The Fight Club - Boxed Set Read online

  “May I help you?” asked the barista.

  “I’ll have a low fat latte, please.” She turned toward Rafe. “Shall we go Dutch?”

  He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “I invited you. Of course not.” He leaned over her shoulder and ordered. “Same for me please, but whole milk.”

  After Rafe paid for their drinks and picked them both up, he followed her to a small table in one corner. It was late morning. But for a Saturday the place was surprisingly not very crowded.

  Katy added sweetener to her drink and stirred the steaming liquid slowly.

  “So, why have you never been to the gym before?” he asked.

  She lifted her gaze. “Not really my scene.”

  “You never told me where you live. Close?”

  “Not far. About fifteen minutes.” She didn’t think it prudent to tell him every detail about herself so quickly, even if he did kiss like a sex god.

  He grinned at her and nodded. “Okay, that’s fair. You don’t know me. I’m glad you wouldn’t give out personal information to some stranger. Even one you plastered yourself to in a game of tonsil hockey before introducing yourself.” He smirked jovially.

  Embarrassment flooded her again, bringing a warm flush to her face and neck. “Yeah, about that…”

  “Hey, don’t apologize. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.” He leaned forward and she found herself drawn to him instead of pulling back. “So tell me about this guy who was waiting outside for you. That doesn’t seem copacetic.”

  “Yeah, it’s not.” She turned her mug around in circles with both hands. The steam told her it was still too hot to drink. “I don’t know. I was hoping I was imagining things. But he followed me to the gym? What the hell is that?” She shivered, her entire body shaking.

  “Where do you know him from?”

  “Work.”

  “You work with that guy?”

  “Yep.” She sat back, taking a deep breath. “It’s a long story.”

  “It better end with a call to the police if some asshole from your office follows you around.” He furrowed his brow, leaning farther forward and clearly waiting for her to elaborate.

  She shook her head. “Can we discuss something else? Anything else? I don’t want to spend my weekend thinking about my coworker. He isn’t worth it.”

  Rafe paused. For a moment she didn’t think he would drop the subject, but then he exhaled and took a sip of his coffee. “Okay, so where do you work?”

  She raised an eyebrow at that question. She had no intention of giving this guy so much information. Plus she rather enjoyed his company and he would undoubtedly stop looking at her in that same confident way if she told him what she did for a living. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

  “Coffee? Hell no. It was a great idea.” He dropped the current line of questioning and glanced at the ceiling. “You’re an interesting woman, Katy. I’m intrigued. My curiosity is piqued. You waltz into the gym where your uncle works dressed as though you’re about to go on trial on a Saturday morning. You have a stalker that follows you around. And you kiss strangers without a thought in the world with all the passion of a submissive who hasn’t been granted the privilege of an orgasm for weeks.”

  Her eyes shot wide and she swallowed hard at those last words. What the…?

  He chuckled. “What? I’ve rendered you speechless?”

  He had indeed. She couldn’t follow that last part. “First of all, I’m dressed like this because I had to go into the office before I came here. Second of all, I’m sure the man is harmless, just misguided. I’d hardly call him a stalker. And third…well, I’ve never kissed anyone like that out of the blue in my life. I told you I was borrowing you to get my coworker off my ass. If I’m lucky, it worked.” She grinned.

  He pushed his mug aside and set his elbows on the table. “What about that last part?”

  “What last part?” She knew exactly what he was referring to and she hated that he was trying to goad her into questioning his weird choice of words. Her fingers shook pondering his phrase. A submissive who hasn’t been granted the privilege of an orgasm for weeks. What the hell did that mean? She squeezed her legs together, imagining what he was referring to and wishing with her entire body he would show her.

  “You’re squirming.” His smile was getting on her nerves.

  She stilled. She hadn’t realized her legs were jiggling under the table. Both of them. “I am not.”

