Fierce(34)

“What do they have to do with it?” I snap.

I try to jerk my wrists free, but he won’t let me go.

“Anger helps you fight. It fuels you.” His lips quirk up into a devilish smile. “Guess this is your first time finding out about the power of rage.”

“Whatever.”

“C’mon. You know I didn’t mean any of it. It’s just to get you worked up.”

“Let me go,” I hiss.

“Make me,” he says jokingly.

I’m so pissed, I kick him against the shin so hard I think I’m going to snap bones.

Instead, I break his stance, and he slips. I see him tumble down to the ground, but not before he grabs my leg and pulls me with him.

I squeal as I land right on top of him.

I’m staring into his face, my body resting on his body.

Oh. My. God. I can’t believe this.

I think my heart has stopped beating, because all I hear is his breathing. My body tenses up, feeling his skin against mine. I want nothing more than to press my body closer to his.

His chest moves against mine each time he inhales, and these few seconds feel like an eternity.

His hand lifts. When it reaches the top of my head, I swear I’ll fall to pieces right here, on top of him.

Something tickles, and then he retreats. In his hand is a leaf, which was probably stuck in my hair. He releases it and lets it drift away with the wind. Then he stares at me, his eyes suddenly showing a little hesitance. His lips are parted and perky, and all I want is to press mine against his.

And then smack him again.

He’s breathing against my chin, and I feel my groin heat up. I’m getting all wired up because of him.

Shit.

I scramble off him with a face that’s probably as red as a beet. He’s not smiling anymore, and he looks uncertain of what to do. As if he realizes that I like him and that he can’t give me what I want.

My smile disappears with that thought, too.

He gets up and pats his pants to shake off all the excess grass.

“Jesus, what are you guys doing?”

I turn around at the sudden sound of Evie’s voice.

“Hi!” I say, a little too perky. “Uh … we were just training.”

One of her eyebrows goes down and the other goes way up. “Training? For what? The dirty Olympics? You guys look nasty. And sweaty too.” She waves her hand close to her nose.

Hunter coughs. “I’m teaching her self-defense, and she helps me with my homework.”

“Oh, really?” Evie says, squinting as if she still doesn’t trust him.

“Yes,” I say.

“Uh … Look, I’ll see you around, okay?” Hunter says, and he picks up his jacket and puts it on again.

“Yeah, see ya,” I say as he walks away.

My mind drifts off into weird corners when I see him walk away with that firm butt of his. I’m still a little flustered by what happened just now. I almost kissed him.

Evie snaps her fingers and jerks me out of my daydream. “Earth to Autumn. What are you doing with that guy?”

“He just told you.”

“Duh, I know. That’s not what I mean. Why are you hanging around him? You know he’s a troublemaker.”

“He’s not just that.” I walk toward my blanket and start picking up my stuff.

Evie walks after me. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. For all we know he could be hanging out with ex-cons and juvies. Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Evie …” I say, sighing. “I know you’re trying to protect me, but you gotta trust me on this. I think he’s a good guy.”

She rolls her eyes, but I continue anyway. “You have to give him a chance.”

She closes her eyes and sighs. “Fine. If you want to. But I’m still going to watch him, make sure he doesn’t do anything dirty.”

I laugh. “That’s going to be kind of difficult when Hunter and I are sparring together. Can’t not get your hands dirty, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You want some independence and to kick some ass at the same time. Now let’s get back inside and put you under the shower, because you smell like hay, and it stinks.”





Chapter 13


Inch by Inch

The next day, evening



Evie’s out to dinner with her parents, who swung by for the weekend. I’m sitting here, alone, reading my books. I’ll always be reading books. I don’t care whether it’s fiction or educational, I gobble them up like muffins. It’s more like brain food, and not unhealthy for your body, unlike muffins.

Although, I would never say no to those either.

I don’t have the time or the luxury to go out to dinner with my parents. Heck, none of us would have the money for it anyway.