Page 98 of Destroyer
“This is great,” she said.
“Ever boxed before?” he asked.
“My training included hand-to-hand combat only.”
He helped her find a pair of boxing gloves, then he found her a mouthguard.
“You sure you want to use these?” she asked.
“Gotta protect your teeth.”
“Are they clean?”
“Clean enough,” he replied.
He slipped a mouthguard into his mouth, held one out for her. She fitted it into her mouth. On went the boxing gloves before he brought her over to one of the bags, hanging on a chain from the ceiling.
He demonstrated stance, positioning of the hands, then he pounded that bag like every damn terrorist in the Haqazzii cell was standing in front of him. An explosive energy that had been building and building and building until he unleashed it in a maelstrom of rage and fury and frustration. Breathing hard, he jabbed, kicked, spun, and punched while he grunted through each release.
Normally, he kept his anger in check, but once he opened Pandora’s box, he turned into a maniac. As sweat trickled down his back, he wailed on the black bag until he caught Sydney’s shocked expression.
Slowing to a stop, he walked off the rush of adrenaline until he started calming down. Truth was, he had a lot moreanger, but he’d step away. Give her a chance to try out the bag herself.
Bending over, he rested his gloved hands on his knees, breathed deep, and waited for his heart rate to slow. When he lifted his gaze to hers, she was waiting. The hunger in her eyes set his insides on fire.
“You’ve got dark energy I can’t unsee,” she murmured. “And I’ve never seen anything so sexy in my life. God, help me.”
He straightened up. “You want a go?”
She peered into his eyes while the frenetic air swirled around them. Then, she stepped right up to him, tilted her face to his. “A kiss for beginner’s luck.”
The second she pressed her lips to his, he came alive, kissing her with a passion that had her groaning into him. When he finished, she stared with blinking eyes, her breathing coming fast, her eyes black as night.
“Okay,” she panted. “That’ll work.”
When he let go, she wobbled ever-so-slightly. Lightning fast, he steadied her with his gloved hands before bringing her over to the hanging bag.
Rather than offer detailed instruction, he simply said, “Breathe and go easy to start.”
One deep inhale before she broke eye contact to focus on the bag. Slow, reserved cross jabs that yielded to faster, sharper ones while she homed in on her target. She was strong, but it was her speed and agility that impressed him the most. Her grunts were filled with controlled rage as she pounded the bag. Over and over and over again.
When she slowed to a stop, she inhaled another deep breath. “That was different. What a great workout.”
“You like?” he asked.
“I like.” After a beat, she stepped back. “Your turn.”
They went twice more, each sparring more intensely thanthe time before. The boxing provided Teddy the perfect outlet to exorcise his fury.
And he had so damn much of it.
When they finished, he asked, “How was that for you?”
Off came her gloves. Out came the mouthguard. With her eyes drilling into him, she made her way over.
“I’m ready to eat you alive.” Her voice had dropped, the raspy ache taking their evening to a whole new level.
He tore off the gloves, dropped them on the floor, removed the mouthguard. Seconds later, he had her pinned against the padded wall, his mouth on hers while she raked her fingers down his back, pressed her tongue against his.
