“It can get intense.” The dark note of warning in his tone has excitement bubbling in my gut.
“Good. I already want to kick your ass more. Let’s get to it.”
I move closer, but Denver doesn’t move, just holds my eyes beneath his creased brow.
“Come on.”
“You can trust me, Sinclair. I’ll never hurt you. But if we do this properly, then there might be moments where you question that. Seconds where you truly believe what we’re doing is real. Where you’re scared.”
I straighten up and hold his eyes.
“I can handle it.”
He stares back at me.
“Denver! I. Can. Handle. It.” I step closer until I’m toe to toe with him. “I’m going back to the city next week for my showwhether you damn well like it or not. So you can either stand there looking like some serious statue, or you can train me in a way that I’ll get the most out of it. Okay?”
His nostrils flare. He’s still looking at me like he’s trying to decide whether I can deal with it or not.
“Okay?” I say again, waiting until he jerks his chin in a swift nod like he’s being forced into doing something that wasn’t his idea in the first place.
I pat his chest with my palm. “There’s a good boy.” I smile sweetly. “Now can we please get on with it?”
There’s a deep grunt from his chest as he spins me easily, like I’m a doll, putting me back into the same position he had me in before. I suck in deep breaths through my nose as his hand clamps over my mouth.
“You wanted to get on with it?” His breath is warm against my ear as he whispers in a hoarse voice.“How about I get on with you, baby?”
I freeze as his words seep into me. His grip on me remains steady as he waits for my reaction. Seconds pass until the heat of his lips so close to my ear snaps something inside me.
Everything happens fast. I drag the heel of my sneaker down his shin, scraping as hard as I can, then I seize the opportunity to bite his hand as it loosens its grip on my mouth. He lets me go, and despite being sure it’s just to give me some confidence and he could have easily kept his grip on me, I’m grinning as I spin around to face him.
“Oh my god, you’re right! It’s working. Let’s go again. Make it worse this time. I want to feel the need to obliterate you running through me.”
I lunge toward him eagerly, but Denver moves back, holding his hands up in front of him.
“We should start slow.”
“Forget slow. Do your worst.” I move toward him again, but he moves back, and I huff. “Come on. I’m getting somewhere. Please, Denver. You want to help me, don’t you?”
His eyes hold mine and I blow out a small, frustrated scream. “What? You’re worried I can’t take it? Because I’m stronger than you think.”
“I know you’re strong,” he says, his eyes darkening.
“Then do it! Come for me. I’m ready.” I bounce on my toes, brimming with adrenaline as I picture the look on his face when I really manage to escape him, and not because he’s gone easy on me. “Don’t be a pussy,” I taunt.
“A pussy?” One of his thick brows arches.
“You heard me.” I smirk. “A big muscly Brute like you, and you’re just a pussy really.”
His lips twitch and then he comes for me. I forget to react for a heartbeat, momentarily stunned by how hot his hands are on my flesh as he curls them around my sides beneath my cropped workout vest. He lifts me off the floor, bringing me down onto my back on the mat. I prepare to go for his hair and face again, but his eyes glint before he spins me onto my front, pinning me beneath him.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he rasps. “But you don’t want me going easy on you, remember? So let’s try a new position for you to get out of.”
“Fuck you,” I snarl, jerking my head back to try and hit him in the nose.
He pins my hands together at the base of my spine and uses a knee to knock my thighs wider. Then his body is back against mine, pressing down.
“You look good from this angle,baby,” he rasps, running his nose up the side of my neck and making me shiver.
