Page 57 of The Fighter
“For one, you’re planning to fight for Mila. The man I marry will wantonlyme.”
That felt like a slap in my face. “I’m not fighting for Mila!” When I said it, I knew it was the right decision because marrying Mila would mean seeing Raven all the time, and there was no way I could deny how attracted I was to this feisty woman.
Raven hesitated. “Do you love Mila?”
“No. I mean, Mila is lovely, but I don’t know her that well.”
“And me? You know me pretty well.”
I gaped at her. “Are you asking me if I love you?”
She shrugged and looked away.
“Why?” I’d never met a person who sent so many mixed signals. “Why would you ask me that question if you don’t want someone like me anyway?”
Raven averted my direct stare. “Just curious.”
“Yeah? Well, me too.” I held my head high and kept my eyes on her. “I’m curious to see what you have in your room and why you’re not letting me in.”
That made Raven spread her arms a little like she was blocking the door. “It’s nothing, Leo.”
“I don’t believe you. What do you have in your room that you don’t want me to see?”
“A bed! I have a bed in my room and last time you and I were alone in a bedroom, it didn’t end so well, remember?”
I was trying to read her and figure out if that was all or there was more. “Then tell me this: if I go into your room, I won’t find more research on the Dina case, will I?”
Raven met my stare head-on. “You told me to leave that case alone and you’re not coming into my room.”
I lowered my voice. “I’m getting a funny vibe from you. Please tell me you understand how imperative it is to keep the paternity issue a secret?”
Raven moved closer and it surprised me a little when her voice was low and almost seductive. “The reason I’m not letting you into my room is because there’s a bed in there. If you give me the action and fight training that I want, I won’t tell about what happened between us, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t remember what your tongue felt like. It’s better if you walk away now before one of us makes a stupid move.”
I swallowed hard, my pants tightening and my fingers itching to reach out and touch her. “Would it be so bad?”
“Show me that you aren’t a misogynist. Show me that you’ll respect my skills and give me an equal chance to prove myself, and then maybe…” Raven’s eyes softened.
Like a fucking puppet, I stood there with her dangling the highest prize a man could get in front of me.
“Action and fight training,” I muttered like I was in a bloody trance.
“That’s right. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
After Raven disappeared back into her room, I walked away with a head full ofwhat-ifscenarios.What if she feels the way I feel? What if she’s fantasizing about what would have happened if she hadn’t left? What if a few more exciting assignments could get her to want me enough to marry me?My head was exploding with possibilities and when for a split second the thought of missing out on the million dollars in Mila’s tournament entered my mind, I turned around and looked back at the door with the purple sign. The strong urge to go back and claim Raven right now made me sure that no amount of money would ever beat that. Raven was the biggest oxymoron personified, with her badass fighter skills and hardcore attitude on one side, and her flirtatious seductive sweet humor on the other side. How could she try to blackmail me for what happened between us one second, only to give me the impression that we weren’t done in the next?
I smiled as I walked away, promising myself that Raven and I weren’t done by a long shot.
CHAPTER 15
Overview
Raven
My hands were shaking when I retreated to my room after my confrontation with Leo.
The fact that he’d shown up here and been mere feet away from all the research that was spread out in my room had made me jumpy.
I couldn’t afford to have any strikes on my record, and if Leo found out that I wasn’t following his orders to stay away from Dina’s case, he would surely report it as a lack of ability to follow orders.
