trouble.”
“Okay.”
Laila looked around the fenced-in lot that held the recovery vehicles and found a cement block and a board behind one of the sheds.
She trudged toward him, dragging the board. Laughter fought to burst from his lips as she blew a stray curl of hair out of her face and glared a hole right through him. He was going to burst a blood vessel with the strain of holding it in.
She set her jaw and got to work, ignoring him. She was feisty and proud. Not the type of woman who’d quit until the job was complete.
By the time she’d maneuvered the tire back on the vehicle, Laila was sweaty and covered with the rust-colored dust that seemed to permeate everything because of the hot, dry summer. She was a sight to see, eyes alight, face red and splotchy. Standing there, with her hands on her hips, she was raging innocence clashing with pure stubbornness. Made him hard all over again.
“Nicely done,” he said, jumping down from his seat. He caught her by the wrist, pulled her to him and rewarded her with a smacking kiss on the lips, then set off toward his vehicle.
“What was that for?”
“You did well. You get a kiss.” She scrambled to catch up to him. “Let’s get some lunch. You’re going to need some fuel for this afternoon.”
“But—”
“Don’t question your training,” he said.
Her fists balled at her sides and her lush pink lips pressed tightly against one another.
He slapped her on the ass. “Good girl.”
She growled at him and he nearly lost it again. “What are we doing this afternoon?”
“Lunch first. Then, this afternoon and every afternoon until our go date will be spent on self-defense.”
“You’re going to fight me?”
“No, you’re going to learn to defend yourself in all situations. You’ll be carrying a side arm and a small knife while we’re out of the city. I want you to be passable in the use of both in addition to being able to take a man down with neither.”
They sat in the shade of a metal storage shed, eating the sandwiches and fruit he’d packed before they left the house. Sweat-soaked and wilting in the midday heat, Laila looked like she wanted to go home. “Ready to get started?” he asked her.
“Ready is not the word I’d use to describe how I feel right now.”
His hard heart melted a little as he pulled her to her feet. Yet, he refused to go easy. He kept her hand in his and walked with her to the path of worn grass running around the perimeter of the compound. Without letting go, he began to jog.
“Ugh. No. Please.” She tried to pull her hand out of his.
“I’ll let you go if you promise to keep up.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“You can, and you will.” He kept a tight grip on her until she agreed. “It’s only a mile today.”
“Only? Today? It’s eighty-five degrees out here, and I’m exhausted from this morning.”
Rock swatted her ass. “Quit complaining.”
She put some space between them, but also finished the mile without comment. He loved her stubbornness and strength of character. The challenge teased him.
When they were done, her black T-shirt was gone and the tank top she’d worn underneath was wet and sticking to her back. Her cheeks were beet red, and damp tendrils of hair encircled her face. She was beautiful in misery. Rock experienced a flash of compassion, knowing the brutal pace he’d set. But the training had to progress in order for her to be prepared for the trip.
He brought water to her where she lay flat on her back in the little piece of shade she’d found. “You have fifteen minutes.”
“Until what?”
“Until we finish our conditioning.”
“What does that mean?”
“Crunches, pushups and squats.”
Her eyes snapped open.
He smiled. “The glare again. Cute.” He turned and walked toward the main structure, housing the break room. After he’d gotten almost out of earshot, she said something unintelligible. With a wide grin, he entered the building. “Yeah.
“Okay.”
Laila looked around the fenced-in lot that held the recovery vehicles and found a cement block and a board behind one of the sheds.
She trudged toward him, dragging the board. Laughter fought to burst from his lips as she blew a stray curl of hair out of her face and glared a hole right through him. He was going to burst a blood vessel with the strain of holding it in.
She set her jaw and got to work, ignoring him. She was feisty and proud. Not the type of woman who’d quit until the job was complete.
By the time she’d maneuvered the tire back on the vehicle, Laila was sweaty and covered with the rust-colored dust that seemed to permeate everything because of the hot, dry summer. She was a sight to see, eyes alight, face red and splotchy. Standing there, with her hands on her hips, she was raging innocence clashing with pure stubbornness. Made him hard all over again.
“Nicely done,” he said, jumping down from his seat. He caught her by the wrist, pulled her to him and rewarded her with a smacking kiss on the lips, then set off toward his vehicle.
“What was that for?”
“You did well. You get a kiss.” She scrambled to catch up to him. “Let’s get some lunch. You’re going to need some fuel for this afternoon.”
“But—”
“Don’t question your training,” he said.
Her fists balled at her sides and her lush pink lips pressed tightly against one another.
He slapped her on the ass. “Good girl.”
She growled at him and he nearly lost it again. “What are we doing this afternoon?”
“Lunch first. Then, this afternoon and every afternoon until our go date will be spent on self-defense.”
“You’re going to fight me?”
“No, you’re going to learn to defend yourself in all situations. You’ll be carrying a side arm and a small knife while we’re out of the city. I want you to be passable in the use of both in addition to being able to take a man down with neither.”
They sat in the shade of a metal storage shed, eating the sandwiches and fruit he’d packed before they left the house. Sweat-soaked and wilting in the midday heat, Laila looked like she wanted to go home. “Ready to get started?” he asked her.
“Ready is not the word I’d use to describe how I feel right now.”
His hard heart melted a little as he pulled her to her feet. Yet, he refused to go easy. He kept her hand in his and walked with her to the path of worn grass running around the perimeter of the compound. Without letting go, he began to jog.
“Ugh. No. Please.” She tried to pull her hand out of his.
“I’ll let you go if you promise to keep up.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“You can, and you will.” He kept a tight grip on her until she agreed. “It’s only a mile today.”
“Only? Today? It’s eighty-five degrees out here, and I’m exhausted from this morning.”
Rock swatted her ass. “Quit complaining.”
She put some space between them, but also finished the mile without comment. He loved her stubbornness and strength of character. The challenge teased him.
When they were done, her black T-shirt was gone and the tank top she’d worn underneath was wet and sticking to her back. Her cheeks were beet red, and damp tendrils of hair encircled her face. She was beautiful in misery. Rock experienced a flash of compassion, knowing the brutal pace he’d set. But the training had to progress in order for her to be prepared for the trip.
He brought water to her where she lay flat on her back in the little piece of shade she’d found. “You have fifteen minutes.”
“Until what?”
“Until we finish our conditioning.”
“What does that mean?”
“Crunches, pushups and squats.”
Her eyes snapped open.
He smiled. “The glare again. Cute.” He turned and walked toward the main structure, housing the break room. After he’d gotten almost out of earshot, she said something unintelligible. With a wide grin, he entered the building. “Yeah.
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