Fighting Lust: A Deadly Sins Novel by Jennifer Miller

through my phone. Finally, just when I’m about to give up hope, Tessa walks into the room. Her eyes fall on Levi first and when he gets a good look at her red hair pulled high on her head, her blue eyes, adorable freckles, full lips, and her body language that screams an amazing combination of sexy and sass, his jaw falls to the floor.
    She looks confused at first until I release a chuckle at Levis reaction. When her eyes finally turn to me and hold, my breath catches and my body immediately reacts to her beauty.
    “Dude, I’m sorry,” Levi says, reluctantly drawing my attention away from her.
    “What?” I ask absently.
    “I said, sorry.” He gestures to Tessa, then smiles, “I totally get it now. I should have volunteered to break your nose.”

 

     
    When I was told someone was asking for me, I was certainly not expecting that he would be waiting. Seeing him again makes my belly feel like it’s on fire. To mask it, I make sure I have a look of slight annoyance on my face. Crossing my arms over my chest, I look away from the guy with the bloody towel lying beside him and a temporary bandage on his wound, and face Ryder.
    He’s staring at me with those eyes of his. The ones that make me want to take off all my clothes and lay bare before him without a word. The ones that show me he’s thinking about me doing exactly that. Pools of the brightest blue I’ve ever seen. I thought my blue eyes were pretty? They don’t hold a candle to his.
    He runs his hand through his very short dark hair and looks down with a smile, the earring in his ear flashing in the light. He’s wearing a sleeveless shirt and athletic pants. His biceps are covered in tattoos and bulging with muscles. I remember the feel of them under my hands all too well. When he looks up and catches me staring, his smile widens and I look away.
    Angry at myself for being affected by him, I look at the man whose name is on the chart in the hallway. “Levi, I presume?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” It takes all I have not to smile at him. Another looker, he’s got blonde hair and green eyes that are currently watery, likely due to his wound. He’s ridiculously built as well and I’m thinking whatever the hell this fighting is that these guys do, I want to go check it out. Or at least the other guys.
    “What happened?” I gesture at his cheek.
    “Just a little mishap while sparring with another fighter.”
    “A little mishap, huh?” After washing my hands and putting on gloves, I go to him and lower the ice pack he’s holding firmly against the area and gingerly pull the bandage from his swollen face. The bleeding has nearly stopped; it’s oozing only slightly. He’s clearly sustained a blunt force trauma giving rise to notable discoloration around the eye above the point of injury, and which resulted in a significant avulsion, deep enough that I can see down through his epidermis. . For an accidental blow, it was precisely placed such that it’s unlikely he sustained any bone fracture or broken teeth. A little bit higher or lower and the injury might have required more than a few sutures. “A little mishap that’s going to require some stitches from the look of it. Seems like you guys should consider getting a doctor on site.”
    They chuckle and I put the bandage back up to his cheek and raise his hand that is still holding the icepack towards his face. “I’ll be back with something to numb the area and supplies. Keep the ice pack pressed to your cheek until I return.”
    “Thanks,” he nods with a smile and I find myself returning it. I spare a glance towards Ryder as I walk out only to find he’s already looking at me.
    Heading to the supply room, I gather what I need to stitch up Levi’s wound and notify Dr. Handy, the assigned physician that we’ll be ready for him soon. My stomach still feels tingly from Ryder’s presence and I’m doing my best to ignore it. Just as I’m about to turn down the hall back to Levi’s room, my name is