The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (135 page)

A
dam has passes that will get us anywhere in the stadium he wants to go.  When it was clear that the Sentinels were going to put another tally in their win column, we left our seats and found our way through the catacombs beneath the stadium.  Adam knows his way around well enough that we easily find the team field entrance tunnel. 

Our timing is perfect.  No sooner do we find the field tunnel than the game officially ends and the players from both teams come jogging past us.  Of course, Adam knows most of the Sentinels by name, and even a few of the Broncos too.  I watch as Shaun, Carlo, and even Xander go rushing by.

“Where’s Evan?  Did we miss him?” I ask Adam.

He peeks out the tunnel and onto the field.  “Nah, he’s still giving a few interviews on the field.  He’ll be by in a minute.”

I catch my first glimpse of Evan as he enters the tunnel.  He has no idea we’re here.  As he gets closer, I can see him more clearly.  He looks delicious, all sweaty, filthy-dirty, and wearing a grin a mile wide.

Damn.  He looks hot in that jersey.

I step out of the shadows just as he nears us and his face lights up.  He sweeps me into his arms and twirls me around. “Did you see it?  We kicked their ass!  And it’s all because of you.  You’re my lucky charm.”  I don’t want to let him go.  His deep blue eyes sparkle and he even smells amazing – the most intoxicating combination of sweat, testosterone, and the musky smell that is Evan.

“You’re the one who’s magically delicious,” I tease.

He takes me by the hand, weaving our fingers together as the three of us make our way down the tunnel toward the locker room.  “Adam, take my girl to the press room.  I have to give a post-game interview.  Gimme ten, maybe fifteen minutes.  Then we can paint the town red – or any color she wants.”

I don’t want to stay here.  I want to go home.  All my fondest memories are now shattered, replaced by ugliness, greed, and depravity. 

“Evan, I want to go home.  I want to climb into bed and fall asleep with you wrapped around me.  Can we please just go home?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.”

Not For Love Nor Money

I
wake before the alarm, toasty warm, with a gloriously naked Evan McGuire wrapped around me.  My head rests on his chest, our legs are tangled together, and my arm is draped across his stomach.

Soft morning light filters through the window, and I can tell by the gentle shadows that the sun is just beginning to rise.  I lift my head and watch him sleep.  He looks so relaxed and contented lying there.  I don’t want to wake him. 

I hate the physical reminders of what he does for a living.  Bruises are visible on his shoulders, back, and chest, indicators of the brutal punishment he endured yesterday.  His body will ache and it will be slow and difficult for him to move, at least for a few hours.  How much abuse can one body take, even one as nearly flawless as this one?

He lies there perfectly still as I let my eyes feast upon him.  Unable to resist, I raise my hand and run it across his chest, enjoying the soft yet firm contours of his body.  I press tiny kisses along his arm and shoulder, which I know will be sore from yesterday.  I run my fingers down his chest and abdomen until I reach the small smattering of hair below his navel that disappears beneath the satin sheet that barely covers us.

He’s mine.

I smile as I think about it.  One day soon, we’ll say our vows in front of our friends and family, making this creature beside me my lawfully wedded husband.  I place another kiss on his chest as his eyes slowly open.

“Good morning.” I grin apologetically at him.  “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He pulls me a little more tightly against his firm chest and kisses my forehead.  “How long have you been awake?”

“Just a few minutes,” I confess.  “How do you feel?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”  In one fluid motion, he rolls me over and pins me beneath him.  His hands are on mine, holding me firmly in place as his nose tickles mine and his morning glory digs into me.

“It’s
hard
to say.” I giggle, grinding my pelvis against him.

“Oh, really?”  He looks down at me with a big grin.  “You’re in a playful mood today.”

“I like playing games with you,” I admit, staring up into his endless blue eyes.

“Want to play the hokey pokey?” he murmurs against my throat. “You put your whole self in,” rolling his hips against me. “You put your whole self out,” trailing kisses down to my breast. “You put your whole self in,” I moan against him.  “And you shake it all about.”

I drag my nails down his back until I reach his perfectly formed ass, and press him tightly against me as my knees fall open just enough for him to slip effortlessly inside me.

“That’s what it’s all about,” he hisses in my ear.

I
stand at the bathroom sink wearing nothing but a sports bra and a pair of yoga pants, trying desperately to tame my tangled hair into a ponytail, finally satisfied that I’ve done the best I’m going to without a shower.  So much has happened over the last two days, I need to clear my mind.

Evan wanders into the bathroom, naked as a jaybird, and begins brushing his teeth.  He stares at my reflection in the mirror and rinses.  “Are we running this morning, baby?”

We?  I’ve gotten quite used to running alone.  “I thought I’d go for quick run this morning.  It’s your day off. Why don’t you go relax?  I’ll be back in about an hour.”  I was hoping for a longer run, but maybe it’s best if I keep closer to home today.

