I made a perfect serve and Brack missed. Another serve and the battle was on. I scored again. Two down. Brack took my next point away and it was his serve. I jumped to the right and backhanded the ball. He missed. My serve.
I shut him down after that and won the game.
We both breathed heavily with him bent double. I wasn’t a wimp. He had bulky muscle and probably didn’t run as much as he should. “Bending double cuts off your air,” I remarked cockily.
“Landing face first on the cement will have the same effect. I’m closer to the ground this way,” he stammered between gasps for breath.
A grin split my face. “Come on, let’s go again.” I was ready and this time he’d be lucky to score a single point.
“You should be taking it easy. I’m sure your head injury isn’t completely healed.”
“Scared?” I asked with a larger smile.
“Terrified.”
Now I laughed. It felt good. When’s the last time I really laughed? Not since that psycho started his shit. Playing racquetball with Brack felt good. Winning felt great. “Come on, one more.”
“Self-defense or I won’t have the strength to teach you anything.” He stood up and I admired his red face. I knew my cheeks were probably rosy. He was in good shape, but I was better prepared and a professional athlete. I could go on for hours.
I bounced the ball a few times like he had earlier. “Fine, but if I take you down, we play another match.”
“This should be fun,” he smirked while rubbing a budding bruise on his forearm.
There were mats tucked away in the front corner of the hangar. We worked together to set them up. His breathing recovered quickly, which wasn’t in my favor. When all was set, we stood in the center on the mats.
He eyed me up and down. “With your training, I’m assuming you know how to fall properly.”
“Check,” I snapped throatily as my eyes raked each inch of sweaty male body. His shirt was wet and plastered to his amazing chest. Yummy.
“Do you know where you can cause the most damage to a body?”
Huh? Okay I needed to concentrate. My eyes immediately dropped to his crotch.
“Yeah, that’s what most women think, but it’s also the place men protect diligently. Hey,” he chucked beneath my chin. “My eyes are up here.”
Yes, but his cock was down there. I slowly lifted my gaze and took in his sweat-soaked shirt again. When I met his blue and green eyes, I smiled. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Nose, throat, knees, ankles. Those are what you’re aiming for. A woman can do a lot of damage if she knows where to strike.” Even after I kicked his ass at racquetball, he sounded like females were lesser obstacles when it came to kicking ass. He continued without a clue that he was irritating me. “The throat and nose are kill zones. With enough force, he’s not getting up.”
Damn, I needed to get my mind off his body because he was right. This is what I needed to learn. I wanted so badly to take Brack to the floor.
“I know you’re stronger than most females I’ve been around, but you don’t have a chance one-on-one with a man.” I started to argue, but he held up his hand. “You can listen and learn or you can die. Your choice.”
Fuck, now he had my attention. “I’m listening.”
“Three seconds. That’s the time you have to surprise him and gain the upper hand. This is a one-shot deal. Women fight to get away. You need to kill.”
Huh? “Three seconds? What if he has a gun?”
“Doesn’t matter. If you plan on dying, you will. If you plan to survive, you can do that too. Today’s about taking him down so he doesn’t get up. We’ll work on guns and knives another day. You ready?”
I gave him a determined smile. “As I’ll ever be.”
“Turn around.”
A small ripple of fear entered my stomach. “Why?”
“He can walk up behind you in public and grab you easily. Let’s fix that first.”
“Okay,” I said as I turned.
I counted silently. Nothing happened for ten seconds. I didn’t feel Brack move, but suddenly he wrenched me from my feet, his arms wrapped tightly around mine. I flung my head back, but he jerked away and took me to the mat.
I didn’t like it. Not at all. “So what did that prove?” I asked with none of my earlier impudence.
He stood up and placed his hand out. “That you’re easy to kill.”
His fingers closed around mine and with little strain to his bicep and forearm, I was on my feet again. “So what do I need to do about it?”
“You knew I was coming, but you never checked behind you. I know I told you to turn around, but ninety percent of staying out of harm’s way is knowing everything happening around you. Listen to your instincts—if it says run don’t wait around to find out why. You wanted to turn but were afraid to. That instinct alone will kill you. Use your eyes and ears. You have no idea what this guy looks like. Every man out there is suspect. Now turn around again.”
I did as he asked but looked over my shoulder at him. He smiled and I forgot about his lecture as my little bitty heart melted. I jumped forward when he lunged. He went for my legs before I could move again and once more I was staring up at him from the mat.
Now, I just wanted to erase that smirk from his face. “He can’t do that in public. He would need a vehicle close by to toss me into,” I said with all my pent up exasperation.
I had no idea what it meant when Brack’s smirk changed subtly. “True. Today’s lesson is about avoiding the mat, so let’s try it again.”
Chapter Twelve
Brack took me through a series of takedowns. Each one different and I couldn’t defend against anything he did. I was frustrated, tired, and had the beginnings of another headache.
“That’s enough for today,” he said as he helped me to my feet once more.
“I haven’t learned a damn thing.” Hell, I almost lifted my foot and brought it down. Why was foot stomping something I constantly wanted to do around him?
