Page 41 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

Jarom could imagine Easton easing closer. Maybe he wasn’t as tough as Easton, but Autumn had kissed Jarom, he made her feel safe, he’d rescued her from the cold lake, but most importantly, he was falling in love with her. He would fight for her, in a way he’d never fought for a woman, and pray he could show how deeply invested he was in her and prove to her he wasn’t a cream puff. He moved to the entrance of the office so he could view them more clearly. Easton’s broad back was to him.

“I think you already know that answer, beautiful,” Easton said.

He bent down to kiss her.

Jarom charged across the space. For the moment, he was a loveranda fighter. He wasn’t going to diffuse the situation but start a confrontation.

Autumn flipped Easton away from her and onto his back. The man groaned and stared up at her.

Jarom slid to a stop.

Autumn glanced over at him, her cheeks red and her golden eyes flashing. She made no excuses. “Don’t try to kiss me again,” she warned Easton.

The cowboy popped to his feet and smiled broadly as if this were all a game. “That was impressive, and a bit painful.” He rubbed at his lower back. “Can you teach me?”

Jarom’s head was filling with a heat he’d never felt in his life. “I challenge you to a sparring match,” he flung at Easton. “In my defense andin Autumn’s honor.”

Autumn and Easton both looked at him like he had horns growing out of his head. He was acting completely unlike himself, but Autumn was a big deal and he wasn’t going to back down.

“Jarom.” Autumn shook her head. “That’s very sweet, but he will annihilate you.”

Easton smirked and folded his brawny arms across his chest. “Easily, bruh.”

“We’ll never know if you’re too much of a ‘cream puff’ to try,” Jarom flung at the cowboy.

Easton’s eyebrows rose, and his skin darkened as he realized Jarom had overheard his words. “I apologize, man. I was just trying to …”

“I know what you were trying to do. And I pride myself on not getting baited into fights, but I need to stand up for Autumn and for myself.” Jarom had never been so confrontational in his life. Would the defensive skills Eli taught him even help, or was he about to make a fool of himself in front of Autumn?

“I really don’t want to hurt you,” Easton said. “That’s the opposite of how we treat our protection details.”

Easton didn’t believe Jarom was any kind of threat. He’d show him. He hoped.

“Jarom, it’s fine,” Autumn hastened to add. “I already knocked him down. He didn’t mean anything by the cream puff comment.”

Jarom’s pride was injured, and he was annoyed. He was trying to gallantly stand up for his lady and she didn’t seem to care or believe in him.

“It’s not fine,” he insisted. He focused on Easton, fixing a challenging gaze on the man that he hoped would make him throw a punch right now. “Are you too afraid to fight me?”

Easton shook his head. “Fine, bruh.” He raised his hands. “It’s your funeral. No shame in tapping out though.”

“I hope you remember that when I dismantle you,” Jarom shot back. He wasn’t certain if he liked this new fiery side of himself or if he was giving in to base anger and would regret it later. Probably the latter. He dealt with confrontational boardrooms and negotiated multi-million dollar deals without breaking a sweat. Right now, he was frustrated and indignant and refused to back down.

He didn’t look at Autumn as he turned and strode toward the front door.

Autumn and Easton followed. He could imagine they were exchanging looks and he even saw Easton lift his palms as if to say, ‘who knows what’s gotten into the cream puff?’

He would show them. He would prove to Autumn that he was a manly man.

Please let me not make a fool of myselfand more important, please let me win her heart,he prayed.

Chapter

Fifteen

Autumn’s stomachtumbled as she watched Jarom and Easton put on headgear and wrap their hands. She’d tried to convey to Easton not to hurt him, but she wasn’t sure if the cowboy got the message. He had said they tried not to hurt protection details, but Jarom had challenged him, and Easton’s pride was off the charts. Obviously Jarom’s was as well. She related to men much better than women, but this alpha male struggle had her stomach flipping over.

It was ironic that she’d knocked Jarom down, punched him, and kicked him only … yesterday? Now she could admit, only to herself, that she was falling in love with him and loathed the thought of watching him get thrashed by Easton.

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