Lena

It's insane how nervous I am about seeing Jase. We haven't been together since we were together in every sense of the word. That night, I'd fallen asleep in his arms, then been roused early in the morning by a hard dick between my legs. He'd obviously been having a good dream, but he woke quickly when I started petting him, and we screwed slow and languid, him filling me from behind and holding me tight until we climaxed and drifted back to sleep.

When I woke again, he'd already left, but fresh coffee was in the pot and a bagel had been removed from the freezer, ready to be toasted. I have to admit, his making me breakfast just about wrecked my heart. It was such a sweet gesture, and not what I'd have expected after an evening of filthy sex with no promises of commitment. Karson never thought of me in the morning, and come to think of it, nor did most of my exes, which raises the question: am I attracted to men who are self-obsessed?

Ugh. I need to do some serious reflection, but for now, it's time to get my head on straight. I don't know how Jase will behave around me, especially considering I asked him not to tell anyone about us, but he wants to see me, so that's a good sign. Right?

Anyway, this is work. Strictly work. At least, for as long as it takes me to secure his agreement to attend a charitable fundraiser. Hopefully I won't have to twist his arm too hard, but I get the feeling Jase prefers to stay out of the limelight when it comes to this kind of thing. Strange because he seems so comfortable in front of an audience when he's in the cage.

After taking care of my office-based duties, I drive to Crown MMA Gym, park outside, and let myself in. Just inside the entrance, I encounter Devon Green. A massive grin spreads across his face and he yanks me into a bear hug, nearly lifting me from the ground. A squeak of shock escapes me, and he sets me back down, holding onto my shoulders until I'm steady.

"Thank you," he says, voice full of emotion. "I knew you could dig Jase's stubborn ass out of that hole he got himself into."

Touching my hair to make sure it's still in place, I return his smile. "We're only halfway out of the hole, but I think he'll pull through."

"So do I." He claps me on the back, and the force of it sends me reeling, the breath lurching out of my lungs. "Oh, my bad. Forgot you were such a delicate thing. Sorry about that."

Recovering, I glare at him. "I'm not delicate, you're just a giant."

He backs off, hands raised in peace. "Easy, Lena. That wasn't meant to be an insult."

I bristle. "Would you take 'delicate' as a compliment?"

"Well, no," he admits, running a meaty hand through short black hair. "But I'm a guy. You're a—"

"Oh. Hell. No." I'm not having this conversation. Devon Green is a Neanderthal, and that's all there is to it. "You're welcome," I tell him, then add, "But you can stop talking now before you make it worse."

"Great job, Dev." This wry comment comes from Gabe Mendoza, who appears behind him and offers me a hand. His grip is firm and warm, and far more pleasant than being crushed. "Seriously, thanks. What you're doing means a lot to us, although Jase probably won't tell you that himself."

"He has," I say, earning raised eyebrows from both of them. I look past them, into the gym. They're blocking the entrance. "And you're both welcome. Can I come in?"

"What?" Gabe asks, even as Devon recognizes the situation they've put me in and scuttles out of the way. "Oh."

Slipping my shoes off, I glance around until I see Jase bouncing on the balls of his feet in front of a speed bag, his fists nothing but blurs. I watch for a moment, enjoying the way sweat gleams on his skin and his muscles flex and bulge as his powerful arms move. Eventually, a timer blares and he steps away and mops his face on a towel. When he turns, our eyes catch, and a flutter-volcano erupts in my soul.

Immediately, he drops the towel and beelines toward me, greeting me with a lopsided grin. "Hey, cutie pie."

Gabe stares at him, and Devon snorts with laughter, but Jase ignores them, looping his arms around my waist and drawing me in for a thoroughly sensual kiss. The moment our lips touch, all my promises about being professional go out the window and I clutch him closer, only mildly aware of the fact his sweat is rubbing off all over me—and so is something else. Some kind of oil that reeks of menthol and is hot but icy at the same time.

"Whoa," one of the men mutters as the kiss drags on.

I plant my hands on Jase's shoulders and gently push. "What happened to keeping it quiet?"

"Oh, shit. Sorry." His face falls. "I was excited to see you." He glances at his friends. "You didn't see anything, right?"

Devon nods. "Riiight, bro. 'Course not."

"Please guys," I say. "Don't mention this."

"Don't worry. We won't," Gabe assures me, and his sincerity calms me somewhat.

"Thank you." I turn to Jase. "Can we talk in private?"

Devon guffaws. "I think that's code, bro."

Cue eye roll. "It is not. Strictly business."

Devon's eyes widen, and so does his grin. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather date me, Lena? Because I guarantee I've got more moves than this idiot." He shoves Jase playfully.

"Go away," Jase says, making a shooing motion. "I have PR stuff to do." Taking my hand, he leads me to what appears to be a changing room, where he backs me into the wall and cradles my face in his palms. "Are you sure you're really here for work?" he asks. "'Cause I think I could change your mind."

Laughing, I disentangle myself from him and circle around so he's the one with his back to the wall. "You could try. But let's be serious." I rub my lips together to moisten them because I'm not sure how he's going to react to this. "This morning the Albright Literacy Foundation reached out to me. They have a fundraiser and their keynote speaker dropped out yesterday. They saw the article about you, remembered that you're one of their big contributors, and contacted me to find out if you'd consider speaking for them. It's on Sunday."

His jaw drops almost comically. "As in, two days away? That Sunday?"

"Yeah." I swallow. "That Sunday." I grab for his hand to prevent him from escaping. "Please think about it. This is big. It could blow the article out of the water. If you do this, I promise your problems with Erin will be the last thing anyone is talking about."

