“I pay rent,” he argued.
“Yes, but you’re still living with a married couple.”
“I’m recovering. What’s your excuse?”
I huffed in irritation. Man, this guy really didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut. “As a matter of fact, I’m saving for a house.”
He nodded, glancing off to the other side of the room. “And renting from the Parkers, right? Michael said something about that.”
“So? I have a plan. At least I’m not just wallowing in self-pity.”
He suddenly released me, stepping back. And just like that, it was like the whole bar gasped in horror.
“You know nothing about me.”
“Maybe that’s because you choose not to open yourself up to anyone,” I retorted.
Jaw clenching, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the bar. Shaking my head, I decided I was done for the night. I hadn’t really wanted to come out anyway, and now that I had, I was even more convinced that staying in my house with my books was much more satisfying.
I grabbed my things and stormed out of the bar, only to find Sam leaning against the wall, his hands pressed firmly to the brick as he took in deep breaths. His whole body was on edge, ready to break out into a fiery rage.
And now I felt bad.
Sighing, I walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm, but I didn’t even get a chance to open my mouth as he grabbed me and spun me up against the brick wall, his body caging mine in for only a second before his lips crashed down on mine.
The taste of beer slid across my tongue as his hand came up and cupped my jaw, forcing my mouth open. I gladly succumbed to his wishes, so lost in the moment that I didn’t really have a chance to think about the big brute doing anything but pressing his body against mine.
Sliding my fingers through the belt loops on his jeans, I tugged him closer, shivering as I felt a rumble of approval vibrating against my chest as his thick cock pressed into my stomach.
Gasping, my eyes slid closed as his lips trailed down my neck, and his hand cupped my breast. God, it had been too long. Thick, hard muscles rippled under my fingertips as I slid my hands up his chest and over his muscular arms. This was really happening. He was really kissing me, and?—
He jerked away from me, his chest heaving as he stared at the ground, refusing to meet my gaze.
I stepped forward, but he gave a sharp shake of his head, and his eyes finally met mine. That brilliant blue from the moment I met him was now a dark blue that almost seemed black in the dead of night.
But I was mistaken if I saw anything other than hatred in his eyes. Whether that was at me or for himself, I couldn’t be sure. The one thing I did know, nothing was happening tonight.
I picked up my purse that had fallen on the ground and stormed past him to my car. I didn’t have room for that kind of hesitation in my life. I wanted a man who knew he wanted me and wasn’t afraid to take it.
Clearly, that would never be Sam.
6
SAM
I was fucking stupid.
Not only did I let my temper get the best of me, but I also groped her in the parking lot like an asshole. And again, it was all my fault. Every second I was with her, all I wanted to do was kiss her. And then she started talking about Christmas and Thanksgiving, and how much she loved it.
And all I could think about were the fights I was going to miss out on because my career was over.
It had been my choice to walk away. I knew that deep in my gut, if I continued, I would only end up crippling myself, which would be worse than not being able to fight at all. I’d done too much damage to my body over the years. I was half blind in one eye, my rotator cuff was torn after my last fight, and the number of knocks I’d taken to the head over the years put me at risk for brain damage if I kept going.
Ending up as a vegetable would be worse than not being able to fight.
That’s what I told myself.
But deep down, I hated myself for taking the easy way out—for walking out on my career when I felt I still had so much togive. Everyone around me was so fucking happy all the time, and here I was, miserable and unable to find a new path in life.
