Page 34 of A Fighter’s Love

“Anything you don’t eat, Jenny?” Jackson asked.

“No, I’m good.” She smiled, relieved she didn’t have to peruse the menu.

The waiter turned and left them alone again.

“So back to this situation,” Jackson said. As he’d spoken he’d stroked his thumb over her shoulder.

A sizzle of awareness went through her. Jackson’s touch was like wild fire. It sent heat spreading through her body and settling in delicious places.

“Okay,” she said, looking at the way Jackson had connected them all by touching each of them. The heat within her doubled and thoughts of what could be, of what Stella and Sian hinted about, simmered in her mind.

“From Dale’s recount of the other night, it’s very clear you two have the hots for each other.” Jackson tipped his head. His eyes were narrowed and he seemed to be looking into her soul, almost as if daring her to deny her attraction to Dale.

She couldn’t do that. “I…we got carried away I guess…but…”

“That’s not what I want to know. Though I can’t lie, I would’ve liked to be a fly on the wall.”

“You would have?” she said, unable to hide her surprise at his admission.

“See you and Dale, getting it on, what’s not to love about that?”

He wants to watch us?

“So you’re not mad?”

“Hell no, I’m turned on by the fact he needed you so badly, and you were ready to strip naked and let him ravish you. Yeah, turned on is how I feel, not mad.”

“So you wouldn’t have been jealous?”

Jackson lifted his hand, crooked his finger and ran it down the back of her cheek. “Only that he got you first,” he whispered. “After all this time, he’d have beaten me to the finish line.

They’re in competition as to who can screw me first?

“Oh fuck,” she murmured.

“Yeah, fuck.” Dale reached forward and touched his fingers to the tips of hers. “That’s what would have happened if you hadn’t brought up Jackson.” He paused. “Hearing you voice your thoughts, your suspicions, it freaked me out, Jenny. I thought we’d been subtle, discreet, that no one would guess.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think anyone else has if that helps.” She paused. “Really, I’m so sorry.”

“No,I’msorry…I’m just not ready to come out as bisexual.” Dale shook his head.

“I get that. It should be in your own time,” Jenny said.

“Of course it should,” Jackson added. “A few of my family members, a couple of friends know that I have, shall we say, a wide sexual appetite, but it’s not common knowledge among my colleagues and certainly not at the gym. It wouldn’t do me any good in boxing circles. I’d end up a crowd drawer for the wrong reasons if folk knew I was in love with my sparring partner.”

Dale glanced at Jackson. A hint of a smile played on his lips.

“You know I love you, I’ve told you often enough.” Jackson winked at Dale.

“I love you too.”

“Wow, you guys are so cute.” Jenny giggled, though it was a tense laugh. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. “Like…jeez, you’re big tough blokes, fantastic fighters, yet you’re in love—soppy, heart-stopping, romantic love.”

“Love is love,” Jackson said, running his hand over her shoulder, down her arm and then setting it on her thigh, out of sight, beneath the table. “But the thing is…”

“What?” It was hard to catch her breath with him pressing in close and touching her leg. “What is thething?”

“Love is boundless and as it turns out, we both want you, too, Jenny.”

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