The Fighter (The High Rise, Book 1) (17 page)

“Tell me more
about Aaron,” I say to Heath over dessert.

“I told you we
were little shits growing up. When I was twelve and Aaron was ten
Dad had promised to take us up to Yosemite to go camping, you know,
for a little guy time. It was summer and Mom was ready for us to
get out of her hair. Dad’s the manager in hazardous waste at
Chevron and there’d been an earthquake the day before so he
couldn’t take us. Aaron and I were pissed. So to get him back, we
snuck into his and Mom’s bathroom and made a fake roll of toilet
paper and put it on the holder then took the rest of the rolls
out.”

I raise an
eyebrow.

He laughs.
“Dad loved his bathroom time. Mom never uses theirs because Dad
always hogs it.” He now looks embarrassed which is way cute. “Nice
dinner talk, huh?”

I laugh with
him then ask, “So what happened?”

He shrugs
getting a little twinkle in his eyes and I can see where he
would’ve been ornery. “Aaron and I heard him yelling all the way
down the block. We didn’t go home until we were sure he was in bed
because he would’ve tanned both our hides.”

“So did you
eventually get in trouble?” I question.

“We were
always in trouble but this time was the worst. We had to do the
housework for six months. Everything Mom did, Aaron and I had to
do. Tell you what, it made me appreciate her a whole lot more when
that six months was finally up.” He chuckles then takes a bite of
his tiramisu. “What about you? Any brothers or sisters?”

“I have an
older sister but she lives in DC. Her husband’s a lawyer and is one
of those political types who’ll probably run for president someday.
Tara’s twelve years older than I am so we’re not really close. Mom
calls me her and Dad’s ‘little surprise.’” I roll my eyes at the
euphemism since we all know I was definitely an accident.

Heath reaches
across the table and holds my hand giving it a squeeze. “It could
be worse. My cousin Brad was called ‘Whoops’ his first ten years
until he put his foot down.” He cracks up at this.

“That’s
terrible,” I say through my giggling.

He smiles now,
shaking his head. “Bad thing is, Aaron and I really thought that
was his name. We didn’t understand until we were older and of
course we gave him all kinds of hell for it then.”

We finish
dessert and he pays the check. I get up and he helps me with my
wrap then puts his hand at the small of my back as we walk toward
the front. I take his arm in my hand as we walk outside and wait
for the valet to bring his car around.

He opens my
door for me helping me in the Explorer and just before he closes
the door, I turn to him. “Thank you for this. I’ve really had a
good time tonight.”

His eyes go
soft as he looks at me then he cups the side of my face.

“Thank you. I
was proud to have you on my arm tonight.” He gives me the softest
kiss and my stomach goes all mushy at both his words and good his
lips felt on mine.

I watch him
walk around the front of the vehicle, sighing at how handsome he is
knowing I too was proud to be with him
.

Fourteen

This date has been the
best I’ve ever had, even beating out my sophomore year in high
school when I took Alexa Moore (who was a senior) to see
The
Notebook
and she not only let me feel her up in the theater but
she fucked my brains out in my truck in the parking lot after the
movie
.

On our way
back to the apartment building, Laney and I make small talk and
when we get back, I park in the garage coming around to help her
out of the car. Walking together it’s like the air is electrified
between us. It’s so strange, like our pheromones, or whatever this
is between us, are crackling like crazy. I’ve never had this happen
with any other woman and I’m not sure what to make of it.

We don’t speak
in the elevator and I’m not sure what’s going on inside her
head.

“Can I come to
your place?” she asks as soon as we get to our floor.

Hell yes, she
can. Like I’d say no.

“Of course,” I
say, putting my hand at the small of her back as we walk to my
door.

When I pull
out my keys, she looks up at me. “I wanna play a game.”

I unlock the
door letting her go in first and upon closing the door, I announce,
“If this game has us getting naked, I’m in.”

She chuckles
as she looks around my place. There’s not much to it, just the
usual living room shit—couch, chair, tables, lamps, TV.

“It does if
you get the answers right,” she replies biting her lip and giving
me a dubious look.

Huh. She’s
nervous. What’s this about?

I take her
wrap and drape it on the coat rack. “Would you like a drink to go
with this game you’re wanting to play?” I ask walking to the
kitchen.

“What’ve you
got?”

“I’ve got
several wines, Moscato, Chardonnay, Merlot. I’ve also got scotch,
whiskey, beer.”

“I’ll take a
beer,” she answers and I think I love her.

I grab a
couple of Zombie Dusts from the fridge, opening them and heading
back to the living room. She’s looking at the framed poster I have
on the wall of the last scene from
Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid
and I take in how stunning she is. That dress
looks amazing on her and those heels would make a friggin’ monk
hard. Jesus.

I hand her a
beer then stand and look at the poster with her.

“This is one
of my favorite movies,” she informs me then takes a drink and now I
really think I love her.

“Mine too.
Can’t top Redford and Newman,” I comment. We stand there for a
moment before my curiosity gets the best of me. “Tell me about this
game.”

She bites her
lip again before taking another drink then turns to me. “Well, we
got to know a bit about each other tonight. So the game is, we ask
each other more questions and if one gets the answer right, the
other has to take off a piece of clothing.”

This is cute
but I see right through it. She wants to sleep with me but she’s
too shy or proper to make a move (not understanding that I’d make
it for her) and I find this interesting since she seemed so
uninhibited last night. Huh. Women. I’ll never figure them out. I’m
gonna chock this up to her age but I don’t have a problem with it.
I’ll play her game… for a while.

I raise an
eyebrow. “I’m thinkin’ there’s not gonna be a loser to this
game.”

