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The conversation turned limp like noodles boiling in water. The three of them sat in silence while Snow’s legs brushed against Hunter’s on one side and Eric’s on the other. She tapped her fingers together, trying to think of something else they could talk about.
“Do you do a lot of martial arts?” she asked, attempting to bring the conversation around to their date.
Eric glared at Hunter before answering and the message was clear: he didn’t want to talk about this, not when the wagon had a third wheel.
“What about you?” Snow veered to Hunter. Her exasperation was brewing, and they hadn’t even made it to their destination yet.
“All of my combat training came during BIT,” Hunter said.
“BIT?”
“Basic training,” Eric answered, sending Hunter another glare. Did he expect her to ignore Hunter completely?
What was he so upset for? He hadn’t answered her question in the first place.
The driver pulled into the parking lot of a building featuring a red swish and the nameAxis Martial Arts. Eric exited and held out a hand for Snow, which she didn’t take. She didn’t need help getting out—and it seemed like a gesture to prove his ownership of her rather than a courtesy. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the evening sunlight, and Eric stared across the sparsely filled lot before turning to her.
“Sorry,” he said, rubbing a hand behind his neck. “You probably think I’m being petty right now.”
“A little,” she said. “I’m not dating Hunter, Eric.” Her stomach twisted at this. Maybe he’d gotten a vibe about them the night of the sleepover, but even if that was the case, it wasn’t her fault. “He’s not a contestant, okay? Buck up, let’s go in there and learn some self-defense.” She knuckled him on the shoulder.
Eric lowered his head with a grimace.
Hector approached with his camera in hand. “Hello, all.”
“Hi, Hector.”
“Ready to go on?” Hector asked.
Snow looked to Eric, who bobbed his head and offered her a hand. Snow smiled, but again, she didn’t take it.
She suspected Eric had wanted to impress her on this date, but his bravado was threatened by having someone like Hunter so close by. Snow wasn’t kidding when she’d told Juliet that her bodyguard was made of iron—but that wasn’t why she was ultimately impressed by him as much as his thoughtfulness or his reliability and the way being near him made her sizzle like a livewire. Didn’t Eric get that Snow didn’t care about the size of a man’s biceps or how much he could bench press?
She did care about the size of a man’s ego, though, and Eric wasn’t doing himself any favors by showcasing his.
Hunter lengthened his stride and reached the entrance first. He stepped inside, as he’d told Snow he would, to get a lay of the land and make sure everything was as it should be.
Snow moved forward with every intention of following him when Eric gripped her elbow and held her back, keeping her out on the sidewalk with him.
“Let’s ditch him,” he said, soft and fast under his breath.
“What?”
“I promise, I’m enough to keep you safe.”
She couldn’t believe this. “And go where? Self-defense was your idea.” She gestured to the dojo.
“I know, but I thought it would be just you and me. There’s a park back there. We can go and I’ll show you some moves.” He jutted his chin and licked his lips while twisting his arm as if to showcase his physique.
Sure he would.
“We came here to learn self-defense.” Snow brushed free of him and reached for the door. “Let’s stick to the plan.”
Eric pushed the door closed again. “Come on, Snow. You can’t seriously—”
Her frustration simmered. “Move your hand,” she said.
“It’s not like we have to stay.”
