Fighting Love (Love to the Extreme) (8 page)

worried out of his mind that he was her stand-in boyfriend. She really needed to put his mind at

rest. “Not lately,” she said thoughtfully.

“Do you know him?”

Julie knew why Melody was asking her the question. The man had the telltale signs of a cage

fighter—the little injuries their bodies seemed to carry at all times. “No, he doesn’t look familiar,

but I can’t see his face.” The man’s dark head was bent low over the kitten as he used one of his

fingers to rub the fur between its pointy ears. “Besides, just because I’m friends with Tommy

doesn’t mean I know all the guys on the circuit.”

“You know a lot of them, though.”

She couldn’t deny that. “What’s his name?”

“Brody Minton.”

Brody “The Iron” Minton. No, she didn’t personally know him, but she’d seen him fight. He was

in the heavyweight division, which explained his build. Those fighters ranged anywhere from two

twenty to two sixty-five. Some of them even had to cut weight before a weigh-in to make the

weight limit. It also explained why she didn’t really know him. Tommy was middleweight and kept

to a svelte one eighty-five.

“Yeah, he’s a fighter.”

“You think Tommy knows him?”

“Probably. If I’m not mistaken, Brody trains at Tommy’s old gym. What’s he here for?”

“The kitten won’t eat.”

Julie nodded, pushing aside her awe and donning her vet cap. “Can you go ahead and get him

situated in a room?”

“Oh, it’d be my pleasure.”

Chuckling, Julie hurried to her locker and tugged on a white lab coat, then stepped into the

examining room. “Good afternoon, Mr. Minton. And who do we have here?”

“Uh.” He shifted before red crept up his neck to his cheeks. “This is Princess.”

Normally she didn’t react when she heard a pet’s name, having heard some doozies over the

years, but his deep voice saying such a feminine word had her stumbling to a stop. “What was

that?”

He grimaced. “My three-year-old niece named her. I didn’t realize how embarrassing it would

be to say the name outside my own home.”

Julie smiled. What a wonderful uncle to let his niece name his cat, and then stick with it in

public. “Well, I think it’s perfect.”

She ran her hand down the kitten’s soft fur. “I see she’s only a few weeks old.”

“Ten weeks. I’ve had her for two.”

It was so odd to see such a huge man have such a small pet. He seemed like the type to walk

a Rottweiler on a thick chain. But the worry in his caramel-colored eyes as he reached out to pet

Princess, his hand engulfing the kitten as it slid down her fur, let Julie know he didn’t care that a

cat wasn’t the animal most people would envision him having.

“What’s the problem, Mr. Minton?”

“Brody, please. I hate being called by my last name. I’m not that formal.”

“Okay, Brody, what’s going on with Princess?”

“She won’t eat. She was doing fine, but about three days ago, she just stopped, and she keeps

pawing at her face.” His eyes lifted to meet hers, and she was struck by how handsome he was.

“I’ve tried to look in her mouth, but I can’t see anything.”

“What do you feed her?”

“Dry cat food.” He winced. “I occasionally give her wet. I know it’s not good for her, but she

loves it, and when she stopped eating that, too, I knew something was wrong.”

“Sounds like she may have something stuck somewhere on the way down. Let’s have a look in

her mouth.” She went to the door and asked Melody to assist her.

While Melody held the kitten, Julie looked inside with a penlight, checking every crevice she

could see. Sure enough, something was wedged between her back teeth. “Has she been chewing

anything lately?”

“She’s into everything, but most recently she chewed through a cardboard box.”

Yeah, that looked about right. Julie took a pair of tweezers and tugged out the foreign object.

“I think we’ve solved the mystery, Brody.” She held it up. “It’s tiny, but this wet bit of cardboard

would’ve been enough to make her mouth feel uncomfortable enough to not want to eat.”

He released a breath. “Really? That’s it?”

