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And then The Raven appeared, swooping in out of the blue.
I tried to grab my pen but I only brushed my hand over loose, pocketless sweatpants. Instead, I balled my hands and focused my attention on Shannon.
“There are four distances of attack that we will look at: kicking distance, punching distance, grabbing distance and what to do if you are pinned on the floor.”
After Quinn and Shannon demonstrated a few defensive moves, they paired us all up to practice.
My partner Genna, a Hispanic woman with a nervous smile and painted eyes, didn’t hesitate to launch herself at me. I fumbled a block. After we righted ourselves, Shannon touched my arm.
“Mind if I give you a few pointers?”
“Go right ahead.”
She showed me how to angle my hand so I wouldn’t be likely to sprain or break my wrist in an attack. “Keep your fingers angled toward your attacker, you want them to hit their eyes.”
Over her shoulder, Quinn and Cheddar were chuckling at something. Quinn drew Cheddar close, showing him how to grab an attacker’s neck and bend him forward. I mimicked the move on my partner, getting a cheer from Shannon.
“Good,” she said, sincere and—relieved?
How much did teaching these classes remind her of Hunter? I was under no illusion that she taught them for any other reason than wishing her brother had been able to protect himself.
“Keep practicing,” she murmured and moved on, freeing my vision of Quinn and Cheddar yakking easily as they blocked and attacked.
Quinn’s gaze flickered in my direction for a brief moment, and then he laughed loudly at something Cheddar said.
“All right,” Shannon called out. “Swap partners. Get a feel for how someone else attacks and how to respond. Remember, confidence.”
I thanked Genna and picked a path to Quinn. “Okay, let’s do this,” I said, planting myself front of him.
He blinked down at me, his brow creasing slightly in the middle. For a moment he said nothing, just stared. And then a professional, relaxed Quinn said, “Feet shoulder-width apart.”
His hand landed on my upper arm and his fingers slid down my sleeve as he coaxed me forward. “Lean slightly inward. Keeping your balance is essential.”
“It’s been a busy few days,” I said, practicing throwing a palm-punch to his face. My fingertips brushed over his nose, cheek, and the side of his eye. His eyelashes scraped over the pad of my thumb as he blinked. “Hope you haven’t been making dinner expecting I would come.”
No answer.
“If you have, I’m sure it made for good lunches.”
Quinn stepped closer, slowly sliding his hand around the back of my neck. His palm was warm where he pushed me down. “Try it,” he said.
It was the same move I’d watched him show Cheddar, the one I’d practiced on Genna a few times already. I copied step-by-step, catching the tips of Quinn’s hair on the length of my fingers as I steered him down.
When he came back up, I waited for his comment. Again, nothing.
It was my turn to frown. I started to describe how well I executed that maneuver, when he suddenly spoke. His words were puffs of air against my cheek as he locked his arms tightly around me. “You look different without your glasses on.”
Per Shannon’s earlier instruction, I shifted into his embrace instead of against it, pressing quickly against him and steering my thigh to his crotch in a would-be kick. I smirked. “You look different without my glasses on too.”
This was the part where Quinn was supposed to show how my moves affected his balance and stumble backward in submission.
He didn’t. He tightened his arms instead until I was cocooned in warmth, the light smell of Axe mingled with sweat filling my nose. He said quietly into my hair, “Did you ever get that date?”
“Yes.” I pushed until our bodies were flush. “Friday.”
This time when I lifted my thigh to his groin, I knocked him enough off balance that he didn’t have to feign stumbling. He caught himself, straightened quickly, and acknowledged the move by cocking his head.
“I got myself a date too,” he said.
He had? “Who with?”
Quinn jerked his thumb toward Cheddar.
“The cheese?”
Lips stretched into a satisfied smile as he crossed his arms. “My favorite.”
“To each his own, obviously.”
“It won’t bother you?”
“We’ve been over this, Quinn. No freaking out, I promise.”
“Not that. I mean—”
“Oh,” I said. Was he worried I would take it the wrong way because of our kiss the other day? I quickly shook my head. “I’m not jealous or anything if that’s what you’re asking. I mean, the kiss was great, Quinn. It opened my eyes to new possibilities that I need to investigate further. But I can promise you, I’m not going to act weird around you or suffer under a pathetic crush.”
Quinn’s cheeks bloomed with color and he scratched the back of his head. “Right. No pathetic crush. Good.”