He stills, then levers his jaw closed. "Will there be any other publicity stunts coming my way if I agree to this?"

"I can't say for sure, but I doubt it. This should be enough to get you back on track—unless, of course, Erin decides to press charges. But she'd need some kind of evidence in order for that to happen, and she might just decide to slink back out of sight."

He appears to weigh my words. Finally, he exhales, his big shoulders dropping. "I'm not much of a public speaker."

My lips twitch up, but I drag them down, not wanting him to see my amusement. "I'd disagree. You always know exactly what to say to build up an audience or smack talk an opponent for the cameras."

He shrugs and looks away, apparently uncomfortable with my assessment. "That's all for show, and it's all about fighting. It's not anything that really matters the way this would." He tries to turn, but I hold firm, refusing to let him hide from me. "I mean, what do I have to say that a literary crowd is going to want to hear?"

I frown. He's underestimating himself, and this lack of confidence isn't at all like the Jase I've come accustomed to. "Well..." I say, drawing the word out, searching for something to bring him around. "Why do you donate to them?"

Leaning against the wall, he gazes down at me. "Because I want to help kids get out of shit situations. For some, sports might be the way to do that, like they were for me, but for others, like Gabe's best friend Sydney, their brains are the way out."

I melt inside. How is it possible for this man to be so irresistible? So good to the core and sexy as hell at the same time. "Then talk about that. Tell them about your own situation and how you want to help others like you. Perhaps use Gabe's friend as an example, if she doesn't mind. Or instead of getting into anything specific, you could talk about how you want those kids to have options and hope for the future, and use that to fire the donators up and open their pockets." Swaying closer to him, I hold his hand between both of mine. "The whole point of the event is to get people with deep pockets to open them, so you say whatever you think will make the money flow."

Those dark gray eyes don't move from mine, and a shiver courses through me. He watches me with such intense focus that I feel like an exhibit in an art gallery.

"What if I make a dick of myself?"

The words are low, and I have to strain to hear them.

"You won't." Of that, I'm sure. He may not be the most eloquent guy, but there's something about him that's captivating. He has charisma, and any audience will sense it.

He shifts, peeling himself from the wall and encapsulating me within his arms, his hands resting on my lower back. My belly flips and fizzles, loving his nearness.

"I'll do it," he says, easing one hand down to cup my butt, "on one condition."

I nibble my lip, knowing I'll have to reapply lipstick before I leave. "What's that?"

God, could I sound any more like I want to jump his bones?

"You come with me."

"I'm sorry, what?" I'd been expecting something dirty. Hoping for something dirty. It takes me a moment to process what he's actually said.

"Be my date, Lena."

His face is hidden from me in this position, so I hear the words drift past my ear but can't see his expression as he utters them. More than anything, I want to know what the invitation means. Does he just want moral support, or is he is declaring his intention to date me publicly? Because didn't we just talk about that? Or perhaps he wants to show me that public relations isn't all fun and games. Give me a taste of my own medicine, so to speak.

I swallow. "I'm a behind the scenes person. I'm the one who talks to you through your headset to make sure you don't say the wrong thing to the wrong person. I'm not the type of person who actually goes to these events." Although I had been, once, when Karson used to drag me around like his freaking eye candy, so dolled up you wouldn't recognize me if you saw me on the street the next day. I missed so many red flags with that guy.

"You should be," Jase says, breaking into my thoughts. "You deserve to be up front and center as much as anyone else."

"Doesn't matter," I tell him as he draws back to look me in the face. "I don't enjoy being the subject of attention, and I also don't want to get into trouble with my boss."

A smile quirks his lips. "Guess what, sweetheart? I don't like the attention either. It's just the price I pay for doing what I love." He kisses me. "That's my deal. You as my date, or I don't go. You can tell your boss I'm forcing you into it. What do you say?"

"Fine," I grumble, and he captures my mouth in another kiss. Adrian is going to shit a brick when he finds out. But hopefully he'll go along with it and once Jase is out of hot water, I can work with some of those other clients he promised me. Reluctantly, I ease away from him. "I need to get back to work."

He sighs, the sound full of regret. "You mean you have clients other than me?"

"Yes, gorgeous, I do."

He lets me go, but doesn't move, so it's up to me to put distance between us. "I hope they're not as charming."

I laugh, delighted by the flash of jealousy in his gaze and how put-out he seems. "Charming, my ass. You're hot, I'll give you that."

He growls, claiming my hand and walking me toward the exit. "What else?"

"What? Does your ego need stroking?" My tone is teasing, and I enjoy the way he smiles down at me with laughter in his eyes.

"I can think of some other things you could stroke."

I smooth a hand down his arm. "Whatever."

He accompanies me all the way to my car, then backs me against it the same way he did against the wall inside. My hips roll into his, just once, then they still.

He notices though, his breath hitching. "Can I see you later?"

"Only if you're not worried about messing up your mojo." I know how superstitious athletes can be, and I truly don't want him off his game. In fact, I'd quite happily watch Jase mop the floor with Karson's face.

"Think it's more likely to mess with my mojo if my balls shrivel up and fall off," he says wryly. "You got me turned inside out, cutie pie."

Stretching up, I kiss him. "I'll see you later, then." My smile turns sly and naughty. "But not too late. I might have to get started without you."

His eyelids flutter closed. "You're going to kill me, baby. I've gotta go bust some heads. Save your first orgasm for me." He touches my neck lightly, then strides away. I watch his fine ass go, wishing I didn't have those other clients who need me.

It's going to be a long day.