Page 4 of My Little Secret

Chapter 2

HAWK

My mind whirled fasterthan if I’d taken five shots back to back, but I was sober as a bird. The two tiny sips I’d taken of whiskey were damn fine, but this girl Sadie jazzed me up more than psyching up for a fight did.

I’d only meant to come into this bar for a glass of water, to get a feel for the scene in Denver. I’d be here for the next two weeks, so that was important.

I never expected to sit here for an hour talking about roller coasters and wine and everything in between.

“OK, so, you’re telling me–” She pressed her fist against the bar top, snagging my gaze with those fiery green gemstone eyes “You’ve seriously never seen Jurassic Park?”

I held my palms up. “I swear to God. Is it good?”

Her eyes shrunk to slits. “How can you be a child of the 90’s and you never saw Jurassic Park?

“Somehow I made it through.” I tried to fight my smile as I sipped at my water.

“Add that to the list.” Within a half hour we’d started a list of all these things that she needed to school me on. I loved her zest and mouthiness—she felt like a breath of fresh air in my world, where I was drowning in physicality and aggression on the daily. Not that I mind those things—I actually love them. But damn, sometimes I just liked to shoot the shit too. Talk about shit other than fitness routines and fight schedules.

“We’ve got a long list going already,” I said, seeing the perfect chance to swoop our conversation elsewhere. Like I’d known I wanted to the second I saw her from across the bar. “What are you doing tonight?”

Her eyes widened, but she cleared her throat and looked down at her empty glass. “Oh, nothing.”

I let a heavy pause pass between us, relishing the anticipation that rolled off her. “You wanna come back to my hotel room?”

Her eyebrows knit together as if she was trying to solve a crossword puzzle. “Really?”

“Yeah.” I nudged her with my arm. She’d be fun to hang around with…and maybe even spend the night with. I was on a strict no-sex diet until the fight, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t do other things.

“Yeah.” She straightened in her seat, waving down the bartender. “Let’s go right now. Bartender!”

I finally checked my phone—it was just after midnight. Early by partying standards, but with my seven a.m. wake-up call for training tomorrow, taking her back wasn’t the smartest move. But I couldn’t pass this up. I couldn’t pass her up.

When the bartender passed her the slip, I stole it, wiggling my eyebrows. I fished out my wallet while she scrambled to steal the bill back. I held it out of her reach.

“Come on. I’m a liberated woman. I don’t need you to pay my bill.”

“Liberated has nothing to do with being nice,” I retorted. “You said I looked sweet, so I have to live up to it.”

She glared at me, but there was a hint of a grin there. I paid the bill quickly, leaving a fat tip for the bartender. He had somehow helped this unlikely meeting, so he should get something in return.

We pushed out of our chairs and headed for the doors, keeping a casual stroll by each other’s sides. Now that she was standing up I got a better look at her. She came up to about my shoulder—the perfect height. She had some skintight leggings on, outlining some glorious calves, and a loose top that ended right above a perky, round ass. It was really that heart-shaped face that held me captive. Those green eyes cracked like a whip. I was desperate to loosen her strawberry blonde hair from that cute bun on top of her head, see how far it fell down her back.

I pushed the door open and held it for her, gesturing for her to come through. A blast of cool air greeted us, and she tightened her black coat around her.

“What a gentleman,” she murmured, slinking through the doorway. I followed, shoving my hands in my pockets, blinking against the frigid wind. My hotel was just three doors down. It would be a quick walk.

“This way.” I jerked my head down the sidewalk. A dusting of snow covered the cement. Barely any footsteps had left their mark. She hurried after me as I led the way. I had a lush suite on the top floor close to the workout room, which someone had detailed for me in a handwritten note I found on my pillowcase when I checked in. I think they hoped I might make an appearance there and get their hotel in the news.

Sadie had a black parka with a crazy fur lining around the face. She smiled up at me, her cheeks already rosy. I pinched one, without even thinking about it.

“Ouch.” She rubbed at her cheek, but she smiled.

“You have pinchable cheeks,” I said. “Not my fault.”

“Never thought I’d hear a man like you say those words.”

I shook my head. “Guess you don’t know much about me. Yet.” I slung my arm around her shoulders. Could be construed as a creep move, but it was cold out and I wanted her to stay warm. Plus she fit perfectly in my embrace.

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