Page 51 of Love to Hate You

As much as I don’t want to be impressed with her determination, I am. I don’t need to like anything more about this girl. There’s already too much of that going on.

“Okay.” I shrug. “Have it your way.”

She points a finger. “And don’t hold back on my account. I can keep up with you, Carter.”

I raise a brow. “Is that so?”

A smile spreads across her face. “Anything you can do, I can do better.”

I unleash a grin. “You sure about that?”

“Yup!” she snaps out and sprints away, glancing over her shoulder.

Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I watch her ass for a few dozen strides and then take off after her. For the first mile, I let her keep the lead, although I’m steadily closing in. She’s lengthened her stride and is pumping her arms faster than before, trying to go full out.

I’m pushing myself more than I did on our jog to the park, but that was operating at about fifty percent. Even now, I’m not pushing myself as hard as I can. I’m holding back and keeping it controlled. When we’re about a quarter mile from the apartment, I turn on the wheels and catch up to her.

Daisy keeps her eyes focused straight ahead and tries to push herself a little bit more. Her muscles are going to be screaming bloody murder tomorrow. It’s hard not to admire her competitive streak.

As the building looms closer, I pull alongside her. I could overtake her at any moment. Hell, one minute into this impromptu race, I could have taken the lead and left her in my dust, but where’s the fun in that?

Her face is all steely determination with gritted teeth, narrowed eyes, and labored breathing.

Just as we hit the walkway leading up to the building, she pulls a smidge out in front of me. Because it’s unexpected, I continue at my pace.

With a loud whoop, Daisy throws her arms up in the air and yells, “Winner!”

Then she collapses on the front lawn. Her chest rises and falls from exertion. She sucks in big breaths of air like she’s been deprived of it for hours.

“Did you see that?” She huffs and puffs, barely coherent. “I won. I beat you.”

I grin down at her. “Yup,” I agree easily. “You did it.”

She narrows her eyes and complains, “You let me win, didn’t you!”

I shake my head. “Nope, you won fair and square.”

“Great. I can’t walk, I think my legs just fell off.”

I reach a hand out. “Come on.”

After a minute or two, she lifts her arm. I lock my fingers around her wrist and tug. She’s like dead weight. But still, I outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds. Give or take. I can probably bench press her, so lifting her to her feet isn’t a struggle.

Daisy groans with the movement.

Making a snap decision, I do exactly what I was tempted to do earlier and haul her into my arms, throwing her over my shoulder while walking toward the front entrance.

“Carter! What are you doing?” She whacks my back with her hand, but she’s so exhausted that there isn’t much power behind it. “Put me down this instant!”

Since it’s about eight in the morning, more people are leaving the building to head off to class. A group of girls stare in our direction and dissolve into a fit of giggles.

“Morning, Carter!” a few of them call, waving enthusiastically.

With one hand firmly placed on the back of Daisy’s thighs, I wave with the other as if there isn’t a girl thrown caveman-style over my shoulder with her ass in the air.

“I swear to God,” Daisy growls, sounding less winded. “I’m going to get you back for this.”

I give her ass a sharp crack. She yelps, and the girls watching us go wide-eyed. Maybe a little dreamy-eyed as well, but I’m not going to read too much into that.

“You’ll do nothing of the sort.” I remind her, “We called a truce.”

“You slapped my ass,” she whispers.

“Damn right, I did.” I slap it again before opening the door and heading into the lobby.

---