Fighting Love (Love to the Extreme) (10 page)

the front of his pajama bottoms across her ass and bit back a groan, having to quickly move away

as his cock immediately started to stiffen. But he didn’t miss her quick inhale.

A part of him scolded himself for his dirty tricks, but the other parts egged him on to do more.

And right now he wanted to do so much more.

He leaned in close, pressing his chest into her shoulders. “Whatchya making?”

As she glanced up at him, brows raised, she leaned away. “What does it look like?”

“It looks like you’re attempting to make a protein shake, but you’re doing it wrong.” He closed

his hand over hers, shaking the protein mix back into the container. Her gaze shot to their hands,

then up to his eyes. “Let me show you,” he offered.

Brushing behind her again to go to the fridge, he watched her for any sign of awareness. Her

fingers closing into fists was a dead giveaway. When he came back, he casually asked, “Peanut

butter?”

She pointed to the cabinet on her other side. When she started to move to get it, he again

latched his hand on her hip, staying her. Leaning across her, he pressed his chest into the length

of her back as he reached to open the door and grab the jar. He felt a quiver run through her

body.

He pulled away, staring down at the back of her head. The urge to yank her around and do

some very non-friendly things to his best friend ripped through him. From the way she was

responding, he had a feeling she might not object, and that made the desire even harder to

ignore.

He was playing with fucking fire. He knew that.

And this fire had the potential to destroy more than just mementos from his past. It could

destroy the one person who meant more to him than anyone on the planet. And destroy a

friendship he didn’t think he could live without.

That thought knocked him back to his senses.

“You know,” he said, then stopped to clear the huskiness from his throat. “It’s getting late.

Why don’t I finish this while you go shower?”

“Great idea!” She was out of the kitchen in an instant, without a backward glance.

A few moments later, he heard the shower start. A picture of her pulling the tie out of her hair

so her long brunette strands flowed free over naked shoulders formed indelibly in his mind. He

squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head as he adjusted his pajama bottoms.

Damn, he need a shower himself. A long cold one. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to help. It

had been a while since he’d had a little him-time. And he needed it right now. Maybe using some

of the images that were torturing him—like Julie bent over with him rocking behind her… His cock

immediately sprang to full attention. Hissing between clenched teeth, he leaned his elbows on the

counter.

This was fucking insane. He was a grown man. He should have better control of himself. But

he’d never actually denied himself a woman before. Was that the problem? Was that why he was

wound so tightly? Because he was refusing to act on such a natural impulse?

Considering the way he loved women, it made sense…and it made him want to be sick.

The idea of any part of his player ways being directed at Julie was unforgivable—the titillating

seduction, the sweaty night in bed, then him leaving in the morning before she was even awake.

Hell, he’d kill another man for even thinking it about Julie.

“What are you doing?”

He glanced over at Julie, who stood in the kitchen doorway, wearing only her red silk robe that

hit her mid-thigh. His gaze slipped to the deep V that displayed the enticing shadow of her

cleavage. The wet strands of her hair fell around her shoulders.

“Nothing.” He straightened, realizing he hadn’t done shit with her shake since she’d left. “Head

started hurting.”

Which was the truth. Just not the one on his shoulders.

“Want me to get you some Tylenol?”

“Already took some, but thanks.” He quickly added skim milk, a tablespoon of PB, and some

protein powder, then cut on the blender. After it was mixed, he poured it into two cups, shoved a

straw in one, and handed it to her.

As she took a sip, her eyes closed and she moaned around the straw. His gaze fell to her mouth

sucking on that thin tube, and his grip tightened around his own cup. God, this woman was going

to be the death of him. “Mmm. Tommy, you really do make a yummy shake.” She opened her eyes

and smiled. “Thank you.”

Nanoseconds from pouncing on her, he quickly turned his back. “Don’t mention it.”

“I just have to blow-dry my hair and get dressed, then I’m off to work. I won’t be home

tonight, so you’re on your own for dinner.”

Frowning, he spun around. “You won’t? Where are you going?”

“I’ve got plans,” she said, and left him standing in the room alone. “See you later.”

His stomach sank. One guess as to who those plans were with.

And he was stunned at how much it pissed him off.

…

Julie locked the back door of the clinic. Before she’d left for work, she’d brought her jeans and

red blouse with her, not wanting to go back to the house to change. Sad to admit, but it was the

truth.

She wanted to avoid Tommy. At all costs.

If she was really smart, she’d start eating take-out and buying pre-made protein shakes for the

duration that Tommy was in her house. Because every time they were in that tiny kitchen together

it became too hot for her to handle. Especially today. Holy Mother of God. The touching, the

brushing…he’d had her nipples puckered into tight peaks, her clit pulsing in need. All she’d wanted

him to do was press behind her, take both her breasts in his hands, and tweak those stiff tips,

then slide one palm between her legs and rub away the ache there.

She’d had to play that fantasy out in the shower. Why? Because, as always, Tommy was

completely oblivious to the raging lust he was igniting in her.

As she turned around, she tossed her keys in her purse and wrapped her green peacoat

tighter. Brody leaned against the side of his navy Mercedes, wearing a leather jacket, his arms

folded across his chest, his jean-clad legs crossed at the ankles. She didn’t feel so much as a

flutter, much less anything remotely like what she’d felt in the kitchen this morning.

