FIGHTER: An MMA Romance Novel (15 page)

"
I
thought
you were great out there." Nicole looked stunning. With her long black hair swept up, and her makeup just right, Jax thought she looked better than she did at Kade’s party. That night she’d looked beautiful, but too much like a doll being dressed up in fancy clothes. Today, right now, she was perfect. "But I guess it's not your first time appearing on television. How do you keep your cool in situations like that? My heart was racing the entire time."

"My heart was racing, too, but it wasn't out of nerves. Whenever I'm around you, I can't help but feel like that."

The way Nicole's eyes widened just slightly and her smile grew made him grin. Jax's confidence bloomed. At first the questions from the reporters were tough, but as the press conference wore on, Jax felt like he'd swayed them. Now they understood that he was more than just a rookie, that he was going to give Kidwell a run for his money. Not only that, but the fans had seen him, too. Everyone who only followed big name fights now knew who he was. The exposure alone was worth its weight in gold.

"Do you really mean that?" Nicole asked. There was a look in her eyes that made his heart beat just as fast as it had been while up on stage. Jax hadn't lied to her then, and he wouldn't now.

"It's true," he told her. "There's something special about you I can't describe. I was really glad you were up there with me tonight. I've been thinking a lot about the other day at the coffee shop, and I was wondering if you'd like to do something like that again."

As far as Jax was concerned, Kade could take a hike. Since his coffee date with Nicole he decided he was done with always being the good guy and taking the back seat.

Every time Nicole had confided in him, or told him about how she was hurting, it made him want to stand up and be the bigger man. He wanted to take her by the hand and tell her that he was going to make everything okay. It didn't matter if Kade was in the picture, and it didn't matter if she thought she was too damaged for a serious relationship. If he didn't make his intentions known, he'd always be on the sidelines. Nicole needed to know she was wanted by a guy who wouldn't stomp all over her heart and treat her like a piece of meat. Nicole needed to know that he wanted her, broken or not, and that he would wait for her if she needed time to heal.

Neither of them noticed as Kade left the area at a brisk pace and shut himself in the back of his limo. When Jax's attention was on Nicole, she drew him in blinded him to others.

"I, well— I mean— yes. I mean yes. But aren't you going to be busy from now until the fight? I know your training schedule must be crazy now." Her eyes were like gems lit up from behind, the pretty smile curling her plump lips one of his new favorite things. Jax had gone straight from the gym to the press conference, and he was supposed to go back, but Nicole was worth the delay.

"It’s crazy, but I'll be damned if all I'm doing to do for the next fourteen days is wake up and go to the gym. There are other things I need from my life if I wanna stay on top of my game. And, well, I think that a little down time with someone I really like is necessary."

Those eyes lit up further, and Jax couldn't help but grin at how good it made him feel to see her happy. Good guys didn't have to finish last, not if they made an effort and made their intentions known. It didn't matter about how much money he had in his wallet — not that finances would be an issue much longer. Nicole liked him for who he was, and it fanned Jax's ego more than any press conference ever could.

"I think I really like you, too," she whispered. "I'm pulling a lot of overtime these next two weeks to try to get ready for your big fight, but I'll gladly carve out some time for you. And um, I'm free tonight. Right now. If you are, too. I was thinking maybe you could come over and we can talk about how to do some promotions for you over dinner at my place."

If his championship battle had been against Nicole at that very moment, she would have just knocked him out. Jax felt weightless and energized, like he could run a full marathon without breaking a sweat. It was like being back in high school again, flirting with the cute girl who he'd heard through the grapevine liked him back, only this was better.

"Sure. That sounds great."

Eric would slaughter him and hang his hide across his mantle, but at the moment Jax didn't care. Even if he didn't get to train tonight, there was still plenty of time to catch up in the days to follow. Besides, he was ready. The fight against Kidwell wasn't going to be easy, but Jax knew he had the stamina and the instincts to stand his own. Whatever techniques he learned in the next two weeks would make his win easier, but it was his drive that was going to get him that belt.

"I'll call a cab, then," Nicole said. "I feel like we have a lot to talk about tonight. It feels like so much has happened so quickly."

"It has," Jax agreed, "but that doesn't mean it's all bad. Change just means you've gotta stay on your toes and keep your eyes open, doesn't mean anything's wrong. Sometimes, change is what we need the most."

"Yeah," Nicole whispered, the word near breathless. Her narrow hand slid into his, and as Jax's heart jumped into his throat for what felt like the tenth time in as many minutes. "You're so right."

