Fighting for Keeps (Rocky River Fighters 2)

Seth’s eyes changed color, from chocolate brown to a blazing gold.

Zane threatened to declaw Seth. Another clue?

Conclusions so far—superior hearing, speed, and strength, as well as changing eye color. No way to know yet what they are, but clear supernatural elements involved. More research needed. Brush up on seduction skills.

Tapping the pen to her lips, Amelia quickly reread the list, smiling at the seduction comment. A heartbeat later, the smile faded as guilt welled up inside her. The more she came to know Seth, the less she thought about her research. She genuinely liked him, might even be coming to care for him already, and after last night, she liked the rest of the fighters, as well. The knowledge that she was deceiving them all didn’t sit well with her, causing a lump to form in her stomach and twist her insides.

They felt like they could be her friends, and what was between her and Seth felt real. So much so it scared her. She was a scientist. She knew lab work, chemistry, physics. She didn’t know people, or romance. Give her a complex equation, the harder the better, and she could solve it in moments. Give her a situation where she had to interact with people socially, and she failed.

Examples A, B, C, and D, and pretty much every other letter in the alphabet—basically everything that happened last night. Luckily, the fighters were down to earth, and were more amused than put off. But she didn’t know how they’d feel in the long run when she continued to make a fool of herself, which was basically inevitable. They’d either get exasperated or their amusement would turn into laughter—at her, and not with her.

Exhaling heavily, she closed the notebook and tossed it on the coffee table, getting up to take a shower. Seth didn’t come across as someone who would get aggravated with her continued ineptitude, and he was obviously as attracted to her as she was to him. She should feel relieved, because it made her mission that much easier, and it did relieve her—just not because of the mission. It was because she wanted him, and the attraction being as mutual, and as hot as it was, scared the stuffing out of her.

Stepping into the shower, Amelia stood under the spray, letting the hot water relax her tensed muscles. She had no plans to stay in Wyoming, and even if she did, what was between her and Seth would never last. She didn’t see the physical attraction between them ever waning, but how could she ever be enough to keep him? She wasn’t like the women here. Wasn’t normal, wasn’t capable of holding a normal conversation. Her idea of small talk was asking if someone read the newest scientific findings, whatever those happened to be at the moment.

He’d get bored with her quickly, no doubt, and the last thing she wanted was to see his eyes glaze over every time they spoke. And even though she’d sworn her seduction wouldn’t actually lead to them having sex, her body’s reaction and the yearning she felt last night and this morning made it obvious she’d jump at the chance if it were presented. And it was becoming more and more apparent that was where they were headed, and faster than she anticipated.

And that frightened her for a whole new host of reasons. She would most certainly be awkward, and horrible at it. She had no idea how to do it well. Hell, other than the basics, she didn’t know how to do it at all. And if it got that far, she sensed her heart would be forever lost to him.

If they reached that point, she would have to scrap her research. There was no way she could be so deceptive, much less offer her body in the name of research. She could still try to figure out what he was, but it wouldn’t be in a clinical way. It would be because she wanted to know more about the man she was sleeping with, the man who owned her heart.

Her breathing stuttered, and her heart clenched at the thought. Pushing it all from her mind, she quickly finished her shower, then toweled off and dressed in a cute pink blouse and khaki colored capris. Her skin was blindingly white, as any good English woman’s was, and while she balked at shorts, she enjoyed the capris.

Walking out of the room, she wandered around for a bit, trying to find something to do. She walked over to the stack of books she bought at Ellie’s store, The Next Chapter, but she’d already devoured the romances. All that was left was the dating book, so she grabbed it and curled up on the couch, opened it and began to read.

Five minutes later, she slammed the book shut with a groan and leaned her head against the back of the couch. This had to be the most ridiculous, and boring, book she ever tried to read. But maybe that was because she read the romances first. Pursing her lips, she glanced at the stack, and then hopped up and put her sandals on while she grabbed her purse.

She walked outside and headed to her rental car, thinking she needed to return it since she was going to be here longer than she originally thought. Her uncle had an old truck she could use, and while she’d never driven a vehicle that big, she thought she could handle it. At least she was getting used to driving on the opposite side of the road now.

The drive into Eagle Creek passed quickly as she tried to take in the scenery while still driving safely. Wyoming was a beautiful place, and she loved the mountain range in the distance. Pulling into a parking spot in front of The Next Chapter, she got out and walked into the bookstore, looking around for Ellie. Disappointment filled her when she saw a woman she didn’t know at the counter. She gave a little wave before walking to the romance section, scanning the titles, picking one up, and turning it over so she could read the back.

“That’s a decent one.”

Shrieking, she jumped, and the book fell to the ground as she whirled around. A small woman with dark blonde hair was standing in front of her, a chagrined look on her face.

“Bloody hell, you about scared my knickers off,” Amelia said, hand over her pounding heart.

“I’m so sorry. I’m tryin

g really hard not to sneak up on people anymore,” the woman said apologetically.

“It’s quite all right,” she replied as her heartbeat calmed. “I’m easily startled.”

“Your accent is pretty cool. And I think I just learned a new curse word, which is awesome,” the petite woman said with a grin. “I’m Kelsey, by the way.”

“I’m Amelia. And anytime you want to learn some more British curses, you just let me know,” she replied, grinning back at Kelsey.

“She snuck up on you, didn’t she?” came Ellie’s voice from down the aisle. Amelia looked over to find her grinning wryly. “We’ve been trying to work on that.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” she replied with a wave of her hand. She turned to glance at Kelsey, and started again when she found her gone. “Bollocks, she’s quiet. And fast.”

Ellie laughed as she waddled down the aisle toward Amelia. “That she is. Come to find more research material? Or are you hooked on romance novels now?”

Smiling as she bent down to retrieve the book off the floor, she replied, “I thoroughly enjoyed the three I bought last week. But they don’t really work as research material. There’s no way I could use the things the heroines say in real life. I’d blush and stammer my way through them the whole time, and be the very opposite of sexy and seductive.”

“Did you find anything in the dating book that was useful?” Ellie asked, putting a hand on the small of her back and stretching.

“I confess, I didn’t get very far. I read the romances first, and the dating book was very uninteresting after that. Besides, well…” she trailed off, blushing.