Page 116 of Through the Flames
He shot me a glare over his shoulder. One of those slow, lethal ones promising retaliation.
Yes, please.
Then he pushed off the line. Forty yards of pure, terrifying speed, legs eating the ground like he had something to prove.
“Four point six!” I yelled when he crossed the line, squinting at my screen. “Congratulations, you’re officially faster than most senior citizens.”
Hunter didn’t stop. He just turned, closed the gap in three strides, and scooped me up mid-laugh. My legs dangled like Iweighed nothing, even though I was six-one and all muscle from years of tennis.
He didn’t even bat an eyelid. Hunter was solid, steady, and unshakable. It was like being picked up by a human fortress. ButGod, he was so much more than tall.
Every inch of his impressive body was thick, husky and stronger than anyone had a right to be.
“Say it again,” he growled, tossing me over his shoulder, my phone dangling from my fingers as I squealed.
“Hunter! Ew! You’re disgusting! Oh my God, put me down—”
“Say it.” When his palm connected with my ass, my stomach fluttered and my pussy throbbed with excitement.
“Fine! You’rethe fastest man alive!” I choked out between laughter. “Are you happy, Usain Bolt?”
“Closer.” His voice dropped low, rough against my ear.
Then he spun me down, and before I could get my bearings, his mouth was on mine. Hard. Stolen. The kind of kiss that didn’t care who was watching, or if anyone was watching at all.
By the time he let me breathe, my legs were trembling, and I wasn’t even the one running drills.
After Hunter decided he’d trained enough, he ducked into the locker room to grab his stuff. I lingered outside scrolling on my phone, lurking through social media.
The hallway smelled like sweat and turf, but it was still quiet in these corridors, with official practice not having started yet.
The sound of cleats clacking on the floor made me look up. I spotted Kai, a transfer student who would be one of Dom’s new teammates this coming season, strolling toward me with an easy smile.
“Hey, Ella, right?” He leaned against the wall, easy and casual. “How’s it going?”
I returned his smile with one of my own. “Pretty good. You?”
“Living the dream.” He chuckled, tugging at the collar of his training tee. “You waiting for Hunter?”
“Yup. He’s been training like a maniac for the Combine.”
“Ah, yeah. I’ve seen him working with my uncle. You’re a student athlete too, right?” He eyed me curiously.
“Guilty,” I said, lifting a shoulder. “Been playing tennis since I was a kid.”
“Respect. You must have insane footwork.” His gaze flicked toward my sneakers, then back up with a teasing tilt to his mouth. “Ever thought about trading tennis for rugby?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Pretty sure I’d get flattened in five seconds.”
“Nah.” He smirked. “You’ve got the speed and the balance. Half the guys out there can’t even stay upright after a tackle.”
I raised a singular brow. “So your sales pitch is ‘come get tackled by angry men twice your size’?”
Kai grinned wider. “Exactly. You’d kill it, though. Low center of gravity, fast reactions. You’d be hell on the wings.”
“Appreciate the vote of confidence,” I said, laughing. “But I think I’ll stick to a sport where no one’s trying to knock me unconscious.”
And then the air shifted.
