Page 78 of Chasing You

“Somehow that is not reassuring,” she mutters.

“I’m only doing lower body, it’s fine,” I say.

She raises her eyebrows. “Oh, so we are just going to pretend that working your lower body doesn’t strain your upper body too? Who are you trying to fool?”

“I have to get some exercise in somehow. This is the best way to do it without jarring my upper body, unless you have any other suggestions?”

The table around us stays silent, and I know everyone is watching us, watching how we interact, but I can’t rip my eyes away from hers, not as something sparks behind them.

“Did I miss a chapter here?” May asks, and when I look up, I see her eyes glittering as she looks between us. Isla just nudges her with her elbow, telling her to shut up with her eyes while everyone else pretends to be occupied with one thing or another. Everyone except Leo, who’s smirking at me, a look of something akin to pride in his eyes.

He knows my intentions, but he also knows Marina, so knowing he’s happy witnessing whatever that moment was between us gives me some kind of assurance.

“So, Heath,” Caio breaks the silence. “How’s it going with the new mare? Any breakthroughs yet?”

I internally thank Caio for dragging the attention away from us as they all fall into conversation about Heath’s new rescue horse. But I can’t care enough to listen, not as I feel the string of tension stretching between me and the girl next to me.

My head twists to look at the woman by my side without my consent. The look on her face only makes me glad my body moved of its own accord. She’s got this small smile on her face that says she can feel it too.

I lean back in my chair until I’m close enough that only she can hear me. “I’m dying for a swim, do I have permission to visit your beach spot, or am I banished from ever swimming there again?”

“I should have banished you from swimming in any of Italy’s waters. With the way you choose to swim, there could very easily be a shark mistaking your manhood for lunch. And we really can’t be having a death in our waters, it would be bad for tourism.”

I choke on air and everyone’s heads snap in our direction. Marina brings her mug of coffee to her lips, hiding her smile. I just shake my head and wait for everyone else to get back to whatever conversation was keeping them occupied before.

“Should I ask the others to join us?” I ask.

“No,” she quietly snaps. “Sorry, they just don’t know about that spot, and I want to keep it that way.”

“Just me and you then?”

She sucks on the inside of her cheek. “Just me and you. But no funny business.”

I put my serious face on. “No funny business.”

chapter thirty-three

MARINA

PRESENT

I can’t helpthe smile that pulls at the corner of my mouth when I see the deep red bike leaned up against the side of the building. “Was this your plan all along, huh?”

Miles pulls a face. “No, no. I just brought it for you since you forgot it last time.” He’s right, I disappeared into the bar after our kiss, leaving the bike forgotten outside. When I remembered about it a while later, I went out to see it gone from the spot where Miles left it, he must have taken it with him.

“But if you want to take it for a ride to our spot then by all means,” he gestures toward it, acting as if this isn’t exactly what he planned. “We’ll be ticking one thing off our list.” I don’t mention the fact that he just called itourspot.

I just shake my head, he’s an idiot. I walk over to the bike, ringing the bell and shaking my head again. “Alright then. Get in the basket.”

He coughs out a laugh. “If I get in that basket, I’ll break it, and myself—more than I already am that is.”

“Miles,” I give him a stern look, “you are not broken.”

“Just fractured,” he says.

“Okay, get on the seat,” I say, shaking my head at the way he’s making light of his injuries. I guess it’s better that way than the other. “I’ll just pedal while standing.”

“Sounds perfect to me,” he says, settling on the seat of the bike.

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