  He didn’t comment on that lie. Instead he sat back, looking far more relaxed than she felt. “Go out with me.” He didn’t ask. He told. “On a date. A real date. You can pick the location and I’ll meet you there if you want.”

  She paused. “Why would I do that?”

  “Because you’re curious and I make you want.”

  She gasped. He was so blunt. And so damn accurate. Her pussy clenched. She squeezed her legs tighter. She couldn’t very well argue either point with him. He was too astute for her fibs. She was curious as hell about his story and she wanted to kiss those plump lips again more than she’d ever wanted a man’s mouth on her. She stared at his lips, watching as he licked them.

  Had he done that on purpose? She jerked her gaze to his eyes. They twinkled with mirth.

  “Tonight,” he said with all the confidence in the world.

  She had nothing planned for tonight or any other Saturday in the near future, but she didn’t need him to know that. It made her look desperate. Available. “I’m busy.”

  “Get unbusy.”

  She inhaled sharply. He was so…demanding. That was the word for it.

  “I’ll meet you at that new movie theater on Fifth Street that has dinner with the show. Seven? I’ll let you pick the movie.” He waited.

  She hesitated, but he didn’t interrupt her thoughts this time. Surely the man would only employ so much begging before it became weird. Wait, was he begging? No. Not really. He was actually bossy. And she liked it.

  Every date she’d had in the last several years had been too wishy-washy. A man who couldn’t make a decision managed to turn her off in less than an hour. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? It was exhausting.

  As crazy as this was, at least Rafe intrigued her on a level she’d never felt. “Okay. I’ll go.” What harm could it do to agree? If she got cold feet later, she could always bow out. It wasn’t like he could find her. She’d given him no information about where she lived or worked. The only connection he had to her was through her uncle. And she could easily call the man and tell him to keep his lips shut.

  But you won’t.

  Chapter Three

  Rafe parted ways with the sexy mysterious Katy in the parking lot. It had taken every ounce of willpower to keep his hands and mouth to himself. After all, he’d already tasted those sweet lips and he’d longed to do it again.

  Instead he’d walked her to her car, glanced around to make sure she wasn’t being followed and considered following her himself to make sure she got home safely. But then he realized that would make him no different from the guy already following her.

  And what the hell was that all about? He didn’t like it.

  As he showered and got ready that evening, he literally shook. What if she didn’t show? He’d been hard all day remembering her face, those glorious curls, the deep brown of her eyes. He had it bad and it had been a long time since a woman made him want like this.

  He still had so many hurdles to jump before he could have her in his arms again. And he would wait, albeit impatiently. But it wasn’t like him to go too far with a woman before she was aware of his tastes in sex. It wasn’t fair to the woman. He hadn’t kissed a woman like Katy had kissed him without laying all his cards on the table first in years.

  And the unfortunate part was now that he had, he ached to do so again. For him that was out of order. His body remembered her touch. Had memorized it in fact. The way she leaned into him left nothing to the imagination. She had nestled between his legs and wrapped her dainty arms a
round his neck as though they were long-time lovers. Her sweet tongue had entered his mouth without waiting for invitation.

  Why? She hadn’t needed to go that far to prove a point to the man in the Lexus. She could have snuggled up close to Rafe and pretended to be kissing him. But that’s not what she did. She’d put her entire body into the act as though starving for more.

  Maybe she was.

  Rafe could only hope as he parked his truck at the theater and headed to the entrance. He glanced around the busy lobby when he entered, seeing no sign of Katy. He chose to take up a post next to the front doors, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his khakis to keep from fidgeting. He felt like a teenager on his first date. So unlike him.

  He was early, having arrived at about six forty-five. As he waited, he considered what he would do if she didn’t show. The thought weighed heavily on his mind all afternoon. He’d like to think he would let her go. Leave it alone. She was entitled to her choice. But the reality was he was already mentally invested in her and he didn’t think he could do it.

  He pictured stepping into Joe’s office Monday and begging the man for information about his niece. It wasn’t pretty. Joe would have a field day. Rafe cringed.

