“I don’t like to see you getting hurt.”
Well, that shut her right up.Owlishly, she blinked up at him.He wasn’t that tall, so she didn’t need to crane her neck too badly.When the silence held, Marc inhaled slowly.
“That’s what I actually wanted to talk to you about.You need to enroll in one of the combat classes.”
“Why?”Did she sound out of breath?
“You need to learn better shielding.I teach several classes.”
“You?”Again, what was it with that breathy tone?Wave bit her lower lip.
“Me.There are other teachers, but with shields, I’m the best.Grant is the top for offense, but you can’t take his courses before passing the basics on shielding and defense.”
“Defense.Like hand-to-hand, or spells?”
“I teach both,” Marc said easily.
“Could I learn to punchthroughthat shield of yours?”Now Wave was intrigued.Marc blinked up at her, and a small smile played on his lips.
“In time.”
Wave narrowed her eyes.“How much time?”
“Not in the basics class.”Marc laughed.
“Damn.”Wave pouted.
“I could give you private lessons though.”
“What’s with all the private tutoring I’m being offered?I heard a rumor,the Powerhousesdon’t dothat.”
“Well…” Marc hesitated.“We usually don’t, that’s true.But most of the time when someone comes looking for private lessons, it has nothing to do with the actual subject and everything to do with power plays and all that stupid shit.”
“And… why me?”
“Because you’re hot?”Marc grimaced immediately and rubbed his temples, before tugging her next to him as he started to walk toward The Whitney House.“I can’t get my mouth to behave around you,” he muttered under his breath.
“Well, you’re hot too, that doesn’t—”
Wave found herself mashed against a muscular chest, her toes hanging in the air as Marc’s lips slanted over hers.She expected him to be harsh, but the kiss he gave her was feather-light.He pulled back just the tiniest bit and leaned his forehead against hers.
“That’s why,” he whispered.
“Well, fuck,” Wave ground out.Marc was already pulling back when she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and pulled his lips back to hers.That tiny taste was nowhere near enough.
“Wh—”
Wave cut him off with her lips.Where he had been soft and delicate with her, she crushed her lips to his and slipped her tongue into his mouth.She had kissed Jarred on a whim, and it had been exciting and fun.Kissing Hellion had been hot as hell until he opened his mouth.
Kissing Marc was like coming home.He was steady as a rock, strong enough to hold her up and gentle enough to soothe her edges.She tangled her tongue with his, desperate for more.
Air wasn’t important.One more taste of him was.
Someone whistled.Wave didn’t care.She pulled back just enough to nip at his lower lip and then lick over it, before going in deep again.
More, more, more.
The chant pounded at the back of her mind.Marc had wide shoulders, but his waist was narrow enough that Wave could cling to him easily enough.Now, if she could slide down just a bit and grind herself against him, this would be perfect.
