I watched his hands as we circled. There were several other mats spaced a couple of yards apart and out of the corner of my eye, I saw that there were several other partners sparring. I stayed focused on Texas’ upper body, his shoulders, the muscles in his arms. Watching and waiting for when he would make his move. That’s what Bellamy had told me – rule number one of fighting was defense. The best offense was a good defense – or something like that. It sounded like a cheesy line from a football movie tome.
Texas smirked at me, and I felt a rush of air by my feet before his foot connected with my ankle, sweeping my feet out from under me. My hands went back as I attempted to break my fall. I landed on my butt and stared up at Texas as he grinned down at me. I hadn’t even seen him tense, no tell, nonothing.
“How are you feeling now?” he asked, his voiceamused.
“Less confident,” I admitted, and my cheeks reddened as Istood.
“Don’t worry,” he winked. “I’ll show you how to do that toBell.”
“I’m not so sure Bellamy would fall for it like I did.” I paused for a moment before adding, “Literally.”
Texas laughed and held out his hand. When I rose to take it, I smirked and fell back. He stumbled and before I knew it, I had a lap full of Texas. Big brown eyes blinked at me before he grinned wickedly. “Oh, you’re gonna play it like that, are you?” heasked.
I squeaked, rolling over and shoving his arm up. I pinned it down and sat on his chest. “Remember, you said this was just training – we’re justtraining!”
My pin was weak at best – or it must have been, because Texas wasted no time flipping me onto my back and slamming me against the mat. He hovered over me, snapping my wrists together and forcing them down over the top of my head before I could evenblink.
“My confidence is definitely shrinking,” I panted. “It’s shriveling up, practically bone dry rightnow.”
He laughed. “You leave yourself wide open.” Texas pressed down a little firmer before lifting up. “Come on, tryagain.”
I grumbled even as he let me stand and get back into position. “You’re just gonna throw me or something,” I said, then quieter. “You take some sick joy in throwing mearound.”
Texas kicked at my ankles, but I was ready this time. I jumped back, just out of his reach and put my hands up. Texas advanced and I turned, so that we were circling each other without falling off the mat. “You’re running away,” he said,chuckling.
“You call it running, I call it intelligent retreat,” I snarked just before I stumbled over my own two feet. Inwardly cursing myself, I twisted and rolled, but Texas was already on top of me. I lifted my knees, but his chest pressed down into them, effectively pinning them between us. I squirmed and wriggled, but only managed to look like a flapping half-starfish.
I narrowed my gaze on Texas’ smiling face. “Yousuck.”
He released yet another annoying – but also kind of adorable – low chuckle before backing off. “Here,” he said, holding out his hand to help me up once more. “Let’s go watch someone else. I’m sure you can learn just as much by watching asdoing.”
I let Texas lead me down the rows of sparring mats. We paused for a brief moment to watch each partner combo. Finally, we ended up at the very end where Max was sparring with a woman that might have been in her early thirties. Her short cropped, springy hair was pinned back with a tight headband. It showcased her bird-like features, the fine bones of her face, and the pointed tip of her nose. Despite that, I realized she was still quite beautiful with eyes that sparkled. She moved with a lithe grace that I envied as she evaded Max’s foot and leg as he attempted to execute the same move that Texas had taken me downwith.
She lifted her foot and spun away from him, ending up on the edge of the mat with both hands raised at the ready when Max finally managed to correct himself and turn around. “Nice move,” hesaid.
“I think you’re getting slower in your old age,” she teasedlightly.
It was obvious, though, by both of their mannerisms that they had known each other for a long time. They moved into a circle, stepping clockwise before the woman froze and stepped counterclockwise, Max following hermovements.
“Do you see how she steps?” Texas whispered into my hair. I nodded. “She’s baitinghim.”
“What does that mean?” I whisper-asked.
“When she changed movements, so did he. Watch, she’ll do it again. She’ll keep doing it and he’ll start waiting for it – Max is playing right now. He also knows that we’re here watching so that you can learn. He’s seen her do this before and he knows he can overcome and avoid it, but he’ll fall for it just to help thelesson.”
“Lesson?” I blinked and looked around, realizing that they had drawn out a crowd of about twenty people, including Texas andme.
I turned my attention back to the match at hand and watched as the woman did exactly as Texas had predicted, as did Max. She moved, twisted, reversed, he moved and copied her movements. Soon enough she changed faster than he anticipated and was on him, spinning around his body until her arms came up and her forearms locked around his throat. I watched, wide-eyed as she kneed the back of his legs and he went down. She followed, keeping her forearms where they were – brushing hiswindpipe.
“Do you concede?” the womanasked.
With a laugh, Max nodded. “Well done, Raven,” he said, standing and shaking her hand. She grinned, revealing straight white teeth and a dazzlingsmile.
“Anytime you need a refresher, I’m happy to help,” she told him. The crowd clapped lightly, and Texas and I joinedin.
“Come on,” Texas said. “Let’s hit up anotherarea.”
“There’s more?” I groaned. I was already covered in sweat and exhausted. I had downed another two full water bottles and the sun was rising higher and higher. I kind of wished that I had stopped for a moment and grabbed a granola bar or something before we left the house. My stomach cramped with how hungry I was. Texas heard its lowgrumble.