Tough Love

But Havoc and Simon were legends in the world of MMA competition. It was a real honor to have them offer some advice, but to get to spar with them, yeah, he wasn’t missing that.

Havoc had only recently talked Armie into signing on with the SBC, which was the most popular, recognized and best-paying venue for MMA fighters. Now he and Simon hung around more often. If the rec center got any busier, they’d have to expand.

“You’re going to Denver’s next fight?”

“Yeah.” He glanced at her. “You?”

“Probably.”

Did she want to go together? He wouldn’t mind that, except that he left early, and other than the after-party, he might not see her that much. “I’ll be in back with Denver before he comes out.”

She smiled. “With Cannon and Armie, too. I know. It’s great how you guys support each other.”

“We’re a team.” But that reminded him of something else. “Do you really check out the guys?”

She fought off a laugh. “Stack. I’m not blind.”

So she did. Damn.

“Like you don’t eye all the women! I’ve been there when some very pretty ladies came in, and you sure didn’t hide your eyes.”

Guilty. But then, a quick look never hurt anyone. “I don’t check them out with any interest.”

Her rude snort nettled him.

“It’s just habit.” Even he had to struggle not to laugh over that one. “Doesn’t mean anything.”

“You forget that I know you, Stack Hannigan. I’ve seen you holding court at Rowdy’s bar, sometimes with three different women at your table.”

Shaking his head at her wording—he didn’t hold court—he pulled into an all-night grocery. “Okay, let’s focus on one thing, and only one thing.”

“Sex?”

Did she have to look so anxious when she said that? “Me wanting you. So much so that, since we struck our deal, I haven’t looked at other women, much less slept with them.”

Finally she turned those big vivid-blue eyes on him. Surprise replaced every other emotion. “You’ve been celibate?”

She said that with a lot of skepticism. “If it sounds unbelievable from your view, you should try it from mine. I can tell you, it sucks.” He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, then released her hand to park the car beneath a security lamp.

“Celibate,” she breathed. “Wow.”

He had to admit, it was pretty shocking to him, too. “I need this, Vanity. I need you. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

“That’s...well, an awesome admission.”

“And the verdict?”

“Was that ever in doubt?” she asked with a laugh. “This was my idea, remember? And now, after all the buildup, I think I need you more than you could ever need me. So many nights, I—” She hesitated, then bit her lip.

Lust shot through his bloodstream. He shifted closer. “What?”

Thick lashes lowered to hide her eyes. “I had to see to myself.”

That visual sucked all the air out of him, leaving his chest tight and his heart thumping. “You have no idea how willing I would have been.”

“Thank you.”

Thank you?

She shook off the shyness like an annoying fly, then met his gaze squarely. “But we do have an agreement.”

“Had,” he corrected. “We had an agreement. D-day is now.”

“Right. Now works for me. But the reasons for waiting were valid. Now they’re not. And now I need to get my fill of you.”

Her fill? Did she think she could?

Could she?

He hoped not, because he knew one night wouldn’t cut it for him, especially now with all these interruptions.

Damn it, he wasn’t in the habit of chasing women. He sure as shit didn’t play these games. He’d never had to. But no way in hell would he chance another disagreement with her.

He hadn’t lied. His need was so consuming, he thought he might self-detonate if he didn’t get her under him.

After a quick glimpse of the car’s clock, he said, “Let’s go. We’ll grab the food, grab the dogs, and hopefully that’ll be the end of the interruptions.”

Twenty minutes later, when he got to his mother’s house, he knew the rest of his plans had just been shredded.

CHAPTER SIX

A DOZEN TIMES, Vanity checked the clock, counting the minutes until Stack would be back. Torture. How had things gone so haywire? At the onset, it had seemed like such a simple plan.