10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Carter
I ’m looking forward to having someone else on my run this morning. I was surprised when Lina agreed to meet me, but if she hadn’t, I wasn’t going to give up.
I put on my shoes, then grab a water bottle and head to my car. These early morning runs are my favorite. They allow me to clear my mind while getting in a good workout before starting the day. I got a little too close to Lina in Denver, but this time I plan on keeping it strictly platonic. The hard part is that being around her flirting comes naturally. I have to consciously remind myself to give her distance and not try to touch her.
These thoughts need to stay within the safety of my own head. Suddenly, I remembered that I needed to check my flight schedule to see when I was free to travel to Florida to meet with the academy. I pull up my calendar, but then a text notification comes through. Lina .
Smiling, I immediately swipe out of my schedule and tap into Lina’s message.
Lina: Good morning, partner. Be there in fifteen!
My heart beats faster with anticipation of seeing her soon. I can’t wait to smell her coconut shampoo and stare at those moist red lips.
Me: On my way. I hope you brought your own sweater this time.
Lina: I did. But oh, did I love getting yours dirty.
Me: I don’t doubt that.
I pull up at Prickly Pear Park right at 8 am and am pleasantly surprised to see her pink jeep already in the parking lot. I often run in the neighborhood where the park is located. It’s quiet and reminds me of somewhere I’d want to live.
As soon as I open my car door, Lina pops out of hers.
“What took you so long, Hernandez?” Her blonde hair is pulled behind a white baseball cap, and she is wearing similar joggers as she did in Denver, but these are black and highlight every curve.
“Looks like someone needs a good workout,” I quip, walking toward her car.
Lina lifts her nose in the air and crosses her arms at her chest. “I could get a good workout anywhere.”
I click my tongue and rest an elbow on the side of her car. “And yet, here you are.”
She smiles. “I wasn’t doing anything else this morning anyway.”
“Well then, maybe I need to make this session worth your while then.”
“I’m ready.”
I off the back door and immediately take off in a full sprint down the street. From the corner of my eye, I see Lina come up at my left. I slow, allowing her to match my pace.
“Why do you insist on making me follow you?” Her words come out breathy.
“You like it.”
“Maybe.”
We jog around the neighborhood for almost twenty minutes before she gestures for us to stop near a bench.
“I’ve never been to this park before. We’re running in a circle, right?” she asks, sweat misting her chest.
I wish I could say yes because of the fuss she made about it in Denver, but we aren’t.
An internal laugh bubbles in my chest. “What would you like me to say, baby?”
“Oh no. Carter!” she complains and stops running.
I laugh, halting my speed. “Do you want to turn back now?”
Both of her arms fly up. “I don’t know if you’ve figured this out, but I’m not a runner.”
“As long as we’re partners, my job is to make sure we get as much cardio in as we can.”
“You have to make everything dirty, don’t you?” She shakes her head.
I shrug my shoulders. “It’s a gift.”
Lina pulls on her ponytail, then stretches out her arms a bit. “We do have a ways to go back to the park. Can we head back?”
I’m not ready for my time with her to be over. “Of course.”
We head back into the neighborhood and toward the park and by the time we get there, we’re both out of breath. Bending forward, she rests her hands on top of her knees .
“Alright. I feel good,” she says, panting.
I’m only a little out of breath as I’m used to running up to six miles a day, and even that, I feel like I could do more. “Do you want me to push you on the swing?”
She glances up at me with a sparkle in her tired eyes. “I’d love that.”
I follow Lina over to the swings. Similar to the park in Denver, the ground under the swingset is covered in woodchips. We’re silent as we walk over with only the crunching of the woodchips to break the tension between us. She grips both chains, then hoists herself into the rubber seat.
I come behind her, placing my hands over hers. Lina angles her head down, in my direction. “So, you’re not dating anyone?”
I give her a gentle shove, then step back. “I thought we already went over this?”
She chuckles coyly. “I guess I thought I’d ask again.”
“I’m not dating anyone.” My palm taps the small of her back before giving her momentum to move through the air. Her long ponytail whips me a few times in the face. I don’t mind because I get whiffs of her coconut shampoo.
“Were you ever married?” she asks with an unsure tone in her voice.
“No.”
“Did you ever think about getting married?”
“No.”
“Why?”
I exhale and give her another push. “I never found anyone who I wanted to consider that with.”
“Me either. I actually never even thought about getting married. I’ve always been worried that if I gave my whole heart to someone, it would make me more vulnerable.”
I rub my lips together, understanding where she’s coming from, but that has never been my concern. I’ve always been more concerned with freedom. The freedom to live the life I wanted the way I wanted. It only started to change just recently. But, if I would have met the right person over the years, I would have gladly given up everything for them.
“I understand that—” My phone vibrates in my pocket.
Christian: Hey! We need to reschedule my nephew’s flying lesson next week. He has football tryouts.
Me: No worries. Just let me know a better day and time and I’ll look at my schedule.
Christian: Awesome. Thanks, man.
I glance up after tapping out a quick response to see Lina popping off the swing.
“All done?”
“Yeah, I should probably head home. I have a lot to do before I fly out again tomorrow morning.”
“Okay. When can I see you again?” I ask, following quickly behind her toward the parking lot.
“We’re on the same flight crew on Wednesday to La Guardia.” How does she know that? “How do you know that?” My mouth curves up on one side.
“I have my ways.” She plays, skipping to her car.
I jog to eat the distance between us. “You checked to see when I’ d be on your flight.”
“Maybe.” She leans against the side of her car. “You are the sole man responsible for my cardio for the time being, so I needed to make sure you’d be able to get my heart rate up.”
Fuck. I know she’s just playing, but it’s making my dick stand at full staff. The amount of things that I want to do to this woman that have nothing to do with running, jogging, or working out is un fucking real.
“You’re all mine then.”
Her lungs rise with a sharp inhale. “I guess so.”