Hard to Handle (23 page)

He pointed back at her truck. “Someone did that on purpose!”

“Duh, Sherlock. That was obvious.” And then with more sarcasm, she added, “It seems to happen every time I'm around you. Heck of a coincidence, huh?”

Incredulous, Harley caught up again, and then stepped around in front of her, forcing her to wait. “Are you insinuating that I had something to do with it?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, of course not. I'm just saying…”

“What?”

She repeated, “Heck of a coincidence, huh?” Then she shoved her way around him. “But don't you worry about it, Harley. By tomorrow afternoon, I'll be gone.”

The thought of her leaving made his stomach burn. “Gone, as in back to Echo Lake?” He stayed right on her heels.

“I'm currently without a job, so yes, back there. But as I told you, the local law enforcement is keeping an eye on things.”

They got one step inside the bar and he caught her arm. “Damn it, Stasia, hold up just one second, will you?” When she didn't, he added, “Please.”

Arms folded, Stasia faced him. “Fine. What is it?”

Harley released her and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don't want you to leave yet.”

“And I don't want to be tied to your bed.”

Damn it. He shot a quick glance around and noted that several people had heard her, and were now avidly listening. “Keep it down, will you?”

Eyes lighting with amusement, she said, “Sorry,” and lowered her voice to a sugary whisper. “I thought your propensity for domination or control or whatever you call it was widely known.”

Harley gave her a narrow-eyed scrutiny. How had he missed her inclination toward sarcasm? “What's wrong with you?”

Going on tiptoe, Stasia said, “I'm frustrated at your bullheaded inflexibility and disappointed that you won't let me at least try to help you and I'm not anxious to go back to Echo Lake, but now I don't have much choice.”

Good God. He reared back. “All that, huh?”

“Did you want me to lie to you?”

“No.” They stared at each other, both breathing hard. “While you're spilling your guts, will you admit that you want me as much as I want you?”

“I already did. I'm not ashamed of being attracted to you, Harley. I even fancy the idea of being tied up by you—but I'm not going to do it so you can get that look out of your eyes.”

Pulse racing, he eased closer. “Why not?”

“First of all, my pride.” She held up a hand. “And yes, Harley, it's about pride. I'm too independent to give up that much control. And even if you were willing to forego the kinky stuff—”

“Whisper, Stasia. Please.”

“Oops.” She obliged. “Even if you were, I don't want to be one more woman in a long line of conquests. That's definitely not what you need.”

“I disagree.”

“I'd rather help you with some life issues—”

“I don't have any life issues, damn it.”

She struck a smug pose. “Spoken like a man who refuses to see the truth.”

Harley turned his back on her in the hopes that not seeing her would allow him to think more clearly. Unfortunately, she took it as a dismissal and walked away from him.

When he turned back around, she'd gone into a stairwell to use her phone.

Damned annoying woman!

To make matters worse, the sounds of a noisy group entered the alcove. Harley looked up, and there stood Dean and Eve, Gregor and Jacki, Barber and the redhead all close by, collecting their coats and hats.

Surprised to see him back at the bar, they looked toward Harley. He locked his jaw and silently prayed they'd leave without heckling him.

Stasia closed her phone and came back up alongside him. “Roadside is on their way.”

“I'll wait with you.”

She shook her head. “Not necessary, Harley. You must have other more important things to do.”

Harley just knew Barber was smiling over his predicament. “I'm waiting with you, Stasia.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“If I do that,” he said lower, “we'll both be quickly naked.”

“Here?” She shook her head in mock disapproval. “Very kinky, Harley.”

Barber chose that inauspicious moment to make his presence known to her. Right behind her, he said, “I probably shouldn't have heard that, huh?”

Stasia spun around, saw the group with Barber, and gave Harley a glare. “You could have told me.”

“You were too busy trying to brush me off.”

“I wasn't—”

“More truck trouble?” Barber interrupted.

“Someone slashed her front tire.”

“Damn, woman. How many enemies do you have?”

Stasia looked at her audience and glared again. “Only one that I know of.”

