But what I liked most: No anxiety or panic attacks.
We reached the last step, and I grabbed her hand. She smiled and hustled toward me, holding her jacket together. She’d not yet zipped it—probably so distracted with everything to absorb.
I ducked into the office and found Razor hunched over the computer. “Hey Raz. Rooms’ all cleaned out. See you in a couple of weeks.”
“Sure, dude,” he said as he turned around. “You—oh, hi.” He looked at Lina.
She smiled. “Hi.”
“This is my…friend, Angelina.” I tightened my hold on her hand. I was so damned proud of her. I reached over the desk for a knuckle bump with Razor. “See you in a couple weeks, man.”
“Merry Christmas,” he said and winked at my girl.
My girl.Yeah, that stopped me cold, but for once, it didn’t completely freak me out. After what she’d shown me by coming here, how strong she was; I felt like a wuss. A huge, pain in the ass, stubborn wuss.
We made it to the front doors, and I stopped her. “Want to wait here? I’ll get the car.”
“I’ll go with you,” she said, reaching for her zipper.
I gently batted her hand out of the way and snatched up the zipper. She smiled. I dragged it up to the top notch, then brushed my knuckles along her cheek.
“You did great tonight,” I said as we walked outside.
“Thanks.” She smiled as a snowflake landed on the end of her cute, button nose.
She lifted her face skyward and giggled. Snow started falling over us like a little blanket of quiet. “Maybe it’ll be a white Christmas?”
I reached behind her and pulled the hood over her head. “Let’s run.”
I was parked at the back of the lot, and as we ran the damn lamp beside my car flickered out. Lina gasped, and I looked down at her. Even in the dark, I saw how pale she’d gone. I half expected to hear some P!nk songs, but I didn’t.
How had she gotten so strong without me realizing? Then again, we’d been working out in the conference room a lot, and it was true that confidence and fitness went well together.
I beeped the car unlocked and pulled open her door. A wave of frigid air blasted through the lot and right through my thin layer of clothing.
I slammed the door and hustled in from my side. I revved the engine, so we could get things warmed to turn on the heat. “Where’d this cold come from?”
“Well, itisDecember in Minnesota, ya know?”
“First one, remember?”
“Get ready for some fun, desert rat. The high is supposed to besixtomorrow.” She laughed as she pulled her seatbelt on.
“Thank you for coming.” I grabbed her hand again. I couldn’t get enough of her.
“It was a thanks for all you’ve done, teaching me self-defense. Remember?”
I sure did. That was the night I’d totally blown it with her. But right now, her smile and her excitement made that night seem like years ago. “Will you forgive me?”
Her eyebrow lifted.
“I’ve been a jackass.”
She grinned.
I turned toward her more. “You coming here tonight. You…you showed me something.”
“What’s that?” She leaned closer.