Page 36 of The Ice Queen in the Corner Office

I wanted to ask how he’d known I’d be up and out jogging, wanted to ask why he’d chosen me for his psycho obsession, but I kept my lips pinched tight.

“I was up for an early morning jog, myself, when I saw you,” Alex said, like he’d read my mind. He patted his flat stomach. “Got to keep fit, and I didn’t want my fitness needs to interfere with our day together.”

“You jog often?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his face shift into a grin. “Four or five days a week. You?”

I picked up my pace. “Six days a week, five miles a day.” I smiled as I accelerated past him. “You?”

To my great disappointment, his smile widened and he caught me with no trouble. “I do six to eight miles, since I can’t get as many days in.”

I picked up my pace until I was past warm-up mode. Alex met me easily.

“If you’re trying to lose me,” he said. “I feel I should remind you of our deal.”

“Just keeping my usual pace. If you can’t keep up, that’s on you.”

He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure keeping up with you will soon be my favorite hobby.”

I rolled my eyes and ignored the flutter in my heart. Probably just a reaction to the cold and the early exercise.

I picked up my pace again and he matched me.

“I have another proposal,” he said. I smiled at the breathiness of his voice. Maybe he wasn’t as in shape as he claimed.

“What’s that?”

“If I beat you back to the house, you let me spend a second day with you.”

“That’s less than a mile.”

“It’s a sprint. Beat me and you can continue your run without me bugging you.”

“Tempting,” I said. “What else do I get if I win?”

He stumbled on a rock and clapped a hand to his chest. He pulled in a labored breath. “Woo, guess I’m a little more out of shape than I realized. Mind if we stop for a minute?”

I sighed and stopped. Obviously, he was exaggerating his exhaustion, but the sooner I got this over with, the sooner I could get back to my run. The sun would be rising over the mountains in about twenty minutes and I didn’t want to miss it. “Make it quick.”

“If you win, I pack my bags and leave this morning.”

That sharp pain in my chest was from the cold air in my lungs, not because I hated the idea of him leaving. “Sounds good.”

I stepped forward and leaned in close, my eyes dropping to his lips. “On your marks,” I said, my voice husky from the cold air. “Get set.” I put a hand on his chest and watched as his eyes dropped to my lips.

I bit back a smile.

I shoved hard on his chest, shouted go, and took off all at the same time. I sprinted for the house, pumping my legs and my arms, laughing at the wind through my hair and the feeling of flying as my feet bounced off the springy grass.

I didn’t hear Alex behind me and a sense of victory washed over me. I was going to win, and he was going to go home, and I’d get my relaxing vacation. And if that thought made me want to slow down and let him catch me, that was only because my libido didn’t agree with my rational brain.

The house was in sight.

I powered past the sadness that tickled the corners of my victory high. I let out a winner’s whoop just as Alex appeared in my peripheral and flew past me, his legs moving so fast it looked like his feet weren’t even touching the ground. He hopped over the three steps onto the porch and tagged the front door.

Looking back at me, he grinned, triumphant.

I wanted to punch him, but even more, I wanted to smile with him, to pull him close and let his happiness wash over me.

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