evening run. And there he was, jogging down Mars Hill toward me out of the Ponderosa Pines, his stride long, unstrained, and a smile plastered on the even complexion of his face.
Of course he looked good. He was running down hill.
Still. Not fair. When I ran my face turned into a beet.
I frantically glanced to the side, even though I knew there was no side path here to dash down. Damn. Why here? Why now? Not that I actually wanted to see him again, but if I were going to, then I’d prefer it not to be in my ratty old t-shirt after a mile and half of huffing, puffing and sweating.
Resigned, I looked back up the path. He waved, dimples still flashing as he ran up and stopped before me. “Hello, Eva,” he said, dipping his head slightly as if he were addressing royalty or something.
Blind, either that or he really had fun chasing down his prey. I planted my hands on my hips, staring him down—or at least tried to. Hard to do when the top of my head barely topped his chest. A chest that was barely rising and falling. Jerk wasn’t even winded. Had he been waiting for me in those woods or had he actually been out running? I decided to cut the crap and get an answer.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked between panting breaths.
“Doing what?”
“Following me around. Showing up wherever I am.”
His smile faded, his eyes becoming impossibly intense. I thought he wasn’t going to answer. Would be better if he didn’t, if he just slunk off in shame back into the forest. End of story. But instead he shook his head. “Hell if I know.”
My face burned. Whatever. I spun around, ready to sprint back down the path toward home. If he wasn’t going to end this idiotic soap-opera scene, I would. A hand snaked out and latched onto my elbow, pulling me back around.
“Hey!”
“I’ve figured it out,” he said, even as he let go of my arm.
I rubbed the skin he’d just touched, sure the shape and size of his hand was burned like a brand into my skin. Felt like it at least. Pursing my lips I stared up into his face as I waited for him to expand. I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to know his motivation, but after another long, drawn-out bit of silence, my indecision flashed quickly to annoyance and from there to hurt. Was I so unworthy that he couldn’t come up with a reason besides the typical I-want-in-your-pants one?
“Well?” I prompted.
He reached out, tucking a strand that had come loose from my ponytail behind my ear. Another sizzle, crack, pop of energy and I rocked back on my heels. Whoa. Not chemistry, static electricity.
“I like your hair,” he said.
“That’s it? You like my hair?”
“And your face. This dash of freckles…” he swept a finger across the bridge of my nose. I tingled again. “Adorable.”
I huffed. If that was the best he could do…
“And your eyes.” His own eyes, shadowed in the dim evening light, locked onto mine. Something in my chest went thud, thud, and I inhaled sharply. “Gorgeous. I could get lost in them. More crazy, I want to.” He dropped his hand. “I guess that’s why I’m following you around.”
Okay. Points for Mr. Candy. He’d done it. He’d charmed me in fifty words or less. Which made me a bona fide idiot. Hadn’t I already learned this lesson? Eyes aside, if a guy like him was after me it was for one thing only. And brand me old-fashioned, but I wasn’t giving that away.
He tilted his head to the side, the corners of his mouth crinkling up in an easygoing smile. “So what do you say? Want to catch a movie or something?”
A movie. Right. Would probably want to sit in the back row, too. And would be pissed when I didn’t take to having my hand directed to his crotch.
I tossed my head, ponytail flicking as I spun away and broke into a jog back down the path. I hadn’t gone more than three strides before he was there, his feet padding silently alongside my own. Damn. He was heavier than me by far. Couldn’t he refrain from outshining me
Of course he looked good. He was running down hill.
Still. Not fair. When I ran my face turned into a beet.
I frantically glanced to the side, even though I knew there was no side path here to dash down. Damn. Why here? Why now? Not that I actually wanted to see him again, but if I were going to, then I’d prefer it not to be in my ratty old t-shirt after a mile and half of huffing, puffing and sweating.
Resigned, I looked back up the path. He waved, dimples still flashing as he ran up and stopped before me. “Hello, Eva,” he said, dipping his head slightly as if he were addressing royalty or something.
Blind, either that or he really had fun chasing down his prey. I planted my hands on my hips, staring him down—or at least tried to. Hard to do when the top of my head barely topped his chest. A chest that was barely rising and falling. Jerk wasn’t even winded. Had he been waiting for me in those woods or had he actually been out running? I decided to cut the crap and get an answer.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked between panting breaths.
“Doing what?”
“Following me around. Showing up wherever I am.”
His smile faded, his eyes becoming impossibly intense. I thought he wasn’t going to answer. Would be better if he didn’t, if he just slunk off in shame back into the forest. End of story. But instead he shook his head. “Hell if I know.”
My face burned. Whatever. I spun around, ready to sprint back down the path toward home. If he wasn’t going to end this idiotic soap-opera scene, I would. A hand snaked out and latched onto my elbow, pulling me back around.
“Hey!”
“I’ve figured it out,” he said, even as he let go of my arm.
I rubbed the skin he’d just touched, sure the shape and size of his hand was burned like a brand into my skin. Felt like it at least. Pursing my lips I stared up into his face as I waited for him to expand. I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to know his motivation, but after another long, drawn-out bit of silence, my indecision flashed quickly to annoyance and from there to hurt. Was I so unworthy that he couldn’t come up with a reason besides the typical I-want-in-your-pants one?
“Well?” I prompted.
He reached out, tucking a strand that had come loose from my ponytail behind my ear. Another sizzle, crack, pop of energy and I rocked back on my heels. Whoa. Not chemistry, static electricity.
“I like your hair,” he said.
“That’s it? You like my hair?”
“And your face. This dash of freckles…” he swept a finger across the bridge of my nose. I tingled again. “Adorable.”
I huffed. If that was the best he could do…
“And your eyes.” His own eyes, shadowed in the dim evening light, locked onto mine. Something in my chest went thud, thud, and I inhaled sharply. “Gorgeous. I could get lost in them. More crazy, I want to.” He dropped his hand. “I guess that’s why I’m following you around.”
Okay. Points for Mr. Candy. He’d done it. He’d charmed me in fifty words or less. Which made me a bona fide idiot. Hadn’t I already learned this lesson? Eyes aside, if a guy like him was after me it was for one thing only. And brand me old-fashioned, but I wasn’t giving that away.
He tilted his head to the side, the corners of his mouth crinkling up in an easygoing smile. “So what do you say? Want to catch a movie or something?”
A movie. Right. Would probably want to sit in the back row, too. And would be pissed when I didn’t take to having my hand directed to his crotch.
I tossed my head, ponytail flicking as I spun away and broke into a jog back down the path. I hadn’t gone more than three strides before he was there, his feet padding silently alongside my own. Damn. He was heavier than me by far. Couldn’t he refrain from outshining me
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