Read Online Hard Knocks: An Ultimate Novella by Lori Foster - Free Book Online Page B

waited to see who would get back on his feet first,” Stack finished.
    And obviously that was Cannon. Gage half smiled. Every fighter knew flukes happened. Given a fluke injury had taken him out of the competition, he knew it better than most. “I’m glad he pulled it off.”
    “That he did,” Armie said. “And if you don’t mind locking up, I think I’ll go pull off a few submissions of my own.”
    Harper scowled in disapproval, then flapped her hand, sending him on his way.
    A minute later, Denver and Stack took off, too.
    Left alone finally, Gage put his arm around Harper. “Ready to go home?”
    “My place or yours?”
    “Where doesn’t matter—as long as you’re with me.”
    She gave him a look that said “Awww!” and hugged him tight. Still squeezed up close, she whispered with worry, “I can’t believe Cannon almost lost.”
    Gage smoothed his hand down her back. “Don’t worry about it. We fighters know how to turn bad situations to our advantage.”
    “We?” She leaned back in his arms to see him. “How’s that?”
    “For Cannon, the near miss will only hype up the crowd for his next fight.” He bent to kiss the end of her freckled nose. “As for me, I might have missed a competition, but I got the girl. There’ll be other fights, but honest to God, Harper, there’s only one you. All in all, I’d say I’m the big winner tonight.”
    “I’d say you’re mine. ” With a trembling, emotional smile, Harper touched his face, then his shoulders, and his chest. As her hand dipped lower, she whispered, “And that means we’re both winners. Tonight, tomorrow, and always.”
    * * * * *
    Look for Cannon’s story, NO LIMITS, the first book in the new Ultimate series— coming soon from Lori Foster and Harlequin HQN! Read on for a sneak peek...

“A red-hot page-turner.”
—#1
New York Times
bestselling author Kresley Cole on
When You Dare
    If you loved the novella
Hard Knocks,
be sure to catch the first title in
New York Times
bestselling author Lori Foster’s Ultimate series
No Limits
(September 2014).
    Don’t miss these other great stories from Lori Foster:
    Dash of Peril
Getting Rowdy
Bare It All
Run the Risk
Back to Buckhorn
(novella)
When You Dare
Trace of Fever
Savor the Danger
A Perfect Storm
What Chris Wants
(novella)
    These, and other Lori Foster titles, are now available in ebook format. Be sure to download all of them today!
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    A NXIETY STILL CHURNED inside Yvette, but it didn’t matter. She had outgrown that embarrassingly timid girl who’d allowed herself to be a sniveling victim.
    Never again.
    She concentrated on presenting herself as a proper, poised woman, using that facade to hide the truth. So many dreams had died, but no one else needed to know that.
    Preparing to see Cannon, she made herself as polished as possible and then set off.
    Because of the mid-August heat wave, she wore a white tank top with her skinny jeans and sandals. She’d pulled her freshly washed hair into a high ponytail that hung down between her shoulder blades.
    On the walkway outside Rowdy’s bar, she hesitated. Judging by the noise alone, the place was packed. Being in such a crowded atmosphere would help keep her attraction under wraps. She had to see Cannon, but she wanted to do it without embarrassing herself in any way.
    A trio of men stepped out, gave her double-takes and leered. She heard “Well, hello,” and “Hot damn,” along with a low whistle from the third guy.
    Yvette made a point of not encouraging that sort of thing with men—really any sort of thing—so she merely nodded and stepped inside. The place looked exactly as she remembered it, with people laughing, a small