No Limits

“Would you rather something else?”

Sure he would, but admitting it would sound juvenile. “Doesn’t matter. What they call me isn’t as important as whether or not they remember me.”

“Being memorable is accomplished by putting on a good fight. And you always do.” She leaned in a little, teasing him. “That’s not just my biased opinion either. I’ve heard the same from the commentators, read it in articles and heard other fans say it.”

“Yeah? When was this?” Had she attended a fight?

“I live in Cali. Last year you were only three hours away, so I made the trip.”

“Only three hours, huh?” Damn it, why hadn’t she told him? “I got a knockout in the first round of that fight.”

“Everyone was on their feet screaming. Pretty exciting.” She grinned. “A guy behind me spilled his beer down my back.”

Cannon winced. “Idiot.”

“I forgave him since he was cheering for you.”

In his experience, most women who attended live fights either came on the make, or with a boyfriend. He didn’t like either possibility for Yvette. “So who went to the fight with you?”

She shook her head. “Just me.”

She’d gone alone? For some reason, that broke his heart. “What fun is that?”

A dimple appeared in her right cheek. “You got a first-round knockout. Believe me, it was fun.”

“I wish you’d told me you were there.” He’d thought about trying to look her up, but California wasn’t a small state, and there’d been so much to do prefight.

Besides, she’d been the one who’d walked away....

As if she’d read his thoughts, she straightened, her shoulders back. “I couldn’t be that bold. You were busy. It wouldn’t have been right to bother you.”

He didn’t want her so uptight with him. Once, long ago, she hadn’t been. “It would’ve been nice to see you.” But carving more than a few minutes out of his jammed schedule would have been dicey.

A flash went off behind them, and Yvette turned to see a woman taking another picture. Unlike with other women, the intrusion didn’t seem to annoy her, and the attention didn’t seem to excite her.

Remaining poised, she said, “Maybe I should get going. There are a lot of people hoping for your time.”

“I’d rather you didn’t.” No way did he want things to end so quickly. “It’s easier for me to fend them off if you stay.”

“You want to fend them off?”

“I like my downtime same as any other guy.” Especially with her so near.

“Does that happen everywhere you go?”

The popularity inherent in the sport occasionally made him uncomfortable. This was one of those times. “More so the past year, but yeah, I sometimes get recognized.”

Amusement had her lips twitching. “And you just take it in stride.” Reaching into her purse, she located her phone and lifted it out. “Mind if I take one, too? I’ll add it to my Facebook.”

A good excuse to make his move. “Only if you’re in it with me.” Sliding out of his seat and over to her side of the booth, he deliberately took up space so that they sat touching. He put one arm over her narrow shoulders, keeping her close, and took the phone from her. “My reach is longer.”

Yvette went very still, almost frozen, as he leaned in, near enough to feel the supple curves of her body, the scented warmth she radiated.

Stretching the phone out in front of them, he said, “Tell me when you’re ready.”

Gathering herself, she lifted her lips in a practiced smile, said, “Go,” and then held her breath.

Sexual awareness slowly uncoiled inside him. Her long ponytail teased the skin of his arm, her sweet little body tucked in against his.

It was as if the years had never happened—except that now she was more mature and plenty old enough for his interest.

And yet, something held him back. Maybe her new reserve.

After snapping a few photos, Cannon handed her back her phone—and stayed put. He’d go slow, but he wouldn’t retreat.

He wanted to nuzzle her neck, drink in the light fragrance of her shampoo and the warmer scent of her skin. If she was any other woman, he’d whisper a suggestion or two in her ear. But this was Yvette, and they had a lot to talk about.

“So.”

She concentrated on adding the photo to her Facebook page, along with the location of Rowdy’s bar. “What?”

I want to get you naked. “How come you went to the fight alone?” Leaving his arm around her, Cannon idly let his fingertips tease the warm sleek skin of her shoulder. “Boyfriend isn’t into Mixed Martial Arts?”

After peeking up at him, she said, “If I had a boyfriend, would I be sitting here like this with you?” Satisfied that she’d labeled the picture properly, she tucked her phone away in her purse.

“Why not?” He pressed his thigh to hers. “We’re friends.”

She seemed preoccupied with reading the front of his T-shirt. After a shaky indrawn breath, she looked away. “I don’t have a boyfriend—but if I did, I doubt he’d like me getting so close to you.”

“No boyfriend.” He ran his hand down her ponytail and found her hair every bit as silky as he remembered. Expanding lust made his voice lower and huskier. “California guys are blind?”

“I had been dating, but...” She rearranged her purse, her drink, looked around as if seeking a distraction.

Cannon had a feeling she kept busy just to avoid answering. “But what?”

She folded her hands together on the tabletop. “We split up a little before I bought the ticket.”

For reasons he didn’t want to explore too much, he was glad to know she wasn’t with anyone else. He gave her ponytail a gentle tug. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Things hadn’t been going well anyway, so I’m glad I didn’t waste the experience with him.”

He liked how she put that, as if seeing him fight had been special.

“My best friend wanted to go, but she couldn’t get off work. So I went alone.” She lifted her narrow shoulders. “No big deal.”

“Cheap seats?”

“What?” Confusion brought her gaze back to his.