“Not much anyway.” His eyes narrowed. “You never screamed, bit, or scratched. For some reason you think this guy has rules. Or maybe you’re too good to cause a commotion. Truthfully, in public, the best thing you have going is your voice. Women tend to allow embarrassment to guide them. They don’t cause a commotion when it’s the one thing that can save their life.”
I seethed. I was seconds from causing a commotion he’d never forget. The bastard never mentioned what he wanted or what I should be doing. What kind of coaching was this anyway? “We wasted all that time accomplishing nothing.” I fumed for a few seconds while Brack continued staring at me. I lowered my voice to a silky whisper. “You just wanted to rub against my body. It’s a thrill for you isn’t it?” My words said one thing, but the thought of killing him in his sleep held a great amount of appeal.
His smirk, which I was becoming all too familiar with, returned. “Yeah right, baby, it’s a thrill.”
I would give anything to wipe that look off his face. “Then explain why you just put me through hell.”
“You won’t like it.”
Damn. “Go for it,” I huffed.
His hands went to his hips and his stance changed. His infuriating superiority came out to play. “On the court you’re invincible. You left your father’s house knowing someone wanted to hurt you. By doing so, an innocent man died. You’ll get bored and do it again too. I proved that you can’t survive this unless you’re prepared. The first part of that is showing you the weaknesses you never knew you had.”
He was such a pompous ass. “Is that all you’ve got?”
“No. I like having you under me. My dick enjoys it too.”
I let out a screech of frustration. Without thinking over my actions, I launched myself in Brack’s direction. I used everything I had—feet, hands, vocal cords, and even teeth. It did little damage and within a minute, I was on my back. We both breathed heavily now.
“Better, and we can work with that. Not today, t
hough. You need a shower and a nap before preparing dinner.”
His erection was back and I was a needy bitch. I wanted him to sink his cock inside me. I liked to take charge in bed, but this man had me wanting something totally different. The ache in my pussy shouted, “Dominate me!” My brain answered back, “Go to hell.” Brack stood before I could grind upward or verbalize where his cock needed to go. I took his proffered hand and moved it to my breast. “How long will we be on this island?”
He didn’t pull his hand away. “A week, maybe longer.”
I gave him my best simmering fuck-me look. “If I take you down, will you fuck me?”
Hunger entered his gaze and he squeezed my breast until I grimaced. “I won’t compromise my principles and fuck you, baby.” He released me and pulled his hand away. “We need to get the mats up so I can move the plane inside.”
“I scare you.”
He turned away and spoke as he lifted the corner of a mat. “You dying scares me. Fucking you terrifies me.”
It made no sense. “Why?”
Now his eyes met mine. “Because I’ve never wanted to fuck a job before. Don’t let that worry you, though. I’ve lived without a lot of things and I can live without your hot little pussy. It would be easier on us both if you would accept that.”
I finally gave in and did it. I stomped my foot. “I am so fucking horny I can’t help it.”
For a minute I thought he would burst out laughing. “I’ll see if we can get some supplies here tomorrow. I’ll be sure they include something to take the edge off.”
Great, the man would provide me with a vibrator to keep me off of him. And dammit, I ached so badly I wouldn’t argue. If I didn’t get some kind of relief I’d never make it a week with him. A vibrator was better than nothing. I was seriously worried I’d hump his leg in my sleep if something didn’t give.
We didn’t speak on the way back to the hut. I went inside and dug through the cooler that was now against the wall in the corner. There were two steaks at the bottom. They would be the extent of our dinner. It killed me not to include a salad with the protein, but I’d survive until the next day. My biggest obstacle was surviving the night with only one bed. What was the female equivalent for blue balls? Whatever it was, I had them.
Brack went outside with his cell phone and I decided to take a nap to try to alleviate the pressure inside my throbbing head. It was warm inside, so I took a cold shower first. In a t-shirt and underwear, I laid on the bed and fell asleep to the sound of waves hitting the shore.
I woke up minus a headache and extremely thirsty. I’d overdone the exercise earlier, but it helped bury the thoughts that drove me crazy. Someone died because of me. An insane stalker tried to kill me. And, I wanted to have sex with the man hired to protect me. Maybe I was turning into a nymphomaniac. I’d gone months without sex before. Why was this so different? Why him? Brack said he wanted me. And that only made it worse. I used men, I didn’t crave them. Yes, the guys used me too and we both walked away satisfied. Hell, that was a lie. I was never truly satisfied. The men I fucked played on the pro circuit, and tennis pros thought very highly of themselves in bed and out. I had sexual desires that I never expressed aloud. Was that my fault? I held my lovers at arm’s length. It was easier to become friends with them and that’s what I did if the intimacy went past a certain point. Late at night, I would think about my nasty sexual desires and feel embarrassment. Not just about my hidden needs, but also the fact that I couldn’t express them. I always felt it was the whole senator’s daughter thing hanging over my head. The “what ifs” if the media found out.
