her appropriate thoughts, she cleared her throat. “What next?”
He straightened, placed his hands on her shoulders, and pushed them back. “Your shoulders need to always be square over your hips, and your back straight.”
Sliding his hands down her arms, he tickled her in places that shouldn’t be tickling. “Bring your left arm up close to your body.” Once she followed his instruction, he squeezed her bicep. “This arm will block any body hits. Use your right arm to block any hits to your face.”
He dropped his hands. She exhaled the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. If he touched her again like that, she might shudder in front of him.
A leisurely smile spread across his face, as if he knew her thoughts, played on her struggle to keep cool, and enjoyed seeing her squirm. “The main points to remember are: Never take your eyes off the enemy. Never let your guard down. Keep your arms and elbows close to your body. And always react first.” He waved her forward. “All right. Let’s have a hit.”
Shedding the sensation of his hands on her skin that seemed imprinted on her body, she refocused her thoughts. “You do realize this is ridiculous? I’ve never hit anything in my life.”
“Well, there’s always a first for everything.” He waved her forward again. “Come on. Hit me.”
Begrudgingly, she raised her arm, swung it back, and hit his shoulder. The impact didn’t even make him flinch. “See, told you.”
He chuckled. “You have to learn proper position first, and then you’ll see the power behind it.”
Taking her hand in his strong, calloused grip, he curled her fingers in her palm. “Keep your fingers tight within your hand. If they’re loose, you’ll likely break them and the pain will distract you from the fight.”
He kneeled in front of her and ran his fingers along her calf in an undeniably sexy whisper of a touch. “Transfer your weight onto this side.” Once she did as he asked, he grinned. “There you go.”
She shivered at the flare of heat in his eyes, and damn him, his smile widened. What happened to the jerk that he used to be, the one who seemed equally as irritated with her as she was him, the one that seemed to vanish after the night at Briggs’s cabin?
Although, she kinda liked this Kyden.
He stood and circled around her, making her breath hitch. She swallowed when he ran his hand up her shoulder with a gentle touch. “This arm needs to be level with the floor and keep your palm facing down. In a fluid motion, rotate your body and use it to follow through with the hit.” Returning in front of her, his eyebrow lifted. “Understand?”
She inhaled sharply, overwhelmed by his piquant scent. He stirred something in her that had nothing to do with the burn to fight him. Warmth slid all the way from where he touched her arm right down to…
Focus.
Amusement glittered across his features. “Do you understand the position?”
“I think so,” she muttered.
“Good. Try again.” He nodded approval. “This time use the strength behind your body. It’s your best weapon.”
Having little confidence she could succeed, she stepped back, concentrating on his advice. Fingers tight, arm up, pivot back and hit. With a grunt and firm push from within, she thrust her fist toward him. Her hand connected with his shoulder with such force, it sent him tumbling backward.
Even her eyes didn’t believe it.
She looked in awe at her fist, expecting to see sparks of power shooting out of it. Much to her disappointment, it appeared as it always did, tiny. Lifting her head to Kyden, she gasped, “How did I do that?”
“That’d be the guardian power.” He pushed off the floor and circled her slowly, as if on a hunt. “Once you know how to use the power, and center it, your strength is unparalleled.”
Whoop-de-mother-effin’-doo.
What she did care about was him looking like a lion getting ready to pounce on a big juicy steak. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Preparing to fight.” He closed in on her and her blood ran ice-cold, then he stopped mid-step, laughing. “You look absolutely terrified.”
“News flash. I am terrified.” She stepped back, having a sudden bout of a reality check. What in the hell was she thinking? “I’m half your size, for cripe’s sake, and you’re pure muscle. I can’t do this. Drake’s right—I am insane.” Her heart hammered, palms grew sweaty. “I’ve changed my mind—”
He raised his hand. “I won’t hit, only push.”
“No way,” she