Harley's mouth went tight. She was way too casual about it. An enemy was news to him.

Barber asked, “Anyone I can dispose of for you?”

The others squeezed in closer, their curiosity ripe. Stasia shook her head. “I doubt any of this is related. Don't worry about it.”

Harley didn't have to see his friends' faces to know what they thought of that.

Before any more could be said, Stasia put a hand on Barber's arm. “But could you do me a favor, Barber?”

Deliberately avoiding Harley's gaze, Barber smiled and said, “Name it.”

“Introduce me to some fighters. I want to learn more about the sport.”

Jacki laughed and dragged Gregor forward with her. “You'd do better to talk to Dakota. She's Simon's wife and she knows ultimate fighting inside and out.”

“True enough,” Barber said. “The woman is a phenom.”

Eve stuck out her hand and introduced herself.

While everyone got acquainted, Harley stood aside and stewed. Anastasia knew of someone who might want to do her harm, and she hadn't mentioned it. Why?

He'd find that out, and more, before he let her out of his sight.

Though he was mostly lost in thought, Harley picked up enough on the conversations to know that Stasia had just been invited into the wives' inner circle. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Other than Dakota, who wasn't anyone's idea of a typical female and who really did have an unusual grasp of the sport, the wives shared a skewed take on the whole fighting scene. For the most part, their interest started and ended with blind support of their husbands.

But if talking with the wives would keep Stasia from trying to analyze him, then what the hell? He didn't mind that at all.

When Barber offered to see her safely to Roger's hotel, along with the redhead, Harley said, “I'll take her.”

In a long-suffering voice, Stasia said, “I will see myself there, thank you very much.”

“Excuse us.” Harley put his arm around her and walked her several feet away. None of his friends even made a pretense of giving them privacy. Standing in front of Stasia so they couldn't see her, he gave them his back. “We need to talk, Stasia. About a lot of stuff.”

“Now, come on, Harley. How can you want to talk to me
and
want me to leave? That doesn't make any sense.”

He was losing the fight and he knew it. Without making an issue of it, he drew a deep, fortifying breath. “I'd like you to stay for a while.”

Stasia tipped her head. “You're kidding, right?”

“No.”

“You mean Mr. One-Night Stand is having a change of heart?”

He leveled a look on her, and gave her a taste of her own medicine. In a mere whisper, he said, “My heart has nothing to do with it, Anastasia. Just because I got
you
off that night doesn't mean I've lost interest. If you'll recall, I went to sleep with a hard-on.”

Warmth entered her face and her eyes darkened. She looked around his shoulder at their audience, then back at his face. She licked her lips. “I did offer—”

“No good. Half-measures would never cover it. I need to be inside you, buried deep, with enough time to get my fill. And as you know, so far that hasn't happened.”

Her eyes deepened to chocolate brown. “And as long as you have those control fetishes, it won't.” Smiling, she clarified, “Happen, I mean.”

“Are you a betting woman, Stasia?”

“Usually, no.”

“Chicken?”

“I call it prudent.”

“I call it chicken.”

She put a hand to his chest. “Tell you what, Harley. We could get together for dinner tomorrow if you like.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Sorry. Tonight, I'm going to get my tire changed, then I'm going to the hotel. I'm exhausted and in desperate need of sleep and quiet time to think and regroup. Tomorrow morning I'm meeting with the women for a shopping trip, and then we're doing lunch.”

Harley narrowed his eyes. If she'd come to see him, she hid it well. “Fine.” Tomorrow was his only day off, but he'd find plenty to do. “Works for me.”

“Where and when should I meet you for dinner?”

“I'll pick you up. Six o'clock?”

“Sounds good.” She glanced at his mouth, then rolled her lips in and looked away. “Oh good, roadside service is here.”

Harley watched her walk out the door into the dark, cold parking lot.

Barber stepped up beside him. “Got ya in a pickle, doesn't she?”

“Yeah.”

His admission surprised Barber, who laughed. “Since I've had a few beers, I'm going to turn over my keys to Jasmine.”

