Read Online Never Choose Flight (A Fighter Romance Novel) by Danielle Forte - Free Book Online

static points in my life. Nothing stays the same week to week. The closest thing I have to that is the fights on Sunday nights, and even then I have no idea what will really happen.”
    “As evidenced by the stabbing yesterday.”
    “Actually I had a feeling that was coming. But still. You are to me what I am to you. A chance at something different. Maybe if we get together, we can hit some sort of middle ground, you know?”
    “Yeah,” I said. “That sounds nice.”
    We ate in silence for a minute after that. Enjoying the food. Enjoying each other’s company, even in silence. It felt like things had resolved. To some degree at least. Although I really had no idea where all of this was going to lead me.
    “So how much of what you said last night was true?” I asked.
    “All of it.”
    “You actually think you might die in a fight?”
    “Do I seem like the kind of guy who’s going to die of old age?”
    I laughed. “No, I can’t really see you as an old man.”
    “So yeah, probably I’ll die in a fight. Or just getting mugged or some shit.”
    “I don’t think you’d have trouble with a couple of muggers.”
    “Not if they wanted to fist fight,” he said. “Or hit me with a chair. But a gun, that I’d have some trouble with. Or a machete.”
    “Baseball bat?”
    “I think I could take a mugger with a baseball bat.”
    “Let’s hope we never have to find out,” I said.
    “Agreed.”
    * * *

 
    We walked back to the office hand in hand. I felt like a highschool girl. All fluffy inside. Puppy love. I know it was silly. But feeling his strong arm against mine. His fingers in between mine. It just made me feel that same happiness that a kid feels when they see a kitten.
    I could tell that he was taking his time on the stairs, even though he probably could have run all the way up the three flights without breaking a sweat. But he didn’t want to run ahead of me. That was the whole idea. He wanted me to slow him down. Make things nice and simple for him, every now and then.
    We got to my floor just as Derek was leaving the office. He saw us holding hands and bee-lined in our direction.
    “So,” he said, glaring at me, “How was the date?”
    “It was nice,” I said, holding onto Malcolm’s arm with both my hands.
    “Did you have fun too?” he asked, looked up at Malcolm. Malcolm must have stood at least a foot higher than him, and probably a hundred more pounds.
    “I did,” said Malcolm with a smile. “Jessica here is a great girl.”
    “I bet you had an easy time getting her to date you,” he said. “No problem at all with those big swollen muscles.”
    Malcolm looked at me. “It actually wasn’t that easy.”
    “I’m sure things will get much worse once she sees how tiny your testicles are from all the steroids.”
    Malcolm squeezed my hand tightly, and then let go. He took a step towards Derek. “I don’t take steroids.”
    “What, then?” said Derek, in a more aggravated voice than I’d ever heard coming out of him. “Implanted muscles?”
    “I get my muscles from fighting,” said Malcolm.
    Derek laughed. I was actually kind of impressed by how unintimidated he seemed to be. “Sure. How about you and me fight, then? Prove that’s where your muscles come from?”
    Malcolm turned around and looked at me, a wild spark in his eyes. He never said no to a fight. “Absolutely,” he said, taking a step back. “Just tell me a time and a place. And any rules you’d like. I could beat you both hands behind my back.”
    “Five after five,” said Derek. “Parking lot.”
    “Hands behind my back?” asked Malcolm.
    “No need,” said Derek. “I train every morning for forty minutes. I know what real muscles look like, and it’s not like that.”
    “Well I’m sorry that your training has gone to waste,” he said. “I’ll see you after five.”
    Malcolm turned, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and then trotted back down the stairs.
    “Sorry,” Derek said to me. “I just hate