Page 8 of The Stolen Dagger
And this man was throwing everything out of whack. Including my accelerated heart rate and my thumping libido, which, until today, had been almost non-existent.
It was crazy to be feeling this way. I didn’t even know the man’s name since I arrived late to his class. Like hell I would introduce myself now.
“I think you’re drooling,” a soft voice giggled to my left, breaking me from the trance the handsome instructor had me under.
I straightened and turned to the gorgeous woman next to me.
She had a high, braided pony that reached the middle of her back and wore a matching pink workout set that complimented her pale skin.
Her big, light-green eyes were filled with amusement as she shifted closer to me, standing a few inches taller than my five-foot-five height.
The woman, who looked to be around my age, giggledagain. “All the new ones have the same reaction, but don’t worry. You’ll get used to him after a couple more classes.”
As if finally registering her words, I scowled and placed my hands on my hips. “I wasn’t looking at him,”I totally was, “and I wasn’t drooling. He’s notthathot.”
A sly smile spread across her thin, pink lips, morphing her angel-like features. “I never said he was hot.”
Shit. She got me.
More than a little embarrassed at being caught admiring our attractive instructor, I turned back to the front of the class and continued practicing the next defense move.
It was hard to focus though when the beautiful woman next to me continued giggling and said, “Hey, no judgment here.”
I glanced at her from the corner of my eye as she put her hands up as if in warning.
“He’s definitely not my type.” She scrunched up her face like she’d just licked a sour candy.
Maybe she’s gay?That was the only logical reason she wouldn’t find him attractive because, come on, the guy was drool-worthy. Any straight woman would think so.
“But I get it,” she added. “I mean, most of the women who take this class do it for the sole reason of coming to see him every week. Usually middle-aged housewives who are too bored with their own lives and just need some good eye-candy, you know?”
I nodded absentmindedly, hoping she’d take the hint, stop talking, and go back to doing whatever it was we were supposed to be doing.
Instead, she thrust a freshly manicured hand into my personal bubble.
“I’m Leah, by the way,” she offered. “What’s your name?”
I glanced down at her hand and then back to her too-bright smile, contemplating if I should tell her my name,given her bubbly attitude. She could be a serial killer or something.
A few months ago, I would have brushed her off completely, but it had been months, and I’d heard nothing from Adrian or anyone else from my past.
I wanted this time to be different.
I wanted to actually try to make a life for myself here. That meant making friends, too.
I placed my hand in hers and shook once. “I’m Kat. Nice to meet you.”
Leah’s smile widened, and it was so infectious that I felt my own lips pull up to match hers.
“I think we’re gonna be great friends, Kat.” Leah leaned in a little closer and whispered, “Even if you do think my brother is hot.”
My entire body went rigid, and my face flushed hot with embarrassment.
“Y—your brother?”
“Yeah,” Leah said like it was obvious. “He switches off teaching the self-defense classes with a few of the other police officers. Trust me, they know what they’re doing.”
Panic gripped me hard at her words because I hadn’t done my research when I booked this class. “H—he’s a cop, too?”
