Free Fighting for Love by L.P. Dover

kind of got into it. I didn’t want to have to deal with another catastrophe.”
    “What about our date tomorrow? Are we still going?” she asked. When I nodded, she continued, “Well, if you’re thinking of getting back together with Matt, what’s he going to say about you going on a date with someone else?”
    Blowing out a heavy sigh, I lowered my head and groaned. “He’s not going to like it, but I plan on telling Caleb in person that I can’t see him again. He’s a great guy, but I can’t string him along. It’s not fair to him.”
    “Okay, listen,” Lexi began, patting me on the hand. “I honestly think it’s a good thing that you’re going on a date, even if you’re breaking it off with Caleb. Matt needs to know that you haven’t been pining for him after all these years while he’s been out having his fun,” she ranted.
    That’s true, but again, it isn’t like he cheated on me. “I know that, Lexi, and believe me it pisses me off. If for some reason he hasn’t changed then I’ll walk away. It’ll hurt, but at least I’ll know that it wasn’t meant to be.”
    Happy with my answer, she nodded and squeezed my hand reassuringly. “Okay, and just so you know I think Matt’s about to come this way.”
    Sure enough, Matt jumped out of the ring, with his gloves still on, and headed straight for me; his bare chest showed off the new tattoos he’d gotten over the years. The first one he ever got was a Celtic ankh on his left arm, and now it was surrounded by a whole sleeve that extended down his bicep to shoulder.
    We had just graduated high school when we both had the urge to get our first tattoos; he got the ankh and I got a moon and shooting star on the upper right side of my back. Over the years, I was thankful I didn’t have it where I could see it every day to remind me. There were a lot of ‘firsts’ that Matt and I had, and it was almost like a game we played trying to see how many of them we could achieve together.
    “Hey,” he said, wrapping his arm around my waist. His skin was so warm and hard. Immediately, my body melded against his side; I fit there perfectly.
    “We’re almost done with the shoot, but there’s been a little hold up. Is this Lexi?” he asked, nodding toward her. Chill bumps fanned across my skin as his fingers slid under the hem of my shirt. He looked straight at Lexi, but the slight smirk on his face let me know he was fully aware of what his touch was doing to me.
    Lexi froze, her mouth hanging open in awe. After a few seconds, she snapped out of it and sputtered, “Y–yes, I’m Lexi. Wow, it’s so different seeing you in the ring, all hardcore and getting bloody, and then seeing you like this. Now I can see why people fall all over you.”
    Exasperated, I rolled my eyes while Matt chuckled. “Thank you,” he said. “I definitely take that as a compliment.” Gripping my waist, he squeezed to get my attention, and I looked up at him. “Hey, there are some people I want you to meet. Come on.”
    Lexi winked at me before Matt put his arm around my shoulders and led me away. “Don’t forget what happens tonight if I win,” he reminded me, whispering huskily in my ear.
    “Oh yeah, and what’s that again?” I teased. Was I really ready to take that step? My body screamed at me to go for it, but my heart wanted to play it safe.
    Stopping mid-stride, he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and caressed the sensitive skin just below. A sense of longing shone in those green eyes of his that I hadn’t seen in a really long time. It made me feel vulnerable, completely open with nothing to protect me. It was scary as hell.
    With his hands caressing my back, his breath tickled my skin when he murmured in my ear, “You will be mine tonight, angel. Your body, your lips … all mine.”
    “For how long?” I whispered back, shivering from his touch. “One night? Two?” I had to know what he wanted.
    He nipped my earlobe with his teeth and a deep