“Yep. I’ll go ahead and prescribe some antibiotics just in case, but I think she’ll be fine now. If

she still isn’t eating in a few days, come back and we’ll do further tests, okay?”

“Thanks, doc.”

He scooped up the kitten, but then hesitated as he looked at Melody and Julie. The giggle that

came from the other vet as she hurried from the room made Julie blush. “Was there something

else?”

“Yeah, I was wondering if I could take you to dinner, as a thank-you.”

The blush scalded her face. “That’s not necessary.”

“Then how about as a date? Unless, of course, your boyfriend would mind.”

She blinked.

Not unless a stand-in boyfriend counted.

Tommy’s words echoed in her head. Spinster, eh? Was Brody a sign?

“No. No boyfriend.” She gave him what she hoped was a dazzling smile. “And yes, dinner would

be great.”

He smiled, and she found she liked it. It didn’t have her melting to the floor or anything, but it

was warm and friendly, and he seemed really nice.

“You have plans tonight?” he asked.

“Unless you consider sitting on the couch watching TV plans, then no, I don’t.”

“Hey. I love a great night in, kicking back and relaxing after a hard day. I swear sometimes

there is nothing that beats it.”

Her smile stretched into a full grin. “Exactly. But tonight I think I’d like to go out.”

Someone who actually got it! Tommy just stared at her like she was speaking gibberish when

she tried to explain why she liked to stay home.

“I’m very happy to hear that. Can I pick you up at eight?”

After she gave him directions, she smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

And she actually meant it.

…

Smoothing down the fabric of her blue wrap dress, Julie walked into the living room. She’d

changed her outfit five times. Casual. Dressy. Seductive. Until she’d finally settled on a

combination of all three.

The dress stopped about four inches above her knees and had a deep V-line down the front

that created an enticing display of her cleavage. But the three-quarter sleeves kept the dress

modest. Sort of. She’d slipped on a pair of black heels and curled her dark hair so it was full and

bouncy instead of straight like she usually wore it. And she’d chosen to go with the smoky-eyes

look.

She looked hot. More important, she felt hot.

One last thing, and she’d be ready for Brody to pick her up. Where had she put her purse?

Spotting it on the couch, she leaned over the back and reached for the strap. A noise that

sounded like someone choking came from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Tommy

standing in the kitchen doorway, a sandwich held in his hand, scowling at her.

When she straightened and turned around, his nose crunched up in distaste. “Where are you

going dressed like that?”

“I have a date.”

If his head had jerked back any farther it would’ve snapped right off. “A date?” Then his gaze

roamed over hers again and his scowl deepened. “That outfit.” He vigorously scratched the back of

his head. “Yeah. I wouldn’t wear that.”

“Why not? This dress is hot.” She held her hands out in front of her breasts. “I’m showing them

off. Isn’t that what guys like?”

If anything, Tommy blanched even more as his throat convulsed on a swallow, his gaze

straying down before he jerked it back up and over her head. Good lord, the man even refused to

admit she had boobs.

She put her hands on her hips. “You may see me as a sister, Tommy, but let me assure you I

am a red-blooded woman. And no matter what you think, I am fuckable to other men.”

His eyes snapped to hers, something dangerous darkening their green depths as he took a step

closer. “Is that what you want, Julie? To be fucked?”

Having Tommy ask her such a bold question left her completely breathless, and all she could do

was gape at him as he took another step toward her.

“I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for. So you need to change.” He said the last sentence

slowly, calmly, but his face was anything but. It was tight—except for a vein pulsing in his

forehead.

“Oh, no you don’t.” She shook her finger at him. “You are not going to pull the big brother act

on me, Tommy Sparks! Last night you were all worried about how much I stayed in, and now

you’re pissed because I’m going out? I don’t think so.”

“Is that what this is about? Did you ask the first guy you saw this morning to go out because of

last night? I am not okay with that.”

