“The girl have anything to do with your decision to get back into the cage?” Preach says as he repositions himself for the blow he thinks will come next.

I decide to change it up with a roundhouse that lands just barely on the reflector pads. He wasn’t expecting another leg, and it catches him off guard, but he’s able to recover and protect himself at the last minute.

I again ignore Preach’s question about Elle. I don’t even know if she likes MMA, so I’m not getting back into the cage to impress her, if that’s what he thinks. The timing just feels right. I don’t know why or what changed, I just feel ready today.

Chapter 13

Elle

“I can’t believe you broke it off with William!” Regina claps her hands together in excitement as we tear into our lunch delivery. It’s almost three and we are just getting around to eating. The day has been so busy. Leonard is due back next week and I’ll be glad to go back to only dealing with my own caseload.

I’m surprised at Regina’s excitement over my decision to end things with William. I always thought she liked him. “I thought you liked William?”

“I do dear. It’s just. I don’t know...” Regina trails off.

“Say it.” I prompt her in a tone that tells her I really want to hear what she has to say.

“He’s very nice, and handsome too.”

“And?” I prompt.

“He’s smart and polite.”

“This doesn’t sound like a list of the reasons that you would be happy I’ve stopped seeing someone.” I pop a small cherry tomato into my mouth from my salad. “It sounds like the reasons you tell someone to start seeing them.”

Regina smiles, but her face turns serious when she speaks. “I had twenty years with my husband, and I don’t regret a minute of that time. He wasn’t always polite, he didn’t stand when I entered a room, he used foul language at the dinner table, but it was there.”

I furrow my brow. I know she is trying to be helpful, but I’m not quite sure how any of what she is saying supports my breaking up with William.

Regina sees my confusion and continues. “But when he walked into a room, he took my breath away. He made my heart race and even after twenty years of marriage, I still wanted to rip his clothes off when he looked at me and I saw things in his eyes.”

My mind goes to Nico. I feel those things about him. He makes my knees weak and tests my self-control like I’ve never endured before. I look up at Regina and see the pain fresh in her eyes. It’s been more than ten years, but she still misses him like it happened yesterday. It saddens me to realize the strength of what she had and now it was gone.

I smile at Regina and nod in silence, letting her know I understand what she’s trying to tell me.

“So let’s get to the good stuff. When are you going out with Nico Hunter? That man looks at you like he wants to eat you alive.” Regina wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. A look that she seems to use a lot when it comes to the subject of Nico Hunter.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I went directly from my break up with William to Nico’s place last night, so I leave out some of the sordid details. “I saw him last night.” My voice is low and sheepish.

“You dirty, dirty girl. I didn’t think you had it in you!” Regina is teasing, I can see she’s delighted at my news.

My face blushes as I think of what Nico looked like in his loft last night with no shirt on. He is quite possibly the most delectable thing I have ever laid eyes on. But I’m confused as to why he seems to put distance between us at certain times. Before we left to get dinner, I was sure that he was feeling what I felt. I could have sworn that I saw it in his eyes. There was desire there and I’m positive of it.

We had a great time at dinner too. There is no uncomfortable silence in our conversations and we both laughed through half of our meals. It’s like we’ve known each other for years. Time goes by so quickly with him, the restaurant was almost empty when we finally realized it was time to leave. That’s why I was a tangle of emotions when we got back to his place and he didn’t try to get me to stay.

“We just went to dinner. Although I’ll admit I was a little disappointed that he didn’t try to get me to stay afterwards.”

“I’m sure he was just being respectful Elle. Did you tell him you wanted to stay?”

“No.”

Regina is about to respond when a deliveryman walks in carrying a huge bouquet of wildflowers. “Delivery for Elle James.”

Neither one of us can wait until the deliveryman is out the door before I rip into the card with Regina peering over my shoulder. “Couldn’t sleep all night thinking about you after you left.”

Regina’s smile beamed, as excited for me as I was. Truly a great friend.

Chapter 14

Elle

I leave work at five, instead of my usual seven or eight on Friday night so I have time to get ready for my date with Nico. I shave my legs and put on a matching lace bra and underwear set…just in case. Not that I’m planning on sleeping with him tonight, but I’d be kidding myself to think I’d stop it if things started to escalate. Nico Hunter might just be my kryptonite.

The buzzer rings and I feel like I’m fifteen again. The cute boy is about to talk to me and I swallow my words like an idiot and embarrass myself when I choke as I try to bring them back up. What the hell is wrong with me? I am smart and in control, and I’m acting like a complete idiot. I open the door and smile. Actually, I think I might have swooned instead of smiled. Do people actually swoon?

I step out of the way to allow Nico to enter. He takes one step inside and then turns to face me. My back is up against the door as he drops his head low to meet mine, brushing his lips softly against my mouth. “Hey.”

“Hey.” My response is breathless from just a whisper of his lips against mine.

Nico has mischief in his eyes that makes me want him to do things to me. It fuels my desire for his strong arms to pin me against the door and leave me powerless. It’s not a feeling I’m familiar with, and it scares me to feel it as much as it excites me.

He enters my apartment and suddenly it feels smaller with such a massive man standing inside. “You cooked?”

“If you can call it that.”

“It smells good.” Nico crinkles up his nose and it is an absolutely adorable face. One that looks like he’s five years old. I’m so enthralled by how such a large, powerful man can look so adorable, that it takes me a minute for his words to register. “But I think something is burning.”