Grayson
“It’s her call.”
Wherever the hell her speed had come from, he was ready for it now. He slowed down his breathing, and had walked up to his starting mark when she threw him off again.
“Yeah, one more. Wrestling.”
Shocked, he looked to Eddie, who was looking at the floor with a smile.
Did anything this woman decided make sense?
He’d specifically been warned about wrestling her; he’d walked in earlier to her freaking out about a necklace, and now she wanted to wrestle someone who had her by eighty pounds of muscle?
Unable to follow the sheer lack of sense, he took off his hand pads.
He was here by her request; he might as well go with it.
For now. He shrugged and turned away for a drink.
“Do you want bottom or top start position?” Grayson asked, after he’d downed half his water bottle.
He tried not to make it sexual; innocent question, innocent expression on his face, but the expression on hers was obvious. Her cheeks flamed, and she lowered her gaze. It was such a submissive move, he almost smiled.
Grayson wanted nothing more than to pick her up and show her what it was to be in charge, but he couldn’t.
Not here, not now, and not with her. So he settled for a knowing smirk, which died when she picked her head back up and met his gaze head on.
No more flush, and no signs she’d ever been flustered. What the fuck?
“Head to head.”
Shaking his head, he looked at Eddie - and found no help there, since Eddie was already crouched down on one knee, ready to ref. He decided she had something to prove; to him or herself, he wasn’t sure, but there was absolutely no reason to try to take him on like this.
Now that he knew her best weapon was speed, she couldn’t possibly win. But he crouched and inhaled her scent as they posed head to head. She should have smelled terrible, but instead she smelled of sweat, yes, but with lavender and… was that apples, overriding his senses?
Eddie hit the mat to begin, and Grayson grabbed her arm to splay her on the mat and gain his hold. But instead of folding down, she twisted into him, fitting her back against his front.
He went for a chokehold, but her chin was faster than his arm and he couldn’t lock her neck. With surprisingly strong hands, she grabbed hold of his forearm, and bore all her weight straight down - she was heavier than he’d thought, since it tipped him forward and off balance.
Lexi took a knee, pivoted, and somehow he found himself on his back in an armbar. With his arm over-extending between her legs and her arching backwards, he would have no choice but to tap out.
He refused. Even with his arm screaming, his pulse was yelling louder and he flat out refused to tap.
With a massive groan, he curled over onto his left side, and felt a sharp fire in his shoulder, and heard the pop as his shoulder left the socket.
Lexi felt it too, and was startled enough to let his arm go entirely, freeing him to grab her left arm with his right hand.
He used her surprise and his legs to spin her around onto her stomach and bear his weight down on top of her for the pin.
He looked at Eddie, who only looked on, wide-eyed.
“No taps, no locks, and her shoulders aren’t flat on the floor, man.” Eddie said, throwing his hands into the air.
He groaned, putting his forehead down on her back briefly, and felt her panting.
“Give,” he said, pressing more firmly onto her upper body.
He was impressed; it seemed like she was bearing his weight fine.
Lexi attempted to push upward, using her head as leverage. All she managed to do was turn her head from left to right, and he thought she grunted as she tried to shift.
He heard a strangled, “No.”
With only his right arm available to him, he was limited. She was inching her legs up to get underneath her.
If she could push herself off the floor at all, he’d lose the advantage.
So he slid one foot to the inside of her right leg and kicked it back flat.
She tried bringing her left leg up, but as soon as she bent it he hooked his left foot around the outside of her knee.
Using his right knee to hold his own weight, he flipped her onto her back.