Her mouth popped open. “I don’t care what you’re okay with. And for the record, I didn’t ask

him, he asked me, and I thought he was pretty damn hot, so I said yes.”

“Going out with strange men isn’t very smart.”

She shook her head. “Oh my God, you’re driving me crazy. Besides, you know him, so he’s not

a stranger.”

“What do you mean, I know him?”

The doorbell rang. “You’re about to see.”

She hurried to the door and opened it. Brody wore black slacks with a deep purple silk button-

down shirt. His longish dark hair was combed and styled away from his face. Deep caramel brown

eyes gazed down at her as a low whistle came from his chiseled mouth.

Could the man be more opposite of Tommy, who had done everything but give her a

compliment? Jerk.

“You look gorgeous,” Brody said admiringly.

She smiled. “Thank you. Pretty damn hot yourself.”

A low grumble came from behind her and she shot Tommy a withering look.

“Brody.” Tommy came to stand directly behind her, his chest pressing into the back of one of

her shoulders. She sent him another glare.

“Tommy.” Brody glanced between the two of them before he offered his hand, which Tommy

took, albeit reluctantly. “Been a while. How have you been?”

“Just peachy. You?”

Brody was either oblivious to the snarky tone Tommy was using or chose to ignore it, because

he simply shrugged and said, “Can’t complain.” He cleared his throat. “What exactly are you doing

here?”

“I live here.” He placed an arm around her shoulder in that familiar brotherly way he did, and

she rolled her eyes.

“He lives here temporarily.” When his fingers bit into her skin, she jabbed him hard in the

stomach. She wouldn’t tell anyone about his house. That was his business. Not Brody’s. “He’s

getting some remodeling done and needed a place to stay.”

“Well, that’s nice of you.”

She smiled at Tommy through clamped teeth. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this man.

We’ve known each other forever. He’s like a brother to me.”

Ow! Jerking out of his grip, she rubbed the top of her shoulder where he’d pinched her and

glowered at him. He scowled back just as fiercely.

“So. You ready to go?” Brody asked uncertainly.

“More than ready.” She sent Tommy one more scathing glance before heading down the steps

with Brody, determined to enjoy her date.

…

Brody “Goddamn Perfect” Minton.

The Golden Boy. Mr. Goodie Two Shoes. Mr. Wonderful.

And a totally perfect match for Julie.

The idea seriously chapped Tommy’s ass.

Hell, his ass had already been chapped before he’d learned who she was going out with. That

dress hugged every delicious inch of her body, making him all the more aware of the desirable

woman she was.

Making him disturbingly aware that another man, at this very moment, was enjoying every

tempting curve of that damn dress and what it revealed. Probably keeping tabs on the gaping

neckline in hopes of getting a peek of her abundant breasts.

Fury shafted through him and he increased the speed of his pacing. Where the hell were they?

It was a fucking work night!

The fiercely protective big brother part of him had roared to life as soon as she left, and he’d

paced the living room for hours now, it seemed. As the time ticked by, he realized he was way

more jacked up than a brother should be about his “sister” being out on a date with another man.

Way more furious about that man seeing her in that sexy dress. And to make matters worse,

Tommy had also noticed way too much about Julie’s body in that dress.

What the hell was happening to him?

He didn’t know what he was feeling. He’d never felt anything like it before.

Jesus H. Christ. Had she ever wore her makeup like that around him?

Nope. He would’ve noticed. Because it invited sex. Smoky, mysterious. Fuckable.

She’d used that word, and goddamn it, it was a statement of utter truth.

The woman had been downright take-me-up-against-the-wall-right-now sexy, and he’d been

more than happy to oblige.

And it freaked him the fuck out.

He turned at the wall and paced back across the living room again, stopping briefly to peer out

the window into the darkness. Nothing. Not a headlight in sight.

He didn’t know what to do with this overwhelming lust he was suddenly feeling for her. Hell, he

couldn’t remember the last time his dick twitched at just seeing a woman bent over. Sure, he