How unfair was that? Brody was a good-looking man. She had tons in common with him. She

laughed and felt comfortable around him. And yet it was Tommy, who was completely wrong for

her, who lit up her damn body like she was drunk on a binge, with the freaking aftereffects to

match.

No. Not fair. She had to give Brody a chance. Just because he hadn’t made her melt on the

first date didn’t mean he wouldn’t. She needed to give it a little more time.

He pushed off the side of his car and walked toward her. “Gorgeous as always.”

“Thank you,” she said, smiling.

After he opened the passenger door, she slipped inside. “So, am I going to have you all to

myself today, or is Tommy going to make an appearance?”

“I’m sorry about last night. He keeps a very different schedule than I do, so when I was home

by ten, he thought the date had gone badly.”

Brody gave her an odd look she couldn’t decipher before he closed the door and rounded the

front of the car. After he buckled in and started the car, he glanced over at her. “How long have

you two known each other?”

It surprised her that anyone who was familiar with Tommy didn’t already know the answer to

that. “How well do you know him?”

“Not that well. I joined Greg’s gym right before he moved to Mike’s. I’ve watched him fight,

seen him at a couple of fighter functions, even talked a few times. But that’s about it.”

“I don’t remember seeing you at any fighter functions.”

“Ouch, that hurts, because I sure remember seeing you. I knew who you were the moment you

walked into the room at the vet clinic. I’ve seen you on Tommy’s arm on more than a few

occasions. At first, I assumed he was your boyfriend, but then he’d show up with another girl while

you were there.”

Thanks for that reminder. One of the many things about Tommy’s after-party lifestyle that had

hurt. “Yeah. We go way back. Tommy is like my…brother.”

Why did she have a hard time saying that to Brody? It’d come out pretty easily to Tommy last

night. Maybe because he had no issue calling her his sister.

“That’s good to know.” The charming smile Brody sent her should have melted her insides.

Unfortunately, no puddling was happening. Damn it.

“So where are we going this afternoon?” she asked.

“I was thinking simple. It’s warm for the end of February, so how does grabbing some food and

eating at the park sound? We still have about an hour of sunlight left.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

After they stopped at a greasy diner for burgers and fries, they made their way to the park.

It was packed full of people taking advantage of the warm day. This winter had been mild in

comparison to last year. Today was relatively warm at sixty, but the breeze kept a slight chill in the

air, making it clear that winter hadn’t fully left yet. As she waited for Brody to get a blanket out of

the car, she scanned the grass for a sunny spot, seeing that everyone else had the same idea.

Luckily, there was an area in the center of the field where they could settle in.

After Brody spread out the blanket, he motioned for her to sit, which she did, then he situated

himself beside her as he dug into the bags and handed her the food. Silence descended between

them. She watched the runners, the mothers pushing their babies around the walking path, the

toddlers squealing as they ran through the fields. No words were needed between her and Brody.

They could just sit by each other and enjoy their surroundings.

She liked that.

What she didn’t like? That she wasn’t completely aware of him. When Tommy sat beside her,

she was in tune to every shift he made. If he moved closer to her, her heart would stutter. If he

shifted away, she’d anticipate the next time he would come near her again.

Why couldn’t she be more aware of Brody?

Did she need to try harder?

Maybe that was it. She scooted a little closer to him. When he followed her lead and slid next

to her, bracing his arm behind her so his body cocooned her, she waited to feel something.

Anything.

There was nothing.

She blew out a frustrated breath.

Then Brody motioned with his cup to the other side of the park. “Well. Look who we have here.

Seems Tommy pops up wherever we are.”

“What?” Julie whipped her gaze toward the area where he was pointing.

There was a guy with a ball cap on over there with Mac Hannon, about half a football field

away, in the middle of lowering his body into a plank position. When the guy launched his body off

the ground to land on his feet and then jump up in the air, she gasped.

Tommy—and he was wearing the hat she’d bought him.

Sweat sleeked his skin. When he dropped back into plank, his arms flexed, displaying the

always impressive muscles in his biceps and shoulders. She caught her bottom lip between her

teeth.

God, he was the sexiest man on earth.

“My God, what’s he doing?” she whispered.

“Burpees.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know that.”

Brody chuckled. “Figured you might, but wasn’t sure how to answer the question.”

“I meant why is he with Mac?” As far as she knew, he hadn’t really talked to anyone from the

training facility except Dante since Mike had told him to get out.

“Looks like they’re doing a conditioning session,” Brody said.

And Mac didn’t seem like he was close to letting up, either, with his stopwatch out. Even

though she couldn’t make out the words, she could hear Mac yelling at Tommy. Not like that was

anything new. Fighters all seemed to yell at each other when they trained, especially the coaches.

But what did this training session mean? Had Tommy decided to try to get back into MMA?

Would he even be able to? For his sake, she hoped so. She knew how much he loved fighting. But

MMA also came with a lifestyle…one that had changed him. For the last four months he’d been

away from it. What would happen if he stepped back into that life?

She shook her head. It was his life. As his friend, all she had to worry about was being

supportive.

Worrying about those other things was girlfriend stuff. And that was not her place.

…

He felt fucking alive.

Tommy had been taking a run in the park when he’d bumped into Mac doing the same. They’d

started bullshitting, and one thing led to another, and the next thing he knew they were both

headlong into one of Mike’s conditioning sessions. One of them would stand with the stopwatch,

barking orders, while the other busted serious ass to get as many completed as he could before

time ran out. It was something Mike had set up because every damn one of the guys was so

competitive.