Page 94 of The One
I clear my throat, pushing aside the immense pull to her.
“We’ll start with the basics,” I say, my voice almost steady. “Self-defense isn’t about overpowering someone. It’s about using their force against them, finding ways to break free and get out fast.”
She nods as she joins me on the mats, biting her lip as she listens, and I struggle to look away from her mouth.
“First rule,” I continue, my voice slipping a bit lower, “is awareness. If you can avoid a confrontation, do it. But if you can’t,” I step closer, meeting her gaze, “you need to know how to react.”
I reach out, my hand wrapping gently around her wrist to guide her through the motion. I show her how to twist her arm and pull away, but the second my fingers touch her skin, a surge of heat pulses through me. She looks up, eyes wide, and I lose track of what I was saying.
“You try,” I manage, my voice rougher than I’d like.
Her hands tremble as I let her take hold of my arm. She’s tentative at first, her touch light, but then she presses a bit harder, her determination sparking something in me.
“Good,” I murmur, a little closer than necessary, feeling the rise and fall of her breathing. “Now, with more force.”
She tries again, eyes focused as she pulls free, her grip firm. The flash of pride on her face makes me want to close the distance between us, but I force myself to keep it professional.
“Perfect,” I say, nodding. “Let’s try a few more.”
The smile she gives me in response to my praise is so radiant, I melt in its brilliance.
It does something to me, to my heart.
Fucking hell, she’s beautiful.
The feelings coursing through me are so strange, so unfamiliar. They make me want to pick her up and carry her somewhere private, somewhere where I could…
No!
She’s completely innocent, ten years younger than me and under my protection. I will not let my cock lead my head.
We go through a few basic moves, and I’m careful to keep a respectful distance. That’s until I have to show her how to defend herself if someone grabs her from behind.
Stepping closer, I slip my arms around her, my chest grazing her back. She stiffens slightly, her pulse racing beneath my touch, matching my own.
“Now, lean forward a little,” I murmur, my mouth close to her ear.
She does as I say, and I sense the shift of her weight, her smallest movements. Every adjustment she makes seems to raise the temperature in the room.
“Good. Now, keep your knees bent,” I instruct, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Balance is everything. You need to stay grounded so you can throw them off.”
She nods, and I catch her scent. It’s soft and warm, pulling at the edges of my focus.
“Okay,” she says, almost in a whisper, her pulse erratic through the delicate skin on her wrist, which I’m holding as part of the demonstration.
“When someone grabs you from behind,” I explain, “you can’t waste time thinking about it. You react. Fast. It has to be instinct.”
I press lightly against her back, showing her how to shift her weight forward.
“Use your momentum. Push your hips out, like this…”
My hands are on her waist now, guiding her in the movement. Her breath hitches, and my cock is growing unbearably hard. I’m careful not to press it against her as she moves with me, following my lead.
“Next, you need to swing your arm up, like this,” I say, lifting her hand and tracing the path with mine. A shudder runs through her and into me, making my throat tight.
“You want them to let go, so aim for the most vulnerable spot,” I tell her, my voice sounding like gravel. “Aim your elbow for their ribs or if you can their… umm… ba… groin.”
Mentioning that part of my anatomy shifts my attention to just how keenly throbbing it is. God, I hope her innocence stops her from noticing my dilemma.
