Several members of the black belt class filed into the gym and began stretching on the mats in the farcorner.
Hannah’s mom turned around. “Are you a friend of Mr. Wilde’s?” she askedAlexandra.
As Alexandra smiled, her cheeks warmed. “Yes, weare.”
“He’s my teacher!” The child beamed. “And he’s thebest!”
Alexandra and Kimberly laughed. “Sounds like you like your teacher,” Kimberly said. “We’re fond of him,too.”
Here we go.“How long have you been studying karate?” Alexandraasked.
“I’m a yellow belt,” Hannah said, then fiddled with herhair.
Hannah’s mom placed a soft hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Hannah started over the summer. As you can see, our six year old has a lot ofenergy.”
“Mr. Wilde is so generous.” She leaned toward Alexandra, cupped her hand next to her mouth and whispered, “He paid for mylessons.”
Wow. What’s that all about?Alexandra glanced at the child’sparents.
“Okay, Hannah,” said her mom. “That’s enough, young lady. Why don’tyou—”
“She’s darling,” interrupted Kimberly. “Hannah, what is it about Mr. Wilde that makes him thebest?”
Staring at her mom, Alexandra raised her brows. Could she be moreobvious?
“He’s fun and he’s nice,” Hannah explained. “At first, I was scared but he always says ‘good job’. And we get high-fives at the end of every class.” She continued wiggling. “He’s been studying karate for a lo-o-o-ngtime.”
Hannah’s dad pulled his daughter onto his lap. “Sorry. She’s quite achatterbox.”
“It’s lovely meeting one of Crockett’s students and his parents, isn’t it, Alexandra?” Kimberly patted her daughter’sthigh.
Alexandra smirked at her mother.Why do I feel like Hannah isn’t the only child in thisconversation?
Refocusing her attention, Alexandra watched Crockett stretching on the mat in his blackgi. Confidence radiated off him. And then, as if he could feel her eyes on him, he peered into the crowded bleachers. Their eyes met, her heart flipped. Even across the room, energy crackled between them. She gave him a little wave and he tossed her anod.
Hannah leaped up and waved. “Mr. Wilde!” When Crockett waved back, she jumped up anddown.
Kimberly leaned over and whispered, “I wishyouwere that excited to seehim.”
Alexandra laughed. “I would be if I weresix.”
An hour into the event, Crockett rose. From the second he stepped onto the mat, Crockett Wilde owned that space. Though his opponent was a physical match, Crockett dominated. To say he was self-assured was an understatement. Based on the intensity in his eyes, his rival didn’t stand achance.
After facing each other, the two black belts bowed and the sparring began. Crockett moved with the speed and grace of a cheetah and attacked with the same ferocity. He outsmarted and outmaneuvered. Laser-focused, he never once took his eyes off hisadversary.
Though Alexandra abhorred physical violence of any kind, she sat transfixed. Impressed and in awe, her opinion of him shifted. Sweet, patient Crockett Wilde morphed into a beast, determined to win. Second tonone.
There was power and precision in every kick, every punch, every shout, yet he moved with cat-like speed when confronted with those of hisopponent.
She knew so little about him outside of their interview and their sexual romps at the club. Yet, he’d given her a place to live, shared his bed, even. He’d pulled her from her car during the snowstorm and he’d agreed to help her pursue a hunch with his very expensive surveillanceequipment.
And he had the courage to tell her the truth about her mother when her own familywouldn’t.
For as long as she could remember, Alexandra had locked herself in an emotional prison to avoid the heartache ofabandonment.
Crockett used his pain to fuel him. His aggression aroused her. His zeal appeared to have no limit. For that brief moment, she wondered how her life would change if she let go of her fears and loved him. When she was eighteen, loving him had changed her for the better but losing him had changed her for theworse.
Could she push past her fear and take a chance on loving himagain?
