Page 114 of Fierce-Zander

Doing this was the next best thing in his mind.

“That’s right. I’m sure it was someone just annoyed for some reason. It happens. Not everyone loves me like you do.”

He adjusted the goggles on her face. They were too big for her, but she looked adorable in them just the same. “That’s right,” he said. “I do. And that is why we are here and I’m concerned. That should be a good trait to have with a partner, right?”

“It is,” she said. “As long as it’s not overbearing.”

He squinted one eye at her and helped her get into her stance.

“Spread your legs apart a little and get your balance.”

His hands went down and nudged them apart even further than what she did. If he let his hand move to the front and rub against her heat quickly...well, he was only human.

“That isn’t teaching me to fire a gun,” she said.

“I can save it for later,” he said. “I promise.”

She turned her head to look at him. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail, not a lot of makeup on. With her jeans and sneakers, she looked more like a student with how small she was rather than a licensed therapist.

“Is it going to hurt when I fire it?” she asked.

He took it out of her hands. “Watch me. I should have done it this way first anyway.” He was going to fire his own gun, but then decided it’d be easier to show her how it’d look with her much smaller one.

“Your legs aren’t spread as much as you made me do it,” she said, moving her hands down and nudging him. “I call that sexist.”

“Or it’s more that I know what to expect and don’t have to worry about balance after the gun goes off.”

She snorted and he found it cute.

He fired three rounds and then lowered it. “That was louder than I thought.”

“Which is why you need to wear that.” She was standing behind him. “Did you jump?”

“A little. Even after the third shot and I knew what to expect.”

He didn’t want her to get used to it. No reason for that. But she had to know how to protect herself.

Which of course was going to be the next conversation during lunch.

“Your turn,” he said.

She resumed the position, he helped her put the gun in front of her and take aim. Showed her the best way to try to hit her target.

First shot, she barely clipped the bottom of the paper.

“My hands moved.”

“I expected as much. It’s the first you’ve felt what it was like to fire a gun. You ready to try again?”

“If I have to,” she said.

He turned her to look at him. “Listen, Regan. I hope you never have to fire it anywhere other than here. I’m serious. But if you do, you need to know what to do. How to get the safety off and to hit what you’re aiming at. Nothing worse than pissing someone off by firing and missing.”

Her eyes widened and she gulped. He didn’t want to scare her but was failing at that.

“I understand.”

“Good,” he said. “Back to it.”

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