57. Whose Lazy Ass
Whose Lazy Ass
“I’m ready to knock you on your ass!” Kate rolled her shoulders and neck for good measure as she breathed out those daring words. I am so not ready to follow through on that.
A boastful laugh filled the training room, hiding for a second the jingles of the boxing bag and the creaking mats below their bare feet. “Still so overly confident, I see, really thought you would have dialed it down by now, sweetheart.”
No matter how often they squared off against each other, each time again her stomach was a bundle of nerves.
But she wouldn’t allow it to show, even though knowing Lucien, he probably could taste it in the air like some damn lizard.
Hmm, the comparison fit his method of worming out beneath both punches and well… questions.
That last thought sent the tiniest bit of irritation gushing through her. She would be making good use of that. Wiggling her fingers at Lucien, she gritted out. “This time I will get you. I feel it in my bones.”
If I say it loud enough, maybe it’ll happen?
Kate took a second to breathe in the fresh scent of pine floating in through the window, steadying her nerves.
They were back in Big Sky, the same house that had been shooting fear right into her heart, but this time around she had only heaved a sigh of relief.
After driving for hours over the highway, fingers clenched around the wheel like she was in a sinking boat and it was her lifeline, they had made it back home.
Lucien had clapped her on the shoulders with a well done and that was it. They were back to where it had all started.
“You really ought to deliver on those threats of yours, dear.” Lucien raised his voice to a high pitch in an effort to mirror hers. “This time this, this time that. They’ve not been very… convincing thus far.”
She sniffed loudly. “You are getting your ass whooped today, if only to wipe that smug grin off your face.”
And get my frustration out on your deserving ass while I’m at it.
He shot her a shit-eating grin. “I will be eagerly awaiting.” He bent down into a deep bow. “Just remember to hold up your defense and you’ll be okay after.”
Oh, yes, because he would be merciless as per usual. She couldn’t keep track of the many bruises that had littered her body. All in the name of education. With that pleasant thought, she turned to reach for her boxing gloves. Only to find… bright pink gloves waiting for her. “Where are my gloves?”
“You’re looking at them, sweetheart.”
“No, I’m not. Mine are black and red, not pink like a freaking flamingo.”
She knew enough by the wolfish grin appearing on his face. He was very much trying to get her frustrated, one of his ploys to keep training real.
“I swear, Lucien, if this is one of those moments where you’re going to open your mouth about honing emotions…”
He stepped closer, slamming his black gloves together. “Then what, exactly?”
She groaned out loud. Ever since they had set foot off that playground, Lucien had been relentlessly annoying.
Every little word was twisted against her in jest. She knew why, to get a semblance of normalcy back between them.
He seemed almost desperate to pull a laugh out of her, or when that didn’t work out sent her into a raging fit.
Arguably, the last option was easier for him to succeed in.
Don’t. Let. Him. Win. She sucked in a calming breath, picking up the pink gloves while he stood by and watched her wriggle them on. They smelled… new. When had he even managed to swipe these up?
“That’s what I thought.” He mumbled with a nod. No doubt pleased with himself.
Calm, Kate, stay calm. She flashed him a beaming smile, forcing enthusiasm into her voice. “Are we going to get started or are you having second thoughts… Lucy?”
She watched with a smirk as he shivered. Two could play this game, and lucky her, she had also discovered ways to get under those well-kept nails of his.
But he merely shot her a final grin, lazily strutting over to the middle of the mat. “I thought you’d never ask, sweetheart.” He extended one gloved hand forward, waiting for her to join him. She got into her fighting stance and tapped her glove against his.
Game on.
Kate rocked back on her heels immediately, having felt the way he would launch himself toward her the second after the tap. She evaded his trick to ‘keep it real’ adeptly. But the step back meant she was already on defense. Not a good place to be.
