Free Love On The Ropes (Ringside Romance) by Pat White Page B

a corner so I lashed out.”
    “Whatever.” She glanced back at
the ring. The Stripper was performing his gyrations with more confidence than
before. He finished and was led to the turnbuckle by Sally and Suzy who
proceeded to tie him to a ring post and fight for him. He didn’t seem to mind.
    Who was this guy? Earlier he’d
been petrified about stripping, seemed repulsed by the thought. But now? Now he
winked at the ladies in the front row, and it was everything security could do
to keep them from jumping the guardrails and ripping off what little clothes he
had on. The last time she’d seen him he was a completely different person.
    A thought struck her. She looked
up at Floyd. “What did you do to him?”
    “Huh? What do you mean?”
    “When I left him earlier he wasn’t
like this.” She waved her hand toward the ring.
    “What are you talking about?”
    “The three of you were going into
the locker room when I was called away to help Oscar. Tell me what you said to
The Stripper that got him all jazzed up.”
    “I told him you were a wild woman
in bed.” He winked.
    Part of Sandy wished it were true.
    “Shut up,” she said. “Tell me what
happened in the locker room.”
    “Nothing happened. We told him he
did a good job.”
    “And?”
    “Okay, fine, maybe Rodger shared a
few pills with him.”
    Her chest tightened. “What kind of
pills?”
    “You know, the white ones you gave
us.”
    She must have looked confused.
    He leaned forward and whispered, “For
confidence?”
    She bit back a smile. The boys
hadn’t a clue she’d been giving them an herbal supplement to boost their immune
system, not some form of steroids to build muscle. If the supplement
psychologically made them feel more confident then she’d done her job: kept
them safe and in the ring.
    “Must have kicked in for The
Stripper.” Floyd nodded toward the ring.
    Jason wiggled his hips and puckered
his lips. She burst out laughing.
    “What?” Floyd asked. “Come on,
spill it.”
    “I’m nuts, that’s all.”
    “And a lesbian.” Missy sauntered
up to Floyd and looped her arm through his. “Stay away from my man. He’s not
gay.”
    Sandy blinked. “Even if I were a
lesbian, I wouldn’t be after ... oh, never mind,” she said. Missy had the
brains of an ant.
    Floyd led his Missy away, probably
hoping to avoid further conflict.
    “Good job with The Stripper down
there,” he called over his shoulder. “You might have saved his career.”
    Sandy glanced at The Stripper, who
probably would have taken off all his clothes by now if his wrists weren’t
bound to the ring post.
    What a joke. She told the boys she
had access to a new drug, what she called a “confidence enhancer” and they’d
jumped at the chance to use it. Too bad they didn’t realize confidence came
from the inside. The power of the human spirit was amazing when tapped.
    She leaned against the wall and
watched the match. Johnny told her to take a break from the constant flow of
injuries needing to be tended. She was glad she’d been able to help Oscar, a
special man who deserved better than what he got. He was a good family man, the
type of man she’d consider marrying ... if he weren’t a professional wrestler.
    Hmm. Maybe she should make a list
of “perfect guy” qualities. That could be fun. Or depressing.
    The crowd cheered, drawing her
attention to the ring. Atomic Bomb slid a metal folding chair under the ropes.
Sally grabbed it, wound up and—
    Suzy nailed her from behind. Sandy
stood straight and watched the chair sail across the ring at Jason’s head, but
the idiot was too absorbed in preening to see it coming.
    CRACK!
    “Damn it!” She took off down the
steps and up the aisle, hurdling the guardrails. Security didn’t even try to stop
her.
    “Son of a bitch!” She dove under
the bottom rope into the ring and kneeled beside him. He was out cold, sweat
beaded on his forehead.
    “I need a backboard, a neck brace
and ice,” she ordered the