Acts of Creation by Elisabeth Staab

Author:Elisabeth Staab [Staab, Elisabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: abuse, abuse / recovery, athletes, boxing, college, heterosexual, male/female, mother#s day, new adult, new adult romance, romance new adult, small town, sports, university / college
Publisher: Elisabeth Staab
Published: 2015-08-18T04:00:00+00:00

Dante

The Heart and Hearth sits near the edge of Evergreen Grove. On the outside it sure doesn’t seem like much. A giant renovated farmhouse with a barn off to the side. Sort of out of place now that there’s a motel across the road and a grocery store a little farther down, but everyone says it’s the nicest restaurant in the area.

Go big or go home, right?

Shit, though. When we step inside the foyer, with all its polished wood and honey-toned lighting, I wonder if maybe I didn’t go too big. I’ve never wondered that in my life. I fight hard, I play hard. Or at least I pretend to. That’s what the world is supposed to see from Dante Ramos.

Michelle grabs my arm as we walk through the entryway. “Holy cow. Am I dressed okay? This is nicer than I expected.”

Before we left the gym, she changed into a simple black sundress, a short-sleeved sweater, and sandals. She looks fucking amazing.

“You’re great. It’s nice to see you out of your standard uniform of dark jeans and rock band T-shirts.”

She gives me a punch to the arm. “Yeah, well. It’s nice to see you in something other than gym shorts.”

I laugh. My khaki pants and button-up shirt aren’t anything fancy, but it’s a step above what I’m used to. “Hey, those shorts show off my killer legs.”

I’m kidding. I don’t expect to see her blush so hard. Damn, that looks cute.

“You have pretty killer everything.”

I laugh again, but I realize as we follow the hostess back through a maze of wooden booths that the red spots riding on those pale cheeks of hers got way darker. Does she mean that, about thinking I look good? Truth is, I know I’m in good shape because I have to be. I assume women want me because of what I can do in the ring. I’ve always thought I was too big and bulky to pass for what the magazines today call handsome.

I don’t know what Michelle thinks of me, exactly. She hasn’t seen me fight. She’s only seen me spill my guts onto some cold, stone church steps. That’s not exactly the kind of nectar that brings the honeys to the yard.

We sit down and order drinks. I’m planning on getting something to ease my nerves until I remember Michelle told me she doesn’t drink. It could be that she’s not old enough, but I remember her story about how it was a drunken party that led to her getting attacked.

“I’ll have an iced tea,” I tell the lady, pushing the bar menu back her way. “Unsweetened.” Around here, if you don’t specify, you’ll get your drink so saturated with sugar that your straw can stand straight up on its own. I’ve slacked enough lately on my training. I don’t need to add to the hurt.

We get a promise of bread, and the menu lady marches off. I put mine on the table, watching Michelle while she looks through hers.

“See something you like?”

She looks up over the edge of the leather-bound book.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.