“Excuse me?”
"You mean the head attacked to my neck."
“Attacked? You paranoid I’m going to attack you?” I ask with a snort.
“You do know karate, don’t you?”
“Don’t tell me you want to grapple.”
“I might not have taken martial arts, but I could take you.”
“No, you can’t,” I say flatly.
“Sure. I’m bigger and stronger, and—”
I grab his wrist and behind his head, yanking on both and pinning his head in my armpit. My hand on his wrist slides up to his elbow as I kneel and slam my head to his chest. That hand leaves his elbow, and I grab his far ankle, and I push forward to shove him down onto his back. I fall into side mount, my chest on his chest, my right arm beneath his head, my other over him, my arm along his neck. I gable-grip my hands, and I squeeze, my elbows nice and tight, and I lift his head, choking him.
“Tap out,” I tell him.
“No,” he grunts out.
"Much longer, and you'll pass out," I warn.
I tighten the choke even more until he has no choice but to tap my elbow.
I grin. “You were saying?”
“You caught me off guard. That’s all.”
I roll my eyes. "Trust me. That was not a one-off."
“Sure it was.”
"Fine. Do you want a rematch? Noon."
“My room.”
“You got it.”
* * *
I finish my interview, and I am flying high. My phone had vibrated a few times during it, and I quickly shut it off before Greg could notice.
"Welcome to the Oaken team!" Greg says, shaking his head. "I'll call you this weekend. You can come in and fill out the paperwork, and we'll get you on the schedule."
“Thank you so much!”
I head back out to Robyn’s car. She drove me over, being moral support.
“Well?” she demands. “Oh, you don’t have to say it. You got it!”
I burst out laughing. “I think you’re telling me I should never play poker, huh?”
“Nah! You got it, so flaunt it! I’m so happy for you!”
“Yes! And now I can call Allie and buy that bike from her and get us in with the motorcycle club bar positions.”
“Call her now,” Robyn urges as she starts up the car and drives out of the lot.