She would never have the muscle or strength he had. That was a certainty. “Show me.”
“Like I was telling you last time, if you are grabbed from behind, you’ll want to hold yoursgianlike this.” He held the knife with the fake blade pointing downward. “And when you have the opportunity, stab backward into his body.” Keegan thrust the knife blade behind himself toward an invisible attacker. “Now, you try it.” He handed her the carved wooden stick. “Face away from me so I can see your movements.”
Trying to imagine being in the grips of an outlaw, she drove the fake knife backward into thin air.
“Aye. Good. Now, I’m going to pretend to be an outlaw capturing you.”
Surprised by his words, she glanced around at him. He was going to grab her?Heavens!Her skin heated with anticipation.’Tis only for practice, she told her wayward body.
He paused. “Are you in agreement?”
“Aye. I need the practice.”
“Don’t hurt me.” He grinned.
She lifted a brow and sent him a saucy look. “’Tis a risk you take if you assume the outlaw role.”
“Indeed.” His smile widened, but he didn’t move.
When she faced the opposite wall again, he stealthily moved in behind her, covered her mouth with one hand and wrapped his other arm around both hers, trapping them. She was so stunned by his body heat, she couldn’t think or act for a moment. When he lifted her into the air in one second and turned with her, she wasamazed at his strength.
Forcing her brain to function, she thrust the wooden knife backward toward him. She missed, but tried again. This time, she met resistance.
He grunted, then murmured in her ear, “Try it again. Harder.”
Saints!She didn’t want to hurt him. While it was true the wooden knife wouldn’t cut him, it might leave a bruise.
“Come now, lass. Show me what you’ve got,” he encouraged.
She shoved the fake knife backward again, driving it against what seemed to be his lower abdomen. ’Twas like trying to drive the stick into granite.
“Again. Harder,” he commanded.
She let loose and did it three more times.
Finally, he released her. “Well done.”
“Did I bruise you?” She glanced down at his trim waist.
“Nay. Don’t worry about me. I simply wanted you to know how it would feel if you stab a man, trying to make him release you. If you’d had a sharp blade, you would’ve done some damage.”
“I did hurt you, then?” She wanted to see if she had left horrible red marks on his bare skin. “You kept sayingharder.”
“Seona.” He shook his head and took her hand. His warm fingers surrounded hers, filling her whole body with comfort. “Nay, you did not hurt me.” Taking the wooden knife, he stroked his thumb across her open palm, sending tingles up her arm. “Now, I want you to practice slashing. You would do this if the attacker is coming at you from the front. This will give you a little extra time to escape him.” He stepped back and swung the knife in a half circle at arm’s length. “If he is extending his hand to grab you, you may cut his hand or his arm. You try.”
She took the knife and mimicked his movements several times.
“You’re a quick learner,” Keegan said.
“’Tis because you are a gifted teacher.” Moving forward, she offered the wooden knife to him.
Instead of taking it, he encircled her hand with his larger one. A heated sensation poured from where he touched her. “And you are a beautiful, resilient woman who has bewitched me,” he murmured, his deep voice the most seductive sound she’d ever heard.
Her breath halted and she couldn’t think what to do or saynext. The knife slipped from her fingers and thumped to the carpet. He ignored it and stared intently into her eyes.
What was he thinking? Would he kiss her? Her heartbeat accelerated in anticipation.
Slowly, he moved closer until they were standing toe to toe.
