to using my place—bed and light provided.”
The visual turned hot and vivid.
“That way you won’t have to worry about getting rid of me afterward. I promise to toss you out before you can even get nervous about it.”
Too stunned to think clearly, Stack said, “I don’t get nervous.”
“And just think,” she continued, “once you agree, then if any other men, like Leese for instance, ask me, I can say I already have a date.”
Blackmail. Very effective blackmail. “It’s months away.”
She nodded. “You’re free and clear in the meantime to carry on however you please. We can tell people we’re friend dates, if you want. Like I said, no strings attached.”
With his temples—and his dick—throbbing, he ran a hand through his hair.
Finally dropping her hand, she went on tiptoe to smooth the hair he’d just rumpled. “Relax, Stack. You have yourself all mussed and I really didn’t mean to rattle you so badly.”
His back teeth locked. “I don’t get rattled and I don’t get nervous.” She made him sound like a schoolboy.
“I take it your lack of an answer is the answer?” She gave him an indulgent smile and patted his arm. “Don’t worry. I understand. But I need to go see if I can catch up with Leese, maybe make him the same offer—”
Stack caught her elbow, and even that sent sensation from his palm straight to his already alert gonads. “Not rattled,” he clarified again. “But yeah, you surprised me.”
“Good thing we weren’t in the cage, huh?”
He smirked. “I’ve yet to have another fighter make the same offer you just did.” A deep breath helped him to feel his legs again. “So yeah, not a bad deal.” Fuck him, that sounded lame.
“Sex with me is not a bad deal? Why, Stack, I’m completely charmed.”
He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Such a relief.”
“Sex with you—” He mentally cast around, but couldn’t come up with the right words.
She stepped closer. “Yes?”
Not kissing her was tough, but hey, he was tough so he could handle it. Maybe. “How the hell am I supposed to think about anything else between now and the wedding?”
Her slow smile this time was genuine and sweet. “Aw, now I am charmed. Thank you.”
“So we have a deal?”
“Ironclad.” She patted his chest, lingered as she had on his back, then scooped up her purse in a rush. “I’ll see you around.”
That’s it? See you around? “You’re okay to drive?”
“Since the first drink was cola, and you only let me drink half of the second, yes, I’m fine.” She waggled her fingers at him in farewell and left with that shapely ass drawing attention from every red-blooded male in the joint.
“I could live comfortably without ever again working.” Her bare shoulder lifted again. “But sometimes I get bored.”
That was a mouthful. He knew she worked part-time for Yvette at the resale shop, so he’d just assumed...
Shaking that off, Stack said, “Doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire. Listen, any guy that gets ideas about you, gets them from this.” He waved a hand, indicating her face, down to her painted toenails and back up to that sinfully long, pale hair.
“But you’ve never had ideas?”
He laughed. “I’m breathing, right?”
Her eyes smiled even if her mouth didn’t. “So will you be my date to the wedding?” She held out a hand to strike a deal. “No strings attached.”
Still stung over how she’d harassed him, Stack hesitated. “I don’t know. It’ll mean I have to give up getting laid—”
“Not necessarily.”
Wait, fast rewind. Trying to look merely curious, he said, “What’s that?”
“I mean, I won’t do anything in the bathroom.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “And honestly, a closet isn’t sounding all that appealing, either. I prefer a bed. And nakedness.” Her attention dipped over him. “Overhead lighting wouldn’t hurt.”
His brain refused to function so he just stood there staring at her—visualizing every damn thing she’d just said, which included her naked in a bed under lots of light so he wouldn’t miss a single sizzling thing.
She kept talking, that slim hand extended, waiting for his agreement. “But I’m open to using my place—bed and light provided.”
The visual turned hot and vivid.
“That way you won’t have to worry about getting rid of me afterward. I promise to toss you out before you can even get nervous about it.”
Too stunned to think clearly, Stack said, “I don’t get nervous.”
“And just think,” she continued, “once you agree, then if any other men, like Leese for instance, ask me, I can say I already have a date.”
Blackmail. Very effective blackmail. “It’s months away.”
She nodded. “You’re free and clear in the meantime to carry on however you please. We can tell people we’re friend dates, if you want. Like I said, no strings attached.”
With his temples—and his dick—throbbing, he ran a hand through his hair.
Finally dropping her hand, she went on tiptoe to smooth the hair he’d just rumpled. “Relax, Stack. You have yourself all mussed and I really didn’t mean to rattle you so badly.”
His back teeth locked. “I don’t get rattled and I don’t get nervous.” She made him sound like a schoolboy.
“I take it your lack of an answer is the answer?” She gave him an indulgent smile and patted his arm. “Don’t worry. I understand. But I need to go see if I can catch up with Leese, maybe make him the same offer—”
Stack caught her elbow, and even that sent sensation from his palm straight to his already alert gonads. “Not rattled,” he clarified again. “But yeah, you surprised me.”
“Good thing we weren’t in the cage, huh?”
He smirked. “I’ve yet to have another fighter make the same offer you just did.” A deep breath helped him to feel his legs again. “So yeah, not a bad deal.” Fuck him, that sounded lame.
“Sex with me is not a bad deal? Why, Stack, I’m completely charmed.”
He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Such a relief.”
“Sex with you—” He mentally cast around, but couldn’t come up with the right words.
She stepped closer. “Yes?”
Not kissing her was tough, but hey, he was tough so he could handle it. Maybe. “How the hell am I supposed to think about anything else between now and the wedding?”
Her slow smile this time was genuine and sweet. “Aw, now I am charmed. Thank you.”
“So we have a deal?”
“Ironclad.” She patted his chest, lingered as she had on his back, then scooped up her purse in a rush. “I’ll see you around.”
That’s it? See you around? “You’re okay to drive?”
“Since the first drink was cola, and you only let me drink half of the second, yes, I’m fine.” She waggled her fingers at him in farewell and left with that shapely ass drawing attention from every red-blooded male in the joint.
