AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I blinked at her, totally having forgotten what I was going to say, so Haven helpfully reminded me. “You hit a low point a couple of years ago.”
“Right.” I nodded. “Anyway, afterward, when my friend slapped me back into shape, one thing that helped me not slip back down into that hole again was football. There was a defensive position open, and I took it without question. It was something to focus on. Something to push myself toward. So I pushed with all my might and put everything I had into it. I exercised more. I ate better. I lived and breathed ball. And it seemed to help. That’s when I started jogging almost every morning too. So, if… I’m not sure if it would be for you, but if you want, you can run with me in the mornings. We can go at any pace you like. It’s just… I thought it would be something to work toward and help get your mind off…things. It’s always helped me clear my head, anyway.”
She stared so thoughtfully long at me that I began to squirm inside, feeling like an idiot for even offering.
But then she nodded slowly and even gifted me with a half smile.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll give it a try. Thank you for the offer.”
29
Haven
No. Oh my God, no. Never again! Running was so not the thing for me.
“Break,” I gasped, clutching my cramping side. “Let’s take another break.”
Though I was freezing my ass off in the early morning chill, sweat poured down my face, while my throat felt as dry as the Sahara.
This was just unnatural. And inhumane. Why did people willingly do this?
“Just two more blocks and we’ll be home again,” Wick encouraged from next to me. “You got this.”
I sent him a glare. I absolutely did not have this. I didn’t have shit.
And it was his fault. He’d talked me into this damn crazy idea.
Hey, let’s get up at the butt crack of dawn and submit ourselves to continuous physical torture for the next half hour straight. Yeah, it’ll be fun, said the lunatic hottie.
And for that, he’d just made the top of my hit list, I swear.
But I kept running because, hell… I don’t know. The sooner we got home, the sooner it would be over, I guess.
Except half a block from our apartment, he made us stop running for a cool-down walk, which dragged the torture on longer. And worse yet, I couldn’t rush inside once we did make it home. He had me stretch outside on the sidewalk so my muscles wouldn’t cramp, the sadistic bastard. It was like the torment would never end.
The moment he unlocked the door and held it open for me, I rushed inside with a full groan and collapsed on the couch.
“Oh my God, this is heaven.” My muffled voice vibrated against the couch cushions where my face had landed, and I just didn’t have the oomph to turn it to the side. But oh wow, this sofa had never felt so wonderful before. After I let out a moan of delight and snuggled deeper into it, Wick leaned down next to me.
“Hey,” he said, sounding equal parts amused and concerned. “You going to make it?”
“Mmph.” I turned to rest my cheek on the cushions so I could smile dreamily up at him. “I love this couch.”
Lifting an eyebrow, he straightened and took a step back. “I should probably give you two some alone time then, huh?”
Closing my eyes, I nodded. “Yes. We’ll invite you to the wedding.”
“Seems only right,” he agreed, “since I’m the one who introduced you guys in the first place. Meanwhile, what do you want for breakfast? My treat since you did so well your first jog out.”
My eyes popped open in surprise. Food? Treat? I did well?
“I did?” It felt as if I’d done incredibly awful my first time jogging. I had hurt and ached and complained. A lot.
But his mouth did that quirky, half-smile thing before he told me I’d done just fine. “You didn’t give up. That’s pretty much the only goal.”
“Oh.” I brightened considerably. Maybe I wasn’t a big wuss after all. “In that case, I want bacon and eggs and pancakes, and all of it smothered in maple syrup.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
