Chapter Seven
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That afternoon, Leann was beginning to regret her deal with Zach regarding self-defense lessons. He’d dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a tank top, and she was reminded of just how…big…he was. He was like an oak tree, tall and solid and she was the opposite. She trusted him not to hurt her during the session but she wasn’t the most graceful person on the planet. She might simply injure herself being a klutz.
A big smile on his handsome face, Zach rubbed his hands together excitedly. “Are you ready?”
This so-called lesson was being carried out in the middle of a deserted martial arts gym where apparently Zach was a good friend of the owners, because they’d told him to “lock up” when he was done.
“I guess so. Am I dressed okay for this?”
At home Leann walked on a treadmill and sometimes played tennis so she wasn’t sure what the proper attire was for getting her ass kicked. She’d chosen stretchy shorts and a t-shirt. No tennis shoes allowed on the mats, so she was also barefoot. The germaphobe in her shuddered at the thought but Zach didn’t seem bothered in the least so it was probably fine.
His grin widened and he motioned to her t-shirt. “It’s fine. I like your shirt, by the way.”
It was plain gray cotton with a bright pink rabbit wearing work out gear, and it was one of her favorites. Every time she wore it someone commented on it.
“Thanks, I thought you might get a kick out of it. Get it? A kick?”
Perhaps she could distract him with humor and he’d forget they were here for self-defense classes.
He was holding his stomach and laughing. “Got it. That’s cute. I may have to get one just like it.”
In a much bigger size.
“I might want to mention now that I’m a little nervous about this,” she said before he could continue. “I’m kind of clumsy.”
“It will be fine,” Zach assured her. “Let’s start by warming up some, get your muscles ready to work. I don’t want you to be too sore tomorrow.”
“I am definitely going to be sore if we do more than a brisk walk. You might say I’ve been neglecting my workouts lately.”
Zach nodded as if he understood, which clearly he didn’t by the looks of him. “Work making it tough to get to the gym? I know how that goes.”
“No, you don’t,” she answered promptly with an eye roll. “Look at you. You’re in incredible shape. You’re probably one of those annoying humans that get up when it’s dark outside so they can exercise before going in to work. As a mental health professional, I worry about people like that.”
“I’ve been in better shape, believe it or not. But once you get in shape it’s easier to stay there.”
“It’s the getting there that’s the tough part,” she said knowingly. “I’ve tried before but I have trouble sticking to a workout plan.”
“Then it wasn’t the right workout for you. You need to find something you enjoy.”
Leann enjoyed binge-watching bad television shows while eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. Sadly, she hadn’t managed to burn one calorie doing that yet.
“That’s what in shape people always say but it’s bull. Sweating isn’t pleasant.”
Chuckling, he walked over to the corner of the room and retrieved two jump ropes.
“Then you’re going to be very unhappy in about an hour. Let’s jump rope for a few minutes to get the blood pumping.”
She could do this. Many happy recesses had been spent with her friends jumping rope. It was like riding a bike and she was eight years old again.
Except that she didn’t remember huffing and puffing this much when she was in third grade. She hadn’t had breasts either back then and having them bounce up and down was uncomfortable. After about a minute, she had to take a break to suck oxygen into her lungs while he jumped easily, not even breaking a sweat. Smooth bastard.
The rest of the hour didn’t get any easier. Zach had her gouging at his eyes, punching his solar plexus, stomping on his instep, and her favorite – kneeing him in the balls.
“Now what do you do when I raise my hands to defend my eyes?” he asked as she struggled to catch her breath. There was no doubt she was going to be sore tomorrow. And the next day too.
“Knee you,” she replied, supporting her torso with her hands on her knees. “Then plot a most painful death.”
Bending so he could see her face, he flipped her long braid over her shoulder. “Had enough for one day? We can practice again another time.”
Crumpling to the mat, she stretched out and closed her eyes, pillowing her head on her hands. Now this was comfortable. “Just wake me up when it’s time to go to the dance. No, better yet, wake me up when it’s time to catch my flight back to Florida.”
She thought she heard him step away so she was surprised when she felt a few cold, wet drops on her forehead, but damn it felt good. Her lids fluttered open and he was kneeling next to her on the mat, a water bottle in one hand with droplets sliding down the sides.
“Time to rehydrate. You need to drink it all.”
She didn’t argue, twisting off the cap and drinking down half of it at once before falling back to the mat. “Pure ambrosia.”
Zach sat crisscross, his own water bottle empty and tossed aside. “Are you really okay? Do I need to carry you out of here? I don’t want to have to tell Jason that I broke his sister.”
Giggling at the thought of that conversation, she rolled to a sitting position. “I doubt he’d be surprised.”
“Weren’t you a cheerleader?”
She drank down more of her water. “I was young and limber and I looked cute in the outfit. Don’t judge.”
His grin was wicked and evil. “I’ll just bet you did. Did you wear a short skirt and jump around?”
Her cheeks were red and it didn’t have anything to do with physical exertion. “Maybe. Is it important that I did?”
“Just trying to get a picture here. Are there any photos?”
“Yes, and Mom will probably entertain you with several picture albums at Sunday dinner if you ask. But I beg you…don’t ask.”
Rubbing his chin, he had a devious expression on his face. “I’ll tell you what. You do a little cheer for me now and I won’t ask your mom for photographic evidence.”
“More deals? What is it with you?”
“I believe in win-win.”
She just bet he did.
“I think I remember one but I’m going to need a little something more. If I show you a cheer, you have to show me some of your martial arts. Maybe it will inspire me to get a black belt or something.”
It wouldn’t at all but he didn’t know that.
“That’s a deal I’ll take all day long. I’ll even go first so you can rest up a little bit.”
Already warmed up, Zach didn’t waste any time. He moved through what looked like a choreographed set of kicks and punches, rather graceful for a man his size. When he was done, he bowed and then plopped back on the mat with a grin.
“Your turn.”
“That was really, really good. You must have studied for a long time to be able to do all of that.”
He hopped back up to his feet and reached his hand down to help her up. “Years. Your turn.”
Leann wasn’t going to be able wriggle out of this one by flattering him. Dammit.
Standing straight and tall with her arms at her sides and her heart racing, she closed her eyes and thought back to all the words and moves from those days so long ago on the sidelines. The sounds of the crowd and the smell of the grass and sweat. Her family and friends in the stands cheering her on. Slowly it came back to her, her body stepping through the routine with increasing confidence, even the jump at the end. She was sure she looked ridiculous but in a million years she’d have never believed she would even remember it, let alone do it.
When she opened her eyes Zach was grinning like a loon. “You were incredible. My God, woman, you are just amazing.”
Somehow she must have thrown herself into his arms in triumph because their faces were so close…and their lips… She could drown in his soft blue gaze as their mouths drew ever closer to one another.
His warm mouth had barely brushed hers, setting off a cacophony of sensations inside of her when his phone went off, the loud ringer piercing the quiet. Jerking away, he took several steps back, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly with his breathing.
“I need to get that.”
Numbly she nodded, telling herself that it could be something about the murders. She might have believed it too if Zach hadn’t looked so relieved about the interruption.
He’d simply been caught up in the moment, and that hurt more than the workout did.