Page 57 of Vengeful Guard

I step closer to her. “Something tells me you like what you see.”

Paige swallows hard, but shrugs. “You’re an... attractive guy.”

“More attractive than Ronan O’Malley?”

She scoffs. “I’m not playing this game.”

My turn to shrug. “Who’s playing?”

“You are.” She huffs out a breath, crossing her arms over her chest.

She’s wearing a halter top and a pair of stretchy shorts that make her ass look amazing.

I’d wreck her, own her, destroy her. And myself along with it.

I turn my back on her, pretending to adjust the tape on my hands. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“I’m serious about learning, Kael.”

I look over at her, surprised. “You are?”

“Of course, I am. I never want to be that helpless ever again.”

“There are weapons you could carry?—”

“I don’t want to carry weapons all the time, looking over my shoulder. I want to be able to defend myself with just my body.”

I nod. “I can help you do that.”

“Then let’s do it.” She smirks a little. “I have a suggestion, though. Why don’t we make it interesting?”

“Oh, yeah?” I lick my lips.

“Not like that.” Her cheeks get this alluring shade of pink.

I want to run my finger through it.

Shaking myself out of it, I chuckle. “Like what, then?”

“I know it’s too soon, still, and there’s a lot for me to learn, but time will come when we will spar, right?”

I nod, frowning.

She grins. “Okay. Then when we spar, if I can take you down, you make dinner.”

I laugh out loud before I notice her face, and I stop. “Oh, you’re serious.”

She huffs. “Of course, I’m serious. I want to make it a bet.”

“And if I take you down?”

She shrugs. “What do you want?”

I look down at her, and she flushes that pretty pink again, her freckles looking more distinct.

“You shouldn’t ask a man that.”

“Why not?”

---