Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and her cheeks were flushed from the workout. She was sexy as hell.
Which, he cursed himself, he shouldn’t be noticing. He should be watching her technique, not the way the uniform tightened over her ass when she kicked.
“When you bring your knee up, push from the hip and don’t drop your foot.” He demonstrated with a kick.
“Like this?” She mimicked with near perfection.
“Yeah.”
They continued to trade kicks until it was time to move on. They bowed to each other and shared a small smile before moving on to the next person and side-kicks practice.
It was hard not to watch her, but every time his new partner would do his kicks, Eric would slide his gaze back to where Hannah was working out.
She was holding her own, though, and the technique would come back to her the more classes she attended.
What had brought her back to her uncle’s studio? And did she plan to stay?
Was that jerk parent still harassing her?
Just the thought of it sent a stab of hot anger through him, and his next sidekick had twice as much force.
Shit.
He’d talk to her after class. Apologize for the boner. Or maybe not on the boner, because that would be weird bringing it up.
But definitely check in with her on her safety and figure out why she was here.
Not that he was complaining.
Damn, it felt so good to see her again. Never in his wildest imagination could he have pictured her showing up here. This was his place. His sanctuary. And apparently his instructor who he admired and respected more than his own dad, was her uncle.
It was all a little mind blowing, truthfully.
He glanced at the clock. Another forty-five minutes until class was over. Then he’d be sure to talk to her.
Just be cool and not a tool.
Despite his cheesy as fuck motto, it was one he tried to live by. Especially tonight.
*
How in theworld had she not realized Eric was one of her uncle’s students?
Hannah’s brain had been spinning a mile a minute as soon as she’d walked into the dojang.
Part of that reason was being back after not having taken a class since she was eight years old. As a child, she’d been bored and slightly grossed out by all the old and sweaty people. She’d stayed in class for a few months before begging to switch to ballet.
Which had been fun for a while, but had left her feet just as calloused as Taekwondo classes.
She slid a glance over at Eric through her lashes.
Not only was he a student, but he was a black belt. And not just any black belt, it seemed, but like the highest ranking one after her uncle. He’d been at the very front. And while she might not remember a lot, she definitely remembered that meant he was high ranking.
It had only been recently that she’d started to realize how cute Eric was, but seeing him tonight put him on an entirely different level of attractive.
There was something so primal and masculine in his movements while working out. The power in his kicks—the snap of his uniform—and the low guttural yells he’d issue while doing it.
Oh, he was good.