Tara’s POV
***Some months later ***
Hot air left me as I felt my body slam to the ground. A laugh came after, and my wide eyes opened to see Tanner standing above me.
There was a vicious, glorious type of smile that enraptured his face—something like pride, something like contentment that I all but wanted to wipe clean off. I glowered at him when he offered his hand down to me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, still staring at his extending hand.
“It’s supposed to mean I won. And now, I’m offering to help the loser up because I have such good sportsmanship.” He grinned, cat-like. “Come on, Tara. I didn’t know you were such a sore loser–”
Tanner barely got out the rest of his words before I was tightening my core and swinging my legs out, tripping him and causing him to fall on the ground. He was quick with the recovery, but I was quicker in my attack. Hustling behind him, I managed to secure my arms around his throat, wrap my legs around his abdomen, and pull.