Chapter 18 #3
“Nothing,” I say, before pressing my lips firmly together to contain my laughter.
Blake’s gaze lingers on me with an intensity I haven’t noticed before.
Did he hear what I said? Does he think I picture him in bed?
Because I don’t. Well, aside from that weird dream I had this morning.
But that’s just a subconscious thing, probably from all the stress.
My palms start to feel clammy, and my heart rate increases at the thought of him thinking that I do picture us in bed.
But I can’t. I couldn’t even picture him picking me up, my legs wrapping tightly around his waist while he grabs my ass, my fingernails raking across his broad back .
. . it’s unfathomable. I shake the thought away.
“We’re going to start with the basics of hand-to-hand combat,” Blake says, continuing to pace.
“This is a last resort if you’re disarmed or caught off guard without a weapon, which will happen at some point.
Would someone care to come up and demonstrate an exercise with me?
” He scans the group, waiting for a volunteer.
“What’s he gonna do? Beat the shit out of Elaine to teach the group?” I whisper to Tessa. She cups her mouth to hold back laughter.
“Casey!” Blake points at me. “How about you come on up?”
I give Tessa a strained look.
“Looks like he’s going to beat the shit out of you to teach the rest of us,” she says with a laugh.
Blake beckons by curling his finger.
I let out a sigh and make my way to the front. It’s quiet, save for the grass crunching beneath my feet as the group waits on bated breath for the spectacle that’s about to take place. I take my place a few feet from Blake and wait for his instructions.
“Thank you for volunteering, Casey.” He smirks.
“I didn’t volunteer. You . . .”
“Let’s give Casey a round of applause, everyone!” Blake turns to the group and starts clapping. In response, clapping begins but in off beats with muted slaps.
“Go, Casey,” Elaine cheers. She’s the only one displaying any sort of enthusiasm, but I think it’s because she’s just happy to be doing something different from gardening and cooking.
“All right, so for this first exercise, I want Casey here to try and take me to the ground. She doesn’t have to pin me, she doesn’t have to get me to tap out, she just needs to make my feet leave—”
I drop my shoulder into Blake’s side while he’s still explaining the instructions and drive through the tackle, taking him to the ground.
“Ufff,” he moans, hitting the hard dirt.
There’s a mix of muted laughter and gasps as I lie on top of him, grinning.
“You didn’t wait for my go-ahead,” he says.
I climb off Blake’s muscular torso and get to my feet. “Is that what usually happens in combat? Does the enemy call out I’m ready?” I chuckle.
Blake stands and brushes off the grass and dirt clinging to his pants, staring at me tight-lipped. “What I meant to say was well done, Pearson. The element of surprise is a powerful tool indeed.”
He comes across like a mix between a game show host and a karate instructor, clearly trying to hide his anger and embarrassment. I already know my next bout with him will not be so easy.
“Since you seem to have successfully completed challenge number one, why don’t we move on to the next?” Blake smirks.
“Why don’t we.” I smile back.
“This time, I want you to get me to tap out, in any way you can.”
“Any way I can?” I raise a brow, inviting him to reconsider his choice of words.
“Any way you can.”
Blake takes a step back, squaring up with me.
I get into position, a slight crouch with my arms out in front.
He nods and furls his fingers, inviting me to attack.
This time he’s more than ready for me. I can see the determination in his eyes, and I know that, head-on, I stand no chance.
His size and strength will make short work of me.
The fight will be over before it begins.
I fake low and then come up quickly like I’m going to throw a punch with the plan to dive low again as soon as he rises to counter the hit, but he doesn’t move.
He doesn’t even flinch. It’s like he’s in my head.
I back off and try again, erratically switching between fake jabs, lunges, and side steps, but none of it works.
Blake remains stoic, watching my core, realizing that I can’t move if the rest of my body doesn’t move with me.
He and my dad must have been training together.
I’m going to have to let him counter my first attack, but what position sets me up best for my own retaliation?
Think, Casey. I try to recall everything Dad taught me, but I’m drawing a blank, and it’s because Blake is staring at me. Did he just wink? I think he winked at me. Oh yeah, he’s inside my head. But he’s not gonna stay there.