Keeping his gaze on Anastasia as she directed the roadside serviceman toward her truck, Harley asked, “Who's Jasmine?”

“A redheaded hottie who I think is going to be in the band.”

That got Harley's attention. He looked at Barber, then toward the plump redhead. Interesting choice. “You
think
she is?”

“Yeah. Haven't entirely made up my mind yet.”

Harley laughed. “Got your own pickle, huh?”

He shrugged. “She'll be checking in to the hotel tonight, too.”

“Roger's got to love all the traffic to his place.”

“The band and I get our rooms for free, so it's the least I can do.” He put a hand on Harley's shoulder. “Anyway, Jasmine and I will make sure that Stasia gets safely to the hotel. How's that?”

“Appreciate it.” And with that confirmed, Harley walked out to Anastasia, bid her a fast good night, and then, with her gaze boring into his back, he got in the Charger and drove away.

If Anastasia wanted to play games, they'd play.

But it was his game, so in the end, he knew he'd win.

He always did.

As long as fate didn't screw him over again.

T
HE
house was quiet when Harley got in. He locked up, started to his room, and Satch appeared.

“Just getting in?”

Harley propped a shoulder on the wall. “Yeah.”

Holding up a glass of milk, Satch said, “I'm having some cookies. Want some?”

“Thanks, but I'll pass.”

“Probably a good idea. Might as well stay on weight.”

Harley didn't point out that his weight had never been an issue for the sport. He stayed in year-round good health and never had to work off more than a few pounds to meet the weight-class requirements. “Everything okay, Satch?”

“Yeah, yeah. Things are fine.”

Sometimes Harley worried, no doubt residual effects of losing both parents. “You're not overdoing it?”

“Course not.” He took a drink of his milk. “I heard that little girl was in town.”

“Little girl?”

“Anastasia Bradley.”

His uncle's connections never ceased to amaze Harley. “Should I ask how you know that?”

“It's not a secret. I talked to a photographer, who described her. So it is her?”

“Yeah.”

Studying his milk, Satch asked, “Did she say what she wants?”

“No, but don't sweat it, Uncle Satch. I've got it under control.”

“Of course you do.” He smiled up at Harley. “Well, good night then.”

Wondering at his uncle's evasive attitude, Harley said, “Good night,” and went on down the hall to his room. Because his and his uncle's bedrooms were located on opposite ends of the house, they each had their privacy, but the kitchen proved to be neutral ground.

Had Uncle Satch been waiting on him? Probably. He liked to try to steer every facet of Harley's life, including his personal relationships. Not that he'd succeed. Harley gave him leeway, but he drew the line whenever his uncle overstepped himself.

These days, it happened more often than not.

He had a feeling that with Anastasia around, it'd be a daily issue to be dealt with.

As Harley brushed his teeth and then stripped off his clothes to climb into bed naked, he thought of all the ways Uncle Satch and Anastasia were likely to butt heads.

Satch wanted him to keep ultimate control.

And Anastasia wanted him to loosen up.

His life was about to get more interesting.

“
I
think I'd sooner go to the dentist than do all that shopping.”

Stasia looked up from her lunch to see a very striking blonde in casual clothes standing with Cam's sister, Jacki. Eve, Cam, Stasia, and Jasmine had gotten acquainted over the shopping expedition, now Jacki was ready to join them, and Stasia would be willing to bet that was Dakota with her.

Eve laughed. “We know your preferences well enough, Dakota. That's why we only invited you and Jacki to the lunch to talk about the SBC.”

Dakota held out a hand to Stasia. “I'm Dakota, Simon's wife.”

Stasia grinned ear to ear. Here was her opportunity to learn more about Harley's sport. “It's so nice to meet you.” She gestured toward Jasmine. “This is Jasmine Petri. She'll be joining Barber's band.”

“No kidding?” Dakota shook her hand too, and then dragged out a chair. “Barber already hired you?”

