Page 35 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
She giggles, biting back a smile. “Sure.”
We walk side by side in the parking lot for only a couple of minutes before I speak. “When can we see each other again?”
“We’re seeing each other right now.” Flipping her hair around, she turns to me. “We work out of the same airport and for the same airline.”
I notice we’re right next to her pink jeep. I extend my arm, resting it on the side of the car. “You know what I mean.”
She rubs her lips together. “You’re asking if we can go on a run again?”
“Yes.” I lean in, pausing only a few inches from her face.
She doesn’t back away and instead dips her head closer. She’s challenging me. “I was quite tired from the last time. And who said that I actually wanted to train for this event anyway? Maybe I’d rather just clock in the hours into the app and call it a day.”
“You can’t tell me I didn’t give you some good cardio that night in Denver.”
Lina’s cheeks flush. “And I can tell by the way your nipples hardened into points when I got close to you on the sky train that it’s not that you don’t want to spend time with me.”
“How could you have seen them do that if I had a sweateron?”
“I didn’t.” A smile curls the top of my lip. “But thanks for confirming my suspicion,” I say. She walked right into that one. I was expecting her to fire off a sarcastic comment, but I wasn’t expecting her to admit being turned on.
Lina crosses her arms at her chest. “Not funny.”
I tuck a piece of loose hair behind her ear, twirling it in my fingers a couple of times before releasing it.
“Alright.” Lina’s eyes bounce between mine. “When were you thinking?”
She gave in to me. I run my tongue along my bottom lip. “How about tomorrow morning?”
“Okay.”
“Prickly Pear Park at 8 am?”
Lina’s chest rises and falls with a heavy breath. “Alright.”
I push my hand off the side of the car and grab the handle of my luggage. “I’ll see you then.” I turn on my heels and walk away.
I don’t look back. Lina feels the tension just like I do, and nothing makes me happier. When I’m around her, nothing else exists. I’m drawn to her energy like a magnet—the type that I learned about in school as a kid. The opposite forces are drawn together when placed within close proximity.
That is the definition of Lina and me since the first day we met.
Chapter Ten
Carter
I’m looking forward to having someone else on my run this morning. I was surprised when Lina agreed to meet me, but if she hadn’t, I wasn’t going to give up.
I put on my shoes, then grab a water bottle and head to my car. These early morning runs are my favorite. They allow me to clear my mind while getting in a good workout before starting the day. I got a little too close to Lina in Denver, but this time I plan on keeping it strictly platonic. The hard part is that being around her flirting comes naturally. I have to consciously remind myself to give her distance and not try to touch her.
These thoughts need to stay within the safety of my own head. Suddenly, I remembered that I needed to check my flight schedule to see when I was free to travel to Florida to meet with the academy. I pull up my calendar, but then a text notification comes through.Lina.
Smiling, I immediately swipe out of my schedule and tap into Lina’s message.
Lina: Good morning, partner. Be there in fifteen!
My heart beats faster with anticipation of seeing her soon. I can’t wait to smell her coconut shampoo and stare at those moistred lips.
Me: On my way. I hope you brought your own sweater this time.
