Zeph’s hand slid along River’s stomach, up to his chest as his other arm locked around his neck. River leaned back into him without thinking twice, his heart thumping.

“No,” Zeph’s voice murmured, close to his ear. Warm breath tickled the hairs on the back of his neck. “Think.”

Right. Shit. He was supposed to be fighting the bastard off. They were going through the scenario slowly a few times before taking it at full speed.

River turned his head, tucking his chin in the crook of Zeph’s elbow, against his chest. Zeph had explained that this way, he couldn’t lock his arm around River’s throat for a chokehold, and his arm pressed against his collarbone instead.

Then, he grabbed Zeph’s arm on either side of the elbow, pressing it into his own chest. He started to turn and Zeph shook him slightly.

“No. Think.”

“I am thinking,” he mumbled into Zeph’s arm, then caught his breath. Zeph’s left arm around his neck, which meant he had to turn left. Sneaky asshole would do the opposite of what he’d done the first time.

And it was really hard to think with that muscled body pressed up behind him, the scent of Zeph filling his nose, the occasional brush of his cock against him when they were snuggled together—no, pressed together—just right.

The thought of it being his stalker instead was enough to chill him for long enough to think. He shifted his feet, turned the left foot out, and pressed the ball into the floor.

Ready for the spin. Just like dancing, only… more painful. And without a willing partner.

He pivoted on his ready left foot, his right leg half-circling around until he’d reversed his stance and then some, and he faced Zeph. All the while he kept his hold tight on Zeph’s arm.

This was the important part. The hold was definitely broken, but he wasn’t sure he got what Zeph had said he could do next.

“You can run, or…” Zeph prompted, leaning over to let him keep the hold on his arm.

“Or… Right!” He kept the hand that was closer to Zeph’s shoulder firmly in place, then slid his other hand up to his wrist to pull that down while he pushed up on the elbow.

That was a move he’d naturally be inclined to try anyway when someone got a little too handsy—he’d had to before—but he’d never done it with this stance.

Zeph hit the floor and grunted, and River quickly let go as he hovered over him, half-crouching. “You okay?”

“Yep.”

River bounced on the balls of the feet. “That was right, right?”

“Good. If I hadn’t hit the ground, if I’d tried to hold on and grab you from behind with the other hand or hit you in the nuts, you could keep your body out of range and step to the side, keep your hands pushing and pulling to reverse my arm even further. Anatomy demands I’ll fall sooner or later.”

“Right. But I think you appreciate your rotator cuff.”

“More than you know.” Zeph grinned up at him as he pushed himself to his feet. “Good job.”

The awkwardness of having Zeph’s hands slide along his body, positioning him and guiding him through the moves, had started to fade. Now, instead of awkwardly arousing, it was just plain thrilling.

Which really wasn’t helpful for learning anything, or for diffusing the tension between them.

“Once more, full speed,” Zeph told him.

This time, River had a mental image of that creepazoid in his head and he was ready.

Zeph went in with his right arm this time, so River tucked his chin, turned right, broke the hold, and turned his arm up to dump him on his back.

“Yes!” Zeph hissed from the floor.

River gave him a hand to pull him to his feet, and for just a moment, it felt like they could be just buddies.

Just men wrestling around, practicing…

Shit, he hadn’t let go of Zeph’s hand, and he was swaying toward him. The sparks flew between them, and his cheeks were burning.

Zeph’s hands slid along his hips to his sides, and he lost his momentary doubt that this was a test of his newly-acquired skills.

This was all their chemistry, once again unstoppable and hotter than even he could understand.

River’s lips met Zeph’s, and his weight draped along Zeph’s body, and he was falling into Zeph, heart and mind and soul.