You might’ve heard of me, Shane Knox, the guy who rose quickly through the MMA fighter ranks, only to crash just as fast. No one cares about personal reasons when it comes to losing fights and money. I’m determined to get back to where I was. For you to hear my name again. I’ve finally convinced the owner of Team Domination to take a chance and get me back in fighting—and winning—shape. What I didn’t bargain for is the guy’s spitfire of a daughter. Factor in her two professional-fighter brothers who are acting as my coaches and the fact that my career hangs in the balance, and Brooklyn’s the last girl I should be fantasizing about.
The closer we get, the more I want Brooklyn. The stakes are high, and I know there’s a big chance of both of us getting hurt, but I won’t stop until she’s mine.
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I nudged him with my elbow. “Let’s do you now.”
“Finally. An idea I can fully get onboard with.” He exaggeratedly waggled his eyebrows, and I smacked his chest with the back of my hand.
“Not that. I’m saying now that I’ve spilled too much info, you have to, too, so I don’t feel so weird and vulnerable. Tell me all your worries and cares. What keeps Shane Knox up at night?”
“Oh, so you wanna get the fun stuff out of the way first. I gotcha.” His hand returned to the small of my back as he steered us down the beach a ways, toward a spot that didn’t get as much light from the nearby houses. “It’s not very exciting. I’m constantly thinking about getting that next fight. It looks like it’ll probably be with someone relatively unknown. Which is fine, but disappointing. It’s crazy how long it takes to rise to the top, and how fast you can fall and be forgotten about.”
I stopped, a different type of guilt filling me. The favor my dad wanted would help Shane’s career. If I could even get my ex to agree to the fight, and that was a big if. I didn’t believe he had a soft spot for me. He just didn’t like to lose. Looking back after enough time to gain some perspective made me realize he’d always treated me too much like a possession.
“And you,” Shane said, his deep voice carrying across the breeze and drifting over my skin like a caress.
I peered up at his face, replaying the last few seconds as I tried to figure out if my inner monologue had gone rogue on me. Had I said part of what I’d been thinking out loud? “Me?”
His hand drifted over and hooked on my hip as he curled me closer. “Lately thoughts of you keep me up at night.”
I stiffened. “Shane.”
“I know. You have a boyfriend. A stupid, annoying boyfriend.”
I tilted my head. “Don’t be mean. He’s smart and kind, and you haven’t even met him.”
“Won’t change anything. You asked what keeps me up at night, and I’m just being as honest with you as you were with me.”
My breath came faster and faster. Something inside of me had definitely short-circuited, but since I felt sparks everywhere, finding the source so I could fix it was impossible.
“Now why don’t you be honest?” His fingers dug into my hip, heat radiating from his touch down to my bones. “I know I’m not the only one who feels the chemistry between us.”
“I…” I shifted away, breaking his grip on me and swiping a stray curl behind my ear. “I’m not talking about this with you.”
“Because I’m right.” He didn’t bother leaving any wiggle room, and his eyes glimmered with a challenge I wished I could easily deny.
“Because you’re a hungry, cocky fighter, and I’ve already been through this song and dance before, and I’m not down for an encore. I need you to respect my boundaries if we’re going to be alone together ever again.” I meant it, I did, but I could’ve done without the stupid sense of panic that crept through my chest.
He pressed his lips together and looked down at me, the sun doing all sorts of unfair highlighting of his chiseled features. “I’ll keep my promise about not kissing you again unless you ask”—my relief lasted all of half a second before he added—“but I’m going to tell you all the times that I’d kiss you if I had my way.” He moved a hand up to cup my cheek. “Now.” He waited a beat and then stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. “And now. I can guarantee I’ll also be thinking about it the next minute, and the one after that, and the one after that.”
“Finally. An idea I can fully get onboard with.” He exaggeratedly waggled his eyebrows, and I smacked his chest with the back of my hand.
“Not that. I’m saying now that I’ve spilled too much info, you have to, too, so I don’t feel so weird and vulnerable. Tell me all your worries and cares. What keeps Shane Knox up at night?”
“Oh, so you wanna get the fun stuff out of the way first. I gotcha.” His hand returned to the small of my back as he steered us down the beach a ways, toward a spot that didn’t get as much light from the nearby houses. “It’s not very exciting. I’m constantly thinking about getting that next fight. It looks like it’ll probably be with someone relatively unknown. Which is fine, but disappointing. It’s crazy how long it takes to rise to the top, and how fast you can fall and be forgotten about.”
I stopped, a different type of guilt filling me. The favor my dad wanted would help Shane’s career. If I could even get my ex to agree to the fight, and that was a big if. I didn’t believe he had a soft spot for me. He just didn’t like to lose. Looking back after enough time to gain some perspective made me realize he’d always treated me too much like a possession.
“And you,” Shane said, his deep voice carrying across the breeze and drifting over my skin like a caress.
I peered up at his face, replaying the last few seconds as I tried to figure out if my inner monologue had gone rogue on me. Had I said part of what I’d been thinking out loud? “Me?”
His hand drifted over and hooked on my hip as he curled me closer. “Lately thoughts of you keep me up at night.”
I stiffened. “Shane.”
“I know. You have a boyfriend. A stupid, annoying boyfriend.”
I tilted my head. “Don’t be mean. He’s smart and kind, and you haven’t even met him.”
“Won’t change anything. You asked what keeps me up at night, and I’m just being as honest with you as you were with me.”
My breath came faster and faster. Something inside of me had definitely short-circuited, but since I felt sparks everywhere, finding the source so I could fix it was impossible.
“Now why don’t you be honest?” His fingers dug into my hip, heat radiating from his touch down to my bones. “I know I’m not the only one who feels the chemistry between us.”
“I…” I shifted away, breaking his grip on me and swiping a stray curl behind my ear. “I’m not talking about this with you.”
“Because I’m right.” He didn’t bother leaving any wiggle room, and his eyes glimmered with a challenge I wished I could easily deny.
“Because you’re a hungry, cocky fighter, and I’ve already been through this song and dance before, and I’m not down for an encore. I need you to respect my boundaries if we’re going to be alone together ever again.” I meant it, I did, but I could’ve done without the stupid sense of panic that crept through my chest.
He pressed his lips together and looked down at me, the sun doing all sorts of unfair highlighting of his chiseled features. “I’ll keep my promise about not kissing you again unless you ask”—my relief lasted all of half a second before he added—“but I’m going to tell you all the times that I’d kiss you if I had my way.” He moved a hand up to cup my cheek. “Now.” He waited a beat and then stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. “And now. I can guarantee I’ll also be thinking about it the next minute, and the one after that, and the one after that.”
Cindi Madsen is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.
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Looks very interesting.
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ReplyDeleteKate Sparks girlygirlhoosier52@yahoo.com
Loved the post. And LOVE that cover!!!
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ReplyDeleteMary
Yesterday another great book to add to ever growing list of reads for 2018, it’s getting easier to meet my goal of 120 read book with books like this being written!
ReplyDelete