“No, Sempai.”
“Good.” Sempai Tyler struck his gloved hands together in anticipation of the next exchange. “Then it’s settled, no more holding back. Let’s spar.”
“I’m not really good at karate yet.” Jaime hesitated. If he was pressed to defend himself, there was no telling what techniques he’d resort to. “I might slip into some judo moves.”
Sempai Tyler shrugged. “All the better for me. My ground work doesn’t get much practice.”
Jaime nodded and raised his hands as he resumed his fighting stance. Finding some confidence, Jaime led with a back-fist and reverse-punch combo. It was one of the first moves he’d ever learned. His body responded with a fluidity he’d forgotten. Even though Sempai Tyler was slow to respond, he blocked the attack before it had a chance of landing. Jaime didn’t even see Sempai’s fist until it struck his temple. He stumbled backward, shaking his head to clear it. The shot wasn’t hard enough to cause any damage, but it wasn’t a love tap either.
If Sempai Tyler thought a little pain was going to discourage Jaime, he was wrong. Determination fortified Jaime’s resolve.
The next time Jaime attacked, he moved diagonally, leaving his ribs open. Sempai Tyler took the bait and launched his attack. Instead of taking the incoming blow, Jaime slipped just out of range and grabbed Sempai Tyler’s wrist. The distance between them evaporated. With a slight tug, Jaime sent Sempai Tyler tumbling forward over his hip. In a flurry of movement, Sempai Tyler hit the ground but didn’t stop there. Jaime flipped him around until Sempai Tyler’s face was pressed against the mats.
With one arm behind Sempai Tyler’s back and his knee pinned between Jaime’s legs, Sempai Tyler was trapped. Considering how long it had been since Jaime had practiced judo, he was surprised at how securely he’d pinned Sempai Tyler. If Sempai Tyler tried to force his way out, he would dislocate his shoulder or knee, or both.
Suddenly Sempai Tyler let out a sharp grunt. He was pissed, and it was Jaime’s fault. He should never have pinned a higher rank. Guys hated being underneath Jaime, unless it was in the bedroom. Jaime quickly released Sempai Tyler. He scurried to his feet, palms raised to let Sempai Tyler know he wasn’t trying anything funny.
“I’m sorry, Sempai,” Jaime muttered and continued to back up. The last thing he wanted to do was to piss off a higher rank, especially when Sempai Tyler had been kind of nice to him.
“Where are you going?” Sempai Tyler hissed. “I didn’t tap out.”
Jaime froze. It hadn’t occurred to him to wait for a tap out. He was sure he’d upset Sempai Tyler and didn’t want to be on the receiving end of the man’s anger and insecurity. But Jaime saw neither in Sempai Tyler’s eyes, only disappointment at being robbed of a chance to test his ability.
“I don’t want you to cut me any slack just because I’m a black belt.” Sempai Tyler rose to his feet. “You get me on the ground again, and you had better keep me there until I tap out. Otherwise, the match isn’t over.”
“Hai, Sempai.” Jaime was relieved. He was having too much fun sparring with Sempai Tyler.
The next time Jaime had the opportunity to take Sempai Tyler to the mats, he didn’t hesitate or take it easy. The more Sempai Tyler struggled, the tighter Jaime’s hold became until Sempai Tyler had no choice but to give up. There was nothing more rewarding than pinning a stronger opponent and forcing him to admit surrender. Much to Jaime’s surprise, Sempai Tyler seemed to enjoy it as much as Jaime did. Each time Jaime pinned him, Sempai Tyler waited longer and longer before he tapped out.
“Tap out already, Sempai.” Jaime’s breath was hot against Sempai Tyler’s ear. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Not yet.”
* * * *
The pain spread through Tyler’s arm and down his side until he could feel the muscles slacken in spite of his determination to fight. The pain was both a warning and a reward. Nothing thrilled him more than finding out he could take a little more punishment before his body forced him to concede defeat. Only in the dojo was he safe to explore the limits of his body, mind, and spirit. All that punishment came with a rush of endorphins and a better knowledge of who he was and what he was capable of. That knowledge was priceless.
Surrender was inevitable and warranted, given his inferior position. After their little chat, he hoped Jaime wouldn’t simply let him out of the hold. When Jaime didn’t even loosen his grip, Tyler smiled in spite of the pain. Now it was a matter of strength of will. To his astonishment, Jaime’s strength was much more subtle than appearances would have suggested. Finally, the dull thud of Tyler’s free hand hitting the mat signaled to Jaime to release his hold.
With a heavy sigh, Jaime released Tyler but stayed close. Jaime’s watchful eyes remained fixed on Tyler as he sat up and rubbed his arm. Tyler was amused to see Jaime’s concern.
“That was good.” Tyler grinned. “You’ve got to show me how to do that move.”
Between the worry and relief in Jaime’s eyes, Tyler was pleased to see a good measure of triumph. If it were he, Tyler knew he’d be damned proud of pinning a higher rank. The more he worked with Jaime, the more he found they shared a similar spirit when it came to the tenacity required in the martial arts.
“You’re a masochist, Sempai.” Jaime extended his hand to help Tyler up.
Grateful for the assistance, Tyler took Jaime’s hand with the one he could still feel. The sensation was only beginning to return to his other arm.
“Just a little.” The grin on Tyler’s lips widened. “Again?”
“Hai, Sempai.” Jaime beamed.
After nearly half an hour of sparring, Tyler was convinced Jaime was a keeper. Once he got past
