SBC Fighter: Tails Of Love Part 2

He grinned to let her know he was teasing. "After his bath, we'l get him fed."

A lot of things had changed, but not that kil er grin. It stil had the power to make her goofy. But not so goofy that she wanted to be alone with him in his spectacular new home.

She'd seen it from the outside when she'd driven by without him knowing it, and that was enough to make her agog at the luxury of it. Her brother said the interior was incredible-and she just knew the high-end, designer furnishings would make her feel like a Podunk. But even if Gary wasn't so wel -to-do these days, she didn't want to be alone with him long enough to bathe the dog.

Already her wil had weakened. Give her half an hour of privacy with him, and she'd be the aggressor, asking him for things she knew she was better off not having.

Like his body.

The problem was that he'd been so caring about the dog, and so uncaring about the mess it caused, she didn't know how to refuse him. His shirt had to be ruined, but she prayed he was right about his leather seats. Heaven only knew what it'd cost to repair them.

But nice or not, just being with him in the quiet seclusion of his car had her thinking things she shouldn't. Erin cleared her throat. "I sort of figured I'd clean him up tomorrow at my place."

"And leave him dirty and tangled al night?" He shook his head, sending a wet lock of brown hair to fal over his brow.

Her heart gave an unsteady beat.

"No, it'l be better to take care of it now." Then, as if he thought better of things, he suddenly shot her a look. For that single instant of time, his brown eyes were direct and soul sucking. "You don't have other plans, do you, Erin? I mean, a date or something?"

The ridiculousness of that helped pul her from her daze.

Her last date had been months ago and was a resounding flop that hadn't encouraged her to try again.

"Okay," he said slowly. "No plans." He looked pleased by that, but also put out by her reaction. "It was a legitimate question for an attractive twenty-five-year-old woman. You do know that you could date nonstop if you wanted to, right?"

In a fictional world maybe. But Gary was the very last person with whom she wanted to discuss her nonexistent romantic involvements. "I spend most of my weekends working."

He nodded. "You aren't high maintenance, so tel me why you take al that overtime?"

The truth would suffice. "I enjoy the work."

"More than dating?"

She couldn't think of anything but the truth. "There's no one I'm anxious to date."

Smiling, he said, "Want to tel me why?"

Letting out an exasperated breath, Erin stared at him.

"You want me to say I have a thing for you, is that it?"

"Not just any old thing, no. The real thing. And you do, so why not admit it?"

The real thing? Yeah, it was plenty real. But regardless of his protests, he was now a celebrity of sorts, and win or lose, though he mostly won, he gained more popularity with every fight. Events took him to hotspots al over the country, and sometimes out of the country.

He wined and dined with celebrities.

He appeared in magazines and newspapers.

Gorgeous, sophisticated women vied for his attention.

Could he real y be happy with a hometown girl he'd known since he was a kid?

Erin thought about it so long that Gary was pul ing into his driveway without her even realizing they'd reached his home. Outdoor lighting made the grounds look magical.

Even soaked and storm-whipped, the landscaping was beautiful. The long driveway led up to a four-car garage.

"You have a gorgeous house."

"It's comfortable-but a little too big for a single man." He put the car in park, looked at her for a long, heart-stopping moment, then he leaned over and kissed her.

No hands. No body parts touching.

But his mouth was warm on hers, and confident, and he tugged at her lips in a way that raised her temperature several degrees.

Wow.

For years, he'd played at being a pseudo big brother to her, but there was nothing fraternal about the way his mouth moved on hers.

Erin started to lean into him-and the puppy yapped, jumping up between them. Erin came to her senses just in time to realize that the little rascal had piddled on her leg.

"Oh, c.r.a.p." She grabbed for her door handle to get the pup out of Gary's car. For a second there, her seat belt hindered her escape, but Gary released it for her, and he got out, too.

Luckily, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. Not that it mattered since she was soaked to the skin anyway.

Crouched on the muddy gra.s.s by the dog, she saw when Gary's big feet stopped near her. He said nothing, but Erin felt his watchful gaze.

Her blood stil pumped too fast from that kiss, but she wasn't a complete coward, so she looked up at him-and got snared in his dark gaze.

Get a grip, Erin. She pasted on a false smile. "Now my jeans are wet with more than rain."

"Huh." His smile was genuine and ful of promise. "Guess you'l need a bath, too, then, won't you?"

At that suggestive comment, her heart shot into her throat. She tried to think of something to say, but Gary scooped up the dog, took Erin's arm, and started them al toward a side door to his large ranch-style home.

He led her directly into the cavernous garage, where she saw a truck parked, and then into the attached laundry room.

An overhead light brightened everything and granted her a good look at the pup.

And Gary.

He set down the dog and let it go about sniffing everything. With both hands, he raked back his hair while kicking off his shoes. His clothes clung to him.

