Page 45 of Bad Run

There is only one place she can go, so instead of turning right toward the team doctor’s office near the locker room—because I don’t have a case of the shits—I go left toward the conference rooms and the elevator that takes the executive front office employees up to the top level.

I jog down the corridor toward the elevator. The halls are quiet, except for the clack of heels, so I speed up. When I turn right toward the elevators, she comes into view. Her curly hair bounces as she hustles down the hall.

I break into a sprint to catch up with her. Gripping her elbow, I pull her to a stop.

Gwen screams and jerks back, making me lose my grip on her elbow. She practically jumps out of her skin, which causes her to lose her footing. Her heel slips on the concrete, and she teeters backward.

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I catch her before she falls to the ground. “I got you.”

Gwen’s chest heaves as she tries to catch her breath. Her eyes quickly morph from wide and terrified to narrow and angry. “Dammit, Lance. Don’t sneak up on women and scare them. It’s not cool.”

“I’m sorry.” I chuckle, steadying her upright.

Taking a step back, Gwen places her hands on my chest and pushes me away with a huff as she flips her curly hair to the side and smooths it behind her ear. “You’re forgiven … I guess.”

Unable to help myself, I rock back on my heels and quickly check Gwen out. As usual, she looks sexy and professional in a silky white blouse that reveals just a hint of cleavage, shiny wide-leg dress pants, and satin-pink stilettos. Her cute little toes are painted pink, and for some reason I have the urge to nip them with my teeth.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Okay, well. I’ll see you around.” Gwen manages two steps before I gently grab her wrist and pull her through the first door I see, slamming it behind us. The room is dark and dank, reeks of something metallic, and is lined with shelves upon shelves of an obscene amount of electrical and video equipment.

“What the hell are you doing?” Gwen places her hands on her hips and glares at me.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Nope. No way.” She looks anywhere but at me, and it cuts deep.

“Please look at me.” I so badly want to touch her face and force her to look at me, but I keep my hands to myself. Distance. I owe her that much after last night.

When her aqua eyes finally connect with mine, it’s like a kick to the balls. Hurt swirls in her beautiful blue-green depths, and it kills me. I did that.

“I’m looking. Now say what you’re going to say, so we can be done with this already.” The hostile sass makes my dick twitch. Gwen is stunningly beautiful when she’s assertive and ready to fight for herself. She’s so damn strong, and she doesn’t even know it. I knew it when we met. It’s one of the hundreds of reasons I fell for her that night.

Fell for her?

I must be going crazy.

“Last night was not a mistake,” I blurt.

“Okay.” She gives nothing away, waiting for me to continue.

“I’m sorry.”

She crosses her arms over her chest and drills me with her stare, searching my face for something before she responds, “Last night wasn’t the only time you were an ass.”

I like that she’s calling me out. Like I said, so fucking strong. “You’re right.”

“And?” she presses.

Resisting the urge to smile, I apologize. “I’m sorry for being an ass on more than one occasion.”

Gwen’s pink lips twitch as she fights a smile. “I forgive you. But if you act like an ass again, I’ll punch you when you’re not wearing a cup.”

“Understood.”

“And you have to do all the PR videos I want without complaining.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Miss Montgomery.”