She laughs.
“If I don’t miss any questions, you could be left standing with
just your shoes and socks on, which might be looked upon as
losing.” She snorts at the look on my face because what’d be wrong
with just being in my shoes and socks? Again, women.

“Let’s do it,”
I return. Hell, I don’t give a fuck if I’m left standing naked. I’m
just thinking of the grand prize at the end. I finish my beer,
setting the bottle on an end table and she does the same.

“You stand
here.” She puts me near the end of the coffee table then goes and
stands at the other end. “You can go first,” she suggests.

“So I can ask
you anything?” She nods. “All right. What’s my favorite color?” I
ask.

“Blue,” she
guesses correctly but I shake my head.

Hey, she
didn’t say we had to be truthful. I just want to see her naked the
fastest way I know how.

I give her a
look and twitch my fingers toward my shirt showing her I want her
to take something off. She grins while taking off her necklace
which makes me narrow my eyes and her laugh as she places it on the
coffee table.

“My turn,” she
announces. “Where was I born?”

“San
Francisco.”

Her mouth
drops open. “How’d you know?”

I shrug.
“Lucky guess.”

She doesn’t
know I had my PI friend look her up and I’m thinking it probably
wouldn’t make her too happy knowing that I did.

She takes a
ring off, setting it by the necklace and now I do a quick inventory
of her body seeing the only jewelry left is earrings. Good.

“Where was
I
born?” I ask.

She screws up
her mouth for a second. “You grew up in El Segundo… so I’m gonna
guess that’s where you were born too.”

She’s right so
I take off my sports jacket, to her satisfied look, and throw it on
the couch.

“What’s my
middle name?”

She’s making
this too easy.

“Adele.”

She’s shocked
again. “How’d you know?”

I chuckle.
“I’m interested in you. I did my homework.”

She takes off
her earrings looking at me suspiciously. “Guess I should’ve done
my
homework.”

I smirk at her
which gets me a glare. She’s being cute and I’m now ready for this
game to end.

“What’s my
favorite band?” I inquire.

She looks at
me for a moment sizing me up. “You had on an Alice in Chains
t-shirt the first time we met… which means you like grunge… but you
wouldn’t go mainstream because you’d want to be different. Then
again, you might just like rock and there are lots of new bands:
Red Sun Rising, Nothing More, Shaman’s Harvest…”

She’s good.
Those are all groups I like.

“Then again,
you might go old school...” She twists her mouth to the side and
declares, “Nirvana.”

I smile as I
start taking off my shirt. “Look, I’m gonna give you this one
because I like a lot of bands, so that wasn’t really a fair
question.”

“Cheating, are
you?” she teases.

Good. She’s
lightening up. I grin at her, tossing my shirt on my jacket, but
I’m still fully clothed since I’m wearing an undershirt.

“My turn,” she
says with a smirk. “What’s
my
favorite band?”

I’ve heard her
listening to two mainstream bands this week. It could be anyone. So
I go with what’s safe.

“Aqua.”

She throws her
head back and cracks up laughing and she’s beautiful. She can also
take a joke.

Through her
laughter she says, “I have to admit, ‘Barbie Girl’ was one of my
favorite songs… when I was six.” She snorts.

And now I’ve
definitely had enough of her game. She’s still clothed and this
isn’t working for me. I smile as I take a step toward her,
chuckling.

“Wh-what are
you doing? We’re not done,” she stammers.

I nod because
I’m done.

“Wait. Don’t
tell me ‘Barbie Girl’ was your favorite too and now I’ve stolen
your thunder.” She snickers.

Smartass.

I keep walking
toward her but she retreats a step with each of mine. She’s now at
the end of the couch opposite me.

“We’re not
done playing,” she whispers but I see she’s trying not to
laugh.

“Oh, we’re
done,” I announce, starting toward her and she moves away again.
“Why do you keep trying to get away? Scared?” I tease.

“Yes, I
am
scared,” she confesses.

This stops me
in my tracks. What the fuck?

“Why’re you
scared?” I question. Surely she’s not afraid of me. I squint my
eyes watching her wondering what she’s thinking.

“You know how
I told you I was honest?” she asks. I nod. “Well, I’m gonna be
honest now.”

Is she going
tell me she’s not feeling this between us? Fucking hell, if that’s
the case I’m seriously going to be pissed. I’ve known her for not
even a week yet I know I could fall for this woman easily.

I watch as she
takes a deep breath blowing it out before she begins. “Uh, I think
you’re really hot. As in very hot.”

I’m waiting
for the “but.”

“And it would
be so easy to fall for you.”

Still
waiting.

“You’re nice
when you’re not being an ass.” She gives me a sassy grin which
makes me snort. But I’m still waiting for her to reject me. “I’ve
dated several asses. Players, like I told you the first time.”

I nod
again.

“I don’t want
to date another one.”

“I’m not a
player,” I declare. I have been in my past but that was with women
I didn’t want to be with. I want to be with Laney.

“You’re the
best I’ve had in bed…” she says and her face flushes.

“Good to know.
I’d hate to have to hunt down the fucker you thought was better,” I
remark.

She laughs
then shakes her head. “You’ve ruined all other men for me.”

I’ve started
making my way to her again.

“Stop!” she
instructs holding her palm out to me. “But this is where it gets
bad.”

Ah. There’s
the “but.”

“And that’s
what scares me,” she declares.

I wait for her
to explain but when she doesn’t, I prod, “And by that you
mean…”

She looks down
as she starts twisting her fingers nervously and licks her lips.
Then she gazes back up at me. “You could really hurt me,
Heath.”

I frown. “I
don’t want to hurt you.”