because the parents sure as hell weren’t. And no way did Gage want the boys walking home. The rec center was in a decent enough area, but where the boys lived...
The kid laughed as Gage flipped him around and put him back on his feet.
Like a shot, he took off toward Miles, who was already surrounded by boys as he rounded them up.
Grandma would arrive soon. She’d probably appreciate how the kids had been exercised in the guise of play, schooled on control and manners, and fed. The boys always ate like they were starving. But then, Gage remembered being that age and how he could pack it away.
Briefly, his gaze met Harper’s, and damn it, he felt it, that charged connection that had always existed between them. She wore a silly smile that, despite his dark mood, made him want to smile, too.
But as they looked at each other, she deliberately wiped the smile away. Pretending she hadn’t seen him at all, she got back to work.
Gage grunted. He had no idea what had gotten into her, but in his current frame of mind, better that he just let it go for now.
Very shortly, the most dedicated fight fans would arrive to catch the prelims. By the time the main card started, drawing a few high school seniors, some interested neighbors and the other fighters, there’d be bodies in all the chairs, sprawled on the mats and leaning up against the concrete walls. Equipment had been either moved out of the way or stored for the night.
This was a big deal. One of their own was competing tonight.
The high school guys were looking forward to a special night where they’d get to mingle more with their favorite fighters.
A dozen or more women were anxious to do some mingling of their own.
Armie, the twisted hedonist, had been judicious in handing out the invites: some very hot babes would be in attendance, women who’d already proven their “devotion” to fighters.
Gage couldn’t have cared less. If he hadn’t been fucked by karma, he’d be there in Japan, too. He didn’t feel like celebrating, damn it. He didn’t want to expose anyone to his nasty disposition.
The very last thing he wanted was a female groupie invading his space.
Actually, he’d been so caught up in training, he’d been away from female company for some time now. You’d think he’d be anxious to let off steam in the best way known to man.
But whenever he thought of sex...
Harper laughed again, and Gage set his back teeth even while sneaking a peek to see what she found so funny. Armie said something to her, and she swatted at him while smiling widely.
Gage did a little more teeth grinding.
Like most of the fighters, Armie understood Gage’s preoccupation and ignored him. Now if he would just ignore Harper, too, Gage could get back to brooding.
Instead, he was busy thinking of female company—but there was only one woman who crowded his brain.
And for some reason, she seemed irritated with him.
His dark scowl made the stitches above his eye pull and pinch, drawing his thoughts from one problem and back to another.
One stupid mistake, one botched move during practice, and he had an injury that got him kicked out of the competition.
Damn it all, he didn’t want to be here tonight, but if he hadn’t shown up, he’d have looked sad and pathetic.
“Stop pacing,” Harper said from right behind him. “It makes you look sad and pathetic.”
Hearing his concern thrown right back at him, Gage’s left eye twitched. Leave it to Harper to know his exact thoughts and to use them as provocation. But then, he had to admit, she provoked him so well....
He’d missed the fights. And he’d missed Harper.
The only upside to heading home had been getting to see her. But since his return three days ago, she’d given him his space—space he wanted, damn it, just maybe not from her. At the very least, she could have wanted to see him, instead of treating him like one of the guys.
Relishing a new focus, Gage paused, planning what he’d say to her.
She
The kid laughed as Gage flipped him around and put him back on his feet.
Like a shot, he took off toward Miles, who was already surrounded by boys as he rounded them up.
Grandma would arrive soon. She’d probably appreciate how the kids had been exercised in the guise of play, schooled on control and manners, and fed. The boys always ate like they were starving. But then, Gage remembered being that age and how he could pack it away.
Briefly, his gaze met Harper’s, and damn it, he felt it, that charged connection that had always existed between them. She wore a silly smile that, despite his dark mood, made him want to smile, too.
But as they looked at each other, she deliberately wiped the smile away. Pretending she hadn’t seen him at all, she got back to work.
Gage grunted. He had no idea what had gotten into her, but in his current frame of mind, better that he just let it go for now.
Very shortly, the most dedicated fight fans would arrive to catch the prelims. By the time the main card started, drawing a few high school seniors, some interested neighbors and the other fighters, there’d be bodies in all the chairs, sprawled on the mats and leaning up against the concrete walls. Equipment had been either moved out of the way or stored for the night.
This was a big deal. One of their own was competing tonight.
The high school guys were looking forward to a special night where they’d get to mingle more with their favorite fighters.
A dozen or more women were anxious to do some mingling of their own.
Armie, the twisted hedonist, had been judicious in handing out the invites: some very hot babes would be in attendance, women who’d already proven their “devotion” to fighters.
Gage couldn’t have cared less. If he hadn’t been fucked by karma, he’d be there in Japan, too. He didn’t feel like celebrating, damn it. He didn’t want to expose anyone to his nasty disposition.
The very last thing he wanted was a female groupie invading his space.
Actually, he’d been so caught up in training, he’d been away from female company for some time now. You’d think he’d be anxious to let off steam in the best way known to man.
But whenever he thought of sex...
Harper laughed again, and Gage set his back teeth even while sneaking a peek to see what she found so funny. Armie said something to her, and she swatted at him while smiling widely.
Gage did a little more teeth grinding.
Like most of the fighters, Armie understood Gage’s preoccupation and ignored him. Now if he would just ignore Harper, too, Gage could get back to brooding.
Instead, he was busy thinking of female company—but there was only one woman who crowded his brain.
And for some reason, she seemed irritated with him.
His dark scowl made the stitches above his eye pull and pinch, drawing his thoughts from one problem and back to another.
One stupid mistake, one botched move during practice, and he had an injury that got him kicked out of the competition.
Damn it all, he didn’t want to be here tonight, but if he hadn’t shown up, he’d have looked sad and pathetic.
“Stop pacing,” Harper said from right behind him. “It makes you look sad and pathetic.”
Hearing his concern thrown right back at him, Gage’s left eye twitched. Leave it to Harper to know his exact thoughts and to use them as provocation. But then, he had to admit, she provoked him so well....
He’d missed the fights. And he’d missed Harper.
The only upside to heading home had been getting to see her. But since his return three days ago, she’d given him his space—space he wanted, damn it, just maybe not from her. At the very least, she could have wanted to see him, instead of treating him like one of the guys.
Relishing a new focus, Gage paused, planning what he’d say to her.
She
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