Chapter 3
Lacey
I loosen my grip on the dumbbell and relax my shoulders, unwilling to reveal to Cameron how much his presence unnerves me. Not in a scary way. Nope. I have nothing to fear from this big, sexy man.
He’s a protector.
And only here temporarily.
Heat flared between us when we’d danced during Beckett and Riley’s wedding reception a couple of weeks ago, but I immediately put the ice on our attraction. And he got the message.
A good thing. Really good.
And if I keep telling myself that maybe I’ll convince my rebellious body to believe me. Right now, she’s all in for this man with broad shoulders, inked muscular arms, and a tapered waist leading to delicious discoveries below that beltline.
But surely, I can take up his offer without losing control over my senses. “I’ve got a couple of days before I return to Atlanta. So, sure. Why not? If it’ll help me feel safer when I’m on my own again, that’s a good thing.”
“Great.” Cameron closes the distance between us, and the air in the training facility buzzes with unspoken energy, the scent of man and musk wafting around me. He holds out his hand. “I’ll rack your weight, and we’ll get started.”
As I pass the free weight to him, my fingers brush against his.
A zip of electricity tingles along my skin and dives straight to my nipples.
I cross my arms as he places the weight in the open slot next to its matching weight.
Inhaling a deep breath, I tell myself to cool down and stay focused on learning the moves, not on the man’s incredible, strong body or my reaction to him.
He doesn’t miss a beat, striding to an open sparring area. “You coming?” he asks over his shoulder, his voice steady, deep, and tinged with a trace of amusement.
His gray T-shirt clings to his back, and a faint scar peeks out from beneath the sleeve hugging his powerful bicep.
My mouth waters and I swallow hard, then go to where he’s standing. “Where do we begin?” I ask.
“With the basics.” He steps closer, his tone softening. “Self-defense is about leverage, timing, and not hesitating when you need to act.” Cameron demonstrates a quick block and a jab, his movements precise, almost too fast to follow.
“Your turn.” He places his hands over mine, guiding me in slow motion through the mechanics of a defensive move.
The warmth of his palms lingers wherever he touches me as he adjusts my stance.
He steps back though his proximity still makes my heart flutter furiously behind my ribcage. “Better. Now, try it on me.”
I hesitate. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
A grin tugs at his lips. “You won’t. But give it your best shot anyway.”
I square my shoulders and lunge. He deflects me effortlessly, spinning me around in one fluid motion, his arm wrapping lightly around my waist to steady me.
The world tilts for a second as I meet his gaze—close enough to notice the faint hint of stubble along his square jaw, the glint of admiration in his whiskey eyes.
“Not bad,” he says, his voice low, almost teasing. “But you’re holding back.”
Heat fills my cheeks, and I lift my chin. “Maybe I’m saving my best for later.”
His grin widens, full of challenge. “Good. Because I’m not letting you leave until I know you can knock someone like me flat on their back.”
More amusement sparks in his eyes, causing a fluttery feeling in my stomach and sending more tingles along my nerves. I take a deep breath, mirror his grin. “Then I’ll do my best to impress you,” I say.
“Oh, you’re already impressing me.”
“Ha. Quit flirting and start teaching me those moves.”
“You’ve got it.”
Chemistry crackles between us as he demonstrates more moves.
Every adjustment he makes to my stance shoots shivers down my spine.
I can’t deny the thrill of excitement coursing through me as we move in synchrony across the sparking area.
Despite my initial reservations about getting too close to Cameron, I’m enjoying every moment of our training session.
He taught me how to get out of a hold, what to do if someone tried to choke me—from in front and from behind. I know how to run a palm straight into a man’s nose and jamb my thumbs in his eyes. The lessons are brutal and gruesome.
But necessary.
He put me through the paces, reminding me again and again that if it is my life or someone else’s, I have to choose mine. Sure. I’ve got bruises on my bruises, and my ass hurts from constantly dropping on the mat, but I’m slowly getting a natural instinct to defend myself.
After several rounds of practicing blocks and strikes, he steps back, and his gaze lingers over me. “You’re a quick learner.”
“Thanks. But I still haven’t got you flat on your back,” I say. Suddenly, the image of getting this strong, sexy as hell man on his back and covering him with my body flashes like a neon sign in my brain.
Everything in me goes on full alert. I want him.
Not just because he’s hot, built like a precision instrument with washboard abs, a chiseled butt, and powerful, muscular legs and arms. But because he’s easy to be around. And he doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Plus, he’s been careful not to take advantage of our proximity, the closeness of training me. He’s been honorable, good.
Awareness, the sizzle of something more, sparks in his eyes and sends delicious thrills through my entire body.
“So, you want to keep going and get to that next level or do you want to call it a night and try again tomorrow?” he asks.
The air between us crackles with more unspoken, palpable desire.
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the rapid beating of my heart as I meet his intense, dark, and gleaming gaze.
“We should probably call it a night, but…” Silence now stretches between us and the walls seem to create a cocoon around us, enveloping us in our own world, one where anything is possible.
Including acting on our impulses.
But before things can escalate further, Cameron clears his throat and takes a step back. “We should probably call it a day before things get out of hand,” he says, a hint of regret flickering in those sexy, smokey eyes.
I feel a pang of disappointment but nod in agreement.
“Right,” I say. “It’s getting late anyway.
“And as much as I want to take this intense attraction between us to the next level, I tell myself the only reason I want him at all is because of recent events freaking me out, driving me out of my home and seeking safety.
“I’ll walk you back to the lodge.”
“Thanks,” I say, accepting the offer because I truly don’t want to be alone.
“We can hook up tomorrow morning before I start going through the recruit files for Select Protectors.”
“Great. What time?”
“Just text me when you’re heading over.”
I quickly zip him a text with my name after he tells me his number. I probably shouldn’t keep getting up close and personal with him for these workouts, but I can control myself.
Really.
Ha. I know I’m lying to myself. Especially as he escorts me out of the training center, his body emanating heat and sexual energy.
Because I want to lean into that energy, use it to push the week’s events out of my mind.
But a rom-com, a couple of glasses of wine, and a chat fest with my bestie will be my go-to escape route.
Because Cameron isn’t a safe bet. Not when I know the kind of life he leads. One that puts him in danger on a regular basis and drives him away from home for weeks at time, sometimes months.
I’ve lived that life as an air force military brat.
And I’m determined not to repeat that life. Stability, a permanent place to call home and, if the universe deals me the right cards, a relationship with a guy who wants the same things.
Cameron is not that guy.