  The worrying was for naught though, because at that moment Katy appeared, stepping through the front door, head high, scanning the lobby. When she saw him, she smiled and stepped his way.

  At first his gaze was plastered to her face. Relief swept through his body and his shoulders relaxed from a tense position he hadn’t been aware of until that moment. Her big brown eyes twinkled as she approached, her glorious curls still loose like this morning and bouncing around her shoulders. He imagined if he were to pull one to its full length he would find her hair to be much longer than it appeared.

  He swallowed as he imagined doing that, threading his fingers in her hair and tugging the locks until she tipped her head up to him. Deep breaths. Patience.

  As she got closer, he took in the rest of her. She was marginally more casual than the business attire she’d been wearing that morning. Instead of a matching ensemble of expensive dress clothes, she wore a sexy black dress and matching heels.

  The average patron of the theater wasn’t dressed half as stylishly as Katy, and he was glad he’d chosen khakis instead of jeans. If he could bring himself to take his eyes off her, he was sure he would find men doing double takes in her direction all over the room. She was stunning. And she didn’t realize it.

  “Hi,” she said as she reached him.

  He smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek, allowing himself that one small foray into her personal space so he could at least inhale her scent and hang on to that small gesture for the next several hours. “Mmm, you smell fantastic.” He hadn’t meant to say that. It slipped out unbidden.

  She giggled. “Not sure I’ve ever heard that line as an introduction on a first date.”

  “Technically it’s more like a second date. And since we’ve already made it to second base before the first date, it seems appropriate.” He took her hand and led her to the bar.

  “I’ve never been here.”

  “You’ll love it. Full service theater. We can get a drink, order dinner, and sit in the bar area while we wait for our movie to seat. Do you know what you want to see?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the full wall of listings behind her. “I don’t know what’s playing. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the movies.”

  Rafe picked an open bar table small enough for two and held her arm until she was seated on the high stool and then took his own. A waitress stepped up almost immediately. “Good evening. I’m Melanie. Can I get you anything to start?” She looked at Katy.

  “I’ll have a pinot grigio. The house is fine.”

  “And for you, sir?” The waitress turned to face him.

  “A beer would be great.” He scanned the selection on the list in front of him and pointed to a light beer on tap.

  “Be right back,” the waitress said as she turned to walk away.

  Rafe glanced over Katy’s shoulder. “Did you lose the unwanted stalker, or did he follow you to the theater tonight also?”

  She chuckled. “God I hope not. I’ve about had it with him.”

  Rafe was uneasy about the bastard. He couldn’t shake it from his mind and wanted more details even if Katy didn’t want to discuss it. “Does he follow you everywhere?”

  “Not usually. But he is persistent and used to getting his way. I don’t think women usually turn him down. But good looks, money, nice cars, and a penthouse with a view aren’t always what turns a girl on.”

  “What does?” He leaned forward. Inches separated them. “Turn you on, I mean,” he added in what he hoped was a sultry whisper.

  Katy’s face flushed and she smirked, glancing down to fidget with the napkin wrapped around silverware resting on the table. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  Rafe sat back. Ah, so this isn’t going to be easy. God he loved a challenge.

  “Touché. Nevertheless, the guy followed you. Please tell me that freaks you out a little.” Because is freaks me out a lot.

  “Yeah, we were working on the same project this morning. We left at the same time. He asked me out for the tenth time. I turned him down. And he said he wanted to make sure I got home safely. Yada yada yada.” She lifted her gaze. “I didn’t think he would really go so far as to follow me, and I’m not sorry I chose to go visit my uncle this morning. At least he knows I have people in my corner who work out, and as a bonus I hope he thinks I have a serious boyfriend now.” She tipped her head to one side as she finished, exposing her neck.

  Rafe wanted to run his tongue up the line of muscle to her ear. Would she shiver? “I feel so used.” He set his hand on his heart in a mock gesture of hurt.