It felt like no time at all passed between that moment and when the taxi arrived. With a shot at the big leagues and the girl he couldn't get out of his mind with him, Jax felt like change was a great thing. The future was brighter than ever, and he couldn't be happier with the direction all this change was bringing him.

T
he way Jax's
fingers wove between hers made Nicole's heart flutter. It was all in the little details, like how he didn't realize how wonderful the strength in his grip was. Far from painful, but firm enough to show of the muscle of his arms without meaning to, his touch made her tingle all over. It was different from how he'd touched her in Kade's bedroom, it was more sincere. Nicole thought that she wouldn’t even miss her wild party days if she had a man who made her feel this good every day.

Through the trip in the taxi and up to her apartment, Jax's hand did not stray from hers. Conversation was lacking, but Nicole was happy for the silence. With how tongue tied she felt, she wasn't sure that she could muster any words.

When they reached the stairs, Jax finally let go of her hand. The warmth of his palm lingered, and Nicole did her best to immortalize the feeling. It hadn't been since the twelfth grade, when her high school crush Marcus Lemieux had asked her out to a movie, that she'd felt so caught up in her emotions. Jax was fun in bed, but the way he made her feel was worth more than any quick lay. Jax made her feel like the best version of herself. Even though Nicole's heart had been crippled by what Kade had done to her, she knew that Jax would never treat her like that.

Before she'd started at the UFL, she'd assumed that all MMA fighters were dim witted, hunky jerks who treated their women like they treated their matches.
The quicker they went down, the better
.

Jax turned that stereotype on its head. Sure, he wasn't a scholar, but he was a genuinely good person. His thoughtful nature and his willingness to listen to her problems made him more attractive than some arrogant brainiac with a big vocabulary. The fact that he saw something in her, especially when she felt so unstable and unsure of herself, meant more to her than any gift Kade had ever bought her. Jax was the best thing that had happened to her in a long time, and she hoped she’d be able to say that for a long time to come.

"Sorry for the mess," she said as they closed in on her apartment door. "I wasn't expecting any guests, so I didn't think to pick up."

Jax offered a shrug, unfazed by the idea.

"I promise; my room's probably ten times worse than yours is. Keeping tidy isn't something I'm all that good at."

Her place wasn't spacious, but it was more than enough for one person. An open living area with a kitchenette led into a bedroom and a bathroom, giving her all the space she needed. A couple plastic bags filled with necessities like paper towels and dish soap sat on the floor by her sink, waiting to be put away. Dishes from breakfast cluttered the counter top. Jax took in the space slowly, then shrugged.

"I don't even see a mess," he said. Nicole directed him to the living room, but Jax wasn't interested in sitting. Instead, he headed for the kitchen and pulled open the freezer as though he'd lived there his whole life. Although the move was brash, Nicole couldn't help but grin.

"I take it that means you're hungry?" she asked.

"Starving," he replied. "But uh, I hate to do this to you, but I'm on a really strict diet — for the fight, not because I'm looking after my killer curves." With a flourish, Jax swept his hands down his side as if to emphasize his hips. Nicole laughed.

"Alright. That's fine by me. I should eat healthy anyway. Tell me, what kind of food can you eat?"

Jax pulled open the fridge and took a quick inventory, then turned to her and scratched at the back of his head with hesitation.

"The uh, the only thing I can eat that you've got on hand is broccoli."

"Broccoli?"

"Yeah. Steamed. No salt, no butter. I can't do anything processed, can't do any carbs, can't have too much salt, absolutely have to avoid sugar, except fruit."

Plain, steamed broccoli. Nicole hitched an eyebrow and shook her head, the grin persisting. It wasn't as romantic as going out for Italian, but somehow it was perfect. A coffee date followed by a broccoli date. What a series of events. It was something she'd never forget.

"Alright then. Steamed broccoli it is. Why don't you make yourself comfortable? We can chat."

"Nah." Jax's attention had turned to the sink and the dirty dishes clustered around it. "If my ma taught me one thing about hospitality, it's to be a gracious guest. Lemme wash your dishes while you cook. We can talk just as easily with me by the sink."

Was he for real?
Nicole sucked on her bottom lip for a moment, eyeing Jax. Handsome, a good listener, and willing to take care of her dirty dishes? There was no way he wasn't already somebody's man. Why had women passed him up for so long?

"Are you sure you're real? I've never met a man who'd do something like that for me because he wanted to."

"Then you haven't been meeting the right kind of men," Jax replied. He moved from the fridge to the sink and started to run the water. "It's really not a big deal, just some dishes."

