AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I nod. At this point, I just wish for this to be over.
“All right, it’s one arm only from now on.”
I lift my left arm and wait.
“One hundred and one,” the assembly chorus as one. “One hundred and two.”
At one hundred and three, I’m lowering into the push-up when my elbow buckles, giving way, and I all but nose-dive onto the stage floor to the general applause of the onlookers.
“And we have a victor,” Billy shouts, helping Blake off the ground and raising her right arm over her head.
All I can do is watch, seated on the floor with my knees bent, trying to catch my breath.
The moment Billy lets Blake go, and the crowd disperses, she comes my way.
I expect her to gloat; instead, she offers me a hand.
I catch it, and she pulls me off the floor, friendly smacking my buttocks as we come level. “Well fought, Mercer, I was a couple of push-ups away from face-planting on the floor myself.”
She tries to pull away, but I keep her hand imprisoned in mine, holding both our arms close to my chest.
“How long have you been training for this?”
At least she doesn’t deny it. “Been doing a hundred push-ups every morning for the past two weeks.”
“How did you know I was going to go for push-ups?”
She extricates her hand from mine and pats me on the chest. “I told you: men can be so predictable sometimes.” I must scowl, because she adds, “Come on, don’t be a sore loser.”
“Pardon me if I’m a little salty about the public humiliation.”
“Be salty all you want.” She squeezes my arm. “Minerals are good for muscle recovery.”
And damn me, no matter that she’s just ridiculed me in front of the entire business community, all I want to do is kiss the woman.
She must read the intention in my eyes because she takes a step back. “Don’t do that either.” A faint flush creeps up her cheeks.
“Do what?” I ask, glad to have the upper hand again.
“Look at me like that.”
“Why not?”
She sighs. “You never give up, do you? Haven’t you had enough?”
“Of you? Sorry, that is a long time coming.”
Her eyes narrow. “At least we agree on something.”
“Really? Because last night we came pretty close.”
Her flush deepens. “Last night was a mistake.”
“It was no mistake for me.”
“Well, for me it was.”
I shake my head. “I don’t believe you.”
