Falling in Fast by Danielle Arie

Author:Danielle Arie [Arie, Danielle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Danielle Arie Books
Published: 2019-12-24T16:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

-Emery-

I met Tucker for our run around the lake, and matched his pace the whole time, moving into hyper speed at the tail end of it to keep him on his toes. He increased his speed to keep up with me, doubling over in half-laughter, half-heaving when we hit the parking lot, and slowed for our cool down.

“What the heck, Emery?” he said, between breaths, his shirt drenched in sweat. “Why are you so fast?”

I smiled, trying to catch my own breath, but I’d killed myself to give him a challenge and my lungs were practically on fire. We walked uphill, and collapsed on the lawn to stretch.

“Seriously,” he said. “What’s with you? You’re not human.”

I wiped my brow on my arm and fell back on the grass to stretch my quads, watching as billowing white clouds floated across the sky. “I told you I’m competitive.”

“That’s not competitive. That’s another level.”

A few minutes passed before he stood and leaned over top of me with an outstretched hand. “Need help up?”

I gripped it, ignoring the strength in his grasp, and the thought that I liked what it felt like, and that I needed to have someone’s hand to hold. Those were the toxic thoughts I’d held onto for way too long while I was with Nick. I’d loved him, yes, but I fought the fact that he was wrong for me from the beginning. I didn’t need a hand to hold. I needed to stay grounded, and I needed to focus on God for a while. And, I needed to forget the fact that I got what Tucker said earlier, about feeling closer than we were because we’d spent so much time together.

I felt it, too.

“Thanks for the run, Tucker.”

He cleared his throat, nodding as I stood beside him. “I think we should make it a thing.”

“What do you mean?” I furrowed my brows as he started toward the lodges and followed him.

“I need some exercise, and you pushed me more than I push myself. We should be running buddies. It could be a thing.”

I wasn’t sure if it should be a thing, but there was a definite benefit to the team-mentality when it came to training, an aspect I’d been missing since coming to Bridgeport. If he was down for running with me, I was in.

“It’s a thing then.” I grinned as we approached my lodge, Lauren and Mila passing us on the way up.

Tucker didn’t glance in her direction once. His focus was all on me.

I wasn’t sure about the swell of pride in my chest because of it.

“So I’ll see you at work tomorrow?” he asked, like it wasn’t a given.

“I’ll be there.”

“All right. See you there.”

“Okay.” I chuckled, and turned toward the lodge.

Back in my room, I gathered my toiletries and headed for the shower, but not before Lauren showed up.

“Hey, Emery. I saw you out there with Tucker,” she said, all accusation.

“Yup.” I opened the cupboard beneath our sink and pulled a washcloth out. “I saw you out there with Mila, too.

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