Page 19 of Guardian

She shook her head and answered, “No way. I don’t know what’s under that bandage, but I’m not going to fight you with you hurt.”

“Do you really think you’re strong enough to hurt me? Don’t count on it. Besides, this is barely a scratch. I’ve fought with worse against men who were out to kill me. You’re no challenge.”

Anger over the insult flared in her eyes. Good. It would make her forget my injury long enough to learn a few moves, which was what I’d intended. She swung out a leg to hit the back of my knees, and I allowed it.

I fell onto the mat, and she took the opportunity to straddle my chest and shove her hand upwards in a way that would have sent my nose toward my brains if she’d followed through with the movement.

“Small but mighty,” she declared with a sneer.

“Feisty is the word I’d use,” I shot back. “Get up, so we can get the lesson going.”

For the next two hours she tried to flip me over her shoulder. I didn’t give in easily despite my reluctance to let her get bruised. I was well aware of our size difference, but there was no way to know what size any attacker would be.

Large or small, I needed her to be able to get away.

Finally, she did the job. I laid flat on my back, no air in my lungs, and stunned that she’d succeeded. She stood over me with a smirk. “The bigger they are the harder they fall,” she said.

“And I fell like a damn tree. We’re done for now. Go shower,” I ordered.

I needed her to get out of my sight before I tackled her and screwed her right there on the mat that was slick with our sweat. Her wet spandex clung to her breasts, showing off nipples that I longed to suck, and her bottoms were stuck to the apex of her thighs, clearly showing my cock where it wanted to be. I rolled to my side to rise and hide the hard-on I was sporting.

“But it’s early,” she argued. “I don’t need to pick up Jackson for over an hour.”

“We’ll go for a walk and to get an ice cream as a reward for kicking my ass. Will that satisfy you?” I asked, my groin throbbing with need.

She tilted her head and replied, “A double scoop, and I won’t say you’re a wuss.”

“Whatever you want, mujer. I’m going to wash up. See you in ten.”

Strolling beside her as she licked her double scoop was a lesson in pain and control. Every time her tongue flicked out to slide over her ice cream I felt the motion over my swollen shaft. I tried to cover my groans with a cough until she asked if I was getting sick.

“I’m not sick, at least not in the way you’re imagining. I’m a sick fuck in that I want that tongue of yours on my shaft. I’m sure that admission isn’t something you care to hear, and it probably adds to your fear of me. I’m sorry. It’s just that you look so hot lapping up that cream,” I confessed.

Her face was bright red, yet her voice was calm when she replied, “There’s nothing sick about attraction. I’m not exactly immune to you, either. However, that doesn’t mean I’m going toindulge myself in foolishness that can’t go anywhere. So, don’t get your hopes up.”

“You’re killing me, Jemma.”

“I think you’ll survive. I’m just a mild distraction for you. I’m sure you have more than enough women of your type who hang around your MC that you can ease your pain with. I’m a novelty. The attraction will pass,” she stated. “Now, take a seat on that bench and let me look at your arm. Blood is leaking from the bandage.”

“Forget the fucking arm! I’m not letting you get away with that statement. You may be a novelty in my world, but my attraction to you is the real deal. Damn you for thinking otherwise.”

Anger and lust got the best of me, and I proved myself for a moment to be just the kind of guy I was promising her that I wasn’t.

I yanked her body against mine and tossed her ice cream to the ground. My lips met hers in wild, delighted passion that she couldn’t fail to understand. My tongue pushed its way into her mouth, then gentled once it got a taste of her.

Jemma didn’t fight me. She kind of snuggled up to me the best she could considering where we were. It eased my anger and added to my desire. My cock pulsated against her belly, making her quiver.

I was only somewhat aware of those around us, watching. An older man walking by with his dog coughed. I knew I had t end this, but I was finally making my point. My lips pulled away, leaving her to moan and whimper at their absence from hers.

I knew it!

I smiled as I released her.

“What do you have to say about that?” I asked. “Do you think that’ll go away?”

“You’re a lot to handle,” she admitted. “You’ve given me some ideas that shake me up. I need time to process them, but for now, why don’t you come with me to get Jackson.”

“I’ll settle for the compromise and acknowledge your need to think about things. Just know that I’m not going to give up. I want you.”

---