Page 9 of Protected By the Gargoyle
“Are you okay?” She turned and faced him.
Although stunned, he shook it off. “That was perfect. On an average-sized human male, you could have broken his nose and used the distraction to run to safety.” The problem was that demons were not average-sized humans. Arto desperately hoped Larissa’s vision was a fluke.
For the next set of training maneuvers, they moved onto the mat. He took her arms or held her from behind and showed her options for how to get out of them. Having her in his arms for even those few seconds was a strange form of temptation that left him heady.
But when he attempted to show her how to escape when he pinned her down, and she writhed beneath him, sensations flooded him. Ones that were entirely inappropriate in this situation.
Focus.
She breathed harder as she struggled to escape.
Don’t think of anything else. You’re simply training her.
“You need to knock me off balance,” he directed. “Like this.” He climbed off her and rolled onto his back. “Now, position yourself the same way on me.”
When she did, her body over his, her arms pinning his wrists, loose strands of her hair falling over her face, he sensed he’d made a challenging situation even more difficult.
“Like this?” She scrunched her features in question.
Yes, this was absolutely perfect. Her body was so close to his, the space between them sparkled with a magnetic pull. The room grew hot, or was it just him? His cock twitched, and he scolded himself. How could he get turned on now?
How could he not?
If she moved her body down another inch, she’d feel his growing erection.
“Arto?”
Shit. While he was arguing with himself, she awaited an answer.
He gulped. “Yes, just like that.”
Then he caught her gaze. As they stared at each other, something unspoken passed between them. Something charged. His heart pounded in his ears. He lost sense of time, the sense of anything.
Her breathing grew more pronounced in the intimate silence. She searched his eyes.
She broke eye contact and pulled herself upright. Her cheeks flushed as she climbed off him. “I think I’ve had enough for the day.”
He drew his brows together. “Did I push you too hard?” Or was he coming off as a creep?
“No, but I have limits with what they’ll let me do.” She pointed to her lower legs.
His jaw twitched, and his fingers curled into semi-fists. Those humans who’d hurt her were as monstrous as the demons. They’d killed innocent people and maimed others.
Janie had gone through hell more than once. No one should have to endure suffering at the hands of another. No wonder she wanted to learn more self-defense. And damned, if he wouldn’t teach her everything he knew.
But not now. She was tired.
“Let’s go sit.” He led her to one of the seating areas with floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a view of the Seaport with a twinkling blue sky, sleek buildings, and a gently rolling harbor.
Once she sat on a brown sofa, he said, “I’ll get you some water.”
He returned with a glass and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” She took a sip. “Ah, with a slice of lemon. Just the way I like it.”
“That’s why I added it.” He’d learned many of her likes and dislikes. After he sat beside her, he said, “You know you can stay here, Janie. Anytime.”
He’d made this offer before as well as offering to stay at her place. She’d declined, saying she couldn’t make him change his life because she had nightmares. He had them too—various scenarios that involved Janie being taken from him, but he was unable to save her.
