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“You enjoying this duel?” he breathed.

“Yeah. You?” My eyes followed the glistening sweat sliding from his forehead to the side of his face and down to the column of his neck. My gaze fixated on the pulse thumping there. I didn’t know what got into me, but I pressed a finger to his neck, feeling the pulse thump against my skin.

“The best duel I’ve had in a long time.”

When I realized what I’d done, I immediately retracted my finger. He didn’t seem to notice that gesture and continued to spar.

I swung my arm, trying to trick him, and threw a kick at his shin, but he dodged. Then he swung a leg into my shin, throwing me off balance. I dropped to the mat, and he was on top of me. The feel of him over me had me yearning for more.

“Surrender, and I’ll let you live.” He grinned, looking down at me.

Laughing, I tickled both sides of his ribcage, forcing him to roll over. Then I leaped onto him. “Who needs to surrender now?”

His smile widened as he wrapped his legs around me, gripped my arms with his, and somehow rolled me over to be under him again. What kind of duel was this? This sparring had transformed into something more, but neither of us was going to acknowledge that.

The people in the room were probably watching us, but I didn’t care. The anxiety that had dogged me when I came into this studio was now replaced by arousal and the loosening of muscles obtained from an excellent workout.

“Surrender,” he demanded.

“No.” I shifted, curled my leg, and kneed him.

He rolled over, and I jumped to my feet, taking on the tiger stance. “You need to work hard if you want me to surrender.” I beckoned him with my fingers. “Come on.”

A crooked smile formed on his lips as he charged at me.

CHAPTERNINE

VIVIAN

I droppedKaylee off at the airport this morning. She was joining her Whiz Kidz team in Texas for a robotics contest for a week. Her team had made it to the national competition, and I was so proud of her. On top of her good grades at school, she was doing fantastic at Whiz Kidz.

Last night’s workout with Arrow had been extraordinary. The chemistry between us was something I’d never experienced. The hour flew by, and I wanted to continue sparring, but he had to go. He didn’t ask me when I’d return to the studio, and I didn’t ask him. A part of me wished he’d asked.

I didn’t like this internal confusion. How could I want a man to continue pursuing me when I’d turned him down? What was wrong with me?

I’d slept like a log last night and decided I deserved a latte from Sunshine in a Cup Café across from my apartment. I walked into the shop, got in line, and glanced toward the tray of blueberry muffins to my right. My staff would love a treat.

When I got my order of six muffins and a latte, I headed out as Arrow was heading in. He wore a gray felt coat over a navy suit, looking deliciously sophisticated and dangerous. God, he was so gorgeous.

He smiled and held the door for me. “Good morning.”

Joy thrummed in my body like I’d just gotten a dose of caffeine in my bloodstream. All I had to do was look at him, and my body felt invigorated. He could be my morning latte.

“Good morning!” I replied too excitedly.

He glanced at the box in my hand. “I guess you have an appetite after last night.”

“It was a good workout. Thank you.”

“It was indeed. Have a great day.”

“You too.”

Hehadmoved on. Sadness and disappointment clung to me as I entered my office and got to work. What did I expect?

I should be the one to move on. I was the one who didn’t want any complications or distractions. And here I was, standing in the middle of my mess. No one got me here. I placed myself in this dilemma, and I had to get myself out of it.

* * *