His eyes were crinkled and twinkling as he gazed at her. “You know I just saved your life.”
Kayla spluttered. “Saved my life? How?”
“Stopped you from rolling into the river. You’d have been swept away by the current and hurtling toward a waterfall if it weren’t for me.”
“You pushed me, you idiot—”
The words were stolen from her mouth as Sam leaned over and kissed her, so gently she could barely feel it. She shivered despite the humid river air. He pulled away, shyness creeping in, and gave a dimply smile.
Kayla pushed herself up and rolled him onto his back, lowering herself so she was lying on top of him, their chests pressed together and their legs intertwined. His hands rested on the small of her back, pulling her closer into him. His body was warm and hard. She sighed.
And in the moment before she kissed him back, there was something, something on the tip of her tongue—something she needed to say, except she couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
Chapter 13
July 11, England
T HE MORNING AFTER the first string of nightmares plagued her sleep, Kayla knew she had to get out for a run.
Peering out of her bedroom window, she saw that it was, at least, dry. The fog that often clung to the Northumbrian coastline sat stubbornly in her garden, a thick miasma enveloping her house like a sinister blanket. Hopefully the rays of the ever-optimistic northern sunshine would burn through the mist and the ground would visibly sizzle like they often did after a thunder shower on a hot day. She was starting to miss the heat.
Not allowing herself the luxury of forethought, Kayla pulled on her beloved grubby trainers, which were still peppered with teeth marks from when they’d brought Max home as a puppy, and slammed the door shut behind her. Here goes .
Kayla knew the first mile would be easy, as usual, then miles two and three would hurt. A lot. But if she could smash through the mile-three wall, it’d feel effortless, and she’d experience that euphoric, untouchable sensation of hitting her stride, finding a nice breathing rhythm, and letting the endorphins work their magic. And she desperately needed some magic.
As predicted, mile one passed by without much difficulty, and she weaved deftly through the trees that sprung up through the fog in front of her. It was nice to know that a three-month stint of sedentary living hadn’t completely destroyed her stamina. After the first mile came the inevitable struggle. Her right knee twinged, causing her to put less pressure on that foot. The added impact on her leg left resulted in invisible shards of glass tearing into her shin. Breathing became labored and her chest hurt as she struggled to gulp down the furry fog that seemed to have completely replaced the fresh country air she was used to.
The urge to slow down to a complete halt was overwhelming. All she could think about was how much easier it’d be to stop and walk back. Until that wasn’t all she could think about.
Last night’s dreams flitted into her brain in rapid beams. A sadistic slide show.
Veiny hands around Gabe’s throat. His eyes bulging.
Run through it .
Kayla tried to dial 999. She couldn’t type in the right combination of keys. 997 #99 989. She crushed her phone in her hand, and pain shooting through her palm as the shattered glass screen sliced straight through the skin. Blood drenched the cream carpet.
Just keep running .
Gabe’s face was purple. Frozen in a single expression of terror as his frantic gasps slowed and he realized that this was it. The end.
One foot in front of the other .
The light behind his eyes was snuffed out, like moist fingers crushing a candle flame.
The person whose hands were wrapped around Gabe’s airwaves turned to face Kayla. Their face was blurred.
Maybe if I stop running, I’ll be able to focus on the face .
Kayla stopped running, crouched down with her hands on her knees and squeezed her eyes shut.
But the image was
Kayla spluttered. “Saved my life? How?”
“Stopped you from rolling into the river. You’d have been swept away by the current and hurtling toward a waterfall if it weren’t for me.”
“You pushed me, you idiot—”
The words were stolen from her mouth as Sam leaned over and kissed her, so gently she could barely feel it. She shivered despite the humid river air. He pulled away, shyness creeping in, and gave a dimply smile.
Kayla pushed herself up and rolled him onto his back, lowering herself so she was lying on top of him, their chests pressed together and their legs intertwined. His hands rested on the small of her back, pulling her closer into him. His body was warm and hard. She sighed.
And in the moment before she kissed him back, there was something, something on the tip of her tongue—something she needed to say, except she couldn’t quite figure out what it was.
Chapter 13
July 11, England
T HE MORNING AFTER the first string of nightmares plagued her sleep, Kayla knew she had to get out for a run.
Peering out of her bedroom window, she saw that it was, at least, dry. The fog that often clung to the Northumbrian coastline sat stubbornly in her garden, a thick miasma enveloping her house like a sinister blanket. Hopefully the rays of the ever-optimistic northern sunshine would burn through the mist and the ground would visibly sizzle like they often did after a thunder shower on a hot day. She was starting to miss the heat.
Not allowing herself the luxury of forethought, Kayla pulled on her beloved grubby trainers, which were still peppered with teeth marks from when they’d brought Max home as a puppy, and slammed the door shut behind her. Here goes .
Kayla knew the first mile would be easy, as usual, then miles two and three would hurt. A lot. But if she could smash through the mile-three wall, it’d feel effortless, and she’d experience that euphoric, untouchable sensation of hitting her stride, finding a nice breathing rhythm, and letting the endorphins work their magic. And she desperately needed some magic.
As predicted, mile one passed by without much difficulty, and she weaved deftly through the trees that sprung up through the fog in front of her. It was nice to know that a three-month stint of sedentary living hadn’t completely destroyed her stamina. After the first mile came the inevitable struggle. Her right knee twinged, causing her to put less pressure on that foot. The added impact on her leg left resulted in invisible shards of glass tearing into her shin. Breathing became labored and her chest hurt as she struggled to gulp down the furry fog that seemed to have completely replaced the fresh country air she was used to.
The urge to slow down to a complete halt was overwhelming. All she could think about was how much easier it’d be to stop and walk back. Until that wasn’t all she could think about.
Last night’s dreams flitted into her brain in rapid beams. A sadistic slide show.
Veiny hands around Gabe’s throat. His eyes bulging.
Run through it .
Kayla tried to dial 999. She couldn’t type in the right combination of keys. 997 #99 989. She crushed her phone in her hand, and pain shooting through her palm as the shattered glass screen sliced straight through the skin. Blood drenched the cream carpet.
Just keep running .
Gabe’s face was purple. Frozen in a single expression of terror as his frantic gasps slowed and he realized that this was it. The end.
One foot in front of the other .
The light behind his eyes was snuffed out, like moist fingers crushing a candle flame.
The person whose hands were wrapped around Gabe’s airwaves turned to face Kayla. Their face was blurred.
Maybe if I stop running, I’ll be able to focus on the face .
Kayla stopped running, crouched down with her hands on her knees and squeezed her eyes shut.
But the image was
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