Jasmine nodded. Stasia had noticed that the woman was on the shy side. Eve had basically chosen her entire wardrobe without a whole lot of input from Jasmine. Luckily, Eve had excellent taste. Jasmine would look like a rocker, but without overly flaunting her assets.

Knowing Barber, that probably wasn't what he'd had in mind.

“Just last night,” Jasmine told Dakota. “Well, maybe. He said he wanted to see me dressed differently before he made it official.”

Dakota sat back in her seat. “Did you tell him to stuff that? You can dress any damn way you want to.”

“Oh, I didn't mind. I really didn't have any rocker type clothes.”

“So? Who's Barber to say how you should dress?” Dakota held up a hand to signal the waitress.

Eve lifted a large bag. “You should see everything we got her, Dakota. Corsets, mesh tunics, new jeans, lace-up boots…she's going to blow Barber's mind.”

“Very cool stuff,” Jasmine enthused.

“You look great in all of it.” Stasia had picked up a few items of her own. “I really enjoyed all the shopping, and now I have a better idea of where everything's located.”

“Planning to stay around?” Dakota asked.

“That's up to Harley.” Stasia explained about being a life coach, and what she wanted to do for Harley. Dakota listened intently, pausing only long enough to put in an order for a burger and fries after the waitress had brought her a malt.

“You know what we should do?” Dakota swallowed down a crispy fry. “We should have a girls' night out. You all could come to my place to watch tapes of the guys fighting. I have most of Harley's because I watched them when I thought he and Simon would fight. Now that they aren't…We'll analyze things, see how his style has changed. Then Monday we can go to the gym and get a bird's-eye view of the workouts and sparring.”

Jacki, Cam, and Eve all quickly gave their excuses.

Dakota laughed. “They're wusses when it comes to the actual flesh on flesh stuff.”

“Blood,” Jacki said with a wrinkled nose. “Can't stand it, especially when it's on Gregor.”

“Like that gargantuan brute gets bloodied all that often.” Dakota shook her head. “Usually his opponents are put out of the competition before Gregor has had a chance to get sweaty.”

“There are also twisted limbs, grunts, and groans.” Eve shivered. “It can be unsettling.”

“Not to mention the less-than-appealing smell of sweat that permeates the walls of the gym,” Cam added. “You pack twenty mostly naked sweaty guys into a room together, and the air gets thick.”

“Mostly naked?” Jasmine looked up with wide eyes. “I think it sounds sexy.” They all burst out laughing, which made Jasmine grin. “Well, it does.”

Stasia smiled at her. “I have to admit, I'm anxious to witness it.” And then to Dakota, “We're allowed in the gym?”

Dakota snorted. “They won't even try to keep us out.”

“More likely,” Eve said, “some of them will start showing off.”

Sounded fascinating. “I'm in.”

“Me, too,” Jasmine said. Then she added, “That is, if I'm invited. I mean, I'm not boning up on the sport or anything—”

“By all means, you should come, too. Barber is a first-class fighter. He could compete if he only wanted to.” Dakota lifted her shoulders. “But his music is his first love.”

“How come you don't perform with him anymore?” Jasmine asked.

“I do on occasion,” Dakota hedged. “But I can't tour with him.”

Eve gave a laugh. “And the fact that Barber was sweet on her—”

“Is
still
sweet on her as far as most can tell,” Jacki said.

“—means that big and bad Sublime gets real testy when the two of them are alone too long together.”

“Oh, stop.” Dakota laughed. “Simon knows neither Barber nor I would do anything inappropriate.”

“Which has nothing to do with his possessiveness where Barber is concerned.”

Dakota gave up. “Yeah, well, you've got me there.” So that Jasmine wouldn't misunderstand, she said, “The guys get along great, but it was a little touchy there for a while. The fact that Barber is well over any infatuation he had—he
is
, Jacki, so don't say it—helps.”

The others didn't notice, but Stasia saw how Jasmine sank a little in her chair.

So she harbored her own fondness? Poor girl. From what Stasia had seen, Barber wasn't a man due to settle down with one woman anytime soon.

