Read Online Submission Moves: An MMA Romance by Camilla Sisco - Free Book Online

He didn’t need that in his life. There were other girls, hotter girls who’d happily welcome Niccolo Rossi’s attentions. Bet she was sorry now that he turned out rich, successful, and famous. He wasn’t the same broke ass nobody she’d deemed so unworthy four years ago. Well, tough shit for her. That ship had sailed and he would do well to stay away from crazy Irish chicks with crazy Irish tempers.
    The silence stretched on as the other men struggled for something sufficiently innocuous to say while Nick and Rose stared at each other.
    Rose broke eye contact first. “Well, it was wonderful seeing you both again, Nick, Angelo,” she said with a flat voice and an imperious dip of her chin. “If you’ll excuse me, I need a drink.” She slipped off her stool, leaving behind a half-full mug of beer.
    “Wait a second,” Nick called after her before he could stop himself. But she didn’t turn around, and he had to watch her walk away yet again. At least this time, she didn’t have far to go. She slid into an empty booth, took a book out of her purse, and hid her face behind it. Nick had to laugh.
    When he got his wits back, he saw Pat studying him with a peculiar look, like he was sizing him up and plotting something. Pat looked from him to where Rose was seated. Finally, he smiled. “I might have a little something to add to that sponsorship contract before I sign it.”  

CHAPTER 8

    “You must be an awfully slow reader. Last time I saw you, you were reading that exact same book.”
    Rose jerked at the sound of Nick’s voice, and her eyes followed him as he slid into the bench seat across from her. She closed her tattered copy of Persuasion and rested her folded hands on top of it. “I’m not a slow reader. I’m a very fast reader. I just happen to really like the book. I re-read it all the time.”
    “I hear ya’.” Nick nodded. “Some things are too good to be just a one-time thing.”
    She narrowed her eyes at that but kept her mouth shut, refusing to take the bait. Nick took his time as he studied her, trying to satisfy four years of curiosity. She was exactly as he’d remembered. Confident, completely unimpressed, and sexy as all get-out. What a fucking babe!
    He remembered exactly how those dark assessing eyes of hers could let a man know in so many words that he didn’t stand a chance in hell with her. A less persistent man would walk away. A saner man surely would, given their history.  So why hadn’t he?Fuck if he knew.
    “You look older, Rosie. Not in a bad way,” he hastened to add when her brow arched at him. Angelo had been correct. She’d lost weight, but not too much, Nick was pleased to note as he ran his eyes down those lush curves. Her face had thinned, making her finely-boned features more pronounced, but it still had that baby-faced quality that belied the feistiness and the raging temper Nick had once been on the receiving end of. “You don’t look like jail bait anymore. But you still get carded when you try to order alcohol, don’t you?”
    Rose’s lips curved into a reluctant grin. “Not at Bar None, I don’t,” she said, tapping a manicured nail at her mug of beer.
    “Your dad mentioned you’ve started a non-profit organization?”
    “Yeah. With some of my sorority sisters from college,” she began reluctantly. “It’s a women’s center, basically. We provide counselling, legal assistance, job placement assistance, and career enhancement programs. We also run a shelter, a crisis center, and—” She cut herself off and shrugged, deciding she had said enough.
    “Sounds real great. Real important. What’s it called?”
    She hesitated and took a sip of her beer before answering. “It’s called Femmepowered.”
    He blinked once and bit his lip to keep from laughing. “ Femmepowered ? Seriously? That’s so lame.”
    Rose scowled. “Whatever, Lucky Charms.”
    “Hey, I didn’t choose that name.” What a stupid fucking fight name.
    “I didn’t choose