Men of Courage Read Online Free PDF Page B

given her present appearance. Instead, Ethan choked on a surge of lust.
    Laughing, Rosie turned and sashayed her way out of the gym, heading for the showers. “Be right back.”
    The second she disappeared from sight, Riley dropped against the wall and grabbed his shoulder with a loud groan. “Man, she about tore my rotator cuff. She’s good.”
    Ethan stared at him. His eyes narrowed the tiniest bit.
    Doing a double take, Riley asked, “What?”
    Ethan stared some more, no civil words coming to his mind or mouth.
    “Oh, come on, Ethan.” Riley pushed his sweaty hair back and grunted. “I’m teaching her to defend herself with legitimate defensive and offensive moves. As a real estate agent, you know she finds herself with male clients in empty houses a lot.”
    “Well, I hope if a guy attacks her, she doesn’t stick her face in his crotch. I seriously doubt that’ll deter him.”
    Riley tried and failed to stifle his laugh. “She’s learning different ways to utilize the chicken wing—and as I said, she’s getting good at that. She’s also learning some good leg chokes. Usually, a woman who is attacked finds herself on her back with the assailant on top. I’m teaching her how to get out of that hold.”
    It made sense. God knew, Ethan wanted her safe, but still…
    “I’m also teaching her the Guard, the High Crotch Series and some Silat knife moves.”
    “What’s the…never mind. I don’t want to know.” By silent agreement they moved off the mats and to a bench lining one wall. Ethan plopped down, stretched out his legs, dropped his head back against the cool wall and sighed. “Damn, I’m beat.”
    Totally deadpan, Riley asked, “Long night?”
    But Ethan was actually glad that he’d brought up the subject. Slowly, he swiveled his head toward Riley and opened his eyes. “Did Rosie tell you anything?”
    “She’s not one to kiss and tell.”
    “I didn’t kiss her.”
    “No? Well, whatever you did, she wouldn’t be talking about it. I’ve never once heard her mention a date or what she might have done on a date, have you?” Rather than wait for a reply, Riley continued. “And you know, now that I’m thinking about it, that’s strange, huh?”
    Ethan knew he’d rather walk into another burning building than think about Rosie with other men. It never failed to set him on edge. “We didn’t have a damn date, and I didn’t kiss her.”
    Rosie reappeared, and Ethan thought she hadto have taken the fastest shower in history. Then he realized she hadn’t changed, had only removed the headgear and combed her hair.
    She was still sweaty.
    “You,” she said, pointing at Ethan, “don’t know what you did.”
    He snared her gaze with his own and wouldn’t let her look away. “So tell me, Rosie. Did I kiss you?”
    Her cheeks turned pink and she shrugged. “Maybe I don’t remember, either.”
    Ethan slowly stood to approach her. “Oh, if I’d kissed you, Rosie, believe me, you’d remember.”
    She squared off, facing him like a prizefighter with her hands on her hips, legs braced. “Yeah? And why’s that?”
    He jutted his chin forward to match her stance. “Because I’m a damn good kisser.”
    “Maybe.”
    “It’s true.” He reached back to nudge Riley with a fist. “Ask Riley, he knows.”
    Riley almost fell off the bench. “What are you talking about?” His voice rose to a shout when Riley almost never shouted. “I sure as hell haven’t kissed you!”
    “Excuse me?”
    They all turned toward the front door, and there stood the redhead from the night before. Her glorious hair—Ethan did love the color—was piled on top of her head in loose, very feminine disarray. She wore a pale green, knee-length skirt with a crisp white blouse and very high heels. An enormous satchel was hooked over her arm.
    Great, Ethan thought, just great. He needed this like he needed a four-alarm fire.
    Much provoked, Riley stood and immediately shouted, “I have never kissed Ethan, swear