Three soft raps.
The door opens so fast he must’ve been standing right there. Julien fills the frame, shirtless, jeans riding low on his hips, hair damp and water beading on his collarbone, catching the lamplight from inside.
My mouth goes dry.
“Hey.” He steps aside, gesturing me inside.
I brush past him, and the smell of soap and aftershave? hits me. He closes the door, turning the lock with a soft click that makes me unusually nervous.
“Sienna mentioned a party?” I say, because apparently I’ve decided to lead with the most awkward topic possible.
“Cameron’s idea.” He moves into the main room, and I follow, watching the muscles in his back shift as he walks. “Social gathering. He was very specific about that terminology.”
“Sounds fun?”
“Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.” He turns to face me, leaning against the kitchen counter, arms crossed. “But he insisted.”
Say it. Ask him. “How was the lake?”
“Peaceful. That’s what your sister said.”
“That’s good.” My voice sounds tight, higher than normal. “Amelia looked happy when she got back.”
“She wanted to get out of that cabin. Can’t blame her.” He studies me, head tilted. “You want to go tomorrow? Continue our little battle?”
My brain short-circuits between yes please and absolutely not because it sounds dangerously like a date, and we don’t do that.
We do… whatever this is.
“Maybe.” I shrug, trying for casual and probably landing somewhere near manic. “So what’s today’s lesson?”
He walks to the center of the room, dragging the small coffee table aside to create space. Then he begins to circle melike a predator. My pulse kicks up as he completes a full circle, stopping directly in front of me.
“Hit me.”
“What?”
“Hit me.” No smile. No joke. “Hard as you can.”
“Julien, I’m not going to?—”
“Why not? We already did something similar the last weeks.”
“I know how to punch.”
“Do you?” One eyebrow arches. “Show me.”
This is stupid. I’m going to look ridiculous. But I raise my fist awkwardly, then tap his chest, the contact barely enough to wrinkle his shirt.
He sighs. “Dakota.”
“I’m not trying to actually hurt you.”
“I know. That’s the problem.” He circles me again, and I turn to keep him in sight. “In a real fight, hesitation gets you killed. Remember?”
“Yes, but?—”
“No buts. Hit me like you mean it.”
