Page 27 of 7 Days and 7 Nights

“That’s it. Now you’re cooking.”

He forgot both his plans and her flying fists as her hair came loose from its clip and swirled seductively around her shoulders. In fact, he was at exactly breast height and getting quite a jiggly eyeful when he saw her body start to whip around and heard the beginning of her breathless warning.

“Matt, watch out for—”

And then he heard nothing but the resounding thud of her foot connecting with the side of his jaw, followed by the slap of his body hitting the floor.

And then there was silence, followed by a merciful layer of dark.

Chapter Ten

None of your publicity mentions a former career as an assassin.” Matt lay flat on the floor where Olivia’s kick had sent him.

“Are you all right?”

He turned his head toward her and slowly opened his eyes. “What in the hell did you hit me with?”

“Try not to talk.” Olivia squatted down next to him and pressed a dishtowel stuffed with ice against his jaw.

Pushing her hand away, Matt pulled himself into a sitting position and ran a hand tentatively along the side of his jaw. When it reached the big tender spot, he winced.

“Jesus, Olivia. What happened?”

“Here. Hold this on it." She placed the makeshift ice pack in his hand and directed it toward his face, noting the grimace when cold met throbbing skin. “It was a spinning hook kick. I didn’t see you bend over.”

“You’re a kickboxer?”

“Well, I’m not a professional or anything.” She put a hand out to stop him when he started to remove the ice. “Keep the cold pack on it, Matt. You’re going to have a big-time bruise as it is.”

She stood and took a step away.

“How long have you been kickboxing?”

“I was only on the amateur circuit for a couple of years.”

“Oh. Well. That must be why I’m still alive.” He leaned back so that his shoulders rested against the back of the sofa and drew his knees up in front of him. “How long

was I out?”

It was Olivia’s turn to wince.

He closed his eyes and sighed. “You don’t need to spare my feelings now, Olivia. The live stream is twenty-four hours a day. They’re probably already rerunning the KO in slow motion.”

“You were only out for about a minute. Not all that long.”

“Oh, great. I was afraid this was going to be embarrassing or something.”

“Do you want me to call a doctor?”

"No, I don’t want you to call a doctor.” He moved as if to stand, but seemed to reconsider. “I thought you were a runner.”

“I can do both, you know. Plus my listeners love that I’m such a badass.”

“Yeah. I bet they feel real good about your ability to tear men apart with your feet. Aren’t people in the helping professions supposed to be nonviolent? I mean, what did you do, get a doctorate in psychology and a master’s in martial arts?”

Her cell phone rang, eliminating the need for a response, and Olivia left him propped against the couch while she went to answer.

“Oh, hello, Charles. No, he’s fine. No, you don’t need to call 911.” She walked back to where Matt lay and rolled her eyes. “He wants to send in the paramedics. Someone told him that might warrant a segment onReal Life Rescues. He wants to talk to you."