It meant a lot more than dishes to Nicole. The gesture was worth more than Jax thought it was. When Nicole considered a life beyond her carefree party days, this was the kind of relationship she thought of. There was no doubt that Jax was a powerful man, and yet he didn't think twice about picking up a sponge. It was more telling of his character than he could ever know.

As the sink filled and Jax added the soap to create suds, she set out the steamer on the stove and heated up the burner. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Nicole asked

"Fire away."

"All the reporters at the press conference were asking you if you’re ready, how you feel about the fight, and how you were training to make sure you were bringing your A-game, but none of them asked you this: why did you accept it in the first place? I don't want to come across as negative, but I'm worried about you. I've seen how Kidwell fights from all my promo work, and I've heard how he ends careers. Why would you risk your future just for one match?"

Jax's hands plunged beneath the water as he scrubbed the dishes. "Because I know I can beat him," he said, dead serious. Jax was certain. "I've been training harder than I ever have in my life, and I've been eating right. But most importantly, I'm ready in here,” he pointed a sudsy finger to his head, “and in here.” He dropped his finger to his heart. I'm hungry for this to happen. I want to win almost more than I want anything else in the world."

"Almost?" Nicole asked, question soft.

"Yeah." Jax did not elaborate any more, but the way he looked over his shoulder to capture her gaze for just a second told Nicole all she needed to know. The way those eyes danced when they looked at her, the way Jax treated her, she had a good feeling what the one thing Jax wanted more than to win the fight was. Her mouth felt dry, and she found herself tongue tied again.

"Everything in my life is lining up," Jax said. "It's like all the stars over my head are aligning and guiding me forward. I've got everything I need to succeed. Even if I fail, the payout I'm gonna get is enough for me to set my ma up somewhere comfortable. There's just one more thing I want before I get in that ring."

"What’s that?" Nicole asked.

"I want to know that you believe in me. I want to know that you're going to be there, cheering for me. That's the last piece in all of this.”

There were a million reasons why believing in Jax was crazy. A rookie as fresh as he was in the UFL ranks wasn't ready to face the champ.
No matter how much plain broccoli he ate, it didn't mean he had a leg up on his competition.
And yet, despite every flaw Nicole was able to pick apart in his plan, she found that it didn't matter. Whether he was the underdog or not, some place deep in her soul sang his praises and told her that he’d come out on top. That he would shock the world.

"I believe in you," she promised. "You've got this in the bag, and even if I'm your only cheerleader in the entire audience, I'm not going to change my tune."

The glimpse of a smile Nicole caught before Jax turned back to the dishes was one she'd always remember. Reassured, and almost boyish in its enthusiasm, it brought his face to life and twinkled in his pale blue eyes.

"I really appreciate that," he told her, burying his attention in the dishes. "You know, I hope that when I win, I'll have time to focus on other things besides grinding away for an opportunity to shine. When I defeat the champ, I won't have as much to prove. If I'm not so busy fighting all the time, I want to focus more on me and things I haven't had time for before. Like relationships."

The silence between was only a moment long, but it felt profound. Nicole watched him, unable to take her eyes away. The water had begun to boil to create the steam she needed, but for right now her mind wasn't on broccoli.

"I can't tell you how frustrating it is to have a lady in mind you want to make yours more than anything else, but lack the time to give her the attention she deserves."

Speechless, Nicole kept her eyes on his back. Jax moved through the dishes slowly, taking time to speak his mind in a slow, casual way.

"So when I'm ready, and she's ready, I want to make sure I've got the time to give her my all, like she deserves."

Heart thudding in her chest, abuzz with excitement, Nicole turned sharply away from Jax and occupied her racing mind with preparing the broccoli. There was no doubt Jax was talking about her, and although she'd been hesitant to rush into anything after what Kade had done to her, thinking about a relationship with Jax felt right. She'd told herself that her heart would know when it was ready to go on and trust a man, and Nicole felt like she could trust Jax with just about anything.

"I think whenever you're ready," she told him, watching as the steam, "she'll be ready, too. Any woman would be lucky to have you. You've got a big heart, Jax. You're a lot more than just a famous face."

Although she didn't see it, Nicole felt his smile radiate in the atmosphere they shared.

"I really hope that's true," he replied. "Cause I feel lucky just to know you, Nicole. But it doesn’t stop me from being greedy and wanting you by my side."

Heat rose through her body. Nicole did know, but she wouldn't pass up the chance to understand it even better in a couple weeks, should she be so lucky.