THE STARLIGHT FOUNDATION charity ball was held annually to raise money for underprivileged inner city children. Hadrian had come from a family with very little money, and he’d only gotten into mixed martial arts when a Jeet Kun Do teacher had taken him under his wing. Aside from being one of the foundation’s biggest supporters, Hadrian also sat on the board. He hosted the event, which counted on well-to-do folks willing to pay thousands of dollars to rub elbows with the world’s greatest athletes, celebrities and socialites.
Kyle had told Bella all this on the ride to the event, but she had no idea what a big deal the ball was. Part of her had expected a stuffy hotel ballroom filled with monocle-wearing seniors.
But this was no cartoon snob society event. It was an outdoor dance party, complete with a big-name DJ, sponsored open bar and lots of muscly security guys who could’ve passed for heavyweight fighters themselves.
Jess had hitched a ride with Bella and Kyle in the limo. She explained she would be adjusting people’s hair, makeup and wardrobe throughout the night in a special VIP salon. She peeled away as soon as the car stopped in front of the entrance, waving her fingers. “You two have a good time. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Thanks again, Jess,” Kyle called after her, genuine warmth behind his gratitude. Bella stepped onto the red carpet and was met by a blinding explosion of light. The media and paparazzi were gathered at the entrance, snapping photos and footage of the guests as they arrived. She squinted and shaded her eyes, trying to remember Joel’s advice. Smile. Wave. Let the crowd love you.
Kind of hard to do when her armpits were suddenly drenched. Panic struck when she couldn’t recall whether she’d applied deodorant.
“C’mon.” Kyle took her arm and gently guided her forward. People shouted her name, asking about her outfit. She parroted what Jess had told her—glad that Kyle’s sister had been so specific and had drilled her on the car ride to make sure she gave the designer’s name correctly. Apparently, sister and brother shared that compulsion for perfection.
After posing and studiously ignoring the questions thrown her way, Kyle escorted her into the party proper.
She wiped her brow. “Remind me to thank Jess. I don’t know what I’d have done if it weren’t for her. Good thing you bumped into her at the press conference.”
“Sheer dumb luck,” Kyle agreed lightly, a thoughtful look flitting across his face.
They made their way through the horde of dancers. It seemed every horizontal surface had been transformed into a dance floor. She spotted one barefoot girl gyrating between two guys perched on the rim of a planter. None of the security guys seemed inclined to stop them.
Joel and some of the fighters were clustered together on a dais at the other end of the party. As they got closer, they saw why it wasn’t so crowded around them: a ring of security guards two deep kept the regular party folk away from the beautiful people who’d found refuge on the raised island.
“Bella,” Hadrian exclaimed, pushing out of his deep red couch throne. He gestured at the bouncers to let her and Kyle past the velvet ropes, grinning as he swept Bella head to toe with his glittering gaze. “We were starting to wonder where you were. You look gorgeous. But what happened to the dress I sent over?”
She smiled politely. “I spilled a glass of Hellno on it.”
“Is that some kind of Brazilian wine?”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “Yeah. Stains like a bitch. Sorry.”
Kyle shuddered with suppressed laughter and he coughed discreetly. Hadrian didn’t even blink. “Don’t sweat it. They won’t ask for it back—perks of having sponsors with deep pockets, as you’ll soon discover. Your man Joel has them climbing all over each other to slap a logo on your ass.”
Kyle’s muscles jumped beneath her palm at Hadrian’s suggestive tone. The UFF president scooped up two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and offered one to each of them.
Bella shook her head. “I can’t. I’m training.”
“Little secret. It’s not champagne, it’s seltzer water and coloring. Cristal would be a waste on these guys. They’re all watching their figures.” Hadrian nodded to the fighters behind him. “I can get you something else, if you like. Vitamin water? Herbal tea?”
“This’ll be fine.” She accepted the flute and took a sip. True to his word, the drink fizzed, but there was no sugar, no alcohol. It was purely for aesthetics. Somehow, she felt a little cheated.
“Good to see you, Kyle.” Hadrian’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as they shook hands. “Been behaving yourself?”
“Like a dog on a leash,” he said through bared teeth.
“I saw some of the other board members over there.” Hadrian waved vaguely toward the swimming pool. “You can go and catch up with them while Bella and I talk business.”
“Kyle’s not going anywhere,” Bella said firmly, squeezing his arm. She didn’t want to be left alone with Hadrian. He was relatively harmless, he’d just been a little too casual with his hands, and while she could take care of herself, punching the president of the UFF in the face might not be the best way to start her career. “I need him to keep me upright.”
