His response seemed to frustrate her. Good.
“I’m clever,” she said in a clipped voice.
Mason laughed. “D’you think a person can’t possess both brawn and brains?” He passed behind her again, noting the way she fisted her hands at her sides.
“The men we’re up against are mercenaries, hired thugs who care for nothing but coin.” Her tone was growing heated. “Whereas I have a passionate cause to protect against them.”
“You do. Avid personal motivation will certainly get you into the fight. It can also make you reckless and impetuous. I wanna know what’ll keep you standing to the end.”
She planted her fists on her hips as he stepped in front of her. “Again, isn’t that what you’re here to teach me?”
He smirked. “Why would I bother teaching a pampered young lady from Mayfair? A soft gentlewoman who’s likely never experienced anything more physically challenging than a polite little trot through the park? Someone who’s grown up in luxury with no reason to develop skills suitable to take on men honed in violence?”
As he spoke, he watched as his words steadily infuriated her, until the moment when comprehension dawned and a smile of anticipation widened her mouth. Mason actually flinched as his chest squeezed tight at the sight of her even teeth and the flash of knowledge in her eyes.
“I’ll be underestimated,” she answered. “My greatest advantage will be that of surprise.”
“Smart girl,” he said again.
And this time, she grinned back.
AN HOUR LATER, KATHERINE ground her back teeth against a groan as she pushed off from the floor and rolled back to her feet. Her muscles ached from head to toe; bruises had formed on her knees, elbows, and backside. Sweat curled the hair at her temples and dripped down the back of her neck and between her breasts.
“Again.”
Hale, of course, didn’t appear the slightest bit winded. He was relentless. And though she wished she could tell him where to go, she took a deep breath, tossed her braid back over her shoulder and squared off against him once again.
Gratefully, her injured shoulder was giving her very little trouble beyond a few twinges here and there and a frustrating weakness. It helped that Hale very carefully avoided putting her in situations where she had to use the arm in any way that required a great deal of force or swift movement. His awareness of her injury was impressive. Still, she wished he didn’t feel like he had to take it easy on her even that little bit.
Aside from her initial suspicion that he was just playing with her, once the training had started in earnest, it became clear he took the lesson as seriously as she did. He taught her how to position her body in a way that provided a smaller target and improved her balance and grounding, how to throw a proper punch and where to aim, what part of her foot should make contact in various kicks, and then how to dodge and evade. They had recently moved on to techniques for breaking a hold.
He’d already shown her how to free herself from a few frontal holds, including one where he wrapped his hands around her throat. Feeling his large hands against her rapid pulse as he stood close towering over her had been a singular experience.
Singular and confusing.
Because in the moment before he’d started explaining how she could strike at his elbows or jab his throat to loosen his grip, she actually felt a strange rush of sexual exhilaration.
Up until that moment, she’d had no trouble focusing on the task at hand.
After that moment, however...
“Come on, duchess,” he said with a cocky wave of his hand. “Don’t tell me you’re giving up?”
She nearly growled but held it back, stepping toward him before turning in place to give him her back. But the second he stepped up behind her to wrap his great arms around her shoulders, crossing them over her breasts...she lost all rational thought.
Her senses became instantly overwhelmed by the strength of him standing so solid behind her, the heat of him surrounding her, the thud of his heartbeat, the stir of his breath. The raw, masculine sound he made when her buttocks bumped against his groin as she shifted her stance.
She also had to combat the tingle of her own skin—so sensitive and hot. The weakness in her knees. The tightness in her chest making it difficult to draw a full breath. The swirl in her belly and the insistent awakening pulse between her legs.
“Whenever you’re ready, luv,” he murmured huskily against her temple.
That did it. His use of the endearment sent a wave of sensual longing through her body. She sagged in surrender, which only allowed for more contact between their bodies. “I can’t.”
“You just need more practice. You’ve almost got it.”
“No,” she nearly shouted, tugging fiercely at his wrists to release his grip. “I need a moment.”
He let her go but didn’t back away from her. “D’you expect your enemy to give you a chance to think or rest?”
The derision in his voice had her whipping to face him, anger heating her face even more. “I’m not an idiot. I just need a second.”
“I should’ve known this’d be too much for you.”
“The training is not too much for me, you arrogant beast,” she said with a two-handed shove against his chest that didn’t budge him an inch. Putting all she had into her next shove, she pressed her palms to his solid chest as she nearly shouted, “You are too much for me.”
She realized what she’d admitted as his eyes flashed with understanding and his mouth widened into an infuriating grin. Releasing a raw sound of utter frustration and more than a hint of embarrassment, she spun around, intending to walk out of there as quickly as her tired legs could move.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Hale replied as he snaked an arm around her middle, drawing her back against him.
Her senses were instantly consumed by him—the solid
