“I won’t let him see me,” I wheedle. “I’ll stay in a back corner until after the fight. Just let me in, Jared.”
The crunch of a heavy boot sounds behind me and I turn to see my cousin Garrett coming up the walk. “What’s going on?”
I swallow. This is going from bad to worse.
Jared tips his head at me. “She wants in. I said no.”
I grind my teeth.
Garrett’s lips twitch. “Sucks when you’re not the one in charge for a change, doesn’t it?”
My brain lights on an idea. I hook my hand around Garrett’s huge arm. “I’ll stick with Garrett,” I promise. “I won’t let Trey see me, but if he does, he’ll know I’m totally safe with your alpha.”
Jared glances at Garrett, who shrugs. “Fine,” he grumbles. “But if Trey loses this fight because you’re here, I will be collecting my losses from you.”
“Fine.” I hurry in behind Garrett, sticking close to his side, as promised.
Trey’s already in the cage, Grizz announcing the contestants.
Garrett elbows his way to a high-top table in the back corner. “I’d ask if you want a drink, but then I’d have to leave you unattended, and it sounds like I’m your babysitter tonight.”
I roll my eyes. “Go get a drink. I can take care of myself.”
The crowd shouts as Grizz blows a whistle and the first punches are thrown, and I forget the tension between me and my cousin, or Jared, or the rest of the pack. All my attention is on the beautiful fighter pivoting and punching in the cage. Trey’s a big guy, but not thick, like Jared, or Garrett or Grizz. He’s lean and sinewy. Pure grace. Pure focused energy. He moves quickly, his long arms delivering punches that flatten his opponent, a short, stocky cat shifter, if I’m not mistaken.
Cage fighting is wild and rough. When the cat shifter leaps up, he appears close to shifting-eyes glinting green and his hair standing up on his nape. He throws himself at Trey, tackling him with a wrestling move.
Trey flips him over, cuts off his air flow with an arm against his throat, waits until the guy smacks the floor to let him up.
I hold my breath, but I’m not afraid.
I’m in awe.
They both get up and Trey bounces on his feet, his eyes lit with total focus. It’s his lips that catch my attention, though. They’re curling up at the edges.
Trey’s enjoying himself.
Of course he is.
How could I have forgotten what fighting means to him? It’s how he lets off steam.
I smile, too, my body tingling with awareness of his male virility, his unbridled power.
The fight’s over too soon. I could’ve watched Trey fight all night, but his opponent went down and wouldn’t get up.
Grizz takes Trey’s bare fist-no boxing gloves for this rowdy bunch-and holds it in the air.
The crowd cheers and I clap, jumping to see over their heads. Garrett grabs my waist and lifts me high in the air. As my head pops over the crowd, Trey sees me. Our eyes lock, and I watch his face split into a grin right before Garrett drops me to the ground again.
I take off, pushing through the crowd. Garrett curses, staying at my back until the crowd parts for Trey-shirtless, bloodied, magnificent.
Trey
NEVER IN A MILLION years would I have guessed Sheridan would enjoy watching me fight. She must, though, because she launches herself right at me. I pick her up, wrap those muscular legs around my back and carry her to my office like a conquering Viking.
She laughs in my ear, low and husky. Her scent’s up in my nostrils-vanilla, orange and the feminine musk of her arousal.
Shit.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she breathes against my neck as I kick the door shut.
I push her back against the wall and grind into the notch of her legs. “Tell you what?”
“You were fighting. Why didn’t you want me to know?”
I slide my hands up under her shirt, groan when I find she’s braless. I squeeze her ample breasts, rub my thumbs over her nipples. “I didn’t know you’d like it.” My voice sounds rough to my own ears. I scrape my teeth along her neck, suck her earlobe into my mouth.
Her hips jerk and she grinds over my throbbing dick.
“Thought you’d hate it, actually.”
“Why?”
I thrust mindlessly into the notch of her legs like I’m going to dry fuck her right to orgasm. Her shirt ends up at her armpits, exposing the most beautiful pair of tits. They’re a little bigger than they were in high school, and fuck if that doesn’t send another rocket of lust barreling through me.
I ease her feet to the floor so I can get my fingers between her legs. Oh sweet honey-she’s so wet for me. I shove her panties to the side and stroke her plump folds.
“Condom?” Sheridan pants.
Condom. Fuck!
I growl and screw one finger into her tight channel. So I’ll just have to get her off. “I don’t have one,” I admit.
She whimpers.
“It’s okay, baby.” I pump my index finger in and out of her, then curl it toward her front wall, trying to find her G-spot. “I can still take care of your needs.”
She clutches my shoulders, digs her nails into my bare skin.
A growl rockets from my throat, my vision domes. Somehow I manage to drag in a breath and focus. I slide a second finger in her and mold my hand over her mons, grinding my palm down on her clit. Her muscles clench as I thrust my fingers in and out. I try for the G-spot again, and this time I find it, the place where the tissue stiffens up.
I swallow her cry with my mouth, kissing her like my life depends on it. Like the taste of her will heal me. Give me new life.
Maybe it will.