I nodded and worked on my deep breathing. It’d probably be safe to tell him my dad owned the hotel, but still I said nothing. With my luck things would get all weird between us again, and we’d just gotten back to normal…wellournormal. He already knew Dad took care of me by sending money every month. What would he think if he found out his landlord was my dad?
Then again, Hunter had kept to his rule of not dating and held me at arm’s length, even while training me, so, why did I care if he looked at me differently? He was my…friend.
That word was beginning to piss me off. I wanted to be more than just a friend more than I’d ever wanted anything before.
Him and his damn rules. And his stubbornness.
“So, what are we working on tonight?” I said, needing to shift my focus elsewhere before I popped a blood vessel in my temple.
“I only have an hour, then I’ve got to get cleaned up and ready for class.”
“No work? You’ve not been going for a while.”
“Yeah, well…they gave me a month off.”
“What?” I stood straight.
He lunged.
I blocked his hands, which were aimed at my throat, with my forearm, but he was so big and held his ground so well, I pretty much knocked myself to the side.
I was pathetic.
“You need to square up more. Remember, you need your core ready for anything at any time. Strong and solid.” He gripped my waist and kicked out my legs, so I stood with a widened stance.
A wave of his fresh scent hit me. He always reminded me of the crisp autumn air after a thorough rain shower.Focus, Angelina!
“A month off? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Nothing to tell. Now, get ready, I’m going to attack again. This time from behind.”
“What happened?”
“With what?” He asked as he stepped behind me.
“You’re job, silly. It seems weird they give you a month off. You love that job.”
“Do you want your lesson or not, Lina?”
I whirled around and planted my palm to his chest and pushed with all my weight. Pushing a brick wall would have produced more results. “You don’t have to be a jerk, you know. I was worried. I mean, you like your job, then you’re off for a month and helping me. You didn’t take time off to teach me, did you? Please tell me that’s not what happened.”
“And if it was?” He quirked his eyebrow up and tilted his head toward me.
“Hunter! No. I didn’t mean for you—”
“Relax. It’s not because of you. Though you’re not a bad reason to take time off, you know.” He smiled.
“Then why?”
“It doesn’t matter. Why do you want to know?”
“Because we’re…friends.” I hated that word with a passion hotter than the fire in Hades right now.
He grimaced as well then stepped away.
“Why won’t you tell me?”
“I thought we were having a lesson here,” he said.