Page 45 of Where We Began

I'm hopeful that he's done. Then my stomach sinks as he sets the bottle down, grabs the top of the porch's overhang, and begins doing pull-ups. He's exerting himself to the point of grunting. Every tendon under his skin flexes with effort. Is this what he had to do in school? It must be, all those physical drills are the reason he's become so solid.

I swallow then tap my own cheeks like I'm smacking sense into myself. I really want to go outside and workout, like he is. But if I open the front door he'll see me.Use the kitchen exit,I tell myself. With a final hungry glance at his bare arms, I jog to the kitchen and through the French doors.

The air outside is a bit cool, in spite of the high sun. November is sweeping in. I love how everything smells so fresh. While I adore summer, there's something special about the gentle march of autumn as it takes over the land.

The Bradley Estate is around seventy acres in size. It's shaped like a piece of toast, with the two big curves the furthest from the house—this is where the preserve is nestled. There are trees around the entire property that gives it privacy. Most are behind the huge green fence that keeps people out—and me in.

I start out at a low impact run, enjoying the way the grass cushions the bottom of my shoes. The light windbreaker I put on quickly becomes too warm. My hot breath explodes in the air, leaving white wisps behind me like breadcrumbs.

It takes me a few minutes before I reach the fence to the west of the house. From this angle, if I look back, I can see the driveway. But I wouldn't be able to see Dominic - he was too close to the doors. So there's no reason to look back.

Inhaling until my lungs burn, I run harder. My muscles are warming up, my pace finding a rhythm. I'm all the way towards the preserve, my blood clapping in my ears, before I hear a twig crack.

Peering towards the house, I spot Dominic running at me. He's half an acre away, close enough that I can see the determination in his serious face. His hands pump at his sides, slicing the air. His form is perfect.

It's how he caught me when I tried to escape.

Is he trying to catch me again?Spurred on by that memory—and my own competitiveness—I face forward and sprint. I don't know why he's coming for me, and I don't care. I planned to avoid him today and that hasn't changed.

Let him chase me. Let him see what I canreallydo.

Picturing the days I would run on all cylinders while racing Kara, I burst over the green yard towards the distant trees. The fence is straight ahead. Dominic's pounding feet are all I can hear, my body coiling hard. I'm about to slam into the green metal.

At the last second I shift on my heel, darting to the right. I glance back just in time to see him try and copy me. His foot stumbles on some fallen leaves, his shoulder ramming the fence. His shock is delicious; I laugh, and he looks straight at me.

I almost fall from the power of that stare. Dominic's fingers wrap around the fence, his muscles bulging, glinting in the sun. Using the fence to slingshot him forward, he chases me again. It's different this time. I can sense it in the air, taste it on my tongue.

Dominic has no plans to let me get away from him. Our game has grown unspoken stakes. I don't know what he wants, but I'm sure if he catches me, he'll get it.

My chest is struggling as I demand that my body run harder. Every breath is made from fire. Gasping, I shoot a nervous look over my shoulder. I knew he was close, I could hear him, but I didn't know he was just a few feet away.

His hand swipes out—he's going for my hair.No, not this time!I grab my braid and hold it tight, keeping it near my body as I sprint. The fence is to my left, tree branches overhead drifting red leaves, casting our part of the estate in cool shadows. I'm losing energy. My desire to win our little race isn't enough.

Dominic brushes my elbow. That one touch tells me I lost.

With a surprised shout, I topple onto the ground, tucking myself into a ball so I won't get hurt. I half roll, half slide on my shoulder. Dominic's weight crashes on me; he fell, too, and less gracefully than I did.

I'm dizzy from the fall, and too busy filling my lungs with much needed oxygen to get back up. Lying there, I gaze upwards at the sky. There's no sky, only Dominic. He's stretched over me, naked arms on either side of my head, his hands gripping the grass. There's a leaf in his coffee-colored hair and wild heat in his eyes.

His mouth is open so he can draw long breaths. He's just as exhausted as me. We both pushed ourselves to the limit. I can see all the way inside his mouth. His teeth are porcelain white, perfectly even. They look extra sharp because of his rapid panting. Primal.

“Why did you run from me?” he suddenly asks.

I shift under him; he doesn't budge. His biceps ripple, rock-hard thighs trapping my legs in place. He's the most beautiful cage I've ever been in. “Why did youchaseme?” I spit back.

His mouth shuts tight. All the air comes out of his nose. He's acting like he's regained his composure while I'm struggling. “I was working out in the driveway. I spotted you jogging in the distance, so I—”

“You thought it was okay to come hauling ass after me?” I say, searching his face for some hint of guilt. “You didn't think I went out the kitchen door because I wanted to be alone?”

There's no guilt waiting for me. Dominic's head dips lower, his body pressing into mine, pushing me into the grass. The pressure is delicious. I gasp softly, unable to stop it before it gets free. “Laiken, you're projecting way too much.”

“I'm what?”

He studies my face then tilts his head so that I can see nothing but the dark line of his eyelashes. “You don't need to avoid me. Unless you're afraid something will happen between us.” As he talks, he grinds his hips against mine. The heat of his body is through the roof thanks to his workout.

I run my tongue across the contour of my lower lip. I'm searching for words that I don't have.

Dominic brings his molten-core stare back to me. He inhales quickly. “You smell so fucking good. Like salt. And strength. And sex.”

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