She withstood his punches, firmly staying in place while he flicked her like she was nothing more than a boxing bag. She managed to drop her elbow just in time to save her precious liver from a punch. Only to receive an annoying little flick against her face a millisecond after.
No time to pat yourself on the back. Focus!
Corner. He was driving her back to a corner of the room. She sidestepped, only to be met with his body blocking her off.
Oh, he really wasn’t showering her with any mercy this time. Kate managed to duck below his left hook, stepping underneath with the full intention of pivoting out and away from the corner closing in on her back.
Too slow. Barely managing to slip beneath his jab and cross, she began to lose control of her breathing.
“Don’t forget to breathe, sweetheart.” The bastard in front of her threw her a wink. His voice still as calm as when they had started. The amused glint shining strong in his eyes sent her heart roaring as he drove her ever more toward that inevitable corner.
She felt it close in on her. His eyes didn’t leave hers for a second, enjoying her grappling for space.
Keeping her arms up and tightly against her body, she at least managed to defend most of the punches that rained down on her, and the ones that did land were quickly forgotten in the rage that was slowly starting to boil over.
“Good defense.” His eyebrows raised in genuine admiration. “Quite a feat, considering you’re being pressed into that corner like a little cute rabbit.”
She huffed. Ready to offer him a retort that no member of a church wanted to hear when he hit her with a swift jab to the cheek and a light hook to her clenched abdomen.
So much for honing emotions.
Weathering the flurry of attacks, she felt her back collide with the corner, she stepped toward the left once more in hopes for an escape, but her foot glided over the sweat-slick mats beneath her, causing her to fall face-first into his chest. At once his gloved hands came up around her upper arms, firmly guiding her back to her feet.
Seeing her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, he chuckled.
“No, no, Kate. As much as I want to allow that move to end this obvious torture for you, I just nope. I can’t.” With a final gentle push for her to keep her balance, he dove straight back into the game. Landing a teasing kick to her femur.
What an absolute freaking bastard.
She couldn’t take it anymore. With a roar of frustration, she sent a forceful right hook flying to his face.
At once the room was silent. He just stood there, dumbfounded.
A joyful shriek erupted from her heaving body. A hit! Right on his ear, the tip of it turning bright red already.
Her back hit the cushioned floor with a whoosh, and her wrists… pinned down on the cool black mats beside her.
She heaved for a full breath to reach her lungs, but Lucien settled his weight on her in the mount position, the same one that had her burst into a blind panic mere weeks ago.
Nothing could steal away this moment’s joy though. Finally able to suck air back into her lungs, her eyes remained glued to his ever reddening ear.
“Never allow a hit, whether striking true or missing, to bring you off-kilter.” There was a note of lecture in his tone, but she didn’t miss the glint of pride flashing across his face.
“I got you.” She breathed out.
He smirked at her, hands still firmly pinning her wrists against the floor. ‘‘You sure did. You also let me tackle you to the ground.”
She shook her head. Trying hard to ignore the closeness between them.
Not because of a panic attack, there were no more phantom fingers clutching at her throat.
But for the unfamiliar warmth soaring in the depths of her stomach, she shifted beneath him, trying to hide the effect he had on her, muttering. “That’s beside the point.”
The reverberations of his answering laugh had her join in. High, she must be high on the fact that she’d managed to hit the smoothest weasel on the planet.
But he wouldn’t let her get off that easily. Forest green eyes hovered above hers with a challenge. “Now what are we going to do better next time?”
“Oh, my God, Lucien, just let me gloat already!”
“Let’s leave God out of the equation, dear. He’s got enough on his hands already. Lucien will make do here.” His head tilted, taking her in as she blew her hair out of her face. Still trapped beneath his body and hands. “Especially seeing as you’re in quite the predicament here.”
Kate angled her feet so that she could get them behind his, wanting to throw him off like he had taught her before. His answering grin told her enough, it was going to take more than the trick he had taught her.
He shifted his weight to stop her attempt.
