Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“You have to get down from there first.”
I glare down at him, but he’s still grinning at me, and he looks . . . proud.
And damn it, that makes me want to complete this so that pride stays there.
“I’m mad at you. Don’t smile at me like that.”
But the grin doesn’t leave his handsome-as-hell face.
“This is nothing compared to what you just put yourself through to get here. Come on, you can do this.”
With a deep breath to gather some courage, I scoot around and let the other leg drop. Slowly, I work my way down, and when I get a few feet from the ground, Gideon’s hands are gripping my hips.
“No!” I shake my head. “You can’t take me down. I have to do it myself, or else I’ve failed, and I have to start over.”
He immediately moves away.
“You’re right. Go ahead.”
I drop to the ground, and then jog over and ring the bell, and then I’m in Gideon’s arms and he’s spinning me around, kissing me like crazy.
“You’re the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” he growls against my lips.
“I’m so mad at you.”
“Good. That means you used that anger to get through the course.”
He squeezes me to him and kisses my cheek, and damn it, I love being surrounded by him.
“I wish we’d timed it,” I mutter.
“I did.”
I blink up at him, waiting.
“Eighteen minutes, six seconds. If you hadn’t paused at the top of that last one, you would have done it in under fifteen minutes.”
“Well, fuck.”
He laughs and takes my hand, but I wince and tug out of his grasp, and his face immediately darkens.
“What’s wrong?”
I shake my head and turn away, but he catches my wrist and pulls me back to him, scowling when he sees my hands.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Jesus, you need to tell me—”
“I’m just a trainee, remember? Do you hug and kiss and coddle everyone who finishes the course, Lieutenant?”
His face hardens, and if I’m not mistaken, hurt moves through his eyes.
“I didn’t think so. I’ll clean up when I get back to the house.” I pick up my sweatshirt and tug it on, wincing when the cotton scrapes against my hands. “Why do my hips hurt so bad?”
“Because of the rings. The swinging back and forth.” He crowds into me and wraps my ponytail around his fist, then tugs my head back so I’m staring up at him. “You’re not just anything. Do you understand me?”
I will not cry.
“What are we doing next?”
“I’m taking you home, and I’m going to tend to your hands and get you comfortable.”
“Would you—”
“Be very careful, Lena. You’re pissing me off.”
“I’m just treating you like I would any trainer, Gideon.” His lips firm. “Doesn’t feel good, does it? You can be tough on me, that’s fine. I can take it. But you don’t get to fuck me one minute and then speak to me like I’m a stranger the next.”
I start to walk away from him, and swear at myself when I limp, my right side already so sore.
Suddenly, I’m in Gideon’s arms, and he’s carrying me bridal-style back toward the house.
“D—”
“Shut that beautiful mouth,” he growls. “No, I wouldn’t carry anyone else. Damn it, cut me some slack. The rules shifted less than twelve hours ago, and I’m figuring it out.”
Okay, now I might feel a little bad.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I sink my fingers into his hair and my face against his neck and hug him close.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “You hurt my feelings, and I got mad.”
“That’s not ever my intention.”
“I know. I just need to remember that grumpy is your standard factory setting. I was scared of the obstacle course.”
“Obviously, you didn’t need to be. You kicked ass today. You did far better than men who have been through the military and come here to train do. Most don’t make it through on their first day.”
I freeze, staring at him in shock.
“You’re kidding.”
“I’m not kidding. I’m grumpy, remember? I don’t have a sense of humor.”
He carries me into the house and up the stairs to the primary bathroom, where he sets me on the vanity and gets to work starting the bath.
“I want you to soak in some Epsom salts for your joints. Let me see your hands.”
Without arguing, I show him my palms, and he lifts one to his lips and gently kisses it, then raises his gaze to me.
“I’ll get you gloves. You’ll wear them from now on.”
“I’ll get calluses. It’ll be okay.”
“No, you’ll use the gloves.” He leans on the counter on either side of my hips and presses his lips to my forehead. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
“You are?”
“Hell yes. Watching you do the course, all pissed off and stubborn, determined to make it through, was the sexiest thing I’ve seen. And then you broke my heart when you got to the top of the rope net and froze.”