Page 25 of Craved By the Mountain Man

His eyebrows rise.

“You moved.”

“That’s usually allowed.”

“I was working with limited information.”

“You were trying to knee me.”

“You attacked me in the dark.”

“You broke into my house.”

“I picked the lock. We discussed the distinction.”

His mouth twitches.

Then he holds out one hand.

“Show me.”

“Show you what?”

“What Kaden taught you.”

I eye his hand.

“You want me to attack you?”

“I want to see what you know.”

“You saw some of it.”

“I saw what happens when you panic.”

I bristle.

“I did not panic.”

“You tried the right move against the wrong grip.”

That shuts me up.

Annoyingly.

He steps closer.

“I’m not saying you don’t know how to defend yourself.”

“Sounds suspiciously like you are.”

“I’m saying I want to know what you can do.”

Something about the way he says it takes the sting out.

No mockery.

No assumption that I am helpless.