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“I would already be hitting the pavement, if you hadn’t distracted me,” he said with that laissez faire attitude of his that caused my insides to burn.
“Then by all means, Harding, don’t let me get in your way,” I said as I cast him a sly grin. “Race me.”
I watched Nolan raise his eyebrows before sliding his hands on his hips, shaking his head. The sunlight streamed through the trees, lighting up his skin and casting shadows in all the right places.
“Dawson...”
“What? Unless you think you can’t beat me...” I said as I capped my water bottle, hooking it back on my belt.
Nolan just smirked. He fucking smirked at me!
“Oh, I’m not worried I won’t beat you. I just don’t want to damage your reputation,” he said darkly. “Or your ego.”
“Quite sure of yourself, aren’t you?” I said as I took a step closer, leaving a hair’s breadth between us as I looked down at his smirking face.
I expected to see his expression falter, for him to flip whatever switch it was that had turned him into that someone I got a glimpse of earlier, over the phone.
Cocky.
Self-assured.
Hot.
“Like I said, Dawson, you don’t know what I’m capable of.”
It’s on, champ.
“Then let’s sweeten the incentive. One race, loser buys the winner dinner.”
Nolan licked his lips, shaking his head.
“You won’t take no for an answer, will you?” he asked with a dark chuckle.
I shook my head, shifting my weight so I could loom over him ominously. I can’t explain why, but I just felt like it would shake him. Throw him off his game, or whatever it was that was happening between us.
“I never do,” I said as I started to bounce from foot to foot, readying for takeoff.
“Fine. But it’s your funeral,” he said as he walked away from me, taking his position at what I assumed to be our starting line, and I followed.
“Get ready to eat my dust, Harding,” I said with a grin.
“Ready, set...” he called.
“Go,” I snapped, taking off within seconds.
Nolan sprinted, his legs tightening as he built his rhythm, as he caught up to me, staying beside me. But I couldn’t have that.
I sucked in a breath as I willed my legs to move faster, outrunning him. The breeze against my already heated skin was like a balm, and I chased that feeling; the cool air, my racing heart, and the burn in my muscles, like it was my salvation.
And maybe in a way, it was.
I smiled as we turned the bend, satisfied with my lead until Nolan caught up to me... again. His face was red and flushed, and I could see sweat starting to form on his brow, his heavy breath like an echo in the secluded space between us.
He ran a hand back through his hair, sucking in his own breath as he pushed past me.
The little fucker!
My heartbeat raced, thudding loudly in my chest as I mustered up my speed a bit, focusing intently on catching up to him.
