“No. In fact, you made yourself look stupid. I was only the weapon you used. Don’t blame the hammer because you missed the nail and hit your thumb.”
Harlow shook her head, so angry she couldn’t speak. Wondering if she was always so pissed, I suspected she was making a special exception for me.
Harlow’s expression suddenly shifted and she lost her anger. For a moment, she looked lost. Blinking a few times, she shrugged and turned away.
“Sorry I thought you were a pervert in the woods. Thank you for not killing me. Have a nice day.”
I should have let her walk away. Wanting a cold shot of tequila and a big meal, I had plans that didn’t involve charming angry chicks.
“Who trained you?” I asked, following her to a Harley.
Harlow glanced at me over her shoulder, debating whether to ignore me or take the bait. I honestly didn’t know what she might decide, though my money was on her being tempted by the question. I won that wager.
“Why?” she asked, crossing her arms.
I leaned against a truck and grinned at her frowning face. “He’s doing a shit job.”
“I’m taking classes at the martial arts studio. The instructors are black belts.”
“Okay, then they suck at a black belt level.”
“Just because I couldn’t take down a professional killer doesn’t mean my instructors suck.”
Putting up my hands, I shared her frown. “Hey, maybe you ought to announce that professional killer info on a billboard? Save us the time of wondering if you’ll get me killed.”
Harlow glanced around, her expression changing again. No more teenage tantrum, now a smart woman.
“Sorry.”
Studying Harlow’s relaxed face, I admired her big eyes and those pouty lips. “You like fighting and I assume you want to be good at it.”
“I want to be strong. Fighting makes me that way.”
“You fucked up when you came at me in the woods,” I said, stepping closer. “You gave up your advantage by entering a larger opponent’s sphere. Didn’t your black belt instructors warn you about the male to female body differences?
Harlow frowned darkly. She wanted to complain, even defend her attack moves. Yet, they hadn’t work on me and I doubted they would have worked on a lesser man.
“What should I have done instead?”
“Assuming I was a real threat?”
“Yeah, assuming that.”
“Let me come for you. The ground was rocky and uneven. I would be at a disadvantage. You also would have been able to retreat if I pulled a weapon. Instead, you came at me without knowing if I was armed.”
Stepping closer again, I stood only a few feet from her. Harlow felt the change in proximity, immediately on alert.
“You have an advantage in a fight against a man,” I continued, “especially a stranger. He’ll see a young woman and assume you’re an easy target. You don’t want to give away your advantage until the last moment. They should have taught you that in your classes.”
“It’s not that kind of classes,” Harlow said, now sheepish. “It’s martial arts, not what you’re talking about.”
“I’m talking about winning. Learning how to do a fancy kick won’t win a fight.”
“Well that’s the kind of training I can get in Ellsberg. I guess I could ask Vaughn, but he’s pretty focused on Raven right now. Besides, he doesn’t like me fighting.”
“Vaughn sees you as the little girl he saved years ago, not the woman you are now,” I said, scratching at my goatee. “I could train you while I’m in town.”
Immediately suspicious, Harlow narrowed her eyes. Her angry expression nearly had me laughing.
“Why would you help me? Is this a trick to get into my pants?”
As my gaze darkened, Harlow’s eyes hinted at how she noticed the change in my demeanor.
“Do I look like the kind of man who needs to trick women into his bed?”
Harlow shook her head like a scolded child. Even irritated, I found her interesting. She was beautiful and I sensed complicated layers under her bratty demeanor. My mother was a stubborn woman too, giving me a soft spot for ladies who told me no.
“Why would you help me though?” she asked in a small voice.
I shrugged. “I’m bored in this small town and you entertain me with your womanly rage.”
Eyes narrowing again, Harlow wanted to mouth off. I saw her ready to put me in my place. She kept her womanly rage in control though.
“So you’d do this for free?”
“Yeah, but you’d have to be ready to train hard. I work out a lot,” I said, suspecting I’d need to work out more if I spent too much time around this sexy blonde brat. “I won’t treat you with kid gloves just because you sit down to take a piss.”
“You’re making me want to say no.”