  “I bet you do. I could tell it was painful for you.”

  The waitress arrived with their drinks. “Have you had a chance to look over the menu?”

  Rafe picked up the thick laminated card in front of him. “No. Sorry. Give us a minute?”

  “Sure. I’ll be back.”

  He turned to Katy. “Please tell me you eat.”

  “Starving.” She grabbed the other menu and perused it while he watched. He’d order the burger. It was an easy selection and didn’t require much thought. As Katy stared at the menu, Rafe stared at Katy. Nice view. She was small but fit. He liked that. Her arms were bare this evening. Her black dress was modest but fitted and cut low enough that he could glimpse her cleavage and watch the rise and fall of her chest.

  When she lifted her gaze and caught him staring, she shook her head. “I have a brain, you know. It’s up here.” She tapped her temple with one finger as she teased him.

  “I’m aware of that. I can tell by your stance you’re sharp and hardworking. Even if you haven’t told me what you do for a living. You’re confident and you hold your head high. I like that. The fact that you’re also sexy as hell is icing on the cake.”

  She paused. “Thank you. I think.”

  The waitress returned at that moment and took their orders. Katy ordered a chicken and pasta dish, and he was glad she hadn’t ordered a salad.

  “We could have eaten in the theater, but I figured we could eat first and then choose a late movie. Is that okay?”

  “Sounds good.” She hedged a moment and then continued. “Okay, you go first. What do you do when you aren’t getting punched in the face?” She winced as she stared at the bruise under his left eye, compliments of her early entrance into the gym this morning.

  “I’m an accountant.”

  She smiled. “So not just a pretty face on a jock’s body.”

  “Nope. Sorry to disappoint you. I’m a corporate tax preparer.”

  “And do you enjoy it?”

  “Usually. Except when it’s April.” He laughed. “Your turn.” He leaned forward and took both her hands. “What does the gorgeous lady do for a living?”

  She hesitated. “I’m an attor
ney.”

  He raised an eyebrow. He’d imagined something fancy considering her choice of apparel, but she impressed him more than expected. “Awesome. And do you enjoy it?” he repeated.

  “Usually. Except when it’s April and some damn accountant proves one of my clients has been cheating the system.” She giggled. He loved that sound.

  “So this guy you work with. Is he also a lawyer?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Partner. It’s a man’s world. A woman still has to fight to be taken seriously in the field of law. If I want to make partner one day, I have to play by the rules of the firm. And the rules that apply to the men aren’t the same as the ones I must obey.”

  “Are you shitting me?” He squeezed her hands, noticing they were a bit cold. “Can’t you go to human relations and file a complaint?”

  “Only if I want to stay at the bottom of the totem pole for the rest of my career.”

  “That doesn’t seem right.” He swallowed past the foul taste in his mouth. Thoughts of some asshole hitting on her every day and her having to endure it made him stiffen.

  She shrugged. “Nobody said the game was going to be played fairly. I knew that when I went to law school and I knew it well when I chose to work for this particular firm.” She paused. “It’s not quite as bad as you’re imagining. Normally I don’t see the man. It’s a large firm. All the associates know he’s a player. It’s not illegal, mind you, just unprofessional. Some women choose to sleep their way to the top and others choose to ignore his advances. I’m one of the latter.”

  “God, I hope so. Glad I don’t have to sleep with any of the accountants to get to the top.” He shivered. “There are some really nerdy people in my line of work.”

  She pulled her hand free and took a drink of her wine. “You aren’t one,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  Score one for the good guys. Two points in his favor if she didn’t think he was a dork yet.

  “So, what’s his name?”

  “Who? The partner at my firm?”

  “Yes.” Rafe stared at her.

  She opened her mouth but then shut it quickly. After a pause she spoke. “I’m not going to tell you. You’d probably go all he-man on me and show up at his door with fists flying.”