Against the Cage (Worth the Fight #1) (13 page)

But his mind was saying:
You’re being a complete pussy. It was a blow job, not a profession of love. Man up! All you have is sexual chemistry and pent-up desire
.

His heart was saying:
You’ve always wanted to protect her, even when you didn’t see her as the beautiful woman she really is. Make it work, asshole! She has all the qualities you’ve been missing in all your past relationships: strength, intelligence, and loyalty. Plus she’s sexy as hell …

His mind retorted:
Pussy!

He shook his head, trying to get all the thoughts out. His heart and his mind had better start getting their shit together, fast!

“Come on.” He pulled her toward his car.

In silence they drove to where Chrissy had left her car the previous evening. Her mind was racing. That was the most mind-blowing orgasm she’d ever had. She knew without a doubt that sex with this man would be life-changing. She didn’t even know where she’d gotten the nerve to pleasure him like that. She’d never done anything so brazen. Usually that was not something she had ever enjoyed or offered freely. In her past relationships it had always felt like a chore, but with Jack it was hot. Enjoyable. Empowering.

She had to remind herself that it was just sex. The Veronica issue had been eliminated, but that didn’t mean that they were compatible. There were still a dozen other reasons why they’d never work out. What if she allowed him into her heart and he tired of her? How would that leave her? Like years ago with Brian—lost and broken?

She didn’t know if she could uproot her life for a man, not again. Not that Jack had offered her anything even remotely close to what was brewing in her mind at the moment. He hadn’t been shy about explaining, in detail, all the sexual things he wanted to do with her, to her, but that was all. Yet this small gesture of helping her with her car was more than any other man had ever done for her, including her own brother. Was she so screwed up that a man changing her tire would cause her heart to skip a beat and question her life decisions? Make her want to stay in town just to see what would come from the sexual relationship he seemed to be offering?

Get a grip. He’s changing your tire, not proposing marriage
.

“Stay in the car,” Jack instructed. She saw him go around to the trunk of his own car, pull out a spare tire, and walk back. Then he began doing whatever it is that changing a tire entailed. When he was finished, he opened her door and gave her his keys. “Drive my car back to my house. I’ll follow you.”

“Why can’t I just drive my own car?”

“Because, baby, you shouldn’t be driving your shitty car, with that shitty spare tire I just put on it. We need to go buy a real tire. But this will at least get us home.”

“Okay.” She jumped over the center console of his Jeep and headed to his house.

She was tormented, and the more she thought about it, the more her mind staggered. Maybe he wasn’t a white knight; maybe he was just a problem. She had just wanted to come into town to bail out her brother and leave. All this “baby” business, combined with the killer physique, the stuff that his hands could do to her body, and that sinful mouth that said all sorts of dirty things to her—none of that was what she needed in her life right now. She was finally ready to stop traveling and put down roots, and more than ready to earn the income of a reputable doctor. And while Jack might’ve had her in a tizzy at the moment, ultimately, she couldn’t deal with his little hobby: cage fighting. She hated violence, and he did it for fun. Fun! Beating the crap out of someone else was his idea of fun! Was that a deal breaker?

Since her father had passed away in that terrible car accident, she had become the responsible one. The one who took care of people—her patients, her brother, and eventually her boyfriends. She was in charge. Independent. She was not used to being taken care of, and this protective thing Jack had going on was uncharted territory for her. She wasn’t sure how to navigate the waters, or if she even wanted to navigate them.
Oh, stop kidding yourself. Hell yeah, I want to navigate them—or do anything else—with this man and his magical hands!

Boy, was she in trouble!

Why hadn’t she noticed him before? Okay, she had noticed him—she wasn’t blind. But she’d never
really
noticed him. He’d always been just Jack. Slade’s best friend. The hot guy with the ridiculous name. Bossy. A jerk.

He was still a jerk and still bossy, but for some reason, she wanted to be bossed around by this jerk! Just thinking about him put a goofy smile on her face. Damn, how archaic had she become in the last few days that she suddenly couldn’t wait to be possessed and dominated by this man? Okay, so now Jack had turned her into some needy, submissive doofus.

No. This would not happen. She quickly formulated a plan. No more sexual
anything with Jack. He was too intense. She had made a mistake, but no more. She had a great job waiting for her in Miami, and she was not going to let another man dictate her future. Especially one who was so similar to Brian, her first real boyfriend. Her mind was set. Her resolve was tight.
No. More. Sex. With. Jack!

“I don’t even know where to start,” she said to no one in particular as she climbed out of Jack’s big Jeep back at his house.

“What do you mean?” He looked amused, especially when she didn’t answer him. “Are you talking to yourself?”

Chrissy ticked off, with her fingers, her to-do list. “First, call a cab to take me to a wheel store so I can buy a new wheel. Then find someone to install said wheel. Next, find a hotel. Finally, kick my brother’s ass.” She was pacing back and forth by the car.

“Whoa! Just wait a second. Breathe.” He held her shoulders down. She took a deep breath, causing the swells of her breasts to rise and fall.