Hadrian’s smile took on a steely quality. “Well, I’d be happy to act as your crutch.”
“I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I kept you from your job, mingling with all these people. So thank you for the offer, but Kyle’s the only one I need.”
And she meant it. That sudden insight had her looking at her coach in a totally new, totally weird light. There’d been attraction. There’d been tension. There’d been camaraderie. But she hadn’t realized there’d been trust, too. Somehow, despite the fights and disappointments, she knew that he was there for her—as her trainer, friend...
Kyle gave a small, reassuring smile and squeezed her arm. And just like that, something clicked, as if all the pieces of a puzzle they’d been mashing together suddenly snapped into place. A pleasant fuzzy, squiggly feeling crawled through her insides.
“Where’s Ayumi?” she asked to change the subject.
“She and her camp went back to Ohio after lunch.” He shrugged. “See, that’s the difference between a star and a diva. A star does whatever is necessary to get what she wants. A diva does whatever she wants. Honestly, I thought she’d be easier to deal with.”
Hadrian was about to introduce her to the other fighters aboard the mother ship when a commotion interrupted him. The crowd thickened at the base of the dais as Dominic Payette arrived on the arm of a pregnant blonde. Payette was one of the most popular and well-recognized fighters in the UFF, his clean-shaven head, winsome smile and distinct dimples having appeared on almost every magazine, newspaper and TV station. He cut a striking figure in a light gray-blue suit that matched his eyes. The woman, who Bella assumed was his wife, gracefully ascended the steps in a sequined black dress.
Payette and Kyle clasped each other in a brief, back-slapping hug and Kyle dragged him over. “Dom, meet Bella Fiore. She’s training with us in New Orleans.”
“I’m a big fan of your grandfather’s teachings,” the welterweight champion enthused, pumping Bella’s hand vigorously. “I’ve trained under Thiago—your uncle, right? It’s a real honor to meet you.” He looped an arm around the blonde’s waist. “This is my wife, Fiona.”
“Nice to meet you. Congratulations to you both,” Bella said, shaking the woman’s hand. “How far along are you?”
“Six months,” Fiona replied as Hadrian brought her a chair and insisted she sit. She plopped down as Dom asked a waiter to bring her water. “Sorry, hope you don’t mind. These two have been going at it all day.” She rubbed her belly. “They seemed to enjoy the flight.”
“Twins?” Kyle’s eyes bulged, and he punched Dom in the arm. “Mazel tov! Must be boys to be fighting so early. Those would be Dom’s kids all right.”
“We’re leaving the sexes a mystery for now,” he said. “Besides, I wouldn’t mind a couple of nice, quiet girls. I’ve got my hands full with Sean right now—we’re training to get his purple belt.”
“Sean is Fiona’s son from her first marriage,” Kyle explained to Bella. “What is he now, twelve?”
“Fourteen, man. And a big fourteen. Kid had a crazy growth spurt. He’ll be taller than me pretty soon.”
Kyle wiped away an imaginary tear. “They grow up so fast.”
“Don’t wish too hard for girls,” Bella chimed in. “We can be just as nasty, you know.”
“Of course, of course. And congratulations to you, too. You’re exactly what the sport needs right now. I don’t think Hadrian could’ve picked better to debut the women’s league.”
She grinned. Bella decided she really liked Dominic Payette. The welterweight champ clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “This guy was a big help when I was training for the title bout. He’s a good man to have in your corner.”
“Aw, shucks.” Kyle feigned bashfulness. “If you really want to show your gratitude, dude, you should come and do a clinic at the gym.”
“No can do. I’m a family man now. With the babies coming, it’s harder and harder for me to travel for training the way I used to. I’m lucky so many people are willing to come to Salmon River to work with me.” He smiled down at his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Totally worth it, though.”
Bella smiled warmly. The two of them were obviously deeply in love. She glanced down again at Fiona’s round belly and wondered about the day she’d give up fighting for a baby. Of course, lots of fighters eventually went back to the cage after giving birth, the way Betty Heimer had. But she had a hard time imagining the climb back to fitness.
They chatted some more with Dom before circulating the room with Hadrian, who insisted on dragging them here and there to meet celebrities and important officials. When Joel finally got off his BlackBerry, he towed them in the opposite direction to meet sponsors and other fighters.
Throughout it all, Kyle stayed by her side. She signed autographs for fans, and he stayed with her. He didn’t try to steer her or handle her, though he did gently maneuver them away when someone became too intense. Kyle’s presence went a long way to keeping the jerks and crazies at bay. It was comforting to know he was there if she needed a way out.
