Page 61 of Fight for Forever

“If you weren’t so excited to see me,” he starts, and I pull back to see him grinning.

“Ass,” I punch his chest. It’s like a puff of air hitting a brick wall.

Joey takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “You don’t know how hard it’s been not to drive over here to see you.”

“Really?” I ask, not believing that.

“Megan,” he takes my chin and lifts it, leaving me no choice but to look at him. “If I thought for one second the assholes in the press wouldn’t use you against me, I would have been here all the time. It’s been fucking torture not seeing you.”

My lip trembles. Joey dips down and takes it between his. He surrounds my senses, his scent, his warmth, his touch. Every single insecure thought that Joey doesn’t want me melts away in an instant.

I try to hold on to some of it, not because I don’t believe him, because I don’t want to give up any of my integrity.

If being around Joey has taught me anything, it’s that you have to believe in yourself and hold yourself to a moral standard that includes not thinking foolishly. It’s not unnatural for me to have felt the way I did. My therapist said as much. But there is a fine balance between giving myself over to someone, and being sensible, trusting him but maintaining that trust in myself.

“For me too,” I admit, when he pulls back, sweeping my hair over my shoulder.

His eyes bore straight inside of me, reading the truth in mine. But he sees the steel there too, and he nods in approval.

“So, what is this big announcement?” I ask.

Chapter Twenty-Three

It has been fucking torture being away from her. Not just because I’ve been desperate to hold her again, because being near her settles me. I’ve been so highly strung the last few days, I’ve been unbearable to be around. No one will fight me at the gym because I’ve been angry. So goddamn angry.

Sam had the foresight to make sure I only hit a bag, not a real person.

I’ve missed hearing her laugh, I’ve missed the soft feel of her hand in mine. Hearing her talk about her happy memories, wanting to make more with her. Thoughts of her have consumed me and kept me sane, even though I’ve felt like I’m losing it by not being able to go near her.

It was all for a good reason. I wasn’t lying. Last night, I’d threatened to rip Marris’ spine out of his big mouth if he even thought about Megan again.

Which was when Sam figured out something was going on between us. As I stare at Megan, I think back over the conversation with my trainer the night before.

“Have you lost your damn mind?” Sam yelled at me. “You had to mess around with Megan.”

“I’m not messing around with her,” I yelled right back.

“Bullshit. You’re telling me you ain’t just after something you’ve wanted for a long time, having a little fun.”

“Fuck you, Sam.”

“Shit. This is more than a good time,” he stated, not asked.

“It’s none of your damn business.”

“It is when it comes to a fighter here and one of the members. And before you give me some shit about her not coming for a while, that doesn’t mean she won’t ever set foot in here again. How the fuck are you supposed to stay focused if she walks in and you’re all goo goo eyed over her?

“Goo goo… What the fuck?”

Sam smiled, and that threw me off even more. Enough that I’d asked if he was having a heart attack until his face rearranged into his usual scowl.

But it had made me think. About more than just needing to see her. It made me think about what I felt for her. Which is why I ignore every instinct and every warning not to come here.

Tugging her closer, I bend down and kiss her again. She’s hesitant at first, and I hate that. I hate I might have put some doubts in her head by staying away. Then she surges into my arms and starts kissing me back. I know this will not fix everything. We will need to talk about all of this, but right now, all I can think about is holding her against me just like this.

Feeling how fast her heart beats next to mine, which works just as hard.

After what feels like an age, I pull myself back. I didn’t come around to get her into bed. I mean, hopefully that will come later. After our overnight stay in Sag Harbor, I’ve done nothing but think about how good it feels to be inside her.

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