Page 16 of Come Fly with Me

I can’t get distracted now, my focus needs to remain on beating him for the next eight miles, but I’m not sure I can. My pace has been set far higher than I’ve ever run, but when I look over at Jake, his focus is nearly impenetrable. He’s going to beat me on this next mile, and I’ll be damned if I lose to him.

“My thighs are going to be so sore tomorrow!” I yell out above the whirring of the treadmill, above the pounding of our shoes. “Especially the inside of my thighs.”

“Shut up, Taylor!”

“What’s the matter, Jake? You thinking about my sweaty thighs? All wet and tight…”

“Fuck, no!” Jake screams as I overtake him once again, and my laughter fills the room. “You’re a damn cheater, Taylor Patterson!”

“Mile three is mine and I hope you and your hand enjoy those two hours you’ll be spending alone tomorrow.”

Jake has now regained his focus, blocking out my words and turning his head so he can’t even catch a glimpse of me out of the corner of his eye. He’s in this for the long haul, but so am I.

We’re approaching mile four with Jake in the lead and I’m running so fast I swear my heart is going to rip through my chest as it screams at me to stop pushing it so hard.

The look of determination is written all over Jake’s face and just as he’s about to kill me at mile four a voice rings out above our labored breathing, startling Jake. I watch as he stumbles, his knees hitting the belt on the treadmill, but luckily it comes to a screeching halt before more damage can be done.

Skinned knees and a bruised ego are bad enough.

“Holy shit, Jake!” I yell, stopping my treadmill and jumping off so I can crouch down to where he is. “Are you okay?”

There’s a woman standing over us, her hands on her hips and a look on her face that’s strikingly similar to the look my mother gave when my brother and I were caught jumping off the roof of the house into our swimming pool when we were kids.

“I’m the manager of the hotel,” she says, not caring in the least that Jake has the knees of a six-year-old who has just learned to ride a bike. “We can hear you all the way in the lobby.”

“Okay, we’re sorry,” I say, but it comes across as insincere when I can’t stop laughing at the image of Jake flying off the back of the treadmill. My hand shoots to my mouth, covering it as I try to stifle the laughter that keeps slipping through.

“The gym is for all guests, and I can’t imagine anyone else wanting to use it with the two of you screaming in here like…like… banshees. And also, we have a strict dress code for our gyms. Shirts must be worn at all times.”

Without waiting for us to acknowledge her words, she storms out and before the door even has a chance to close, we’ve both erupted into laughter. Jake’s doubled over, laughing so hard tears are streaming down his cheeks, and it’s taking everything in me not to piss myself.

“Banshee? Who uses that word?” I ask, through ragged breaths.

“I don’t know, but I almost had you,” he replies, a finger pointed in my direction, his face attempting to turn serious, but his beautiful smile is plastered on his gorgeous face.

“Almost had me? You never had me.” I wink at him, and he steps closer, and for a second, I think he’s going to try and kiss me. My heart rate skyrockets, beating hard and fast in my chest, my body calling out for him to end this game of tease we have going on.

His fingers slip under my chin and he raises my face so he’s looking right into my eyes. The intensity in the room bounces around and rattles my body. It’s like a jolt of lightning, sharp and striking.

“It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning’s winning.” Now it’s him winking at me, his fingers gliding down my neck as he traces a path from under my chin to my collarbone and down my arm.

“The Fast and the Furious,” I murmur, not realizing that quoting that movie could be so goddamn hot.

“A favorite of mine.”

“Mine too.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Taylor. Breakfast at seven, and then I have two hours.”

I’m standing there all hot and bothered as Jake begins to walk toward the exit. It takes my brain a few seconds to catch up, and I call out, “We never finished.”

“I already won.”

Six

Jake

The next morning, I wake early, my sleep disrupted with dreams of Taylor in that tiny bikini I bought her to wear. Unsurprisingly, I’m hugely aroused, horny as hell and wishing she were lying here next to me.

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