Page 24 of Back in Black

“To cancel your plans.”

Oh, yeah. Herplans. “It was a group gathering,” she hedged. “My absence won’t stall things.” Anxious to change the subject, Gillian settled into her seat. “So what happened to the fighter?”

“It’s pretty fucking stupid, if you ask me.” They left the parking lot and entered the thoroughfare. “Dickey Thompson’s girlfriend broke things off with him, and he’s having a damned meltdown, I guess. He went to a tattoo parlor to have a design put over her name.”

“He had his girlfriend’s name tattooed onto his body?”

“Yeah, right over his heart. Do you believe that shit? Some of these guys . . .” Drew shook his head. “But I guess the little lady doesn’t like being left at home while Dickey’s away for a fight or training, and he doesn’t make enough yet to afford taking her along.”

“I don’t recognize his name.”

“He’s newer. Got a lot of potential, but a lot of baggage, too. He has to get his damned head together. I tell you, girl-friends fuck up more fighters than steroids ever could.”

Trying to sort things out in her head, Gillian asked, “And Dickey called you?”

“He doesn’t really know too many people in the area, so he gave my name and number to the tattoo artist.” The repercussions of that struck Drew with new fury. “Which means that now some fucking tattoo artist has my fucking cell phone number.” He squeezed the steering wheel. “I just might strangle that little prick.”

“Is he little?”

“Physically? Fuck no.”

At the continued foul language, Gillian lost her patience. She touched his biceps. “Drew, I know we had an agreement about you being you when we’re out of the public eye, but once we reach the tattoo parlor—”

“Don’t worry about it. I won’t embarrass you.”

Did he really think that was her only concern? She wasn’t such a delicate flower that a few words meant that much to her. She was more worried about him damaging his already flogged reputation. “It’s admirable that you’re available to the fighters when they need you.”

“Don’t get the wrong impression. Usually I’m nowhere around when shit like this happens. And don’t think I excuse his dumb-ass behavior, because I don’t. I’m not a damned coddler.”

Droll, she shook her head. “No, Drew, I doubt anyone would accuse you of coddling.”

He shot her a quick look, then tried to relax. “Know what really pisses me off?”

Inexplicably, Gillian found herself amused with Drew’s mood. Like a surly bear, he growled and snarled . . . but he was still going after Dickey to help him.

Drew Black’s bark, she realized, was much worse than his bite.

Smiling, relaxed despite his sizzling temper, she said, “Tell me.”

“We got interrupted.”

Alarm bells went off in Gillian’s head. She could think of nothing to say.

Holding the steering wheel in an edgy, frustrated way, Drew picked up where they’d left off as if there’d been no interruption at all. “Let me get this straight. If we weren’t working together, we’d be burning up the sheets?”

How could she have forgotten, even for a second, how unpredictable the man could be? Gillian fidgeted in her seat. “It’s . . . more than our working relationship, Drew.”

“What, then?” Again he glanced at her, at all of her, before returning his attention to the road. “And don’t tell me you don’t want me. I have plenty of bad credentials, but obtuseness isn’t one of them.”

More fidgeting. “No . . . I mean, yes, I do want you.”

Good Lord, why would she admit such a thing?

Gillian rushed into explanations. “But let’s face it,

Drew, you’re known as a womanizer, and I don’t want to be just another notch on your belt.” All of his tension seemed to have eased away. “How do I know I won’t be a notch on your belt?”

She gave him a long look.

---