Rather than wait for a response, I leave Evan in the bathroom, hoping he’ll get the message that I need this alone-time.  I return to the bedroom to grab my zip jacket and running shoes. 

I hear his voice travelling from the bathroom. “Don’t leave without me!”

Damn. 
I might as well make the best of it.  Besides, watching him flex his muscles as he jogs is a sight to behold.  I was looking forward to some quiet me-time, but I’m actually starting to like the idea of having Evan join me.  Not a bad way to start off the new week. 

Evan grabs a pair of track pants and slides them on, returning his attention to me.  His eyes run up and down my body, inspecting me for changes.  I’ve been running so much, I’m starting to lose more weight. Clothes that once clung to me now hang loosely.  “You’ve been running a lot, haven’t you?”

“I don’t know, maybe I have.  I do know one thing, though.”

“Yeah?  What’s that, Running Girl?”

“I can kick your ass,” I tease.  “Come on, let’s see if you can keep up with a little girl.”  I return to the bathroom to brush my teeth before we head out.

Evan is already out on the deck stretching when I find him again.  Watching him bend and flex takes my breath away.  He hasn’t showered, and he still has bed head hair sticking out in every direction.  His jogging pants accentuate his trim hips, and his T-shirt stretches tightly across his biceps.  This man is devastatingly handsome.  I slap him on the ass and hustle down the steps, eager to start our run and get a little bit of a head start.

I lead Evan along my southern route, staying close to the surf, running on the cold, wet sand, which has hardened like cement in the December frost. 

Evan and I haven’t run together since football season started so many months ago.  The last few times we ran together, I struggled to keep up with him.  Evan is in amazing physical shape.  I glance out of the corner of my eye and watch in awe and appreciation how gracefully he controls his body.  He matches his stride to meet mine step for step and his arms swing only slightly, propelling his body into forward motion.  His face is relaxed and his hair bounces and sways with each step.

“You have to stop doing that,” Evan warns.

Am I running wrong?  Is that even possible?  “Doing what?”

“Looking at me like that.  Keep that up, and I’m going to ravish you right here and right now.” 

I smile at the thought, but return my attention to the beach, making sure to keep my feet treading along the cold and hardened sand.  “So how, exactly, would that work?  Would we do it right here near the crashing waves, or would we move closer to the sand dunes, maybe?”

I see a wide grin growing on his face.  “I don’t know, maybe under that lifeguard stand over there.  Want to try a little outdoor sex in a public place?”

“Oh, sorry, baby, but I’ve already done that.”  Evan stops running and stares at me, shocked.  I call back to him over my shoulder as I keep moving forward, “Remember, I grew up here on the beach.  We used to make out under the lifeguard stand all the time.  It was a rite of passage.”

Evan takes a few long strides to catch up to me. “If you think making out with a teenage boy and getting ravished by a man are the same thing, then I’m definitely doing something wrong.”

“There’s only one way to find out.”  I take a quick look around and make sure there’s no one in sight.  I run out ahead just a few steps, moving away from the water and toward the lifeguard stand lying on its side, abandoned for the winter.  I sit down in the sand, leaning back against the wooden railings, looking out at the breaking waves. 

Evan follows and sits beside me, opening his arm for me to curl up in.  The sand is cold and hard, but I find warmth in his embrace.  He places a hand under my chin, raising it just enough that we’re staring into each other’s eyes.  I cup his cheek in my hand, thankful for the stubble that tickles my flesh.  His warm breath washes across my skin as he brushes my lips with his in a kiss that makes my toes curl.

When his tongue swirls with mine, I move my fingers up to his mop of hair, dragging my nails across his scalp, and tug playfully on his hair.  Evan’s hand travels to my ass, gently squeezing and rubbing.

I climb onto his lap without breaking our bond.  I press my breasts against his chest, thrusting my hips and grinding against him.  I take his tongue into my mouth and gently suck, eventually releasing him so I can nibble on his lower lip.

He places his hands on my hips and pulls me back, looking deep into my eyes.  He brushes his nose against mine, kisses me once more, lifts me off him, and places my ass back in the sand.  I’m left wanting more, bereft and deprived of his tender touch.  “Why did you stop?”

“I wanted to remind you what it’s like to make out with a man.  I’ll leave the ravishing part for when we get home.”

Evan stands and offers his hand to help me up.  Without missing a beat, I begin to retrace our steps back toward our beach house in a full-out run.  I call back to Evan, who’s struggling to catch up with me.  “Come on, stud.  Try to keep up.”

A
fter our communal shower, we sit together at the breakfast table, enjoying a simple meal of fresh fruit and toast.  “So, Juliette, what’s the plan for today?”   

“You know exactly what I want to do today.  I’ve told you a thousand times.  I want to drive out to a farm and cut down a Christmas tree.  A
real
tree.”  I pick at my food while I wait for his response.

“And how will we get this tree home?  I’m not getting sap all over my Porsche and I don’t want to get scratches all over your new car, either.”

“Adam already promised we could use his SUV for the day.”