“Hey, hey!” The harsh voice made her scalp tighten and her spine go rigid. She whipped around to see Ryan Holbrooke pushing through the throng and heading straight for her. Her stomach torqued at the sight of his too-crisp shirt and suit. She thought the bouncers would stop him, but he flashed the passes on his lanyard, and they let him climb the steps. “There’s my girl.” Sarcasm dripped from his words as he opened his arms for a hug that sure as hell would never come.
Kyle stepped between them, his broad chest like a shield. “Hello, Ryan.” The menace vibrating from him startled Bella.
“Peters, didn’t think you’d be here.” The agent’s gaze bounced between them and he leered. “Or maybe I should’ve guessed.”
“Why don’t you get yourself a drink and then jump into the pool to cool off? We don’t need a scene here.”
“Calling the kettle black, are we?” Ryan snickered. “You always were a drama queen. That’s what Karla told me, anyhow.”
The wrestler’s face grew dark, and his feet shifted apart as if readying to lunge.
“He’s trying to goad you, Kyle,” Bella said, gripping his arm. She shot Ryan a daggered look. “He’s not worth it.”
“I’m not worth it?” His face tinted purple. “Listen here, you ungrateful bitch. You’re here because of me. I was the one who got your name out there. Without me, the only way you’d ever have made it here would’ve been on your knees.” He advanced toward her. “You should be groveling at my feet. You owe me—” Ryan reached for her, his hatred blinding him to the fact that he was trying to grab her through Kyle.
Bella was ready to break that hand off, but then Kyle planted a big palm on Ryan’s chest and shoved. The agent lost his balance and toppled down the steps, skidding backward on his ass all the way to the bottom.
Kyle turned to her with a look of fierce concern. “You okay?”
She wasn’t, but she would be soon. She glared down at her ex-manager, heart pounding in her throat as those horrible feelings from that shocking day returned. Her fury intensified as all the things she should’ve said to him bubbled up. She pointed at Ryan with an accusing finger. “I don’t owe you squat. And I should’ve called the cops when you tried to take advantage of me. If you ever touch me again—if I even see you within smacking distance of me—I will press charges.”
The heavy base throbbed on, underscoring the blood pounding through her skull. All chatter around them had ceased—and that’s when she realized everyone was watching and taking phone camera pictures and video.
Her cheeks flared hot.
“And here I would’ve threatened to rip his arms out.” Hadrian appeared next to Bella. He stared down at Ryan Holbrooke with an almost bored expression, then jerked his chin at the ring of bouncers closing in. “Guys. Take this asshole out back, will you? And make sure he doesn’t come back. Ever.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “Hadrian, you can’t do that. I have fighters you—”
“Don’t worry about my fighters. I’ll make sure they’re taken care of.” His voice had gone very soft. Three bouncers scooped Ryan up and frog-marched him out kicking and screaming. The cameras followed.
The tension seeped from Bella’s bones. Kyle clutched her close, rubbing her arms but not saying anything.
“Great. Just freakin’ great. That’s gonna be all over YouTube tonight, isn’t it?” She grabbed a flute of champagne and downed it, grimacing when she realized it was just colored fizzy water. “I signed a contract with him. Is it possible he’ll sue for breach of contract?”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Hadrian interjected. “Joel and I will work it out. Don’t you worry yourself about this. I’ll take care of everything, darling.” He strode off.
Kyle led her to the shelter of the tent away from the public eye. Bella ran a hand through her hair, unable to hide her trembling. “Kyle?”
He glanced down, dark eyes hard. “Yeah?”
She exhaled sharply. “I don’t want to sound like a wuss, but I’m kind of freaked-out.”
Thank God, he knew exactly what she was asking for without having to say it. Wordlessly, he gathered her close and wrapped his arms tight around her. She closed her eyes and absorbed his strength.
* * *
KYLE DIDN’T WANT to pull away. He kept his arms around Bella’s waist, hand resting against the small of her back. She was breathing deeply, as if she’d just sprinted a hundred meters. Probably the comedown from the adrenaline kick, he thought. He knew that feeling well—he was experiencing it himself. He’d been ready to follow the bouncers out and make sure Ryan never bothered her again. But Bella needed him more. And he wanted to be here for her.
He started to run his palms over her back, but stilled. It would’ve been a soothing gesture, nothing more, but the old Kyle was rearing his head. Those thoughts brought on others, making things stir that didn’t need stirring.
Bella leaned into him and burrowed into his shoulder with a sigh, making disentanglement impossible. If he stayed like this much longer, he was going to embarrass himself again.
