Page 11 of The Third Girl

CHAPTER 5

SKYLAR

I watch Matt with curious eyes. While he was speaking to Jackson a few minutes ago, he looked kind of… upset isn’t the right word. Just not right, I guess. I don’t think it was something I did. But now he’s over at the side of the room, drinking water and staring off into space.

“Shit, how the hell did you do this, Skylar? I can’t remember all the steps.” Laney groans beneath me.

I grin down at her. “Sorry. You’ve got your handhold at my wrist correct, but you need to grab my tricep and isolate it so I can’t move my arm.”

“Exactly.” Matt’s raspy voice sounds overhead. He helps Laney’s legs into the right position, then backs up. “Thrust up and to the left, Laney.”

And before I know it, she’s rolled me to the flat of my back. “Whoa,” I laugh.

Matt chuckles. “Not so easy being on the receiving end, huh?” And then, he walks away.

Laney reaches over and pokes me. “Let’s go again. That was fun.”

“You should have Logan come in later and show him your new moves.”

“Oh man, he’d be surprised. But proud. And after everything that happened with Harrison, I know I’ll feel better, too, having a clue of how to help myself in an emergency situation.”

“It’d also just be fun to roll around on the mat with Logan.”

“You’re not wrong.” She gives me a devious grin, so unlike Laney, I can’t help it, the little snort of laughter that erupts from me sends both of us into a giggling fit.

A few minutes later, Jackson calls us back together. “We’re going to show you that final escape now. Circle up.”

Matt’s already on the ground waiting. He pats the mat beside him, beckoning to me, so I join him. “On your back again,” he says gruffly. I try to hide the thrill I get when he says those words to me. I mean, the commanding, low voice. Those words.On your back.All that would probably make things flutter around most anyone’s insides.Right?

Jackson clears his throat, and it hits me we’re about to get serious. Not that the rest hasn’t been, but this seems more so. “The final move we’re going to show you today involves an attacker inside your guard.” Confused looks cross most of the faces in the group. “Sorry, ladies. That’s MMA speak for between your legs.”

I huff out a soft laugh, glancing at Matt, who shoots me an apologetic look. I draw my legs up a bit and plant my feet on the mat, leaving enough room for him to crawl between them, which he does. And as he kneels there, his focus on Jackson, mine wanders. I mean, here’s this tall, muscular guy looming over me, and I know it’s just an exercise, but damn. The fitted black T-shirt doesn’t do much to disguise the fact that he’s cut like Adonis. I’ve been watching the play of his muscles as we’ve gone through these exercises. It’s left me weak in the knees. And the gray joggers…? I love gray joggers on a guy. It’s like a one-way ticket to drool town. I let out a sigh while I wait for Jackson to finish talking and my eyes roam up. I’m able to sneak a longer peek at Matt now that he’s not looking at me. His cheeks are covered in a bit of light-colored stubble. I imagine since he’s clean-shaven for work most of the time he probably opts to forego the razor when he’s not working. My brain does a funny twist, and I can’t help but conjure images of him hanging out at home on his days off.

I’m jerked from my thoughts by Jackson’s powerful voice. “Okay, first, go ahead with a choke hold, Matt. Skylar, try to do whatever you can to get away. Within reason, seeing as how this is an exercise and not a real-life situation.”

His strong hands circle my neck again, and I stare up at him for a split second before I grab ahold of his forearms and try to wriggle myself free. Squirming and twisting, I hike my legs up near his waist, trying to use them to my advantage as I simultaneously tug on my arms. But I can’t get free. After a few more seconds, I cease my struggle and go limp. “Nope. I’m stuck.”

“But you’re not,” Jackson barks. “Do that same cross grip on his arm at the wrist as we did last time, only this time bring your other arm across his body and place it on the juncture of his neck and shoulder.”

My hand finds purchase there and my brows draw together.How the hell am I getting out of this?

“Good, now you’re going to pivot your body away, using your foot at his hip as leverage to do that.”

“Which foot?”

Matt nudges my leg with his hip, just as Jackson responds, “The side of the arm you’re holding.” I bring my foot up, digging my heel into the bend at Matt’s hip. “That’s it. Now, push and pivot away.” I shove against Matt, moving to my right. Jackson claps a few times and practically roars, “Yes, that’s it! Okay, get ready for the big move. Bring your other leg high on his back.”

I tentatively hook my leg on his back. Our eyes meet. He’s the picture of concentration. “High, Skylar. Higher. All the way up to my shoulder if you can.” I lift my hip, bringing it upward. Great. I feel like I’m hanging onto him like a koala hangs onto a tree.

“That’s it,” Jackson booms, “and now the best part. That foot that’s been on his hip, you’re going to swing it around over his head. From there, you have him. You can flip him over and—if you were trying to hurt him—apply enough pressure to break his elbow.”

Oh my God.I don’t even pay attention to the part about breaking his arm because my heart is thumping.My leg is going where?

“It’s okay. Go for it.” Matt encourages me with a nod. “You can do it.” The first time I try it, I manage to roll him, but lose his arm. We both end up on our backs, me in a perpendicular position to him, and my legs are sprawled across him, one over his chest and the other over his head. I quickly lift them off him.

We both sit up, and I smack the mat. “Shoot. That was almost it, right? Can I try again?”

He nods, motioning that I should get on my back again. “Yes. Let’s go.”

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