Page 38 of Single Mom for the Mountain Men
But her hands had gripped my arms, bringing me back to reality, guiding me, ever so patiently, until I felt stable again.
Is this woman a sorceress? How had she known what to do, and why had it worked so well? How did she manage to calm me down in mere minutes, when these attacks usually feel like they stretch on for hours and hours?
Once I’m done with my jog, I move on to the next portion of my work out. I grunt, regulating my breathing as I drop down into a plank position to start my push-ups. Sweat drips down from my forehead onto the soil under me, the rough surface of the ground along with little pebbles digging into my palms. It grounds me, waking my mind and body up as I push through my limits.
My arms start burning once I hit the one hundred mark, so I tighten my core.
As I close my eyes for a minute, Lena’s face appears behind my eyelids. I think of her wide eyes full of pain and empathy, begging me to trust her. There was no way I could have kept my mouth shut.
There was nothing I could have done to stop myself from confessing about the things that haunt my nightmares and waking moments alike. All the dead bodies, all those bullets, all those bombs, and ripped-apart bodies, they all have stayed with me.
There’s so much I have seen, and it all circulates inside my mind like a whirlpool of rot. I drown in it, unable to escape, and I haveto let the tide take me where it wants. Lena has been the only one to help me out of that whirlpool and bring me to shore.
I would have never thought that her embrace would feel so relaxing, like a final reprieve from all the horrors that lock my body into fight or flight mode.
Rolling onto my back, I start with my abs, hitting my obliques and abs at the same time.
My ears rush with the sound of her voice. I think of when it’s sweet and soft, as well as how firm it gets when she is telling us what to do. I also think of when it’s high and wrought with pleasure. I love the way she teases me so innocently, like a little lamb playing freely in the woods, unaware of the wolf lurking in a bush nearby.
Her body had been so malleable and soft under my touch, bruising like a peach at the slightest bit of pressure. I’ve never felt crazy with want for any woman before. I’ve had multiple partners in the past—skinny, short, curvy, tall—but none of them have made me burn with want the way she does.
Rising to my feet, I curl my fists tightly, focusing my attention on the sandbag hanging in front of me. With each strike and punch, the pain that bursts through my knuckles wakes me up more and more. This asshole ex of hers, wherever he’s hiding in these woods, will be found by us. It won’t be long before I have him in my grasp, and he is going to wish he had never met Lena.
My heartbeat pounds in my ears as I land a few high kicks, uppercuts, and reverse-turning kicks. Sweat has drenched my shirt completely, so I tug it off, wiping my face with it. I grab the water bottle and drench my head with it before taking a few gulps to cool myself down as well.
The cool air feels nice on my body, and I close my eyes, letting myself relax for a few meditative minutes.
Deciding to head back once the sun has lit up the sky, I trudge back with a peacefully empty mind. Today’s training with Lena is a special session, because she’ll be fighting me with all of the martial art techniques I have taught her thus far.
Exiting the tree-populated path, I spot a silhouette standing right at Lena’s porch. Squinting my eyes, I speed up into a jog, only to slow down when I realize that it’s Lena herself.
She’s standing in the cool weather with nothing on but her silk nightgown. Her long hair is tangled at the back of her head, and she’s peering at something with intensity.
“Lena,” I greet her as soon as I approach. Her head doesn’t turn to look at me, and she’s gazing toward the tree line at the back of her cabin. Her eyes are narrowed suspiciously, her knuckles white with how hard they’re fisted at her sides. “What’s going on?”
“Morning, Brody,” she replies back finally, her eyes flitting to me momentarily, tracing down my bare torso distractedly before looking at my face and then back to the tree line.
“Morning. What are you doing out here so early? It’s colder than it was yesterday.”
“Oh, nothing. Just…looking.”
“Looking at what? Did you see something?”
“No, I just—heard something weird. I thought there was someone peering at me from the back window. The tree line offers a clear view through the window, so…”
My jaw clenches, and I put on my shirt quickly.
“Yeah, all right, don’t worry. I’ll check it out for you. Go inside,” I order her.
She nods slowly and makes her way back in the house. When I know she’s shut the door, I slither toward the backyard.
My senses are hyper-focused, every rustle and whisper of the wind heightened, as I creep slowly through the undergrowth. There’s a small, rickety chair with a table in the center of the yard, but nothing suspicious.
Walking through the entire space, I make sure that there really isn’t anyone there. Then, I venture out of the boundary of her cabin, jumping over the weak metal fence and into the thicker growth. The trees block most of the sunlight from coming through, the area becoming darker. The leaves are wider,brushing against each other in a way that looks suspiciously like human-shaped shadows.
Pushing through the trees and in between them, I make sure to watch out for the traps I’ve laid there myself. It takes me more than ten minutes to check the entire area thoroughly, but even then, there turns out to be nothing suspicious.
After doing another round, I deduce that there is no one here, and there hasn’t been, judging by the untouched conditions of the traps.
