Fearless (Broken Love, #5)(46)
I set up to take the first shot and once I had my aim perfectly nested, I didn’t hesitate. I emptied the clip into the target and swept the brass off the counter once I was done. Lake came to stand next to me and pulled the target in with narrowed eyes. I braced my hip against the counter and crossed my arms as I watched her study the target.
“You’re a good shot.”
“Thank you. Your turn.” She suddenly looked nervous as I set up the next target and sent it out. This time, I stopped it at the first mark. I loaded the clip, handed her the gun, and waited. I needed to see where her instincts led her.
She maintained a steady grip despite her nervous flush, but her awkward positioning displayed zero control over the weapon. She flipped the switch of the safety, aimed and fired. I searched the target and was relieved that she, at least, hit the target.
I reached out and flipped the safety so she could lower her arm. “First thing you need to know is that you don’t fire until you’re sure of your shot.”
“You didn’t hesitate,” she quipped.
“I was sure of where I was aiming.”
She blew her bangs away and turned to face me. “What makes you think that wasn’t where I was aiming?”
“If you shoot, you should shoot to kill.”
“I hit it, didn’t I?”
“You hit the paper, but you didn’t kill your target.”
“What’s the difference?”
“The silhouette,” I pointed out. She studied the target again. Her lips formed a perfect O when she understood. “Try again, but this time, fix your footing.” I paused, remembering her comment in the car. “And you were right. It is like bowling.”
She immediately fixed her footing and looked to me for approval. I made some minor adjustments and then showed her how to grip the gun properly.
“Now, I want you to aim using the rear and front sights.” I pointed them out using my fingers. “Use the rear sight to aim your front sight where you want the bullet to go—in this case, the silhouette. The rest isn’t there.”
“Okay.” She switched to fire, brought the gun up, and aimed, using what I had taught her.
“Good. Now breathe in, and when you’re ready, squeeze the trigger slowly and shoot on the exhale. Aim for the center.”
She breathed in and began to squeeze the trigger slowly until the metallic click engaged and the round left the chamber. She immediately put the gun on safety and peered at the target. She found her mark hit dead center and released a happy squeal. She once again looked to me for approval. I offered her a nod and sent the target all the way out.
“That’s good, baby. Real good. Now hit it again.”
*
We stayed until the range closed. Lake insisted on bringing her final target home because she finally managed to get a headshot. I took us to a romantic restaurant despite us being severely underdressed. I wouldn’t let the dirty stares we got as we were shown to our table stop me from wining and dining her tonight.
“This is nice.” She smiled. “What’s the occasion?”
“To my future bodyguard.” The waiter came and took our drink orders.
“Not that I don’t appreciate this, but I think our clothes are getting us dirty looks.”
“So what should we do about that, bodyguard?”
She seemed to consider it for a moment before she turned to the couple at the nearest table diagonal from ours and cheerfully waved at them with her middle finger. They looked on in horror and finally turned back to their meal.
“How’s that for inappropriate?”
“God, you’re a monster,” I accused in a high pitch.
She giggled and peeked at me from under her eyelashes. “Can I be your monster?”
“That depends on you and if you can handle the job. I’m not easily scared.”
“I had something else in mind as your monstrous bodyguard.”
“Yeah? What?”
“What if we got married?” Her eyes changed from confident and playful to terrified and unsure.
What the fuck just happened?
“Did you just propose to me?”
“No.”
Well fuck. Why did her denial of a proposal irritate me?
“I’m a traditional romantic, and I just think it would be nice to know if it’s on the table.”
The only thing my mind could consider being on the table right now was her naked body as I fucked her.
“It’s definitely on the table.”
“Good.” Satisfied, she picked up her menu. I closed a hand around it before she could open it.
“But I’d be careful the next time you feel the need to test the waters. I just might accept it.”
“Noted.”
The waiter returned with our drinks and took our orders. After a peaceful meal, we returned home where I made love to my ‘almost’ fiancée.
The next morning, I was up before her and thought of the perfect way to bring her back to the world of the living. She was already on her back, so I slid down and spread her legs gently. She moaned and I tensed, waiting for her to wake. When she didn’t, I gripped her thighs softly and dove in. I was salivating by the time my tongue first touched her pussy. The pounding I gave her last night was evident, so I took my time and worshiped her right. I knew the moment she came awake.