Luckily, Dom saved him from that. “You need someone’s knees broken?” he asked in a low growl. Kyle kept one arm around Bella’s waist as she eased away. “I know that guy. He was Bruno DiMartino’s manager when we had our big match a few years back. He didn’t even visit the guy when he was in the hospital.”
“Thanks, but I can break my own knees,” Bella said.
Dom nodded. “So what happened? What’s his deal?”
Haltingly, she related the sordid tale, and a few of the other fighters closed around her to listen. Kyle envied how brave she was, telling this story to a bunch of big, macho guys. He’d expected them to dismiss Ryan’s behavior. But they listened, and they didn’t interrogate her or try to make excuses for Ryan. She didn’t gloss over any details, either—she told them the story in minute detail, right down to the horrendous bathing suit he’d tried to make her wear. They laughed the way people did at stories that were only funny in hindsight, but there was anger and disbelief there, too. Their faces twisted in shock when she got to the attack he’d witnessed.
“Motherf— What a douche.”
“I’ll tell all my students and teachers about this guy—make sure none of them sign on with him.”
“If he’d done that to my sister or my daughter...”
Now Kyle wished he had decked Ryan. The guy was a criminal, but Kyle had a feeling Bella still wasn’t going to press charges. Then again, the way things were going, Ryan Holbrooke would be blacklisted for the rest of his life. The MMA community was a close one, and despite the rivalries that developed, no one ever wanted to see a fighter get stuck with bad representation.
Bonded by this horror, the guys did whatever they could to make Bella feel better, making jokes and telling their own stories, acting like goofs—anything to wash away the moment that had marred the evening’s festivities.
As close as Kyle stayed, he was eventually pushed to the sidelines when Bella was dragged onto the dance floor. He watched the group hop around wildly, swinging her this way and that. She laughed and stumbled and eventually stopped to take off her sandals.
Kyle brooded. He should be the one down there with her. He should be the one to make her feel better. He downed a mouthful of champagne—the real stuff, not Hadrian’s colored water—and made his way across the dance floor where she was grooving with the UFF’s current featherweight champion. Her killer stilettos nearly took his eye out as she swung them around on one hooked finger. He grabbed her waist and spun her to face him.
“Hi,” she said breathlessly, cheeks rosy. She quirked an eyebrow. “I thought your knee wasn’t letting you dance tonight.”
“Screw the knee.” He narrowed his eyes at the featherweight, who raised his hands, mouthed a smiling sorry and backed away.
Bella wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laughed. She had a terrific laugh, full and rich. Kyle wanted to swim in the sound of it. “Feeling better?” he asked.
“Much.”
He locked his arms around her and cinched her closer. He couldn’t stop smiling. Considering how the night had gone so far—first with the dress emergency, then arriving late, the encounter with Ryan, and fending off Hadrian and the other men—he shouldn’t have been so pleased, but he was.
He didn’t pull away and try to hide his arousal. Until now he hadn’t allowed himself to feel the full force of his attraction to Bella. He’d been suppressing it since the day she’d come barreling toward him on her bike. And now, he had her pressed against him, soft and warm and practically purring. Maybe it wasn’t professional in the strictest sense, but frankly he didn’t care. All he knew was that it felt right, even if it was miles from safe or smart. Maybe tonight was the night they’d explore this thing between them further, continue where they’d left off after that explosive kiss.
“Do you want to get out of here?” she asked, threading her fingers through the hair at his temple as if reading his mind. A shiver of pleasure made him stiffen further.
Yes rested on his tongue, melted there. But he couldn’t say it without first making sure she wouldn’t regret tonight. Maybe he was really asking for himself. “You’re the guest of honor. Wouldn’t you be missed?”
She didn’t say anything in response as she towed him toward the exit. He spotted Jess by the bar, nursing a martini, and she craned her neck. “Hey! Where’re you two going?”
“We’ve got training to do,” Bella said with a mischievous grin.
Jess’s gaze moved to Kyle. She grinned and toasted him as they ducked out.
* * *
BELLA’S BODY BUZZED. She wondered if she’d accidentally sipped some real champagne. In the limo, she and Kyle only held hands, but it was the most erotic hand-holding she’d ever experienced. He traced circles over the top of her skin, dragging his fingertips down to the Vs between each of her digits before turning her palm up and massaging the center with his thumb.
Maybe he knew some magical pressure point, because she swore she nearly came right there.
The limo pulled up to the hotel and they got out. The walk across the lobby took forever. They got on the elevator with an old man and woman who smiled at them as they rode up. They must have been in their seventies, and they were holding hands. What an adorable couple. Bella caught Kyle’s eye and bit on her lower lip to keep from giggling.
