Exercise had never appealed to her, she did it to stay healthy. But that had changed. Once, she discovered the rush she got from kickboxing, she couldn't imagine anything more addictive.

She felt like she could tear down walls, lift cars, climb buildings. She didn't want it to end.

"No!" she yelled when Mo Qingchen ordered her to stop. "Ninja's don't stop!" Despite his instructions, she continued to throw a slew of solid jabs at him, which he expertly blocked.

In a flash, he pinned her arms down at her sides. She got a stern glare.

"Do you want to be so sore that you can't move for days," he asked savagely.

"You're not a good mentor if that happens," she challenged.

"Okay, I'm going to assault you." The vein at the base of his throat thumped.

"What's new? You want to pounce me all the time," she teased. "But you don't want to do that. I am a deadly force of nature," she warned, exhaling a deep breath.

"Qian Meng, be serious." He released her arms.

"I am being serious," she responded without missing a beat.

"We will start off easy." He tossed the focus pad on the floor. "I will come at you from behind. Obviously, I don't expect you to bring me down. I just want you to try getting away from me."

"I will bring you down." She smashed her gloved together, echoing like thunder.

Mo Qingchen smirked at her as if the mere thought amused him.

"Why are you smiling like that? Oh, now it's on! I will not show mercy."

"Okay, Miss Ninja," he taunted.

"How about this, if I bring you down, I get to ask you a personal dare. No boundaries and you must do what I say."

"You are being ridiculous." He moved in closer. "Taking me down is not a possibility."

"Yeah? Then why haven't you agreed to the deal? Are you scared?" She pointed at her chest.

His brow arched. "You seriously think you can take me down?"

"I do."

"And if you don't?"

"If I don't?" she repeated, not sure where he was going with the question.

"What do I get if I take you down?" The predatory gleam was back and it excited her.

"Oh, you can dare me to do anything…"

He snorted in her face. "No deal."

"Fine. You missed out on a chance to have me as your slave if you won. What do you want?" She rolled her eyes.

"I don't want you as my slave," he swore. "And that question is dangerous," he paused. "I want you to feed me every meal you offer in exchange for the lessons."

"That's a long-term thing. Unfair!" she protested.

He lowered his lips to her ear. "I enjoyed those little snacks immensely…"

His hands reached down to her boxing gloves. He pulled each one off and tossed them on the floor.

"You did?"

He nodded.

"Did you?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes."

"Good." He smiled. "Because I am still hungry."

She didn't respond. She stared at his lips. The tip of his finger guided her chin up until their eyes met. "Deal?"

"Deal." She agreed. "I will feed you until you beg me to stop." Two could play at the game. Granted he could watch her without going dumb. He had a slight advantage on that front, but he would not defeat her.

"I never beg," he warned. "Ever."

"We'll see about that." She kept her eyes on his.

Mo Qingchen stepped away from her. "Are you ready?"

Nodding her head, she gave him her best stare.

And then he pounced.

Even though she had expected the attack, he still managed to catch her off guard. Panic swept over her in waves. Why couldn't she remember a damn thing he taught her?

Her eyes widened and for a second, she was scared.

Just as she was about to beg for mercy, her blood started to boil. The excitement kicked in. She could have easily gotten away from him, but she wanted to take him down.

She would take him down.

He blocked each jab and kick she attempted as though her moves were predictable. It probably should have discouraged her, but it only made her more determined.

She didn't know how long it took for her to realize he hadn't moved an inch. He just stood there swatting her away like a pesky bug. This enraged her beyond belief.

"You are going down!" She flung herself at him, throwing every bit of her training out of the window.

He caught her without faltering. She hoped the brute force of her body landing on his would have knocked him over. It didn't. Now she needed a new plan. She didn't have a new plan.

Yun Qian Meng was so blinded by her excitement that she didn't see Mo Qingchen taking the brunt of the force, making sure she didn't hit the ground or hurt herself.

In an act of sheer desperation, she started tickling him. She refused to lose. He would go down one way or another.

She tickled the back of his neck first. When she got no response, she moved her fingers down to his sides. Her legs remained wrapped around his waist for leverage.

"Are you serious?" He tried plucking her body from his, but she just locked her legs tighter around him.

Her fingers ran all over his body. He had to be ticklish somewhere. His hands were quite busy as well, the more he tried detaching her hips from his the stronger she ground against him.

She found herself dry-humping her future hubby with fervor, but this time she had a valid reason. He would go down, by any means possible.

She had to say, her hips were putting Shakira to shame.

"Fuck," he grunted, his hands pulling her closer. Much to her surprise.

That word coming from his lips set her on fire.

She wanted him down on the mat for an entirely different reason now.