Page 27 of Iron Willed Warrior

“Therefore, I should be in charge.”

“But you haven’t gone head-to-head againstmeyet.”

“You want me to take you outside and flip you?”

“I’d love to see you try.”

Mischief glinted in her dark eyes. “I can’t beat up on a one-legged guy.”

“Oh, now you’ve gone and pissed me off.” I planted my elbow on the table, hand open. “My two arms work just fine. Let’s go, Marine. Prove you can best me. The Corps’ honor is on the line.”

That did the trick. There was no way she could say no.

With a scowl, Brynn mirrored my pose with her elbow on the table. Gripped my hand.

“Three, two, one,” I said.

She went hard and fast from the get-go. Trying to overwhelm me with force in the first few seconds. A sprinter going straight for the finish line. I could see her strategy playing through her head like pieces moving on a chess board. She thought I would underestimate her strength. Or that I would take it easy on her, having some innate hesitation about physically overpowering a woman.

Neither was true.

I was ready for her attack. But instead of pushing back with my own muscle power in opposition to hers, I let go of her hand and grabbed her around the middle with both arms. Yanked her right off her chair and into my lap. She gasped in shock. I had her arms pinned, her body against my torso. With another quick movement, I got her legs wedged under one of my thighs.

“You asshole. Let go of me.” Brynn struggled wildly, trying to break free.

“I will. As soon as you admit I won.”

“You didn’t win!”

The server poked her head into the room, eyes widening when she saw how we were tangled together. “Is everything all right?”

Brynn clenched her teeth into a semblance of a smile, but her eyes glared that she hated me. I’d loosened my grip slightly, and Brynn’s elbow found the opening. I coughed when she jabbed me right in the stomach. Ouch.

“It’s a little game we like to play,” I said. “She’s my girlfriend.”

“Like hell I am,” Brynn hissed under her breath.

The server didn’t seem convinced, but she also didn’t look like she wanted to get in the middle of this. “We’re closing soon,” she warned.

“No problem,” Brynn said.

“We’ll be good,” I added.

Brynn waited until the server had gone, then turned another murderous look on me. “You did not win. You cheated. Everyone knows the rules of arm wrestling. Your elbow can’t leave the table. And you definitely can’t do… Whatever the hell that was.”

“See, you’re still thinking like an FBI agent. Garon Westwick isn’t going to play fair. If he feels threatened or if he wants something, he’ll use every dirty trick he can think of. We can’t follow some idealistic set of rules. Not if we want to win.”

“I see your point,” she said tightly. “Now let me go.”

I did, and she scooted back onto her chair. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I suppose you’re in command now. Congrats.”

“Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?”

“If you didn’t, then your sarcasm detector needs adjustment.Sir.”

I chuckled. Nudged her arm with the back of my hand. “Relax. I don’t want either of us to be in charge. If we’re going to get through this, it will have to be as equals.”

Surprise softened her features. “I thought you said earlier today that equal partnerships don’t work. Somebody always has to come out on top.”

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