“See, predicament.” She expected the room to start zeroing in on her.
For pressure to take hold of her throat.
But nothing happened. Still, with the feelings currently coursing through her lower abdomen, she was going to have to get out before she would make the same mistake of going for a kiss.
“Is this my reward for causing that red ear of yours? Or.” She huffed. “Can’t you take a hit to your ego?”
“Oh, I can take a hit alright, I think it’s you currently fighting with that, sweetheart.
Besides, I merely wanted to up your threshold on those dear panic attacks of yours.
” He beamed a proud smile. “I think it’s safe to say you’re handling it damn well.
Since it’s been…” He set a knee over her wrist, slipping a hand free of his gloves to check his watch.
“A minute and a half already. Training is paying off.”
Either that, or it was the fact that it was him currently ‘testing’ her resolve. Because she was pretty sure if it was anyone else pressing down on her like this, she’d be a panicking mess already.
I think it’s the second option really. As the thought hit, Lucien’s eyes narrowed on hers, they skimmed over her red-cheeked face in obvious surprise.
All the while she was trying to fish her feet behind his, awkwardly trying to get herself out of the shameful position and more importantly, the thoughts Lucien seemed to read as easily as a newspaper.
Great, now he knows the effect he has on me. Life will no doubt become even more interesting.
His voice deepened, rumbling over her. “You’ve fully earned the right to gloat.
In fact, I’ll let you have about two whole minutes to gloat your ass off before round two.
That said, I figure you’d like a good second option to get yourself in the clear, judging by the way you’re grasping at my feet… unsuccessfully I might add.”
“Yes, please.” She nodded, it was pretty much the only move she could currently make.
“Please?!” His eyebrows flew up toward the ceiling. “God must exist after all! Because here are those manners I’ve been looking for all this time.” His eyes narrowed again, taking in the flush she felt building on her cheeks. “Alrighty then.”
Freaking bastard. She let her anger flush over her in a desperate effort to put a leash on her other more… pressing feelings. “Lucien, I swear if you’re not going to—”
“Think that the power comes from your hips, not your hands.”
Hips. The word only further reddened her already popping cheeks. “Hips, Lucien, this isn’t funny.”
“I’m not being funny, I swear.” He shot her a pained smile.
“It’s literally the way this works.” The smile turned a little wolfish anyway as he said.
“Focus student.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Think of the… hmmm, hit you just landed on my pretty face.” She felt her lips widen into a smirk.
“See, always works. Now you’re going to drive your hips up, explosively, trap my arm and foot on the same side and roll. Got it?”
He didn’t need to tell her twice.
Kate shot her hips up like a rocket and felt his grip loosen over her wrist, shoving her wrist down and away, she forced his hand to let go before trapping his arm against her side, rolling over and ending up on… top.
A breathless laugh burst through her form, she shook her head with a grin, looking at the man trapped below her. For as far as he allowed himself to be.
She let all her weight fall down on his abdomen, grinning even wider when she heard his sharp intake of breath. “Oh, you really have a thing for my ribs don’t you?” But he returned her laugh. “Excellent move by the way, now you’ve got two escapes for that… dreaded position.”
His hands reached to her upper arms, squeezing once.
“Well done, Kate. I mean it, a lot of people won’t be able to mess with you now, and if you keep this up?
I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.” He stretched out his arms behind his head, fully comfortable with her on top of him.
“I definitely don’t mind this sight or shall I say… angle though.”
At once her hand shot out, landing a punch straight to his liver, he squeezed together from the impact. But she was done. Kate slid off of him while her eyes lingered, aflame with indignation. “You so deserved that one.”
“Hmmhmm, I did. But it was effective in getting you off wasn’t it?”
She was ready to throw another retort his way when his phone beeped loudly. He got up at once, grasping at the burner phone. Flipping it open, she watched his smile disappear into the abyss.
Her stomach sank to the floor. “What? What is it?”