Inked Fighter: Complete Collection (MMA MC New Adult Romance) by E. E. Griffin Page A

street stopped dead in their tracks and stared at me. I squinted at them, surprised.
    I was used to girls finding me attractive, but in LA, there were tons of guys who looked better than I did. In this small town, I was something of an oddity. I smiled at them and continued down the sidewalk.
    There was a larger chain grocery store further up the highway, but I preferred the nutrition I could get at the health food store around the corner.
    Inside the store, it smelled of scented candles and freshly cut flowers. I picked up a basket and filled it with fruits and vegetables. I turned down the bulk foods aisle and found whey protein powder and brown rice. After that, I picked up lean protein foods like chicken, fish, and beans.
    Satisfied that I could reboot my diet, I went to the checkout counter. The girl there was in her early twenties, with long brown dreadlocks and a lip piercing. A tattoo of waves encircled her wrist. She batted her eyelashes at me.
    “I like your tats. Where did you get them?” she asked.
    “A buddy of mine traded with me for his.”
    “You’re a tattoo artist?” She seemed like she might faint as she scanned my food.
    “Yep. I’m opening a shop in town. Tell all your friends,” I said with a bit of a sarcastic tone. Then I realized it was probably a good idea to get some buzz going. “It will be right around the corner at the end of Main Street. Grand opening is in about a week or so. Appointments are filling up fast.”
    “Oh. My. God. That’s awesome. Wow. There’s no tattoo artist in this town. We have to go to Ukiah or to Eureka to get our work done. People are going to freak out.” She finished scanning my groceries and put them in paper bags.
    She waved goodbye to me, and I headed out with two bags in my hands. They had those convenient handles, so it was easy to carry them all the way back to my place. When I got inside, I made myself lemon salmon with brown rice.
    I thought of Claire and wondered what she was doing. I wanted to go see her or to bring her back to my new apartment. That girl drove me crazy.
    I cleaned off my plate and considered going to her house just to check on her. She had a lot on her plate, and her life revolved around taking care of others. Most women I knew had lives that revolved entirely around themselves.
    Claire’s home was full of people, not to mention her baby and crazy dog. I needed to find a way to get her alone again. I dialed her number, just wanting to hear her voice. I listened to the phone ring, and was about to hang up when her breathless voice answered.
    “Hello?”
    “It’s me, Damien.”
    “Hi. How are you?” Her voice sounded shy and young.
    “I just moved into my own place.”
    “You got a place in town?”
    “Yep, and those high-paying clients are helping me open a shop.”
    “Wow, fantastic.”
    “You can come over to my apartment so I can finish your shading. I’d like to spend some time with you.”
    “Damien. I… I like you. I had fun on our ride the other night. I can’t believe all the stuff I told you. You’re a sweet guy. I just don’t know if I can get involved right now. There’s too much going on with me. I’m trying to open this dress website, and my sister is out of control. I mean, do you really want to date a woman with a baby? Think about it.”
    “Don’t worry about that, Claire. I’ve got my own place now. We can figure those things out. I’m not going to disappear into the night. You can trust me. We’ll just take things slow. Okay?”
    “Maybe. I’ve got to go. Rose needs her bath.
    I hung up the phone, wishing the conversation had gone better. For the rest of the night I watched ESPN on my brand new HD flat screen.
    In the morning, there was a shout from the street below my window. I leaned my head outside and saw Martel and some other guys with a U-Haul parked in front of the shop.
    “We’re moving in your gear, kid. Better get down here and tell us where to put it,” shouted Bill.
    I