Romance: Her Fighter by Penny Ward Read Free Book Online Page B

“You’ll get used to him.”
    I shook my head.
    Even after a month or so, I had yet to get over the way Derrick always scowled at me, his lip curling up into a sneer as he said, “Women. If it were up to me there wouldn’t be any women in this gym at all. Unfortunately, I don’t get to make that decision. That’s something only Mitch has authority over.”
    He grumbled about it at least once a day, but I had learned quickly he was more bark than bite. He really was a friendly gentleman outside of work, which scared me when I saw how he was at the gym.
    Word of my relationship with Ryan spread fast.
    Ryan didn’t make it a secret, and I couldn’t deny it when Jill grabbed my arm with excitement in her voice, asking why I hadn’t told her. Kate, when she discovered the truth, would be the same way, I knew.
    “I always knew you two would make a cute couple,” Jill said, smacking her bubble gum and giving me a wink. I laughed. “Took you two long enough to realize it yourselves though.”
    The rest of the week passed in a haze of pure bliss as I continued sorting through facts and figures while Ryan and the other fighters trained with one another out on the floor.
    Several times, I caught myself openly watching Ryan.
    A couple of times, I wondered if he knew about it too because he’d wiggle his hips suggestively, making me chuckle.
    Lunch was spent in his company.
    Sometimes, we ate alone and sometimes Jill or someone else from the gym.
    Time passed, and Kate reacted the way I thought she would. When she discovered I was seeing Ryan, she screamed.
    I pulled my cell phone away from my ear and waited until she calmed down to return it to my ear. “Kate, if I go deaf early, I’m blaming you.”
    “Oh, Claire! I knew it! I knew you had the hot’s for that body builder!”
    There was no point in correcting her.
    She’d called Ryan a body builder several times since she had Googled what he looked like.
    She’d drooled over him for hours and sent me several messages telling me if I didn’t fuck him, she’d personally fly down and do it herself.
    That thought didn’t please me at all.
    “Guess I missed my chance with him myself, huh?” she teased. I knew that if she were standing in front of me, she’d be winking.
    She liked to do that.
    “I guess you did,” I told her with a grin.
    Of course, since we were talking on the phone, she couldn’t see my reaction—but maybe, just maybe, she could hear it in my voice.
    “You sound happy,” she noted, her voice growing more somber. “You need to call Dad.” I groaned, and she was quick to continue. “I know you don’t like talking to him, and I know you’ve been avoiding him, but you need to call him. Check in. Say hi. That kind of thing.”
    I rubbed the bridge of my nose, my smile falling from my face and anger entering my voice as I said, “Fine. I’ll call him.”
    I knew any conversation with my father was going to be awkward and stilted. It had been every time in the past. What made now any different?
    Now he’s got Kate beside him prodding him to keep the conversation flowing, I thought. As sad as it was, it was true.
    Still, I did as Kate requested and called him as soon as I was off the phone with her. He picked up after two rings, saying, “Hello Claire.”
    He sounded sober and, surprisingly, happy—which shook me up a little. I hadn’t been expecting it for sure.
    “Hi Dad. How are you?” I shifted in my seat in my office, putting my back to the door and looking at the wall behind me.
    It didn’t provide as good a view as looking through the doorway, but I was able to concentrate on my conversation with my father rather than watching Ryan throwing kicks and punches to the air, which was enough to make me drool as naughty thoughts entered my mind.
    “I’m doing well. Kate told you the good news yet?” His voice was higher pitched than normal and excited.
    I shook my head even though he couldn’t see it. “No, Dad. What’s going