My arch nemesis, Valery, was gay. She said it didn’t make her love life any more or less satisfying than mine. I had trouble believing that. Women would understand women in bed. Life had to be easier if I were attracted to pussy. I lay in bed for a few extra minutes and tried having a lesbian fantasy. Smooth silky fingers turned into rough callused ones. Hell. My thoughts veered to Brack’s hard muscles and dual-colored eyes. What the hell was it about him? I guess the old adage that you always want what you can’t have was true. I tightened my thighs trying to alleviate the ache. Having a man purchase a vibrator for me was at the top of my ridiculous list, but I was desperate. I grit my teeth against the need to lower my hand and try to get myself off once more. My stomach growled and thirst drove me from the bed before I suffered more frustration.
I drank two bottles of water then found a few spices in a drawer under the counter. I added a liberal amount to the steaks and took them outside to a propane grill I discovered earlier on the side of the hut.
Chapter Thirteen
A slight breeze came off the ocean and even in the sun, grilling the steaks wasn’t bad. No sign of Brack, though. For a few minutes it had me worried. Then I saw him walking along the shore coming toward the hut while holding his shoes in one hand and talking into his cell phone with the other.
I wore a bikini top and my only halfway clean shorts. I really needed to wash my things later and hang them up. I’d ignored his dictate about washing out my clothes that morning. Brack stuck his phone in his pocket and headed my way. If I read his scowl correctly, he wasn’t happy. He glanced at the steaks before heading into the hut and going straight to the bathroom. He never said a word. Of course, neither did I. The door shut behind him and the sound of the shower running came next.
When he came out, I had everything set up on the table. I’d cut up some fruit because it was better than nothing. The steaks were big and with the fruit, it should be enough. Brack strolled over dressed in his jeans and another tight t-shirt. I gulped and breathed in slowly through my nose. It was a mistake because clean, sexy, man filled my senses. I would swear he did this to me on purpose.
I sat down and transferred one of the steaks to my plate. I’d eat it first and follow up with the fruit. I cooked the meat medium rare the way I liked it, but the thought of blood mixed with papaya salad wasn’t appetizing.
“We need to talk,” Brack said as he placed the other steak on his plate.
For some reason he believed he dictated when speaking was allowed. “So talk,” I snapped.
He cocked his eyebrows at my clipped response. “I spoke with Mack. Your attacker has gone to ground. The police located the van that he used to run you over. Stolen and no prints. It will be at least another week for DNA.”
I felt sorry for the detective working the case. “My father doesn’t handle delay well.”
Brack’s white teeth flashed with a grin. “Oh, believe me he’s throwing his weight around and the normal two to three months for DNA isn’t even a possibility. That’s not the problem, though.” Brack took a bite of steak and I did the same.
Watching his lips move as he chewed had me squirming in my chair. I barely tasted my food. I wanted those lips on me. Everywhere.
“What’s up?” Brack asked with a strange look on his face.
“Nothing,” I replied. He absolutely would not want to know my problem.
After another bite of steak, Brack continued. “Chances are good there won’t be a DNA match.”
This surprised me. “Why do you say that?”
His eyes intensified. “He’s smart and in most cases, stalkers keep a low profile until they find that special someone who activates their warped side.”
I had enough guilt thinking this was entirely my fault. “Gee, thanks. That makes me feel better. Just call me Warped Activators R Us.”
Now Brack’s expression showed pity, which was worse than his irritating smirk. “This sicko is not your fault. If not you, it would be someone else.”
I had to change the subject. “Do you find me attractive?”
He stared at me for a long moment before answering. “I like your drive to win and the fact that you don’t let fear rule you. You’re frustrating and spoiled, but you make your own way without your father’s help. I admire you for those qualities.”
As far as compliments went, his sucked. I couldn’t help feelin
g disgruntled. “You sound like my father.”
His teeth flashed again. “Your father pays me.”
Did he think he put me in my place? “Nothing says you can’t admire nice tits and ass.”
His pity expression returned. “Is that what you think of yourself?”
For some reason Brack had a problem with me reducing myself to a sexual object. I could work with that. “Don’t worry about my self-confidence. I’m secure in who I am. Wrapping my lips around your cock would pass the time. I’m bored and in need of a good fuck.”
A low sound came from his throat.
I fought laughter. “I can growl while I deep throat. Most men like it.”
Brack slowly removed his napkin from his lap and wiped his lips. My eyes snapped to the door wondering if I could make it outside before he picked me up and carried me to the ocean again. I glanced back at him and he didn’t move, so I stayed in my chair.
His gaze traveled to my chest. My toes curled. With slow determined purpose, he lifted his eyes to mine. “You might be Mack’s type. When he brings our supplies I’ll get lost and the two of you can fuck like bunnies. Maybe then I can get some peace.”
He never responded how I expected. I tossed my napkin across the table at him. “Mack couldn’t handle me. I’m not sure you can either, but I’m willing to find out.”
Brack shook his head, but I could see the smile in his eyes. “Insulting you has no effect. Please tell me, Miss Stradmore, with all the insecure women in the world, how do you manage to shake off every offending statement I make?”
Now I laughed. Sword fighting with words against this man was actually fun. “You called me a slut and that didn’t work. Now you invite me to have sex with your friend and you think I’ll get pissed and storm away. I didn’t get where I am today in the world of tennis without obstinacy. You need to work on your insult game a little more.”
Slam Page 6
