Grinning, Jason held out his hand and gave the other man a boost up.
“That was awesome,” Sammy said, when Jason left the ring. “How’d you learn to fight like that?”
“My father and his father before him. We were all on the boxing teams at our colleges.”
“How long before I can be that good?”
Jason shrugged. “Depends on how hard you’re willing to practice.”
“Could I come back here, maybe after school sometimes?”
Though Dana wasn’t really certain how she felt about boxing as a sport for Sammy, she was more than ready to give anything a try that would keep him off the streets and away from his old friends. “It’s okay with me,” she said. “Jason, is it possible?”
Jason nodded. “Let’s go talk to Johnny. Maybe he’ll work with you when I can’t be here.”
Dana watched as they crossed the gym. The two men who meant the most to her, she thought as her breath seemed to catch in her throat. Her brother, who’d been everything to her from the day he was born. And the man who, unwillingly or not, seemed destined to become an integral part of her life.
Sammy was standing just a little taller than usual, and for the first time in weeks the note of hostility in his voice had vanished. He actually seemed excited about something. She owed Jason for that. She wasn’t entirely sure why he had done it, but the reason mattered far less than the outcome. The motivation worried her, but she couldn’t deny that the gift was precious.
What would he expect in return, though? There was every indication that he was beginning to want her in his bed. A man as virile and attractive as Jason would have a healthy love life. Undoubtedly he wasn’t used to a woman saying no. Despite all of her qualms about deepening the bond between them, Dana couldn’t deny that they appeared destined to make love sooner or later unless they stopped seeing each other altogether. The attraction grew hotter with each meeting. She was beginning to experience this odd, aching emptiness each time his kisses ended, an emptiness she suspected only Jason could fill. And the look in his eyes told her he wanted her every bit as badly. It was a turn of events she definitely hadn’t counted on.
She couldn’t allow herself to confuse wanting with love, though. Unexpected attractions sprang up between all sorts of mismatched people. That didn’t mean they had to break their hearts by falling in love. If she kept her eyes wide open, if she experienced the wild sensations promised by Jason’s touches just once, she could walk away with her heart unscathed.
Rot! She was deluding herself and she knew it. But because of Sammy, she couldn’t walk away now, while the damage would be minimal. Jason was proving to be a good influence, and she wouldn’t rob her brother of a chance to get his life in order. She would just have to be strong enough to withstand Jason’s best efforts to woo her.
That was easier said than done, she decided an hour later as they sat in a tiny Italian restaurant that smelled of garlic and tomato sauce. A huge pizza loaded with everything sat in the center of the table. Sammy was greedily eating his fourth or fifth slice. Her first slice sat half-eaten on the plate in front of her. Jason’s eyes were on her, as if he found her far more tempting than anything the restaurant had to offer.
Fortunately Sammy kept up a non-stop stream of questions that diverted Jason’s attention for five- and ten-minute spurts, just long enough for her to catch her breath. He answered distractedly, but his gaze never wavered from her. That avid attention was enough to give a woman wild ideas about her attractiveness, yet Dana knew she couldn’t look all that great after a workout and a shower that had soaked her hair.
As if he’d read her mind, Jason leaned close and murmured, “You look gorgeous with your cheeks all flushed like that. Throwing a few punches obviously agrees with you.”
She thought of the punch she’d thrown the day they’d met and grinned. “I can think of some occasions when that’s been true.”
Obviously following her thoughts, he grinned back. “Maybe teaching you the rudiments of boxing is not such a hot idea, after all. As I recall, you packed a pretty good punch without it.”
Sammy looked intrigued. “You hit him?”
“She did,” Jason answered for her. “I was just standing there minding my own business and your sister came up and slugged me. Apparently starting brawls is a family trait.”
Sammy’s gaze narrowed. “Why’d she hit you? Were you coming on to her?”
“Actually she was defending your honor. She thought I was the creep who sold you that stolen VCR.”
Her brother squirmed uncomfortably. “You know about that?”
“Yes. I assume that you’ve seen the last of that guy.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“You guess?” Jason repeated, his voice rising ominously.
“I haven’t seen him for a while now,” Sammy said quickly to Dana’s relief.
Jason nodded. “Look, although I think the guy ought to be turned in, I’m not going to force you to rat on him. However, if I find you that you’ve been within a mile of him again, you and I will go a few rounds and I guarantee you won’t like the way your face looks when I’ve rearranged it.”
Dana waited for a rebellious outburst and was stunned when Sammy struggled against a giggle and lost.
“You heard that in some old movie, right?” he demanded. “James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, one of
