Page 39 of One Last Run

"What are you doing for work?" Danica asked.

Pete let her hand drift back under the water. "Odd jobs," she said, and that was the truth. She'd worked on organic farms in South America while waiting for an organization connection to pan out fully, and she'd been a ski instructor for rich kids in the French alps out of sheer boredom for two winters when things were slow with making connections in Europe. She'd always taken her time vetting new partner agencies and organizations, making sure they were really helping kids and not just taking the money for themselves.

Danica frowned. "Why are you being so cagey?"

"It's just not that interesting, I'm afraid. Tell me about your job," Pete said, trying to change the subject.

"Also not that interesting," Danica said with a shrug.

"Liar."

Danica watched her for a moment, then turned her face back to the sky. "It's hard. It has its rewarding moments but it feels really heavy sometimes. And the hours are hard for a relation—" She stopped herself, contemplation. "Well, I guess that's not something I worry about anymore."

Pete nodded, not wanting to break whatever spell was making Danica open up to her. "How are you feeling about that?"

Danica lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. "Weirdly... fine?"

"Do you think you'll get back together when you get home?" Pete asked, her chest clenching with concern.

"No, I don't... I don't want to. I know it's relatively new in the grand scheme of life, but it doesn't feel raw, you know? It doesn't feel like heartbreak has felt before, not like I just broke up with the love of my life or something," Danica said with a heavy sigh.

"Heartbreak?" Pete questioned before she could help herself.

Danica leveled her with a stare. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Pete's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Where’d that come from?”

"Oh my god, never mind," Danica said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest.

Understanding washed over Pete's as she watched Danica; the realization striking her with intense clarity. "Wendell," she said, her voice softening and lowering to barely a whisper. "You meanus."

Danica glared at her, and Pete could have sworn she could see the bricks of her walls starting to rebuild.

"Hey," Pete said, leaning forward in the water to touch Danica’s arm, looking into her eyes. "I didn't know you felt that way."

"Yeah, well... I did," Danica said, glancing away from Pete's intense stare.

Pete wished she was good with words. She wished she had some grand speech to explain to Danica that she wouldn't take back the world-crushing heartache she experienced, because it fueled her to work harder to achieve her dreams. She’d never prioritized a relationship because she never stayed anywhere long enough to grow roots. Instead, she’d blamed never having a deep soul connection with anyone on the fact that she was always leaving soon, always one foot out the door. Not becausesome part of her had always hoped she and Danica would find their way back to each other.

They had to break their hearts to grow up, to grow into better versions of themselves.

But she wasn't the kind of person who could say all of that aloud just yet. Instead, she said what she could manage in the moment. "Danica," she whispered, closing her eyes for a pause before opening them, looking directly at her. "I'm sorry for what happened between us then, but I'm here now. We're both here now."

CHAPTER 13

DANICA

Danica’s bodyfelt flushed and tingly with anticipation as Pete slid closer to her. Their bodies drew together like magnets, leaning into one another. Pete’s nose slid down the side of hers, only an inch between their mouths as she listened to Pete’s shaky breath.

There was still a chance they could let the moment pass without ever leaping over that final hurdle. There was still time to pretend this never happened, to stop this from happening.

Danica didn’t know exactly what she wanted. Her mind was quiet, but her heart was beating wildly out of her chest as Pete’s hand slid up the side of her neck to cradle her cheek.

They were drawn to one another– they had always been pulled toward one another like magnets – and somehow it felt inevitable that they’d end up like this again. Pete’s thumb slid over her jaw, gently angling her face up. Every breath was a whisper against one another’s lips, a promise, a prayer, a warning. She shouldn’t let this happen, she thought through a haze. Pete's nose touched hers, a familiar warmth spreadingthrough her, making her forget any lingering resolve she’d been holding onto.

Her heart thrummed a hard and fast rhythm as they both moved slowly, carefully, snow gently falling upon their bare shoulders as the air fogged from the hot tub and their bodies and their shared breaths.

Pete seemed to wait for her to close the distance between them, for her to take the lead, like this kiss was awhen, not anif. Danica craved more. Chemistry had never been their problem. The memory of their tiny dorm rooms, the hushed whispers and frantic heartbeats, came back to her – hours spent kissing, exploring, drunk on lust and the incredible feeling that this gorgeous woman actually liked her.

---