And then he grabbed the hem of his shirt and dragged it off over his head. One-handed, he tossed it over her head and into a laundry basket behind her.

Erin stared.

Gary had always had an athletic body, but since starting the extreme sport of MMA compet.i.tion, he'd gotten far too buff for her peace of mind.

Loose-limbed and casual, he stood there and let her look. Unlike some of the fighters, he'd kept his chest hair and she liked it. A lot.

His hips were super lean, muscular. The waistband of his wet jeans curled out away from his body. The material over the fly was . . .

She looked up at his face-and found him watching her far too intently.

Oops. Trying to be cavalier, Erin said, "You look great. In shape, I mean."

"Thanks."

Trying not to stare at him again, she kicked off her own shoes and stripped off her light jacket. "Do you have something we can use to bathe him in?"

When Gary didn't answer, she looked at him again, and found him standing very stil , his jaw tight, his cheekbones slashed with color.

He stared at her chest.

She knew she wasn't overly endowed, and her physique in no way compared to his, so she crossed her arms under her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and asked, "What are you looking at?"

At her tone, his left brow shot up-and he continued staring. "This is in no way a complaint, believe me, but it seems a white T-shirt and bra go . . . completely transparent in that much rain."

CHAPTER THREE.

Startled, Erin looked down-and squawked. The material appeared glued to her flesh, showing the outline of each breast. Even her ribs and her nipples were so visible, she might as wel have been naked.

Horrified, embarra.s.sed, and unsure what to do, she spun around, presenting Gary with her back.

He stepped up closer to her, and his voice softened.

"Don't faint, okay."

Did he sound amused? If he did, she'd brain him.

Stil in that light tone, he added, "I'l grab a dry shirt for you and be right back."

She stood staring blindly at a blank wal , her back to the door, when Gary flipped a navy blue shirt over her shoulder.

His finger went down her cheek, then fel away. "Take your time. I'l be on the back porch with the pooch when you're ready."

She'd never be ready.

It wasn't easy, but she managed to say, "Thanks,"

reasonably enough.

A few minutes later, dressed in his warm, dry shirt and with her courage sh.o.r.ed up, she headed for the back porch. Along the way, she took the "gawking tour" of his house.

It real y was fabulous, but it was stil . . . Gary. Stil cozy and comfortable, and not in the least ostentatious. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, maybe a designer's cold touch. Instead it looked like every other bachelor pad she'd ever seen, but bigger and with more furniture.

It looked like a house meant for a family, not one man.

And that made her think.

Gary had left the patio door open for her, but pul ed the screen. Through the doorway she saw a big covered back porch that housed a hot tub and wet bar. Beyond that was an in-ground pool, securely fenced. Tal hedges offered privacy.

Hearing a masculine laugh, Erin snuck up to the door and saw Gary on his knees beside a low dishpan fil ed with water. The dog frolicked and played, a true water baby, while Gary tried to suds him up. The dog shook several times, sending soap bubbles to Gary's head, left ear, and over his chest.

He said to the dog, "You're lucky I'm the one doing this, bud. Erin's not a wimp, but she wouldn't be too keen about those fat ticks hiding on your bel y, or whatever that was you had stuck to your b.u.t.t fur."

The dog yapped and jumped and splashed, and for some reason, tears stung Erin's eyes.

The scene brought about an old memory. She was eighteen and giving her parents' German shepherd a bath in the driveway of her family home. Gary and Dave, both twenty-five, were heading out of town on a fishing trip together, and had stopped by to see her parents first. While Dave went in to the house, Gary stayed outside and helped her with the dog.

Before long they were both soaked and laughing. It wasn't until Erin stripped off her shirt, showing her bikini top underneath, that Gary went al serious and started looking at her differently.

She'd dated boys, but at that point, Gary was a man and his attention had both flattered and frightened her.

Then suddenly, without a word, he'd stepped away from her and went to the front door to tel Dave to hurry up.

They'd left minutes later.

For a long time after that, until she finished col ege, Gary was different with her. Stil friendly but somehow more distant and, maybe, cautious.

After col ege . . . wel , he outright flirted with her, but he'd already started fighting by then and in those early years, he spent as much time away as he did at home.

"Erin?"

She shook off the memories. "What?"

"You look like you're a mil ion miles away." His smile held a question-and an invitation. "Stop daydreaming and come help me with this little spaz."

The dog bounced and splashed some more, making Erin grin. "He has gotten pretty energetic, huh?" She went out the door and sat down cross-legged beside Gary. Cupping her hands into the water, she helped rinse the dog.

He bounced out of the dishpan and jumped first on Erin, then Gary, before fol owing his nose to a gra.s.sy spot off the porch.

She watched the dog with a grin. "You're good with him."

Gary studied her for a long moment, leaned forward. Erin held her breath but didn't move away.

Again he kissed her.

This time it was light and easy, as if he'd been doing so for a long time. She wanted more, but didn't dare say so.