Page 73 of Simon Says

“Come on, Simon. Not another inquisition. Let’s get out of here, okay? I’m beat.”

Simon’s dark gaze scrutinized her. She could tell he didn’t want to, but he let it drop. “Are you sore?”

“Yeah, all over. But Dean’s right.” She held up the now soggy ice bag. “I’ll refill this at the ice machine on the way out. Tomorrow, a good soak in a hot tub will do wonders. Is there one at the gym?”

He touched the corner of her mouth. “Yes. There’s also one at the house I’m renting.”

“You’re renting a house?”

“I’ve been in Harmony for a while now. I plan to stay on until the competition. Rather than share the hot tub with a bunch of fighters, you can use the one at the house.”

“Cool.” She freed herself from him to sit on the edge of the bed and pull on her boots. “Only problem, I don’t have a suit.”

“You won’t need one.” He zipped up her suitcase.

Dakota stared at him until he held out his free hand to her. Was he hinting about sex? Or did he mean he’d give her privacy?

She had no idea. She wasn’t even sure which option she preferred.

After she took his hand, Simon led her out the door, saying, “Don’t worry about anything, Dakota, okay? I’m not going to rush you.”

“I wouldn’t let you rush me.”

He smiled. “But I will join you in the hot tub. And while we’re soaking, we’ll talk about things. Like what Barber means to you, whether you want your own room or you’d rather share the bed with me, who pushed you, and what other scars you have.”

With dread, Dakota realized that he wanted to know everything.

The desk clerk smiled at them, forcing Dakota to blink away her wariness. She had to check out. She had to think. She had to get control of her fear.

This whole night was one huge mistake.

But she’d rather go with Simon and answer impossible questions than spend the night alone.

CHAPTER 10

“IT’Ssmall, but since I don’t officially live in Harmony, I didn’t see any reason to rent anything extravagant.”

Arms wrapped around herself in a pose that looked far too contained and alone, Dakota nodded. The drooping ice bag hung from one hand, sending a trickle of icy water to darken the side of her sweatshirt and the top of her jeans.

By the minute, her skin turned more colorful, the reds and blues deepening to purple and green.

Yet she kept quiet, not issuing a single complaint.

Simon fought back his frustration. He knew Dakota’s physical pain hadn’t caused her remote attitude. It was his need to know more about her, and her uncertainty at exposing herself.

But he wouldn’t relent, damn it. Dakota fascinated him more than any woman he’d ever known had. It’d be nice if she felt the same.

Before he could know her true feelings, he had to know her. All of her.

Whether she liked sharing herself or not.

“You have some messages.” She indicated the blinking red light on his phone, sitting on the end table.

Simon walked over to the phone and pressed a button. “Normally I’d wait to check them, but it could be Dean or Mallet. I assume they’d call my cell, but just in case…”

Simon shrugged, then listened to the messages. Dakota looked stunned to hear him offered a commercial for a health drink, two sponsorships for clothing, and a reminder that his article would be due soon.

She stared at him. “You’re writing an article?”

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