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His blue eyes were still warm, but he nodded. “Shall we practice you breaking a few holds? But maybe don’t poke my eye out.” He winked.
He wrapped his arms around her lower back and had her pinned tight against his chest before she realized what had happened. His breath seemed to come as quick as hers, and the way his breath brushed her cheek made her light-headed. He smelled clean and irresistibly fresh. If he moved his mouth just enough, their lips would brush. Her heart hammered in her ears.
“Okay, love.” Chandler’s words were a caress against her cheek. He hadn’t called her a term of endearment since he first held her at the lacrosse game, and it made her weak for him. She leaned into his hold, which she was certain was the exact wrong move if he had been a bad guy.
“Don’t really hurt me,” he continued, though it didn’t sound like he thought she could hurt him, “but if somebody has you face-to-face like this, a quick knee to the groin is always a good option, but you have to mean it and you have to do it quick.”
Her eyes widened. She could not do that to him. He’d devastated her emotionally at sixteen, but she would never want to hurt him. What did she want? Mostly an apology and for him to convince her he’d never ditch her again.
He chuckled and released her. She staggered, unsteady by the sudden loss of his touch. “Bring your knee up quick and show me.”
She tried to obey, but it was obviously lacking conviction and wouldn’t be effective.
“Since the person would have you wrapped up, you can actually use that against him.” He didn’t comment on her pathetic attempt but rested his hands loosely on her shoulders. “Grab onto my biceps and use that to stabilize yourself as you bring your knee up hard.”
She wrapped her hands around his biceps, but she couldn’t focus. His muscles were perfectly developed and she really enjoyed touching them. It brought her back to that magical summer and how every touch had been full of tingles and promise. She hadn’t believed in either for a long time, but with Chandler so close, the hope of a future with this incredible man was shimmering and maybe even within reach.
“Okay. Bring your knee up.” He stayed a safe distance away, but she used his arms as a stabilizer and brought her knee up much harder and surer than before. She was proud of herself for reacting when her mind was completely distracted.
“Perfect,” he said. “Now I release you for just a second, and what do you do?”
Get lost in his captivating blue eyes?No, that wasn’t right. “R-Run?”
“Yes. If at all possible, get away, and with your earpiece in and the camera and mic on, we’ll be coming for you as soon as you are in trouble. Bailey, Reed, and Klein will be moments away.”
That was reassuring. “Thank you,” she said.
He nodded, but before she could say anything else, his hands moved quickly and he flipped her around to face away from him, wrapping his arms tight around her abdomen. “Okay. Someone comes at you from behind. Any ideas?”
“Um …” Enjoy the feel of his arms? Ask him how he developed such nice muscles in his chest? Was that all lacrosse, Delta training, or did he do weight training as well?
She could not think straight. She loved being close to him far too much. All the memories of him that she’d clung to, even as she tried to forget them, were intermingling with all the sweet, and she thought sincere, words he’d said earlier. She was filled with the desperate hope that Chandler could not just be in her future butbeher future.
If she tilted her head back and kissed him, what would he do?
“The instep thing?” she fumbled to ask instead of giving into the desire filling her.
“Yes, perfect. Stomp down hard on his instep, elbow him down low, and then if that doesn’t work, jab your elbow back into his neck. Try it out.”
She went through the motions, not really hitting him.
Chandler gently turned her to face him but released her from his grasp. “Good. We’ll keep working on a lot more tomorrow. Especially how to pull the knife out, once the tailor comes and we figure out where to sew it in. We can’t prepare for everything, but the most important thing is to use your knife, or any weapon you can reach, and try to get away. A man will be strong, but everyone is vulnerable and like I said, we’ll be coming for you, so don’t stress.” He stopped talking and studied her.
“Are you?” she asked, completely enraptured by his gaze.
He arched an eyebrow. “Am I …?”
“Vulnerable.” She loved the way his thick brown lashes outlined his blue eyes.
He swallowed, and then a soft smile crossed his face. It wasn’t his usual smile; it was … vulnerable. He didn’t say anything, and the silence stretched to almost awkward. Kylee was tempted to back away and change the subject, but something was happening between them and her guard was down and she was more vulnerable than she wanted to admit. She wanted him and hoped she wouldn’t live to regret it when he ghosted her and went back to his famous life and dating every other girl.
“Kylee.” His voice was deep and unsteady. He took a deep breath and said, “There’s always been something in your eyes that makes me feel like I’m a superstar. Like I’m the best man in the world.”
She saw him as that, but it was interesting that he felt something so deep when she looked at him. She felt a similar way—his blue eyes swept her away, made her feel like the only woman he’d ever want or need, and made her forget the hurt falling for him could cause. The connection between them was pulsing, and she wanted to insulate the line and not let it fray. But it had frayed before, just like her only connection to her family had frayed. She was terrified of being hurt and alone again.
He stepped in closer. “But then I get scared to let you see how vulnerable I am to you.” He reached up and gently framed her face with his palms. His right thumb gently caressed her lips, and she let out a soft sigh. He leaned in. “I’m scared to get hurt again.”
That made her eyes widen. Him get hurt? She was the one who got hurt last time.
