DS Fight Club Box Set (Volumes 0-3)

by Josie Kerr

  “The only person I can think of is...Bailey? You’re interested in Bailey?” A smile tugged at the corner of Mick’s mouth.

  Colin let out another groan and cracked his neck.

  Rory had a thoughtful look on his face. “Bailey is...” he began.

  “Perfect!” Mick interrupted. “You two would be great together, I think.”

  Rory looked at Mick like he had completely lost his mind. Mick scoffed and then ignored his friend. He turned back to Colin.

  “What do you like about her?” he asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know. She seems very sweet. And funny, but I don’t think she means to be.” Colin shrugged. “I’ve enjoyed talking with her every time I’ve seen her. She’s really smart about all sorts of things.”

  “Are you into that? Pregnant women?” Rory asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. His nose wrinkled up in distaste, but his eyes betrayed the fact that he found the concept of pregnant sex interesting.

  Colin groaned again. He had to answer this one carefully or everyone would think he was a pervert. “I don’t know, maybe? I’ve never known any pregnant women at all before. She’s got a beautiful face. And I suppose I do tend to like the women who are not necessarily thin.”

  Rory shook his head. “Brennans,” he said, looking pointedly at Mick.

  Colin never really thought about it, but Em wasn’t someone who would be described as thin. Curvy. Lush. Buxom. Plump. Those were adjectives that described his brother’s hopefully soon-to-be fiancée. Huh.

  Mick glared at Rory. “I’ll just put it out there that I think pregnant women are very sexy. There’s just something completely beautiful about them. I remember not being able to keep my hands off of Grace when she was pregnant.”

  “Oh God, let’s stop this right here,” Rory said with a pained expression. “Sweet Janey Mac. Twenty-plus years is still not enough time for me to be able to stomach discussion about the sexiness of my sister.”

  “Oh, just wait, Rory. You’ll figure it out,” Mick laughed. “You’ll figure it out and I’ll laugh.”

  Colin found this whole conversation both amusing and horrifying.

  Liam came up to the table where the men were sitting.

  “Mickey, do you want to come back and see the set list? People are going to start showing up soon.”

  Mick looked at his watch. “Shit. Okay. I’m really gonna do this. Yeah, let’s go back.”

  Colin watched his brother go back to a dressing room area. Turning to Rory, he asked, “You think she’ll say yes?”

  Rory snorted. “I think she’ll say yes, and then pull him back to a supply closet and have her way with him.”

  Colin was shocked. He didn’t know why, but he was. “Really?”

  “Those two have more sex now than I did when I was in my twenties.” He shook his head. “Don’t let that sweet face deceive you, Colin. Em’s a firecracker. You know she swears like a trucker at times, but I’ve got a feeling that she is something else entirely when Mick gets her alone and naked.”

  “Gah, I’m not sure I’m comfortable talking about Em like this.”

  Rory huffed a laugh. “You’re really pretty shy, aren’t you? I bet you were a late bloomer. Not physically, if you’re anything like Mick; he was probably shaving in elementary school. But socially? Yeah, you were a wallflower.”

  Oh, if you only knew, Rory. Colin didn’t say anything, but merely smiled weakly and shrugged.

  Bailey absentmindedly rubbed her hands over her belly as she sat at a table in the pub. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but Rory had been looking at her thoughtfully for the past thirty minutes and it unnerved her. Several times in the past hour he had started to say something, but then changed his mind.

  He and Ashley were doing their “we’re not dating” thing, which Bailey found both amusing and baffling. They were both single adults. It’s not like they needed to sneak around.

  Relationships made people do weird things.

  Bailey snorted. Like she could pass any sort of judgment about relationships.

  Her eyes wandered over to Colin. Now, he was another one that was hard to figure out. She hadn’t wanted to like him, not at all, but he seemed very...sweet, which was funny considering that he made huge money by beating up people. Bailey knew that it took a certain type of person to fight for a living, and unfortunately, the violence of that chosen profession had a nasty way of leaking outside the octagonal cage.

