Free On the Ropes (Fighting For Love Book 2) by Evelyn Glass

lie under the surface and if she really wants to know the answer. “But don’t think I’m going to let you get out of talking about Willow by distracting me!” She waggles her finger at Tommy who laughs deeply.
     
    “Fine! I give up! But if we’re going to get into that, I’m going to need something a little stronger.” Tommy gestures over towards the bar. “I’ll be right back, and then you can interrogate me to your heart’s content.”
     
    Adriana laughs as she watches him go, but she is suddenly very aware that she is all alone. Automatically, she grabs another glass of champagne and drinks it down in a couple of gulps. Standing on your own doesn’t seem so bad when you have a drink in your hand and a little Dutch courage in your heart.
     
    “You’re far too beautiful to be left on your own.” A tall guy who looks like he’s probably another MMA fighter fills the space that Tommy had occupied.
     
    Adriana flushes, partly from the compliment and partly from the champagne. “Thanks, but I’m not on my own. My friend’s just gone to get a drink.” She motions towards the bar where she sees that Tommy has struck up a conversation with an impossibly leggy blonde.
     
    “Take it from me, he’s not going to be coming back anytime soon.” The fighter gives Adriana a knowing look that just makes her blush again. “I’m Dexter—Dex.” He holds out his hand for her to shake.
     
    “Adriana.” She returns his shake, letting her eyes roam the crowd and settle on Grayson who looks deep in conversation with a journalist, the brunette still hanging around him like a bad smell. She wonders if he’s looked over at her even once, if he cares at all. What was the point in him bringing her here? They hadn’t spoken since they’d walked through the front door.
     
    “That’s a great name.” Dex smiles appreciatively, and Adriana notices how nice his smile is.
     
    “Thanks, but I can’t take credit for it.” Adriana shrugs, brushing off the compliment and failing to stop her gaze from landing once again on Grayson.
     
    “Are you here with Fletcher?” Dex’s voice seems to harden at the suggestion.
     
    “No, I’m not here with Grayson.” That admission hurts more than Adriana is willing to let on; so, she barrels onwards, doing what she does when she’s nervous, blabbering. “I mean, I came here with him, but I’m not here with him. We’re just friends.” She takes another gulp of champagne, purely to stop from talking.
     
    “You’re not the kind of girl that most men could just be friends with.” Dex looks like he’s unconvinced.
     
    “And what kind of girl do I look like?” Adriana raises her eyebrows, the alcohol in her system loosening her up.
     
    “The kind that every guy in this room wants to talk to.” Dex looks around for emphasis, and Adriana follows his gaze and notices that they have a bit of an audience. “You look like the kind of girl that men fall in love with every day.” He looks straight at her as he says the words, and Adriana feels herself blushing.
     
    “You’re not exactly shy, are you?” She looks at him over the top of her champagne flute, faintly aware that she is doing something that she has never known how to do. She’s flirting.
     
    “It’s not something I’ve ever been accused of.” Dex looks a little sheepish at the admission. “Is that a problem?” He levels her with an intense stare.
     
    Adriana flicks her eyes over to where Grayson is still standing over the other side of the room with the brunette bimbo. Seeing them together makes her feel like she’s just been punched in the stomach. It doesn’t help that they seem to fit together. Adriana doesn’t fit in that way. This is a different world to her, and she doesn’t know the rules.
     
    What she does know is that Grayson doesn’t seem to have any interest in her at all. The person who is standing in the other side of the room seems like a completely different person to the one