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Her posture relaxes and she gives me a slow smile. “I know.” She leans up on her tiptoes. “I’m not mad.”
I pull back, studying her. “You aren’t?”
A broad smile crosses her face. She pulls from my arms and yells, “Nope, not at all,” as she takes off running toward the woods, her blonde ponytail bouncing behind her. “I’ll see you at the finish line,” she yells over her shoulder.
That little vixen!Chuckling, I take off after her, impressed by her sass and intelligence. I push my muscles harder, knowing I have the advantage of longer legs. Irelynn is an impressive runner and is still ahead of me, but I’m gaining on her.
My feet hit the mossy trail. I didn’t tell Irelynn that not only did I run a lot when I played football, but after all hell broke loose in my life, I ran.A lot. When I moved to Pennsylvania, I spent a lot of time running trails in the woods and lifting weights. Darin and I regularly hit the gym to lift weights, then run on the treadmill.
Knowing I’m right on her heels, Irelynn waits until I’m beside her, then elbows me in the ribs. A burst of laughter escapes me as she tries to sprint off, but I surprise her by grabbing her. She squirms and giggles as I tickle her.
“M-M-Max, s-s-top,” she sputters around her hysterical laughter.
“Nope. This is what you get for trying to cheat.” I keep tickling her as she squirms and laughs until she’s crying.
“P-p-please, Max. S-stop,” she begs.
I pause, my fingers moving slightly away from her sides. “On one condition.” I grin at her wickedly.
She wipes the tears from her face, a huge smile lighting up her entire face as she tries to get her laughter under control. Finally, she manages to get out, “What condition?”
“You promise not to do it again.” I wink at her, a seductive grin on my face.
She raises her brow. “Your smile says something different.” She tilts her head, a salacious smile on her face.
My eyes are glued to her alluring and captivating smile until the moment it fades, and her teeth sink into her bottom lip.
Holy fuck.My breathing hitches in my chest as I’m frozen, fixated on her as everything around me fades, except for the pounding of my heart. My gaze slowly peruses her face, stopping on her molten brown eyes that incinerate me, lighting my veins on fire.
Her lips are mere inches away from mine, her warm breaths soft on my skin. I breathe her in, the world around me fading away until we are the only two people who exist. The feel of her soft curves beneath my hands, a contrast against the hard planes of my muscles.
Irelynn’s hand goes around the back of my neck, pulling my head toward hers, closing the short distance between us. She gives me what I’m dying for as her mouth moves against mine, her pillowy lips warm and inviting. Her kiss is gentle and languid, her fingers lightly caressing the hairs at the nape of my neck. A jolt of pleasure shoots down my spine as she deepens the kiss, her lips becoming more frantic, taking from me what she wants.
Running my tongue over the seam of her lips, she opens without hesitation. My body is an inferno as she runs her tongue over mine, my hands winding through her hair. I press firmly against her, and we grind against one another, my hand gripping her ass.
My heart slams against my chest as she continues devouring me like it’s the last time we will ever kiss one another. As my hand slides over her bare stomach, she tremors from my touch as my fingers glide over her lightly tanned skin.
She lets out a soft groan as my lips change from hard and frantic to slower and more purposeful. I run my lips over her jaw and down to her neck as she tilts her head back against the tree, her hand clinging to the back of my neck.
Feet pounding on the earth in the distance bring me back to reality as I slowly pull away, my eyes glazed over, my mind momentarily unable to comprehend anyone intruding on our moment. The scent of pine and moss hit me as I slowly pull away from her, the realization that I nearly lost myself in her while in the woods rattling me.
Irelynn’s cheeks are rosy as I reluctantly release her from my embrace. Her grin is bashful as her large doe-eyes lock with mine and she gives a slight, apologetic shrug.
My hand goes to her face, gently cupping it. I simply shake my head and her smile widens, her brown eyes glowing against her tanned skin.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to apologize for that.” She pauses, waiting for the couple to pass us. Her eyes trail after them, then her gaze moves to mine. Leaning on her tiptoes, she gives me a kiss on the cheek, then she whirls, taking off on the trail behind the couple.
Son of a bitch. She did it again.A loud belly laugh comes from me as I give her a slight head start, then I take off after her, my arms pumping, quads constricting and contracting as I sprint after her, the ball of my foot striking the dirt path as it winds through the woods. Ahead of me, I see her pause as the trail splits in two directions. Then she takes off on the path to the left.
Turning after her, I’m rapidly closing the distance, as this trail is narrower, rockier, and steeper. The woods and vegetation surrounding us are thicker, the tall, thick trees casting long shadows around us. Briars reach out, clawing at my skin, but I keep pumping my muscles, gaining speed, until I’m right behind her. She looks at me over her shoulder, a wide grin on her face, which changes to one of stunned surprise as her foot slides on a rock, throwing off her balance. My arm wraps around her waist, catching her before she can fall.
“Thank you for catching me before I fell.” Her face is full of chagrin. “I really deserved to be flat on my ass after pulling that stunt again.”
“I’ll always catch you, Irelynn. I’d never let you fall.” I hold her against me, mesmerized by her beautiful face as she sucks in a breath. Her facial features soften from my words. “Even when you try cheating in order to win.” I wink at her and she laughs.
“You always protect me, even from myself.” Her hands cup my face.
“Always, beautiful. I’d never let anything happen to you.” My heart pounds inside my chest. I’ve never meant anything more in my life.
