by A. Rivers
My hips buck. I’m already so close. God, if she keeps that up I’m going to snap like an animal. “No, baby. We need to take it slow this time.”
However hard this is—pun fully intended—I’m determined to do it right. But then she takes my hand with her free one and shoves it under the hem of her dress.
“Fuck.” She’s not wearing panties, and she’s soaked.
“Forget about slow,” she says, riding my hand as I slip fingers through her slickness. “Take me how you want.”
I nuzzle her neck, dropping kisses along her collarbone. “You sure?”
She lifts my face so we’re looking each other in the eye. “One hundred percent.”
Thank God.
I ruck up that teasing little skirt, shove my shorts down and sink into her. Balls deep. She gasps and tightens around me. She’s just as turned on as I am. Maybe more. I could get used to this. Thrusting in and out, I strum her clit with my thumb, loving the way she whimpers and cries out. She feels so good. So. Damn. Hot.
Desperation creeps over me. I slam into her, and her back arches, her fingernails digging into my shoulders. I push harder, faster, driving her wild, and then she’s breaking apart in my arms and I’m holding her together and spilling every-fucking-thing I have into her. My thighs shake, my cock jerks, and I growl her name. Our foreheads press together and we stare into each other’s eyes.
I love her.
I love this woman. My Lena.
She chuckles breathlessly. “When can we do that again?”
I capture her lips. “Any time you want, baby.”
Epilogue
Gabe
As Jase makes up with his girl and carts her from the arena amid a roar of approval, a pang of longing shoots through me. Despite my best intentions, I find myself seeking out Sydney.
God, she looks good tonight. She always does. Her cheeks are rosy, eyes bright, and she’s watching the couple leave with a good deal of satisfaction, but possibly a little envy, too. I can relate. I wish I could lay claim to Sydney and her luscious curves and brilliant mind the way Jase just laid claim to Lena, but I can’t. She’s made it clear that when she decides to get serious with a man, she needs to be his priority. Unfortunately, I have too much to live up to, too much still to achieve, to give her the attention she deserves.
Someday soon, she’ll find a guy who can give her what she needs, and the thought shreds me inside even though I know I’m not right for her. After all, on what planet would it make sense for a doctor, someone who dedicates her life to helping people, to hook up with a brute like me? They might call me “The Mind-Reader” because of my smarts and speed in the cage, but when it comes to anything else, I’m no match for Sydney, and we both know it.
That doesn’t make it any easier to know that one day I’ll have to step aside and let some other guy be the one to make her smile. The one to touch her. Even thinking about it makes me so furious, I want to throw her over my shoulder and follow Jase the hell out of here. But when she does find that guy, I’ll back off. For her sake.
Even if I know there’ll never be another girl for me.
Want to find out what happens with Gabe and Sydney? Pre-order Fighter’s Best Friend here:
http://bklnk.com/B08N98QXCY
Newsletter
Would you like more of Jase and Lena? Subscribe to my newsletter to receive a bonus epilogue that’s super swoony. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this!
Sign up here: http://www.subscribepage.com/bonusepilogues
Fighter’s Best Friend
Sydney
I’m in love with my best friend.
As a resident doctor who aced her way through medical school, I should be too smart to fall for a guy like Gabe.
He’s distant, emotionally unavailable, and completely focused on his professional MMA career.
For years, I’ve played the role of trusty companion.
I’ve patched his wounds and cheered him on, but my heart is withering.
I’m lonely, and tired of hoping he’ll wake up and see what’s right in front of him.
I’m ready to find someone who will put me first.
If only I could stop longing for the one man I can’t have.
Gabe
Son of boxing royalty and I was raised to be a champion.
With the match of my life around the corner, I’m training harder than ever before.
I can’t afford to be distracted by Sydney’s strange behavior, but she’s slipping away from me.
I can fix this, if only she’d give me a little time.
But now another guy is moving in on my girl.
F**k, no.
I won’t let anyone take her away from me.
I’m a born fighter, and I’m not afraid to bleed to keep what’s mine.
But when it comes down to it, can I be the man she needs, or is she better off with someone who doesn’t carry the weight of a nation’s expectations on his shoulders?
Fighter's Best Friend is a standalone MMA fighter romance with a strong, silent hero and a big-hearted heroine who's finished being second best. It has a HEA and no cliffhanger.
Buy Fighter’s Best Friend to fall for a strong, silent fighter with a possessive streak today!
-> http://bklnk.com/B08N98QXCY
Acknowledgments
This book was largely inspired by my time training at a muay thai gym and competing in amateur muay thai competitions, so I want to start my thanking my training buddies from the gym. I couldn’t have written this story without the knowledge I gained there.
Thank you to my husband, for putting up with me having my face in my computer 24/7 writing, editing, and otherwise being an author. I love you so much and remember every day how lucky I am to have such a wonderfully supportive person in my life.
To my family for encouraging me to write when I was younger, and for reading what I’m sure were terrible (yet very long) drafts of many stories throughout my teenage years. I recently rediscovered one of these… the level of angst is something to behold.
To my beta readers: Sheridan, Evie, Laura, Chris, Diana, and Fleur, thanks so much for your feedback—it made such a difference. Thanks to Serena, for being such a thoughtful editor and for boosting my morale when I needed to dive into edits. Thank you to Kate, I love working with you and constantly get feedback about how polished my books are thanks to the effort you and Serena put in. Lastly, thanks to Maria, for designing me a cover and graphics that take my breath away. You rock!
About the Author
A. Rivers writes romance with strong heroes and heroines who kick butt and take names. She loves MMA fighters, cops, military men, bodyguards, and the protective guy next door who isn’t afraid to fight the odds for love. She also writes small town romance as Alexa Rivers.
You can keep up with her at:
https://www.subscribepage.com/bonusepilogues
www.instagram.com/ariversauthor/
www.bookbub.com/profile/a-rivers
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20290004.A_Rivers
Copyright © 2020 by A. Rivers
Fighter’s Heart
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. All people, places, events and organizations are figments of the author’s imagination or creative license has been used. Any resemblance to real people, places, events and organizations are entirely coincidental.
-moz-filter: grayscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share