Page 41 of Hot SEAL, Under Pressure

She must have accepted his reasoning since she dropped down onto the sand and started to untie one boot.

“You have your new underwear on?” he asked.

Her eyes flew up before she narrowed them to glare at him.

“I’m not being a perv. You need good socks and underwear for a run like this or you’re going to chafe.”

“I have on the new socks and yes, the underwear.”

“Good. Now during the run,” he began as he zipped up one filled compartment and moved on to packing the next. “Don’t start out at a run.”

“I thought running is the point.”

“No. Not finishing last is the point. And if you start out too fast, you’ll exhaust yourself. And a full out run is just going to make the pack keep whacking you in the back with every step.”

He’d asked her to clarify the rules and she’d actually agreed and told him. They didn’t have to win the challenges to make it to the end of this competition. Just not be eliminated. The final challenge was where the money was awarded.

They only had to not come in last in the run today. And with Shelly as the one competing, not coming in last was the best he was willing to hope for.

He hated it but it was true. He had to put his own need to be first in all things aside for this.

It was hard, but he’d do it.

“Let the others take off fast and tire themselves out,” he continued. “You pace yourself. Keep an eye on where the others are. Stay in the middle of the pack. Just cross that finish line before one other person and we’re golden.”

“Okay.” She was agreeing with him but not looking as if she believed what he said.

At least not deep inside where it mattered. In that place where motivation lived. Where you drew from when things got rough and you wanted to give up.

He finished repacking the bag and carried it out to where she sat on the sand looking exhausted before the run had even started.

“Listen to me. I’ve had to march in full kit for far longer than four miles.”

Her scowl told him he’d started badly.

“The point is, you can do it, even when you think you can’t. You can. You have to believe that.”

She looked visibly defeated. He reached out and took her hands. “Your feet will be on the trail. But your head can be wherever you want to be. What’s your dream spot?”

“My sofa in front of the television.”

God help them.

He drew in a breath. “All right. We’ll work with that. During the run, you want to think of anything else but the weight on your back. Imagine yourself there on your sofa in front of the TV. What are you watching? What are you wearing? What snacks are you munching on? The first quarter mile is the hardest. Once you get through that, it all becomes a blur of sameness so let your mind go to your happy place.”

She nodded. “Okay. I can do that.”

He delivered what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “Good. You’ll be fine. And when you get back, I’ll be waiting to fix up all of your blisters.”

“Blisters,” she repeated, wide-eyed.

Shit.He needed to stop talking now.

ChapterSeventeen

“You did great, Shell. Really good.”

Shelly heard Stefan, but couldn’t see him against the glare of the sun above where she lay flat on her back on the ground at base camp.

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