Page 27 of A Fighter’s Love

She got stuck into the task, printing each document and filing it carefully so whoever took over from her would have a record for the next fight of how to do it. She certainly wasn’t sad it was the last time she’d have the job.

After slotting in the last stack of papers in the filing cabinet, she paused, her hands on the cool surface, and blew out a breath. It was time to go home and she’d managed the entire evening without seeing either Dale or Billy. What a relief.

Suddenly she was aware of a presence behind her. Close up. The scent of man enveloped her and heat from a large body burned against her back.

“Jenny.”

It was Jackson. She went to turn but he pressed his big gloved hands on the top of the filing cabinet, trapping her within his colossal arms.

“What do you—?”

“Sh.” He pressed his lips against her temple, his stubble scratching her flesh.

Her heart pounded, her pulse thudded in her ears. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. Was he furious about what had happened between her and Dale? Was he going to order her to mind her own business about their relationship, or tell her she was a raving lunatic to suggest they were anything other than straight?

She could hardly think. Being surrounded by his thick, hot muscles, and the feel of his breath on her cheek, down her neck was beyond distracting. Jackson was neat testosterone and it was doing strange things to her female hormones.

“I learned today,” he whispered hotly against the shell of her ear, his lips brushing her flesh, “that you kissed my boyfriend last night.”

She drew in a breath. Had she heard Jackson right? Had he just confessed? Confirmed her suspicions in one heated sentence?

“I’m sorry,” she managed, not knowing what else to say. “For everything. But I’m going home soon and I won’t be back here, at the gym.”

He made a strange growling noise. It wasn’t like anything she’d heard before and it vibrated from his chest onto her back. “We don’t want that.”

“But…” Again she went to turn. Again she was blocked by his solid body. “Whatdoyou want?” she managed.

“You, tomorrow night. Dinner.”

“Dinner?” That had been the very last thing she’d expected Jackson to say.

“Yeah, we’ll pick you up at eight.”

She hesitated. “We?”

“Yeah, the three of us are gonna sit down and talk…” he paused, “about this unusual situation we’ve found ourselves in.”

“I don’t understand.”

“That’s why we’re going out.” He pressed his lips to her temple, the section now warmed from his breath. It wasn’t a real kiss, just a press of his mouth but it sent a skitter of little tingles over her scalp.

Jenny balled her fists, and kept her eyes closed. They were going out? All three of them?

As quickly as Jackson had surrounded her, he was gone.

The air seemed to flood her torso, chilling her, but her breaths became easier to catch. She spun in time to see Jackson striding from the room. His vest top had a line of sweat down the gutter of his spine and the ends of his hair were damp and sticking like tiny commas to the nape of his neck.

He’d come into the office, stated what was going to happen and then left. She should be mad. Wasn’t this the new Jenny? Not being told what to do. But how the hell could she refuse the chance to spend an evening with both Dale and Jackson? And what did he mean by ‘unusual situation’?

You kissed my boyfriend.

His words rushed back to her, blowing up a storm of emotions. Jackson had admitted what she’d suspected. Dale couldn’t deny it now. But why had he last night? Was it such a secret?

Perhaps it was. Maybe neither of them had ever come out as gay. Certainly they kept their feelings for each other wrapped up tight at the gym.

She pushed her fingers through her hair, touching the spot Jackson had kissed. Why had he done that? It was familiar yet also possessive. Did he want her? Would he have kissed her the way Dale had, given the chance?

A shiver of nervous anticipation rattled through her. Dale had been raring to go until she’d ruined it. Would Jackson be the same given a similar situation? Did they both like her? Certainly it seemed she’d been a topic of discussion between them.

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