Hustle, girl, hustle.

Sally pulled the hoodie down over her face and walked faster. If she could get there in 5 minutes, she could make the 4 o'clock class at the dojo. You weren't allowed in if you were late. Jerry Davis, who owned the place, was very strict.

Then again, he always made exceptions for Sally.

She did her best to ignore the fact that Jerry pretty openly had a crush on her. After almost two months though, it was hard not to notice the discounts, special attention and lingering looks.

It was too bad he wasn't her type. He was blond and reasonably good-looking. A total jock. A nice guy with his own business. Exactly the kind of guy she should be going for. But he just didn't do it for her.

He was too… boring. She hoped he never actually asked her out because she would hate to hurt his feelings.

After all, this place had changed her life.

Before taking classes she'd been weak, at the mercy of anyone stronger. Now she could at least stand up for herself, if not win, a fight with someone twice her size. Plus, she had the element of surprise on her side.

No one expected a tiny little blond like her to whoop their butts.

She almost hoped she'd get a chance to use her new skills someday.

Almost.

She hustled and slid into class just before Jerry shut the doors. Good. She needed this today. She needed to feel empowered.

Jerry's eyes flicked over the seven students lined up. Oh no. An odd number. Sally knew what that meant.

"Sally, you'll spar with me."

She nodded and joined Jerry at the front of the classroom. She bowed and they began. Jerry was laser focused, challenging her at ever turn. She was getting sweaty and overexerted, just trying to stay on her feet.

That's until she took her work out jacket off.

Oops.

She regretted taking it off immediately.

She almost rolled her eyes at the way he was so distracted by her body. Her tight tank top and jogging pants, with the tiny glimpse of a hot pink jog bra was not standard gear for the dojo.

But Jerry did not seem to mind. In fact, he was barely paying attention to anything other than her torso. Or her butt. Or her legs. It was almost insulting how blatantly he was ogling her.

Then again, he was distracted so…

BAM

She got a direct hit to his chest, sending him stumbling. He landed against the wall and was on his feet in an instant, glaring at her.

Uh oh.

Jerry wasn't distracted anymore.

They sparred for the rest of the hour and a half class until she was exhausted and soaked in sweat. He challenged her at every turn, keeping her on her toes, really honing her instincts and technique. She was wiped out by the end, with jello for muscles.

It was tough as hell.

It felt awesome.

She was patting herself down with the towels Jerry kept at the front desk when she looked outside and saw him.

Donnie.

He was outside, lounging on his motorcycle with his long legs stretched out in front of him. He really did look like a model pretending to be a biker. But what was he doing out there in the dojo parking lot?

Oh no. He wasn’t there idly. He was there for a reason.

He was waiting for her.

"Friend of yours?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin from the voice behind her. Jerry was practically whispering in her ear. He was that close.

Too close.

She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. She stepped sideways toward the exit. Now she was getting annoyed. Couldn't the guy take a hint?

"Yes. He is."

"Be careful, Sally. The Spawns aren't good guys you know. They don't treat women well."

Oh, and you would?

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to sound calm and most importantly- cool. No need to snap at him and create an enemy- or a threat.

Besides, whenever a woman raised her voice, even if she was right, somebody invariably used the same word.

Crazy.

Anytime a woman was inconvenient, or justifiably riled up, someone said it. And poof, just like that, it took her power away. There was no word Sally hated more in the dictionary, even though it hadn’t been used on her more than once or twice.

Usually when she was trying to defend herself.

"I can take care of myself, Jerry."

She pushed the glass door and stepped out, almost missing the odd look Jerry was giving her. He didn't look like a nice guy in that moment. Not at all.

Donnie smiled and stood up as soon as he saw her. She squared her shoulders and walked over to him. There was no point in running. It was a small town. And he came to Mae’s.

Plus, there was a tiny voice inside her head telling her that she could trust him. That Donahue was one in a million. That he was a good guy.

Not a hitter.

She reminded herself that she had nothing to be afraid of. He was just a guy. A really, really hot guy, but a guy all the same. And she knew how to defend herself now.

She was probably going to skip the dojo for a while, but she’d learned a lot already. She could practice on her own.

Just relax.

He was holding a helmet in his hands. She stared at those thick paws for a minute. His hands were huge compared to hers. He could do a lot of things to her with those hands…

Good and bad.

"Hi Sally."

"Hi Donnie.What are you doing here?"

"You disappeared so fast that I didn't get to talk to you."

“Oh. I had to go. Kaylie was pretty upset."

"Yeah, I gathered."

She just stared at him. He looked big and tough in all his leather but the look on his face was similar to what a puppy looked like when it wanted a bowl of kibble.

An enormous, muscle bound puppy with gorgeous blue eyes.

He looked utterly harmless.

She was afraid of him anyway.

But maybe, just maybe, it was just a flash back. Maybe that had nothing to do with Donnie himself.

He held out the helmet. There was another one on the seat behind him. Oh dear. He wanted her to ride with him.

"Come on, let me give you a ride. It'll be fun."

She took a step back, her hands flying to her damp ponytail.

"But I'm all sweaty."

He grinned at her in a way that made her heart start beating double time.

“I don’t mind.”

“Donnie…”

"It's hot out. I’m sweaty too.”

She did not want to get on that bike. She did not want to wrap her arms around him. She did not want to feel his body against her chest. She did not want to rub their sweaty bodies together.

She was such a liar.

That was exactly what she wanted to do.

"Okay."

He grinned and helped her put her helmet on. He was standing so close to her that they could have been kissing. She stared at his chest, ignoring the insistent tug she was feeling. The urge to look up at him and… just let go. Give in. Fall into his arms.

She was just going for a ride, that was all.

Baby steps.