I fake a jab and shoot low, knowing that Blake will likely jump back and press me down into the ground face-first, neutralizing my efforts and leaving me exposed.
Just as I suspect, when I dive low, his legs pop back and his weight shifts forward, his hands shooting at me, ready to drive me into the ground—but at the last second, I sidestep, letting his own momentum take him down.
In an instant, I’m on top of him, wrapping my arm around his throat and using my opposite hand to pull back as hard as I can.
He’s in a choke hold, so he should be tapping out in less than thirty seconds. Maybe I should count down for him . . .
Suddenly, I’m floating in the air, or at least it feels that way. Blake starts to stand, and I wrap my legs around his waist so I won’t fall off. He’s on his feet again with ease, as if I’m not even on his back choking him out.
“Come on, Casey. Kill him,” Tessa yells.
“Tessa! This is training,” her mother chides her.
Blake grabs my arm with one hand and flails his other backward, getting a hold of my other arm. In one quick motion he bucks forward and yanks, sending me flying and tumbling to the ground.
Standing over me, he smiles down, still catching his breath from my choke hold.
“Not bad, Doomsday.” Blake extends a hand to me.
I swat it away and pull myself up.
“Again,” I say, turning to face him while sucking wind. My back aches from hitting the ground, but I ignore the pain. I’ll deal with that later, after I beat Blake.
“You sure you wanna do that?” He tilts his head, giving me an amused look.
“Oh yeah. Let’s go, boat boy.”
He furrows his brow. “Boat boy?”
“You know, because of the navy and, like, boats and stuff . . . shut up,” I say. I’m flustered and already sore. I’m beyond tired too, because he woke me up before the crack of dawn.
“You got this, Casey,” Tessa yells. “Not the trash talk, though, but we’ll work on that later.”
“Okay, come and get it.” Blake grins. He crouches a little, beckoning me with both hands. Oh, I’ll get it, Blake. I’ll get it so hard. Tessa’s right—I should stop with the trash talk, both internal and external. Just focus on taking him down.
I steal a couple of deep breaths and charge forward.
This time I don’t bother to try to fake him out.
I run straight at him, fully erect and upright.
He’s so confused that he just absorbs my body crashing into him.
Rather than a full-on attack, it looks like the most aggressive hug anyone’s ever given.
Blake glances down at me in surprise as I’m wrapped in his arms. “What was that?”
“This,” I say, raising my leg and kneeing him right in the dick.
He sinks to his knees, moaning. His hands go straight to his crotch, holding it as he sucks in air. Several people gasp. Tessa claps and cheers.
“I’ll get some ice,” Elaine calls out as she scurries to the house.
“Don’t waste the ice on Blake’s nuts!” Tessa yells, but Elaine either doesn’t hear her or ignores the request.
“I think you’re the one that needs the training,” I say with a smirk.
My expression quickly fades as I’m pulled to the ground by Blake’s massive hands. He lies across me, putting the bulk of his weight on my chest, sapping me of any air. I try to free my arms from under him, but it’s no use. All my strength and energy are gone.
“Get . . . off . . . me,” I wheeze with the little oxygen I have left.
“Say please,” he whispers. His hot breath enters my ear, making the tiny hairs rise to meet it.
“Plee . . .” I gasp for air.
“Sorry. What was that?”
“Pleeeease.”
In a flash, all the air in the world seems to rush into my lungs at once as Blake crawls off me. He grabs my hand, and with one fell swoop, I’m shot back up onto my feet. Doubling over, I pant and cough.
Blake pats me on the back and says, “You’ll be all right.”
He adds, “Everyone, another round of applause for Casey!” His words evoke the same tepid and bewildered response from the group.
I stand up straight, still breathless, and smack my hand onto his shoulder.
Blake flinches, turning to me with a fixed gaze.
“I almost had you,” I say.
“Almost is the key word.”
“One day, your ass will be mine, Blake.”
He simpers. “I can’t wait.” Before I can respond, he leans into me and whispers, “But until then, you’re still not ready.”