Page 21 of Rescued By the Mountain Man Cowboy
"Good."
"This is extremely satisfying."
"Wait till you throw an elbow."
"You're going to let me elbow you?"
"Not today. Today I'm gonna show you where to aim it."
I step around in front of her. Plant myself. Take off my hat and set it on the porch rail because the brim keeps cutting the sun across my eyes. I can feel her looking at me without looking.
"Alright. Body mechanics. A man grabs you from behind like this." I take her shoulders, both of them, firm, keeping my body a few inches clear. "Your feet are flat. Your weight's forward. He's got you. Yeah?"
"Yeah." Her voice is tight.
"Breathe, Anna. I'm not gonna hurt you."
"I know."
"Then breathe."
Her shoulders rise under my palms. Drop.
Good girl.
I don't say that out loud.
"You drop your weight. Just a couple inches. Bend your knees. Suddenly, I'm holding way more of you than I was a second ago, and my balance is forward. Then you drive your elbow back. Right here." I release one of her shoulders, stepback, and point to my lower ribs, the soft place under the sternum. "Drives the breath out of me. Buys you three seconds."
"Three seconds isn't much."
"Three seconds is a lifetime. You'll see."
I move behind her. We run it. Slow. She drops her weight, turns her shoulders, and swings her elbow into the air beside me. I reposition, do it again.
On the fourth try, her elbow grazes my ribs.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry."
"Do not apologize for hitting me."
"Reflex."
"Unlearn it."
"Right."
Fifth try, she actually connects. Not hard. A tap. Her face lights up like she just solved a crossword.
"I got you."
"You got me."
"I'm a menace."
"You're a threat."
"I'm a credible threat."