  He was quieter than usual tonight, sitting alone at a high-top table after Rory wandered off to talk to his parents. He actually looked kind of sad. Bailey was trying to decide if she should go talk to him when he looked directly at her and a heartbreaking smile lit up his face. What the…? Is that smile for me? Bailey looked around, but she couldn’t see anybody else that could be the recipient of that grin. She could feel her face getting hot. Oh God, he’s coming over here.

  “Mind if I have a seat?” he asked. Lordy, he was tall. And big. And handsome.

  Bailey was having problems speaking. She sipped some water and cleared her throat. “Please do,” she said when she could finally get the words out. What in the world is wrong with me?

  Colin grinned at her again and sat down at her table. “You looking forward to the show tonight?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure. Em was trying to explain the style of music but I’m not really sure I get it. But she said they were a lot of fun, so I’m game. I want to go out as much as possible before the baby comes.”

  “Apparently these guys are from the neighborhood back in Boston. The bassist remembered me from when I was little.”

  “Huh. That’s kind of neat.”

  “Yeah.”

  Colin shifted in his chair, his fingers playing with a coaster. Bailey fought her laughter, but she finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out with a stream of nervous giggles. Colin had a very funny look on his face, which caused her to giggle more.

  “I’m sorry, Colin. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m kind of out of sorts tonight.”

  He huffed a laugh. “I am, too. Sorry, I’ll go back to the high-top. I’m sure the last thing you want to do is sit in silence at a table with me.”

  Bailey caught his hand as he started to stand up. “Colin, stay here. Please. You don’t have to make small talk. It’s nice just sitting with you.”

  Colin sat down slowly, but seemed to be more relaxed.

  Ashley came up behind Em, who was sitting across the bar, watching Colin and Bailey with interest. “What do you think is going on with those two?” Ashley asked.

  “I don’t know,” Em said. “But I think there’s something. I know Bailey’s been asking a lot of questions about him. If she’s interested, I’m pretty sure that she’s going to have to make the first move. The guy is incredibly shy.”

  “There are a lot of rumors that he’s gay.”

  “Really? Huh,” Em said. “I know his trainer is, but I also know that there was some girl that Colin was avoiding when we went to Wisconsin.”

  Ashley snorted. “‘El Galán’ Maldonado is gay? You’re sure? And just because Colin had a ‘girlfriend’ doesn’t mean that’s he’s not gay, Em.”

  Em shook her head. “No, I know, but I don’t think that’s the deal with Colin. I think he’s just really, really shy and pretty straight-laced. I think something happened to him. Not abuse or anything, but just something that’s made him really cautious. I know he doesn’t drink either, and Junior jokingly says that he’s impossible to bribe because he really doesn’t have any vices. And yes, I’m definitely sure that Junior’s gay.”

  “I probably don’t want to know how you definitely know that Junior’s gay, do I?”

  Em whistled through her teeth and said with laugh. “No, you do not.”

  “Wow.” Ashley considered the couple across the bar. “They would be pretty cute together, wouldn’t they? Talk about all-American. They’re so wholesome. It�
�s kind of repulsive,” Ashley said with a laugh.

  “What are you two murmuring about over here?” Sheila Doyle, Rory’s mother, asked. “Anything good?”

  “We’re talking about Bailey and Colin, and wondering what, if anything, is going on between the two of them,” Em said. “What do you think?”

  “I think those two are going to be married before the year is out, is what I think.”

  Em’s eyes rounded. “Really?” she exclaimed. “Do you know something that we don’t?”

  “Paddy said that Colin talks about her quite a bit, as much as Colin ever talks. He asks a lot of questions and his ears get pink if Paddy ribs him. I definitely think our Colin is smitten.”

  “What does he think about the Tripp Situation?”

  “Oh, I think it’s probably a good thing that Tripp’s in jail, because I have a feeling that there would be another Brennan man that would throw Tripp a beating if he ever encountered him on the street.”

