Right. Because of characters like Leonard. I thought it was pretty unlikely that someone would leave their weapon in their vehicle, but I guess you never knew. But in any case, I wasn’t totally helpless. “I took a self-defense class at my gym last year,” I told him. “I can hold my own, you know, if I need to.”

Tuck turned toward me slowly, his face neatly blank. “A self-defense class isn’t going to do much against a firearm,” he said. “Plus, people tend to forget all that type of training with a flood of adrenaline.”

“I’m not saying self-defense moves could go up against a gun, Tuck, but they might help me get out of a bad situation, should something arise. I was the star of the class,” I said, bristling with offense. “I didn’t forget anything.” The coach had told me that in all his years, no one had caught on as quickly. Even if he’d made a pass at me later, he’d accepted my polite “no thank you” with seeming grace, so I didn’t think his compliments were contrived. I’d felt strong and…capable.

Tuck’s lip quirked and he appeared deeply amused. I lifted my chin, offense increasing. I bent my knees, taking a defensive stance. “Come at me.”

One eyebrow shot up. “Emily. If I come at you, you’re going to get hurt.”

“Put your money where your mouth is, then. Scared, Tucker?”

His gaze grew dark, and a thrill shot through me.

Tuck very slowly took off his backpack, letting it slide to the ground, then strolled purposely toward me. I dropped my own gear and right before I went to grab him and flip him the way we’d practiced in class, he went low and picked me up off the ground. He flipped me around with a quickness that made me squeal and then laugh, his strong arms locked around my waist. I screamed and I flailed, but he only squeezed me tighter. “Who’s the star of the class now?” he demanded, breath hot at my ear.

“Put me down!” I wiggled wildly, and Tuck let out a grunting noise that sounded far more pained than it should have, considering my useless squirming.

Instead of following my command, his arms only tightened as I scrabbled to get free from his iron grip. “Surrender and I’ll let you go.”