"Now it's time to make sure you have the tools you need to keep it from happening again. What if by fighting back, you can keep it from happening again? Wouldn’t that be worth it, knowing if you do nothing, you will definitely be hurt?”
“You’re right.”
“Okay, so, the first thing is to make sure you know you deserve better and are able to tell someone no, and mean it, and have them listen. Now, tell me no, and push away from me and mean it."
Elle chewed her lip. "No." She tried to push from his grip, but he held her fast. "It didn't work."
Thor glowered at her. "Did you mean it?"
"N... no," she stammered. "I like it when you hug me." The words tumbled from her mouth before she stopped them. Her cheeks heated.
Thor's eyebrows rose, and something changed between them. Suddenly, heat sparked her skin once more. Thor's hand splayed on her back, sending warmth down her thighs.
He leaned in, and Elle's heart beat so fast she thought she might pass out. His lips moved closer to hers, and she sucked in a breath and held it.
Kiss her. Was he going to-
Before she finished the thought, his lips pressed to hers lightly. He pulled her closer, and she gripped the back of his shirt.
Kissed. She was being kissed. For the first time in her life. And by Thor, God of Thunder.
His lips pressed harder against hers and parted them. The tip of his tongue licked her bottom lip, making her gasp.
He pulled away. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."
"Why?"
"Because I am trying to teach you to stand up for yourself and be assertive, and I go and kiss you. I apologize."
"No," she said.
His brow creased. "No?"
"I don't want you to apologize. I don’t want you to be sorry."
A smile curved his lips. "Now if only you'd be that forceful when you're telling a different man not to touch you."
She smiled.
Thor picked up the locket she hadn't realized had slipped out of her shirt.
"What's this?"
Elle plucked it from his fingers. "A locket I made. It has my mother's portrait in it."
Thor touched the locket again. "You made this?"
She nodded. "With my own two hands."
He stared at it for a moment. "It's beautifully crafted. How did you learn to make it?"
"I... uh... I taught myself. I picked up metal scraps and... just made it."
He stared at it for a moment. "Have you made anything else?"
She shrugged. "A few things, but nothing with this complexity. The hinge was especially difficult to get right."
He inspected the locket. "You could sell things like this."
