AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you sick?” When I didn’t answer him, he gripped my arms and forced me to roll over. My eyes were adjusted to the dark and his face was tight as he glared down at me. His hand now covered my forehead. His skin was cool, but I wasn’t feverish.
I’d been running myself ragged, working long hours over the last month and it was catching up to me at the worst possible time.
“Sorry, just tired,” I murmured.
His hand slid down and cupped my cheek as he stared down at me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear he wanted to kiss me right now. The man who’d made it clear I wasn’t wanted here was watching me with a hungry look in his eyes. No one had ever looked at me that deeply, as though he could see who I really was. Part of me wished he’d say something condescending just to break the spell. The other part of me was really liking this new side of Keller King.
My legs shifted restlessly as I tried to ease the ache in my core. I sort of hoped he’d press the issue and actually kiss me. Then I could act on these feelings with no guilt.
“Do you want dinner? Or would you rather sleep?”
My eyes narrowed on his face. “Why are you being nice to me?”
“Because I don’t prey on the weak, Princess. I need you at full strength for training tomorrow. Trust me, I’ll be back to normal as soon as you’re rested.” One side of his lips curved upward.Did he just compliment me? In a backhanded sort of way?
“Sleep,” I answered him. “I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“Oh five hundred,” he said, his voice running over my skin like a lover’s touch. “Meet us at the conference room we had the debriefing in.” He stood and walked toward the door. Before he left he called softly over his shoulder. “Dress in workout gear.”
It wasn’t until he was gone that my foggy brain realized what he’d said. “Five in the morning!” I wasn’t looking forward to the early start, but I rolled over and went back to my dreams.
* * *
I stretchedas I walked into the meeting room. “Morning,” I called out cheerfully. Twelve hours of straight sleep had a way of rejuvenating you.
All four men turned to face me and froze. Their reaction had me lowering my arms and looking from face to face as self-consciousness crept into my mind.
Torque was grinning, Rush had a heated look in his eyes, and the other two just looked furious. I glanced down at my black yoga pants and the midriff-baring sweatshirt I was wearing.
It was typical workout clothing. I’d gone for the sweatshirt versus a tank top because it was still a little chilly this early in the morning.
“What?” I finally snapped at them as they all continued to silently stare at me.
“What the hell is that?” Keller snapped.
“Beats the hell out of the PT uniform,” Torque said with a grin.
That was when I realized they were all wearing long pants that said Army down the leg in gold lettering and black t-shirts with the same. How was I supposed to know there was a uniform they worked out in? I wasn’t a damn soldier.
“I can take her to get some PT gear later today,” Rush offered.
Keller looked ready to rip his hair out, but he just nodded. “Let’s go.”
I followed them out of the building. Keller led the way, while the other three walked beside me. Eyes followed us the entire way out to the track and I wasn't sure the look on Alden’s face could get any darker. My clothes were gaining a lot of attention. I hadn’t dressed for that purpose, but now I could see why Keller had been so pissed. I stuck out like a sore thumb. It wasn’t that I was dressed sexy, it’s that everyone else was dressed like a nun. At least as far as workout clothes are concerned.
Tugging down my top to try to hide my belly, I listened as Keller explained what we were going to be doing.
“We’ll warm up with four miles around the track.”
My brows shot up. Four miles? I forced myself to run to keep in shape for my job, but I usually stopped after one. I hadn’t done four miles since the academy. And that was their warm up? Something told me I wasn’t going to have any fun working out with these men. Stubbornly, I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want them to think I wasn’t capable. I sure as shit wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of hearing me whine. They already thought that I was weak and the last thing I wanted was to prove them right on the first day.
I stopped paying attention after I heard push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups after the run. No wonder these men were so buff and brawny. If they did this everyday there was no way for them to be anything else.
We started off around the track and I eyed them as they ran in front of me as a pack. They all had different builds and one wasn’t less pleasing than the others. Keller and Rush were both leaner, with runner’s builds, while Alden was muscle stacked upon muscle. Torque fell somewhere in between. You wouldn’t think that something as big as Alden could run so gracefully. It was an amazing pleasure to see him move.
We’d only gotten started when a group of female soldiers joined us on the track. Their laughter and pointed looks followed us as we ran. They were checking out the guys. I couldn’t blame them, I was too.
I could tell they were setting a slower pace for me, but by the time we were two miles into the run I was grateful for it, because I was getting winded.
