eye for long, let alone his heart. If he was going to divide his attention from his career, he wanted it to be for a girl who was worth it. A girl who wanted a real relationship, not just a few fun nights. What he wouldn't give to have a girl as beautiful as Nicole Washington to call his.
"Um, ah, excuse me." Jax stirred from his daydreams when someone touched his arm. It was the woman from a few benches over. The low cut tank top she wore revealed the curve of her breasts, but Jax didn't let his eyes wander. Instead, he set his pale blues on her green eyes.
"Yes?"
"You are Jax, correct? Um, him?" The woman turned the screen of her phone towards him. Upon it was a web version of his fight poster. Jax met his own eyes and studied the contours of his face.
"Yeah, sure looks like me, doesn't it?" The humor was lost in translation, and she tightened her plump lips and tilted her head in confusion. Jax didn’t mean to put her on the spot, he felt bad about it. "What I mean is, yes, that's me. Jax the Ax McCarthy."
A smile brightened her face, and all discomfort slipped away. One manicured nail pointed at his image on the phone's screen.
"Fight very good. Very ah, strong. Famous. Will you put name?" The phone before his nose was replaced with her upturned hand, thin wrist on display. Jax sat back in his seat, confused.
"Put name?" he asked. It was his turn to be confused.
"Yes. Yes, put name," she insisted, pointing at her wrist. From the purse clutched beneath her arm, she withdrew a permanent marker. Jax's brow furrowed, then he understood.
"Oh, you mean an autograph? I'm not that famous. Not yet. But I'm not going to deny a fan."
Jax accepted the marker and popped the cap, then doodled a quick JM on her wrist. It wasn't as pretty as some of the signatures he'd seen, but it would do.
"Thank you," she said, then handed him her boarding pass. "This too."
For real? Jax laughed in spite of himself, placing the ticket on the seat beside him and signing it the same way he'd signed her wrist. His mother had mentioned that the internet was swarming with videos of his win, but he hadn't thought much of it. Just how recognizable had he become?
"I give many thanks," she said as he returned the ticket, then winked and blew him a kiss. "I will cheer for you. Good luck."
A very attractive woman was making eyes at him, and all Jax could think of was how nice it'd be to hear those same words from Nicole. It was crazy. They'd just met, and he knew nothing about her. Well, nothing she hadn't told him in the few minutes they'd talked. He knew she did social media for the UFL. He knew she liked to take pictures of gym clothes. And he knew that she was already Kade Holland's girl. Jax's expression drew a touch more somber.
"Thanks. Take care."
Every fighter in the UFL knew Kade Holland's name. Hell, billions of MMA fans knew it too. The man could make or break a fighter’s career, he was to be treated with great amounts of respect. The encounter in the locker room was the first time he'd talked to Kade, and Jax wished it had been under different circumstances. As polite as Kade had been, there was ownership in the way he'd drawn Nicole against his chest. If Jax knew any better, he wouldn't have messed with the boss' girl, but Nicole didn’t say anything. All he could hope was that it wouldn't mess up his chance at the big leagues. With this last win under his belt, the future was as limitless as Kade Holland would allow it to be. For now, Jax was determined to set his sights further than ever before and go for it. With any luck, he could butter Kade up at the party he was hosting. It was probably a good idea even if the billionaire wasn't upset Jax had been flirting with his girl.
And maybe Nicole will be there too.
Jax sank back against the bench and pushed the thought from his mind. Nicole was beautiful. And she was off limits. What woman wanted a man who had to fight, for a living anyway? Especially one used to Kade's cash.