Page 91 of Bad Run

Sure. And I know I sound like a schmuck for admitting it. Gwen doesn’t owe me a damn thing.

And yet, it doesn’t change how I feel now.

But honestly, I’m mostly pissed at myself. I shared things with her, private things, things I rarely share with my friends and family, let alone gorgeous women I meet at clubs. Waking up to her absence feels like a betrayal.

If I ever run into that vixen again, she better be prepared for me to either kiss the living fuck out of her or for me to scream at her for being a coward and leaving when she knew damn well last night wasn’t just one night.

thirty

Lance

Present

My arms rip through the water as I push myself through another lap across the pool. I couldn’t even tell you how many laps I’ve swum. Coach is going to kick my ass if I show up to the stadium tired and sore, but I can’t seem to stop.

I had a hard time falling asleep after learning why Gwen left. As I lay in bed beside her, I couldn’t help but feel cheated out of time with her. We could have been together this entire time.

If I hadn’t let my bruised ego get in the way and left like I did, I would have been there when she returned. Or if my annoying friends hadn’t prevented me from seeing her number, I would have called her sooner.

I wasted months being mad at her for nothing.

As I reach the pool wall, I tuck my chin, dive under, and roll into a flip turn. Pushing off the wall, I kick my feet and cut through the water again.

On the next turn, I twist to breathe, and a flash of curly golden hair catches my eye.

Gwen.

As quickly as I can, I close the distance between us. I come up for air and whip off my goggles, chucking them to the side where she sits at the edge of the pool, bare legs crossed, and wearing an Evaders sweatshirt that looks an awful lot like mine.

She looks good in my clothes. Too good.

Pushing my thoughts back into the gutter, where they belong, I stand and shake off the water in my hair, splashing her in the process.

“Ah, stop. It’s cold.” Gwen laughs, covering her face with her hands.

“It’s not so bad once you get used to it.” I reach my wet hand out and grip her ankle. Her skin is warm to the touch, but my chilly hand makes goosebumps erupt across her silky skin.

She squeals and scoots back from the pool’s edge. “You’re freezing. How long have you been out here?”

“A while. Most days, I come out here and do a few laps,” I tell her, knowing full well it’s going to be every day when she stays over.

Dropping my head back, I run my hands over my hair, wringing out the water. It’s gotten longer than I’m used to. When I was a kid, I didn’t have a choice; it was a buzz cut or bust. My father would drag my brother and me out to the garage, and he’d run a pair of clippers over our heads. No fuss.

Gwen’s eyes are firmly on my chest as I glance at her. She digs her teeth into her bottom lip as her gaze roams from my chest to my lower abs. My little witch is checking me out.

The cocky devil on my shoulder preens at her hungry perusal. She can deny her attraction all she wants. Won’t take away the fact that she still wants me as badly as I want her. And fucking hell, do I want her.

Agreeing with me, my cock jerks to attention beneath the water.

I clear my throat. “Keep looking at me like that, and you’ll be in this pool with no guarantee that I’ll be able to control myself.”

Her aqua eyes jump to my face as a pink flush tints her cheeks. “I-I wasn’t.”

It’s going to be fun seeing how long it will take for her to break.

“No need to lie. It’s okay to ogle your husband while he’s wet and half naked,” I tease.

Gwen’s jaw drops open for a full five seconds before she leans forward and splashes a handful of water in my face, making me sputter. “Shut up.”