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He tipped his head to the side, assessed me, and said, “Well, I don’t want to hold you up here or delay you any longer. I just wanted to see what you thought, make sure you wanted to come back, and offer my help.”
“Your help?” I repeated.
Kane nodded. “Yes. Like we said a few times throughout class, this can be challenging, if not frustrating, for some people when they first start. If you find that’s the case for you, or if you just want a little extra instruction, please don’t hesitate to ask me. It’s what I’m here for.”
“I just don’t want to look like a fool,” I noted.
His features softened before he countered, “How does that saying go? The only stupid question is the one that never gets asked, right?”
God, he was making this easy.
I probably could have done something incredibly embarrassing, and Kane would have likely found a way to convince me it was anything but.
“You’re being very kind,” I told him.
“I’m just speaking the truth,” he argued. “In all seriousness, though, I hope you don’t stop yourself from reaching out to me if you need any help with anything. I’d rather you be certain that you know what you’re doing when it counts than for you to be worried about me, or anyone else who works here, laughing at you for wanting to be sure about your safety.”
There it was.
More proof that coming here had been the best decision I could have made in the last eight years.
“I promise I’ll come to you if I have any questions or need any extra help,” I said.
A proud look washed over his face. “Good.”
As much as I was enjoying talking to Kane, I had a feeling that this was where the conversation was going to end. So, I declared, “Well, I should go back to the front desk to see Avalon and complete whatever paperwork she needs me to fill out. Thank you, Kane, for not only allowing me to stand in on this class, but also for talking to me about it afterward. I’m feeling very good about my decision to come here.”
“You’re welcome, Ellery. I’ll see you soon, right?”
I smiled at him, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a long time, and promised, “You will.”
The next thing I knew, I was walking out of the training room to head toward the reception desk. And as I did that, I didn’t know that Kane’s sparkling eyes watched me as I left.
By the time I made it to Avalon’s desk, I was doing everything I could to tame my unwarranted nerves. My encounter with Kane, even if completely innocent and professional on his part, left me feeling a bit out of sorts.
Nothing about it was bad. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
But I was at a loss for how to handle myself now. Life hadn’t exactly set me up for easily managing a situation like this. Because I was in desperate need of the knowledge and expertise that Kane and the team at Harper Security Ops had, and I didn’t need to be focusing on things like how much I enjoyed hearing him say my name. My attention needed to be on the moves and skills I would be taught, not on the way Kane’s shirt strained against the muscles on his chest, shoulders, and arms as he moved or the butterflies I felt in my belly when he smiled at me.
This was about priorities, and my safety was what was at the top of that list.
Right.
Forget about wants. I knew how to do that. I’d given up on so much already. What was one more thing?
“How’d it go?”
My eyes shot to Avalon. “Great.”
She cocked an eyebrow and asked, “Great enough that you want to continue?”
I dipped my chin. “Yes. Yes, I’d like to sign up for some self-defense classes,” I answered.
“Perfect. I’ve got a bunch of paperwork here I’ll need you to complete. Please note that this is all confidential and that we do not share any of your information with anyone,” she stated.
For some reason, I hadn’t even considered that as an option. Something about this place—through the research I’d done and the experience I’d just had—indicated that I wouldn’t have anything to worry about when it came to them being discreet.
“That’s awesome. Thank you,” I said, taking the clipboard from her.
