Blindsided (The Fighter Series Book 1) (29 page)

Gym—check. Shower—check. Now I’m sitting here like a stalker watching her in her backyard soaking up the sun in a neon blue bikini with her ear buds in. I’m certain if I walk out there I’ll scare the hell out of her, so instead I call. I watch her grab her phone and look at the display. Taking a deep breath she pulls the buds out and answers.

“Hello?”

“It’s hot as hell outside.”

“Thank you, meteorologist Levi, for alerting me. Is this your new profession?”

“Only if there’s fighting involved.”

She’s smiling. I’ve missed seeing that. “What do you want, Levi?”

I pull open the sliding glass door and step out. “To see if you needed sunscreen on your back.”

She twists around. I can’t see her eyes behind the dark sunglasses but her mouth is wide open. “What are you doing here?”

I remove my phone from my face. “We don’t have to use these anymore.” Sliding a chair beside her, I tug my shirt over my head and take a seat, resting my head on the back. “I needed company.”

Out of the corner of my eyes hidden by my own sunglasses I watch her stare at me for a moment, then lay back in her chair. Silence cascades around us. It’s just the birds in the distance and the sound of sizzling skin. Ok, maybe not the sound, but I sure as hell feel like I’m frying.

Just being beside her makes me feel complete and much happier.

“Paige?” I quietly break the silence.

“Hmm…”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I’m ardent as I’ve ever been. It’s not forced but instead fueled by the thump in my chest.

She reaches over and grips my hand, not yet looking my way. “I know you didn’t, Levi.”

I squeeze the tiny hand in mine. “So the flowers worked?”

“You can say that, I guess.”

I sit up, towering over her to block the sun from her eyes and pull my sunglasses up so she can see the significance of my words. For this, she needs to see the truth, needs to see the depth. I pull her glasses off and give her a second to adjust those gorgeous green eyes.

I swallow hard through a tight throat. “I love you, Paige.”

Her breath hitches and she blinks her wide eyes, but nothing is falling from those satin lips of hers. She’s speechless. My jaw ticks. She searches my eyes, glinting back and forth while her chin begins to tremble. I really hope this is a good sign. If not, I’m about to find out. I pull her onto my lap and feather a kiss across her lips.

“I mean it, Paige. I do.”

“I love you too,” she whispers.

This time she doesn’t hesitate and captures my mouth. It’s heated with passion and fueled by emotions.

“I love you too,” she whispers again against my lips.

Let me tell you, I’ve heard moans from all different types of women in all different types of places—my mouth, my dick, my neck—you get the gist, but I have never felt the warmth you women talk about rushing your body until now. Until those very words were said to me. It’s an invigorating ignition. One that spreads intense heat awakening my every nerve, flooding my muscles with energy. I feel like I’ve been struck by lightning, the one billion volts squeezing my heart attempting to have it explode.

Shit, listen to me. I sound like a damn girl sitting in the salon describing how her man made her feel last night. But say what you want. I’m ok with it. I’m good with what she’s done. She’s accomplished the unthinkable. She’s leveled the Leveler, making me putty in her hands.

Chapter 35

My hand is completely numb. My arm’s on fire and the painful pricks spreading into my shoulder make my eyes flick open. I blink trying to figure out where the hell I am, but my face is covered by strands of hair. It’s that moment of confusion before your brain kicks into gear. Slowly, I pull her hair out of my face and gaze at the beauty in my arms. Only her legs are covered by her taupe sheet, exposing the rest of her bare skin. Her arm is resting over my chest, the curve of her hip pressed against my leg as she’s curled tightly into my side. Basically I’m her slumber prisoner. We’re lying the exact way we fell asleep after…well, you can use your imagination, but keep it wild. My girl can be a freak.

The past two days have been full of wasted time and sex. We did some catching up and it’s my job to make my girl happy. I aim to please.

She begins to stir, stretching, and then glances up to me. “Good morning,” she says still hazy from her dreams. “What time is it?”

“I dunno. You have my arm held hostage. What’s the ransom on it?”

She giggles raising her head. I groan pulling my worthless limb into my chest as pins and needles attack my muscles.

“Maybe you should sleep on the couch next time,” she jokes.

“You’d be uncomfortable crammed in the crack,” I say peering from the corner of my eyes.

She pulls my dead arm around her shoulder and lays her head on my chest drifting her fingers along my skin.

“You never told me about this one,” her fingers follow the tattoo on my left pec.

I grab her hand and press her palm flat over it. “I had to remind myself I had one.”

“Just being alive isn’t good enough?” she snickers.

“It felt stolen,” I say.

Up, down, up, down, her fingertip follows the heartbeat line. My mind is racing to find the right words that won’t make me sound like a forlorn douchebag. I inhale deeply. “I started falling for a woman who wanted nothing to do with me. I needed the reminder that I owned that beat I felt, but even that didn’t work out too well. Now it’s a constant reminder that the beat is in someone else’s hands.”

She leans up and kisses my cheek. “Underneath all the bulky muscles is the most tenderhearted man I’ve ever met. I love you too much.”

