I mimicked his motion and he corrected my stance and had me try again.
“Better. We need to get you in the weight room, so you’ll have more muscle behind your swing. You elbow someone in the gut hard enough, they’re gonna double over. When they do, you put your hands together and hit them square in the back right here.” He pressed a spot in my back. “Put all your weight into it. Then run like hell. They should be disabled long enough for you to get away. How fast can you run a mile?”
“Uh… I don’t run any miles at any speeds.”
“Okay. We’ll add cardio to your weight training.”
“I never even said yes to the weight training,” I objected, heading toward the kitchen. “All this talk about working out is making me want to drink. I have another flavor of Boone’s Farm to try out. You want a glass?”
Bones was hot on my heels. “No. And you don’t want one either. We’re hitting the gym bright and early in the morning and I’ve already seen what that shit does to you.”
I didn’t want to go to the gym in the morning. I wanted to get Bones drunk and possibly take advantage of him. Or get him to take advantage of me. But also, to make my plans sound less lecherous.
I opened the fridge, but he closed it and moved to block me.
“I will keep you safe, Ari, but you’re right. I can’t always be around. I need you to know how to handle yourself.”
“Do you insist on protecting everyone you know?” I asked, annoyed.
His gaze met mine and he squared his shoulders. “Only the people I care about.”
My pulse sped up as my stomach did a little flip.
“You wouldn’t believe some of the fucked-up shit people are capable of,” Bones continued. “I saw the way that asshole at the bus stop was looking at you. I see the way most men look at you. You’re gorgeous, and you need to know how to defend yourself in case some pervert stops thinking about what he wants to do to you and actually tries to do it.”
There’d been a guy checking me out at the bus stop? Bones was right, I did need to pay more attention to my surroundings. But I couldn’t focus on that right now because he’d called me gorgeous, and neither my brain nor my body could get past that fact. He was sending me all sorts of signals, and my engine was roaring and I was ready to go. Time to find out how gorgeous he really thought I was.
I closed the distance between us, pressing myself against his body. “What happens if they attack me from the front?”
His eyes dilated, and I could feel him growing against my stomach. He cleared his throat, then answered, “Eyes, throat, nose, anything soft. Use your phone as a weapon and jam the corner into their eye as hard as you can.” He grabbed my hand and showed me how to do it. “Don’t hesitate. Don’t worry about hurting anyone. You do what you have to do to make sure you don’t become a fuckin’ statistic.”
The combination of lust and fierce determination in his eyes was wreaking havoc on my stomach. He was still touching me. His fingers felt rough against my hand as we stared at each other. His gaze darted to my lips and he leaned forward, his breathing growing heavy. I inched closer, until less than an inch separated my mouth from his. We breathed the same air, neither of us moving. Then, he released my hand and grabbed my shoulders as his lips landed on mine.
His kiss was gentle at first, his tongue exploring the seam of my lips, asking for permission. I opened up to him, and he plunged in, pulling me against him as he backed me up. My chest felt heavy and my head felt light as he kissed the oxygen from my lungs and pressed me against the wall, trapping me. His hands roamed down the sides of my body, ripping a moan from my throat. I nipped at his lip and unbuttoned the top button of his jeans.
His hands grabbed mine, stopping me as he pulled away to look at me. “You sure you want this, babe?”
I bucked my hips away from the wall, so our lower bodies were touching again, then slid my hands up his shirt. “Positive.”
His eyes flared with lust, but his frown told me he was torn. “I don’t date, Ari. I don’t have the time for that shit, and the family is my priority. I can’t promise you… Fuck. I can’t promise you anything.”
“Cool, because I’m not asking for anything more than temporary use of your body.”
“We shouldn’t do this.”
“Why? We’re two consenting adults who are attracted to each other and want to get laid.” Not only did I want his body, but I wanted his protective nature, and the way he looked at me. If it was only for a night, so be it. But I fully intended to rock the hell out of his body and make sure he came back for more. I tugged at the hem of his shirt, but he grabbed my hands.
“Wait.”
Before I could object, he removed his jacket and shoulder holster, settling both against the back of my sofa. I glanced at the gun, unsurprised to see it. Everything about the way Bones carried himself made it clear that he was packing, both in his holster and in his pants.
He stood in front of me once again, and I pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. His chest was nothing but muscles and scars, speaking volumes about his dangerous lifestyle, and his stomach was wrapped.
“What’s this about?” I asked, gesturing at the wrap.
“Think I cracked one of my ribs.”
I arched my eyebrows at him.
