Page 87 of The Beast's Heart

He does as I command and it sends a thrill through me. This is all a terrible idea.

“You feel the difference?”

“I… think so. I feel more stable.”

That makes one of us. It’s taking all my self-control not to slide my hands up from his hips, up along his sides. I want to devour him.

I take a step back. “Why do you want to learn boxing?”

He turns. I’m still closer to him than I should be, close enough that he has to crane his neck a little to answer.

“I suppose it seems like a good way to keep fit.” It sounds like a lie. He folds his arms in front of himself.

“There are better ways to keep fit. What’s the real reason?”

His gaze slides away, to his feet. I wait.

“I suppose it would be good to learn to defend myself.”

I see a flash of Belle pressed into that corner, trying desperately to shield himself from Geoff’s attack. The rage rises in me afresh.

It takes effort to keep my voice even as I say, “If you want to defend yourself, boxing might not be the best place to start. The fighting you learn in a gym isn’t necessarily going to come to you in a moment of need.”

“Being able to swing a punch that actually connects would be nice though.” He offers a weak smile.

“Is that what you’d like me to show you? That’s attack, Belle, not defense.”

He shrinks back, as ifIof all people would judge him.

“Sometimes…” he rubs at his arms. “Well, I get awfully tired of being weak.”

Oh Belle.“You’re not weak.”

He laughs hollowly. “Really. Because if you hadn’t been there?—”

“Iwasthere.” The thought of not being there makes me feel ill. It’s played in my mind every moment since the incident. “Look, if you’re ever in a situation like that again, what you need is self-defense tactics. Things you can do that give you a chance to escape.”

“Right. The better part of valor.”

“I’m not sure where that saying comes from, but it’s accurate.”

“The bard.”

I think that means Shakespeare but I’m not confident enough about that to respond.

“The number one thing you can do when you’re outmatched is get away.”

“I understand if you no longer wish to teach me. As I said the other day when we spoke, I’m not very good at?—”

I rest my hands on his shoulders. Damn theyfeel good under my hands. Lately, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about his touch. His fingers twining with mine, his cheek pressed to me. His hips. His shoulders. Funny how once I breached that touch barrier it was like I was a man starved. All I crave is his touch. “Belle. I’m not retracting my offer. I’m just trying to determine what to teach you.”

He looks up at me with those pretty green eyes and says, “Anything you want.”

Holy shit.I’m not going to make it five minutes into this lesson without popping a boner.

Not for the first time, I hear Ray’s confident declaration echoing in my head.The man’s head over heels for you.But from all I’ve seen he feels no more than friendship. And even if he did once feel something, does he still after seeing The Beast? And if he does, does it even matter? The power dynamics… those haven’t gone away. I take a deep breath and force my mind back to the task at hand.

“I can teach you some self defense techniques. From the weak spots to basic throws and the like.”

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