Outmatched

Thankfully, I refrained.

“Parker.”

I spun around, the short skirt of my dark green dress fluttering around my thighs. Carlos stood in front of me, looking incredibly handsome in a tailored suit. “You look great.”

His dark eyes dragged down my body and back up again. “So do you. Maybe too good. Rhys told me to bring you to him before the fight but seeing you in that dress, I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”

I glanced down at my dress, wondering what was wrong with it. It was by Self-Portrait, a lovely forest green with a pleated skirt, sweetheart neckline, short sleeves, and black lace cutout detail on the waist and upper chest. It was demure as far as I could tell, except for my black platform-heeled, peep-toe sandals. Those were a little sexy.

“Pfft.” I waved off Carlos’s comment. “I want to see him.”

“Okay.” He gently took my elbow, and I heard him mutter, “Dios mio, Jimmy is going to kill me.”

We took the back elevator to the second floor. It seemed to take forever. I found myself tapping my foot.

“You nervous?”

I glanced over at Rhys’s best friend, a denial forming on my lips. However, it didn’t come out. The truth was, I was beyond nervous for Rhys to fight. I hadn’t slept a wink the night before worrying about it.

Not just because I was concerned about some guy punching the hell out of him, or vice versa, but because I was still anxious about what this fight might do to him. I knew now Rhys had gone to see Marcy because he needed closure with her before he could step back in the ring. Her permission, which from the story he’d told me, she’d given with grace and compassion.

She sounded like a lovely person and someone I wanted to meet. She was important to Rhys, and anything important to him was important to me.

I froze against the elevator doors as they opened.

After all these years, all the running away, I’d finally found someone I wanted to love. Someone I wanted to love me back.

Not wanted.

No … I loved him.

The feeling crashed over me, and I suddenly felt annoyed with myself for not having said it to him. Sure, I’d told him I was crazy about him and I’d alluded to it… but I hadn’t said those actual words. I loved him. I couldn’t sleep for worrying about him. That’s why the prehistoric butterflies in my belly hadn’t disappeared even after I got news of Fairchild’s demise from Horus.

I loved Rhys.

And he needed to know that. Not tomorrow or the next day… but now.

“Hey, you okay?” Carlos’s face appeared in front of mine.

No, I was not okay.

I was in love.

People were a million things when they were in love but “okay” was surely not one of them.

Pushing a strained smile, I nodded. “Yeah.”

Carlos didn’t look like he believed me, but he didn’t badger me. Instead he led me out of the elevator and down the hall to Rhys’s office. He knocked and opened the door, sticking only his head around the jamb. “Got a delivery in a very cute fucking package out here.”

“How about you not notice that shit from now on?” I heard Rhys say. “Jimmy, give us a minute. Let my girl in.”

“No funny business,” I heard Jimmy warn just before the door opened fully to reveal the trainer. His eyes dropped down my body, and he rolled his eyes. “For fuck’s sake.” He cut me a look. “That goes for you too. Jesus.”

He strode away, taking a chuckling Carlos with him. When I turned back from watching them go, I found Rhys sitting on the edge of his rosewood desk. He wore long boxing shorts and boxing boots in black and gold. His ripped torso drew my attention for a second because, well, it was magnificent, until my eyes were drawn to his hands all wrapped up.

My stomach somersaulted.

I could not lose him to this fight. Emotionally or otherwise.

“You coming in or not, Tinker Bell?”

Swallowing hard, I strode inside.

Rhys’s gaze drifted down my body, and his hands curled around the edge of the desk. When his eyes met mine, they were full of heat. “Did you wear that dress just to torture me?”

I smoothed a nervous hand down the pleated skirt. “It’s just a dress.”

He cocked his head. “You worried about this fight?”

It was somewhat disconcerting how perceptive he could. “I know you’ll do great.”

“But you’re still worried. That why you’re still standing all the way over there?” He pushed up off the desk, and I crossed the distance between us.

As I slid my arms around his waist and rested my head on his warm, hard chest, Rhys wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll be fine, Tink.”

“I know.” I squeezed him and then lifted my head from his chest. “I have good news.”