The elderly couple got off on the fifth floor. The old man said, “You two have a good night,” and chuckled as if it were the funniest thing ever.
The moment the elevator door closed, Kyle grabbed her around the waist and kissed her deeply, backing her up until she leaned against the cool, mirrored wall.
“I think that old man knew we were up to something,” Bella said, fingers delving beneath his tuxedo jacket. His flesh was hard and hot under the fine shirt.
“The list of somethings I want to be up to with you goes on forever.” He buried his nose against her neck and inhaled as he drove his hips against her.
Bella gasped as the hard length of him hit her dead center. She was shivering on the edge, holding back, but Kyle was relentless. He hitched one thigh up and pressed her against the wall as he bit down on her exposed shoulder and gently ground his hips in delicious figure eights.
He didn’t even need to be inside her. Her climax spiraled and rushed through her limbs. The elevator reached her floor with a loud ding!
Her heart fluttered and her head spun as she languished in what she was sure would be the first of many orgasms that night. The elevator doors slid open. Together, they fumbled with the key card and entered the suite. Kyle half carried her into the living room, kicking off his shoes as he went. She dropped her sandals on the floor and climbed her way down his body until she was cinched against his erection once more, his hands supporting her thighs. They groaned together as she gyrated.
He breathed deep. “Better not do that too much or it’ll be over before we get to the real fun.”
“Tap out if you want to stop,” she teased, letting herself slide the rest of the way to her feet. She pulled at his bow tie. “You’re wearing too much clothing.”
He quickly divested himself of his jacket and tie. Bella undid the top buttons of his shirt, their lips dipping and tasting as he backed her toward the couch. She got his shirt undone all the way to the navel, exposing his firm, rippling abs. She needed him touching her, surrounding her, buried inside her.... She shoved him hard. He toppled back onto the couch, his eyes wide.
“Sorry, Coach, too rough?” She straddled his lap, fingers playing through the light smattering of hair on his chest and stomach. His eyes softened when she guided his hands up to her breasts, then grew intense as he gently kneaded, thumbs caressing her nipples. Slowly, he drew down the single strap of her dress and deftly unhooked the strapless bra.
Cool air hit her, and she broke out in all-over goose bumps. Kyle’s body heat dispelled the chill quickly. He kissed first one breast, almost chastely, then the other, before applying himself to the task more ardently.
Bella’s eyes rolled back. Of course Kyle would be good at this. He’d had so much practice with all those girls....
Don’t think about that, she scolded, trying to dive back into the moment...the feel of Kyle’s tongue and lips, the way he was thrusting slowly against her.
She reached between them and unsnapped his pants, scooting back so she could gain access. Kyle tried to slow her down, but she wanted him in her hand, wanted to make him crazy and drive him to the edge.
“Bed,” he bit out, scooping her up under the knees and carrying her into the bedroom. She squealed, distantly thinking how not even Antonio had made her squeal. Kyle dropped her onto the mattress, pulled off his shirt and quickly shucked his pants, underwear and socks.
Bella had seen a lot of nearly naked men. Symmetrical abs and ridged obliques with well-formed but not overly pronounced pecs declared Kyle an ideal specimen of man. Her gaze drifted lower to where other muscles twitched to get her attention.
Make that a perfect and virile specimen.
And how many college coeds have thought that exact same thing?
She yanked off her dress hastily, hoping he hadn’t detected her flash of reservation. Kyle was going to be the best bang of her life. She needed this. She deserved it. She’d earned it, dammit. She made to take off her panties, but he caught her wrist and stopped her. “Let me.”
He crawled onto the bed, kissing her toes, her ankles, calves, thighs, hips, waist, breast...up, up, up he climbed until their lips molded together. The moment bare skin met bare skin, she melted. She couldn’t stop thinking how good he was at this, how completely in touch he was with her body, knowing when to touch her, when to slip his fingers through her slick folds and plumb her depths. She wriggled beneath him, arching for more. She was used to being in charge of her own pleasure, and here he was taking her right to the brink again....
No. She wouldn’t come again, not until he was deep inside her, panting her name.
She wanted him begging. She wanted him helpless and squirming and unable to say anything but “yes,” “please” and “oh, God, Bella.”
She turned over abruptly and pushed him flat onto his back, pinning him as she straddled his hips. His eyes went huge. “What are you doing?”
“Just lie back and enjoy yourself.” She pinned his wrists to either side of his head and started to climb down the length of him.
Every muscle in his body tensed, snapping her out of her lustful haze.
“Get off, get off!” He swore as he bucked, nearly kneeing her in the face. He scrambled to the edge of the bed, his back to her, breaths rasping harshly through his lungs.