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She groaned. “More ambulance jokes? You need new material, Jake.”
He grinned and picked up the axe. “Let me show you how it’s done. First, you hold it with both hands, one in front of the other.” He put the axe in her hands, and placed them where he wanted them to be. “Then, you raise it up.” He lifted her arms horizontal, pointing at the target. “You don’t need it above your head, like you had it, and definitely don’t hyperextend. You don’t want it falling down behind you.”
“How am I supposed to throw it if I don’t lift it over my head?”
“Don’tholdit over your head,” he clarified. “You can bring it higher before you throw it, but don’t just hold it up there. I’d rather not?—”
“Have to call the ambulance,” she finished for him. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
“I’m serious,” he told her. “I don’t want you getting hurt, so pay attention.”
She could tell he was being sincere, and that bossy tone was kind of hot. “Okay.”
“Good. So, when your arms are here…” He held his hand at the desired height. “… you aim. Then you can lift it to get a little momentum to throw.”
“Aren’t you showing me wrong?” she asked, pointedly glancing over her shoulder. She was trying to make fun of the fact guys in the movies always stood behind the girl to show her how it was done. It was such a cliché move, she thought he’d find it funny. When he looked at her with a confused expression, however, she wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
“I am showing you,” he said.
Fudge. He doesn’t get it.
Like he really sat around the fire station watching Hallmark movies.
“Never mind.” Hopefully, he’d brush past her lame attempt at humor. She didn’t know why she’d said it. She’d never been good at flirting and, obviously, still wasn’t.
He studied her a moment before asking, “Do you mean like on TV where the guy gets behind the girl, puts his arms around her, and directs her movements?”
Okay, so it sounded stupid when he said it.
Now she felt totally self-conscious. “I was trying to be funny, but…” She let her words trail off and shrugged.
“Are you saying you want me behind you, Laurel?”
Why did everything he said make her think of sex? And it wasn’t only the husky tone of his voice, it was…
Oh, who am I kidding? Everything about him makes me think of sex.
“You want me wrapping my arms around you from behind?” Dropping the axe, he mirrored his words, enveloping her in his warmth. “Positioning you where I want you...” Tipping her head to the left, he kissed her neck where her pulse fluttered.
She swallowed hard because, suddenly, this conversation didn’t sound like axe throwing or Hallmark movies at all.
“Telling you what to do…” He kissed the sensitive skin behind her ear and whispered, “… and when to do it?”
Holy, snickerdoodles!
When did this discussion turn X-rated? He’d taken control, flipped it back on her, and upped the ante before she’d even realized.
“If that’s what you want, Laurel...” He traced the shell of her ear with his tongue. “I can make it happen.”
She literally felt like she was about to spontaneously combust when he nipped her earlobe. She stumbled forward, trying to force her breathing to slow down. When she turned to face him, his mouth tugged up on the side.
“Or I can just talk you through it,” he said, sounding like they’d been chatting about the weather instead of the images his words triggered.
“No, I’m good.” She nervously twisted her hands. When Jake looked down, she immediately dropped them to her sides. “Thanks.”
He picked up the axe and held it out to her. “Okay, Princess. Show me what you’ve got.”
Jake watched Laurel carefully take the axe, making sure not to touch him.