“One thing at a time. Stop it with the whole cab thing. It’s really starting to piss me off. And it’s not a wheel, it’s a tire.” He chuckled. “First, let’s get your bags outta the car. Then we’ll go to the ‘wheel place.’ After that, I’ll replace your tire. You’re not staying in a hotel. You’ll stay here with me until the fight. Although I don’t think you should go, but you aren’t going to listen to me, are you?”

She shook her head. “You said it’s on Saturday, right?”

He hesitated a moment, then nodded.

“I am assuming you’re not going to let me go alone, huh?”

“You bet your cute little ass you’re not going alone. Even with me, you get into trouble. Who knows what you’d do by yourself,” he said. When she gave him a huge smile, he added, “You know, you remind me of someone else who’s just as stubborn.” He nodded in the direction of Slade’s house.

“Thank you, Jack. I really appreciate all you’re doing for us. For me.”

“We grew up together, Chris. Of course I’d do this for you. You’re like family.”

She flinched at the family comment, because she didn’t see him like family and the things they’d done were not things family should be doing. Damn it, her female parts still tingled when she thought about all those nonfamilial things they had done together, which did not bode well for her plan not to have sex with Jack.

“My family doesn’t usually feel me up against walls,” she said.

Jack smiled seductively. “I’m just better at the family-thing than most.”

Ah, hell, who was Jack kidding? He had already corrected her once about his feelings toward her. They were not brotherly in any sense of the word. Jack spent the next half hour fixing Chrissy’s tire and thinking about her.

Chrissy on his bed.

Chrissy against the wall.

Chrissy on the hood of his car.

Chrissy in …

When he was finished, he went inside his house frazzled by the lingering thoughts in his head and then by the delicious smell that overtook his senses.

As a thank-you, Chrissy made lasagna while Jack worked on her car. She watched as he closed his eyes and inhaled. “It smells delicious.”

She smiled. “I hope you like it. I know it’s your favorite. Go wash up and I’ll serve you.” He agreed and went upstairs. When he returned he was wearing his police uniform. She was taken aback by how sexy he looked. Unlike other women, she’d never been partial to men in uniform, but now, seeing
this
man in a uniform, she had a whole new appreciation for the fascination.

“You have to work tonight?” she asked, her mood deflating a little.

“Yeah. I got called in while I was outside changing your tire. Will you be okay here on your own?”

“I’m not on my own.” She reached down and patted Drogo. “He’ll keep me company. Come, eat.” She motioned to the table.

Jack looked at her and then to Drogo, shaking his head with a smile. When he sat she passed him a plate of food. They ate in comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts.

“God, Chris, this is delicious. I don’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal this good.” He ate every last bit on his plate.

“Glad you like it. There’s more.” She grabbed his empty plate and served him a second helping of lasagna, salad, and bread.

“Thanks. You’re not going to eat any more?”

“Are you kidding? I’m stuffed.” She patted her stomach. “Unlike you, I’m not a growing boy.”

He laughed. “No. You are definitely not a boy.” He finished his second helping of food and began to clear the table.

“No, I got it. Go to work,” said Chrissy.

“You sure?”

“Of course. Thanks again for the car and for letting me stay here.”

He waved a hand. “Don’t mention it. Give me your phone.”

“Huh?”

“Your phone. Let me have it.”

She cocked her head, confused, but gave him her phone without any further
question. He slid his fingers across the screen and less than a minute later gave it back.

“I programmed my number in it. Just in case. Gotta go. Be a good boy, Drogo. And Chrissy, try to stay out of trouble while I’m out. Okay?”

“I’ll try.” She winked impishly as he left.

When he was gone, suddenly she felt alone. She cleaned up the kitchen and then paced around.

She peeked out the front window and noticed Slade’s car was parked there, which meant he was probably home. She packed up a piece of lasagna and some bread and salad and went next door.

Slade opened the door just as she was about to knock, causing her to lose her balance, and the food almost came crashing down. His quick reflexes saved the food and her dignity.

“What are you doing here, Chris?”

She noticed his clothes. He looked like he was going to the gym. Or, worse, to a fight.

“I came to bring you food. I made lasagna.”

“It smells real good. Thanks.” He reached to grab it, blocking her entrance to the house.

“Your eye is starting to heal.” She touched the bruise right under his eye. “It looks so much better than it did yesterday.”

“Yeah. I’ve been icing it round the clock like you said. It looks worse than it feels.”

“Were you going somewhere?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Do I have to tell you everything now?”

“No. You don’t have to tell me everything, but I hope you’ll tell me anyway.”

“I’m going to train, Chris. And I don’t want to hear any comments about it. Okay?”

She shoved the food toward him, stomped away, and pulled out her phone. She sent a text to Jack.

He replied almost immediately.

Chrissy pondered that, and it made sense. As if he could read her mind, he sent another text.

She couldn’t help but smile at his text. She put the phone away in her pocket and paced through the house, unable to get the anxiety out of her system. She looked out the window to see that Slade’s car was still there. He was probably devouring the lasagna right now. A few moments later she heard the door to his house shut, and she ran to the window to see. He was still dressed like he was going to a fight. “Damn, it Slade!” she yelled, startling a sleeping Drogo. “Stay, puppy. I’m just heading out for one second. Don’t tell your daddy.” She bent down and rubbed the dog’s belly. “This is our little secret.”