When the talk turned to the SBC, Stasia got out her notebook to jot down thoughts and insights. Dakota went through the history, rules, techniques, and styles.

Eve and Jacki talked more about the personalities of the fighters. Most, according to them, were honorable men dedicated to their families. But, of course, there were always a few bad apples in the mix.

“That's why,” Dakota said, “the SBC wants to feature select fighters, to showcase the more glowing examples.”

Eve winked. “Meaning Harley.”

“They've already featured my brother and Simon,” Cam told Stasia. “And Harley, with his background, is an obvious choice for their next highlight.”

Recalling the hints from Harley's uncle, a million questions popped into Stasia's mind. “I know he injured his elbow right before the last fight.”

“Helping me,” Dakota said. After half a minute, she shook her head and met Stasia's curious gaze. “My ex-husband was a real prick. He'd been hassling me for years. It's a long story, but when he showed up again—”

“With a knife,” Jacki clarified.

“Harley was there.” Dakota gave a solemn smile. “They don't call him ‘Hard to Handle' for no reason. He took on three guys without too much trouble. All with a dislocated elbow.”

“You're kidding?”

Jacki made a face. “Gregor said he didn't even know his arm was hurt until Simon pointed out to him that it was sort of hanging funny.”

Stasia shuddered. “Omigod. That's awful.”

“Yeah.” Dakota rubbed her forehead. “I swear Gregor enjoyed himself. Some other guys showed up, too.”

Eve let out a breath. “The SBC is a family. The guys stick together. Unfortunately, Harley's elbow was already dislocated. Not that he let that slow him down when he knew Dakota was in trouble.”

“They knew how Simon felt about Dakota, so she became family, too.” Jacki smiled. “Or it might have been that they'd feel that way regardless of how things worked out with Simon.”

Dakota laughed. “Yeah, maybe. But I feel terrible that Harley was unable to fight because of me.”

Eve slugged her in the arm. “Not because of you. Because of that jerk.”

“Who's now doing time,” Cam said. “No one blames Dakota.”

“But I know Simon struggled with retiring again without giving Harley a shot at the title, all things considered.”

With complete confidence, Stasia said, “Harley wouldn't want the shot as a favor, or out of guilt. He'll get there no matter what. Your husband has no reason to concern himself.”

The waitress came back to see if anyone wanted dessert. Both Jasmine and Dakota put in orders. Stasia would have liked to, but because she was scheduled to have dinner with Harley in only a few hours, she didn't want to completely stuff herself.

Stasia looked at her watch. Luckily, she'd driven separately to the diner. “I should get going.”

“So soon?” Eve asked.

Making new friends was always a special treat. Except for Jasmine, whom they'd just met, they were all so close, and yet so different. As a people person, Stasia appreciated the variety.

“I'm seeing Harley tonight. Gotta get home and prepare.” She bobbed her eyebrows and laughed. “He keeps me on my toes, that's for sure.”

“So.” Dakota leaned back in her seat. “You two are romantic?”

“You know Harley, right?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think?”

“I think he's probably trying to run the show.”

Stasia grinned. “He is running the show, at least for now. But no, we're not romantic. He made it
real
clear how he felt about that. But I've known him for a while now, and I'm interested in his career, so here I am.”

A little worried, Eve leaned forward. “I don't mean to be forward—”

Stasia waved that away. “Speak freely. I can take it.”

“Well, you seem more than interested in his career. And let's face it, Harley's one of those guys.”

Cam nodded. “The kind that are hard to resist.”

“The kind the you don't want to resist,” Jacki put in.

“He's a fighter,” Dakota said. “A good one, with a solid personality to go with it.”

“In other words, he's the whole package. I know.” Stasia sighed. “But I think I can handle it.”

“Handle ‘Hard to Handle' Handleman?” Dakota gave a crooked smile. “You'll be way ahead of a lot of fighters, then. Harley has plowed right through most of them. And right now, he's doubly distracted with opponents, because it doesn't look like Simon is going back. I begged and pleaded, but he wants to retire.”

“You want him to fight?” Stasia asked.