  The three women looked at Colin and Bailey at their shared table. Colin was leaning into Bailey, a small smile playing across his lips. They would talk a bit, then go back to sitting silently. Now Bailey was twirling a curl around her fingers and Colin had a strangled expression on his face.

  Em stifled a snort. “Oh, he’s definitely into her. Look at his face.”

  “Poor guy. I think he’s going to combust if she doesn’t stop playing with her hair,” Ashley said. “Bless his heart.”

  The band taking the stage interrupted the three women’s speculation.

  “Hello Atlanta, it’s nice to be back,” Paulie shouted over the crowd. “Normally we do this later, but tonight we have something special for you. A friend from Southie is going to join us on stage, but not on drums as usual. Hell’s frozen over, because Mickey Brennan is going to sing!”

  Colin and Bailey watched as Mick took the stage. He clutched the microphone stand with both hands, and anxiously searched Foley’s Pub for Em, visibly relaxing as he caught her eye.

  Mick began singing, and before long, Bailey’s eyes filled with tears. It was the most romantic thing she’d ever seen, and made even more so because of Em’s other experience with that rat Tripp.

  “Bailey, are you okay?” Colin whispered in her ear.

  “Oh, I’m going to be fine, I think. Just as long as Mick does what I think he’s going to do.” She looked at Colin. “Is he going to do what I think he’s going to do?”

  Colin grinned, and nodded.

  “Oh, thank goodness.” Bailey sighed happily and turned her attention back to the stage, where Mick could be seen pulling Em to him and kissing her passionately, much to the delight of the audience.

  After the couple on the stage broke their embrace, and the audience quieted down, Mick took the microphone again, and began to speak. “This is going to be cheesy as hell…”

  Colin was thrilled for his brother and Em, but couldn’t help but be a little bit envious. They were so happy. Colin sighed.

  “I know exactly how you feel, Colin,” Bailey said, a bit of wistfulness in her voice. “I only hope that someday I’ll find someone like Mick.”

  Without thinking, Colin put his arm around Bailey and hugged her to his side. “I have no doubt you will, Bailey.” He gave her a squeeze.

  “You’re sweet, you know?” she said, looking up at him.

  Colin looked down at Bailey and suddenly seemed to realize that he had his arm around her. With a start, he dropped his arm and moved half a step away from her.

  “I’m not going to bite you, Colin,” Bailey said with a sad laugh.

  “Sorry,” Colin said. “I...” Good grief, Colin. She was just being nice.

  “It’s okay.”

  “Hey, Bailey, it seems as though things are wrapping up. Almost ready to go?” Ashley asked. “Em is riding with Mick, so it’ll be the two of us. Oh, and Rory, since he cabbed it.” Ashley began to sing “Single Ladies,” prompting a grin from Bailey. Ashley was a nut.

  Colin cleared his throat. “Um, I could take you home, Bailey, since you know...” He tried to not look as desperate as he felt.

  “Sure, Colin. That makes a lot of sense,” Bailey said. “Ash, I’m gonna go ahead and ride with Colin.”

  “Okay, you two. Have fun,” Ashley said with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Rory added.

  “That leaves the field pretty much wide open, doesn’t it?” Colin muttered under his breath. Bailey caught his mumbled words and grinned.

  They walked out to the parking lot, where they encountered Mick and Em. Mick had Em up against the side his car, his hips pressed into her and her legs wrapped around his waist.

  Colin chuckled while Bailey gawked at the two of them. “Guess Rory wasn’t exaggerating.” he laughed. “Get a room, you two!” Colin called as he opened the car door for Bailey. He saw Em flip him off, but she didn’t unwrap herself from Mick.

  Bailey chuckled. “Wow. That was…”

  “Yeah.”

  Bailey smiled and pinked up very nicely. Oh, I vaguely remember what that was like, she thought as she sighed and settled back into the car seat.

  They rode in silence back to the little duplex, each submerged in their own thoughts.

  “Thank you driving me home, Colin,” Bailey said when they arrived.

