“Sorry girl, I couldn’t get away from that fine brother of yours. He should come with a warning label.” I roll my eyes at her. I get it my brother is good looking, but I don’t need to hear it constantly. I wonder if this is how he feels when the guys rag on him at the gym about me.
“So tell me about this date, who is he and where is he taking you?”
“Don’t hurt me, it’s Royce and he is taking me to dinner and the fight.”
“Nuh uh gir! l I know you must have hit your head. Royce. What the hell is you thinking.” Sug has her arms crossed and is acting standoffish. Her dark hair is braided tightly against her scalp, showing off her high cheek bones. She should have gone to beauty school.
“I’ll tell you about it later but right now I need you to work your magic.”
“You’re lucky I love you.”
“I know that’s what they all say.” I wink and she smacks the top of my head as I take a seat at my vanity so she can do my hair.
She twists a braid around the top of my head like a headband and puts the rest of my hair in a beautiful French twist. “That should hold up nice and tight for tonight too.” She showers me in hairspray. “But I don’t know what we can do about your face.” She laughs and I nudge her in the ribs.
An hour later, I look and feel amazing. Sug left with the promise that I’d give her full details at work later tonight. I have on a plum A-line dress with a deep v in the front and back of my torso paired with my favorite wedge sandals. “Kline, can you help me with my bracelet?” I ask him as I put my diamond studs in my ears.
“Sure. Whoa sis, you look like a woman.” Kline is staring at me like I just grew a third head.
“I’d hope dear brother of mine that I have always looked like a woman.”
He shakes his head and makes me promise I’ll be cheering him on tonight. Tonight he has to win. He wants me there says I’m his good luck charm. I forgot to ask who he is going up against, too late now he’s already gone and Royce will be here at any moment. I check my bag to make sure I have everything I will need for work tonight.
There a stern knock on the door, Royce is a few minutes early. I open the door to find Parker standing on the other side. Before I am over of my initial shock, Parker speaks. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“I’m sorry I just wasn?
??t expecting you. I’m actually headed out. I have a date,” the word date getting stuck in my throat.
“A date,” he rolls the word around on his tongue like it has a bitter taste. What did he expect? Did he think I would be here waiting for him to show up and sweep me off my feet? I’m a big dreamer, but I am impatient. I want what I want when I want it. I’m a little pissed with him, but I can’t deny how good he looks. As much as I’d like to pull him forward by his tie and take him into my room and explore his body with my tongue for hours, I have a date to go on.
“Yeah dinner and the fights. Aren’t you going to be there?” he does own the company that promotes them.
He shakes his head. “My apologies, some other time then.”
“Yeah, I’ll be in touch.” I close the door in his face before he even has time to respond. Rude of me I know, but I can’t have Royce showing up and seeing Parker Garrett at my door. I keep forgetting that I don’t owe either Royce or Parker a thing. There is just this chemistry between Parker and me, but I feel it’s more like lust. Royce, that man knows me in ways no one else does. He’s safe and he loves me.
I can hear Royce revving the engine of his mustang downstairs. Grabbing my bag, I lock the door to leave. I bump into him halfway down the stairs. “Here let me take your bag, I’ll put in my trunk.”
He looks nice for our date. He is actually wearing a dress shirt with jeans, but he makes them jeans look damn good. I can’t help but check out his ass as he walks down the stairs. “Hey,” he shouts over his shoulder to me. “Did I just see a corvette pull out of here?”
“No idea, this is a busy street,” I lie.
“Yeah,” he says back looking uneasy before he puts my bag in the trunk and comes back around to the passenger side to open my door for me. “You look good enough to eat.” Royce takes my hand and kisses it slowly. He is really laying it on thick— a little too thick.
“Thanks, you don’t look so bad yourself.”
He slides into his seat and takes a hold of my hand once more, making me blush with his romantic attempts. "Did you pack clothes to sleep over at my place? I figured I can pick you up after work or you can drop me at home after the fight and take my car.” And there’s the Royce I know and somewhat love.
“No, I plan on sleeping in my bed. ALONE. I’m here with you now so let’s just take it slow. I’m not ready to rush back into anything immediately.”
“Okay, no pressure.” He turns out of the lot and heads for a familiar place, the Italian restaurant he asked me to be official with him at. Could he be more obvious? Royce is making me a little nervous with the way he keeps staring at me like he is just seeing me for the first time, and I am still on edge over Parker showing up at my door. I haven’t even begun to process my thoughts on his unscheduled visit. And how did he find my address? Probably the forms I filled out. I sound so paranoid.
We are seated at the restaurant and I decide to have some wine to help loosen me up. Royce deserves my full attention. “Hey you okay, you seem far off lost in thought perhaps?”
“I’m worried about Kline.”
“Yeah he’s pitted against The Punisher. That guy is a real animal. Kline is going to have to be careful. I heard once that he put his sparring partner in a coma. I fought him once but that was a few years back.”