It’s one thing to know it and feel it. It’s another to talk about it. Snuggly, squishy, gushy feelings make me uncomfortable and make my skin crawl, so I do what I’m best at—showing her rather than telling her. I confess my feelings by meeting her satin lips with a slow and gentle meaningful kiss. I make love to her mouth as our tongues slide across each other’s, inhaling the very moan she exhales. It’s a sensual kiss, intoxicating and one that can make me utterly mindless. It’s a kiss that I will never let anyone else fucking taste.

“Mmm…” she sighs against my lips.

I smile pleased her body reacts to it flawlessly. But unfortunately… “I have to get ready for the gym,” I tell her sliding out of the bed and having to tuck my cock under my waistband.

“You’re kidding right? After that, you’re just going to walk away?” she mumbles.

“I’m just delighted your panties will be soaked for me all day,” I tease.

“You’re going to let that,” she nods toward my hard-on, “go to waste?”

I bellow pulling my shirt over my head. Her appetite for me is ravenous and I fucking love it. “You’re very persuasive. I need an excuse to have an invite back tonight. I can promise it won’t go to waste then,” I say low and thick.

“You’re evil,” she jests.

“No, just incredibly smart.”

A playful innocence glimmers in those up-to-no-good greens of hers. “But what if I don’t take your offer?”

I rub the bulge lengthwise. “Then, sweetheart, it will be you that just wasted this.”

Oh, that look with her lip between her teeth…she’s gonna eat me alive tonight. Painfully, I walk away to the bathroom to brush my teeth and get ready for the gym before her pouty lips on that sexy naked body changes my mind. I’m already at war with myself.

Not unexpectedly, I didn’t work hard at the gym today. I screwed myself over when I walked away from Paige with a blazing hard-on. The heavy bag offered me no steam release, the jump rope only raised my heart rate, and shadowboxing only heightened my imagination of things I want to do to her when I see her.

After the gym, I headed back to my hotel, showered, cleaned up, then came over to Paige’s to chill with Blain and Jason while I wait for her to get off of work. Jason brought a new black headed fling and they’re both sitting on the love seat chatting each other up. Eavesdropping here and there, the conversation is positioning Jason right where he wants. He’ll have her in the sack tonight with little to no effort. What man gives a damn about the shopping sales this weekend and where she gets her nails done? I would have told her to shut the fuck up long ago, but not everyone is as debonair as I am.

I’m chilling in the recliner watching the ESPN highlights with Blain when his phone rings. He lunges to answer it and dashes to the other room. Has to be Lacy. Dude’s nuts about her with good reason. She’s smoking hot, legs that run for miles, a toned ass, handful-size tits, and dark hazel eyes that are bright with happiness. Unfortunately for him, she doesn’t see potential and has hammered a “brother’s best friend” sign on his forehead. Little does she realize she could have him eating out of her hand just as Paige has done me. Sometimes women can tame a dog, but he doesn’t even try. Pussy balls is what he’s got. If you want it, go all in for it.

“Levi,” Blain calls jogging down the hall. “Drive me to Tonic. Mason said Wesley’s up there giving Paige a shit time.”

I’m out the door before he can get his shoes on and catch up. I’ve had enough with this bastard. I despise the fucking word no, and this is just the same. I say stay away but he doesn’t listen. She tells him to take a hike and he refuses. It’s like a fucking slap in the face and I’m fed up with it. Shit doesn’t fly well. You do not disrespect me, and you sure as shit aren’t going to disrespect my girl. Seems he needs a little reminder.

My imagination runs wild, rearranging his face as I white knuckle my steering wheel, bolting through town. By the time I get to Tonic, she’s in the parking lot arguing with him. Slamming my car in park, I jump out stalking toward them, the sound of jackhammers battering against my eardrums, and red consuming my vision.

“What the fuck?” Wesley barks when he sees me, provoking Paige to twirl around. She’s beet red, madder than hell. “How is it you always show up?” he adds.

Promptly, I reach out and pull Paige to me then sharpen my eyes on him. “I was going to ask you the same thing,” I scoff.

“I was having a conversation with Cherry so if you don’t mind, excuse yourself,” he dismisses me.

A sinister laugh rumbles from my chest. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Paige presses me backward with pleading eyes. “Levi, he isn’t worth it.”

He zeros in on her with fire in his eyes. “Not worth it? You weren’t saying that the other night. You told me you loved me.” As the odious words exit his mouth, he balls his fists at his side readying for a fight. “But I can’t remember if that was before or after our kiss.”

Have you ever lit a firecracker intending to hold it as it blows up? This motherfucker just did.

“You son of a bitch.” I lunge.

“Levi, no!” Paige pulls at my arm, but I’m too far gone.

Wesley throws a sloppy punch but I feign left and return with a right hook, but before I can land it, I’m digging deep for strength to withdrawal and stop. Paige has driven herself in between us.

“No!” she screams with murder in her voice. She turns and pushes Wesley in the chest backing him up. “No!” she points shrieking at him. “You don’t get to come here and start shit!” She whips around and pushes me back then points behind her. “You don’t fuck up everything you’ve worked so damn hard for.”