  “It was my pleasure,” Colin answered. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

  The air was heavy with expectation. Neither of them wanted to say goodnight, but neither could figure out how to prolong the evening. Colin reached out and touched Bailey’s cheek, stroking it with the back of his hand before running his thumb over her lower lip and saying, in a quiet voice, “Good night, Bailey.”

  He stepped back to let her in the door. H waited until he heard the deadbolt engage before he turned around and went back to his car.

  He beat his fist on the steering wheel as he made his way back to his hotel, cursing himself for being a coward. He thought she wanted him to kiss her, and boy, did he ever want to, but as usual, he was a big chicken. Now, all he had to show for the evening was yet another raging hard-on.

  Colin chastised himself all the way through the parking, during the ride upstairs in the elevator, and all the way down the hall until he got to his room. He made his way to the bathroom, shedding his clothes while thinking of the way Bailey’s soft lips felt under his thumb. God, Colin, this is not helping you get rid of the ache in your balls, is it, dumbass?

  He turned on the shower, not bothering with the hot water. He stepped under the frigid stream, but even that did not cause him to soften. Oh, fuck it. Colin blasted the hot water, slowly stroking himself while the shower warmed up. He imagined Bailey’s warm skin under his fingers as he fisted his cock. He was so riled up that it only took one, two, three pumps to get a bit of relief. He leaned against the cold tile, panting, while the water continued to beat down on his back.

  He stood in the shower, lost in thoughts about the little pregnant woman. Was she as hot and bothered as he was, or was she sleeping already? Colin growled with frustration. He was still semi-hard, but he was too tired to seek further relief. Without bothering to dry off, he padded into the bedroom and fell backwards onto the bed, his cock still pointing skyward, taunting him for his indecision.

  Bailey leaned back against the door. God, she wanted him to kiss her, and lordy, she was so horny these days, she just might have wanted more. She seemed to finally be over the all-day morning sickness that had plagued her for her first two trimesters, and her body had decided that she needed to make up for lost time.

  Bailey thought about Colin as she stripped off her clothes. He seemed like he wanted to kiss her. If not, what was that touch to her mouth all about? She hadn’t seen him much, but he hadn’t been in Atlanta very long. I wonder when he’s going to move in permanently?

  Bailey caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and suddenly wanted to cry. What the am I thinking
? He’s not gonna want to kiss on some pregnant woman, especially one that’s pregnant with someone else’s child.

  Bailey took a good look at herself in the mirror and sighed. Totally and completely run-0f-the-mill. There had been a time when she was thankful for fading into the background, but now? She would like to stand out a bit.

  Bailey cocked her head to the side. The only thing extreme about her was her curly hair. She had hated it when she was younger, but now she kind of liked it, at least most days. She definitely liked the color.

  She was small and short, but not in a cute pixie-like way. She had always had hips and boobs. Soft and curvy, that’s what she was.

  And she hadn’t gained much pregnancy weight at all. As a matter of fact, at her last appointment, her doctor had scolded her and suggested that she have a milkshake every day. I can definitely comply with that recommendation.

  She turned to the side and ran her hands over her belly, lightly touching the stretch marks that crept over her sides. They weren’t really dark like some she had seen, but still, she didn’t think that any man thought pregnant women were sexy. Tripp sure hadn’t, and he was the person who got her this way.

  No, Bailey! Don’t you dare think about that fartknocker Tripp right now. But try as she may, she couldn’t look away from the mirror as she waited for the shower water to warm up.

  Once in the shower, she let the water pound her on the back until she relaxed a bit. She imagined that Colin’s hands were the ones running through her hair as she applied the shampoo, and that his big hands, and boy, were they big, soaped her body all over. All over. When Bailey’s hands drifted over her nipples, she gasped at their tingling sensitivity. She adjusted the shower to “massage” and stood with her back to the stream as she dipped her hands between her thighs. A few soft strokes between her folds and Bailey soared, her breath hitching. As she came down, she leaned her head against the shower tile and grinned. I’m gonna have to do this more often.

  Chapter Four

  February

  “Bailey?”