Page 53 of Can't Fight the Moonlight

"Yes, I will get your key, because I need to get this done so I can get back to the party. I'll meet you upstairs."

"Sure," he said. After she left, he quickly finished packing, and then headed up the stairs. Maybe Lizzie was right. Maybe they should keep their distance. He'd love to have sex with her, but tell her his secrets…not so much.

Chapter Ten

Thursday morning,Lizzie woke up to a cool chill in the air and felt relieved and happy that the heating was back to normal. She took a quick shower and put on leggings, a tank top, and her running shoes. Tucking her phone into a small pocket at her waist, and with her headphones over her ears, she jogged down the stairs, careful to be as quiet as she could. It was only six thirty and barely light out, but it was the best time for her to run. No one was up yet. No problems had come to surface, and she could enjoy the beauty of the day before it got started, before it became chaotic and busy. It was a good time for her to catch up on her thoughts and refocus her brain.

Unfortunately, as she ran out the front door, she saw Justin stretching his legs on the front lawn, and she realized her early morning sanctuary from the guests was not going to happen this morning. He wore running shorts and a T-shirt under a lightweight sweatshirt, and tingles ran down her spine at the sight of him. No wonder he was so fit; he was a runner.

He gave her a surprised look. "You're a runner, too?"

"Every day."

"Me, too."

Great, they had something in common. It worked better when she could tell herself they were completely different people and would never get along. "Are you coming back?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope. Just about to head out. Is there a good path?"

"There are a couple. One goes into the hills, one winds its way around the shore, and the other will take you through town."

"Which one are you running?"

"The hills," she said. "I like the challenge, but if you're concerned about altitude—"

"I'm not," he said, cutting her off. "Let's go."

"You seem like someone who would rather run alone," she said. "Don't feel you have to go with me."

He smiled. "I do like to run alone usually, but not today. And since I'm one of your guests, I'm sure you want to keep me happy."

"Of course. It will be awesome to run with you."

He laughed at her dry tone. "Great."

She bounced from side to side as she loosened up her legs. "But if I'm going too slow or too fast, you can run ahead or lag behind," she told him. "I want you to get a good workout."

"I think I can keep up with you. But you might not be able to keep up with me."

Her competitive spirit kicked in at his words. "I have three brothers, Justin. I've been keeping up with guys my whole life."

"Then let's see what you've got."

She took off on a medium pace jog, knowing the hills that were coming up. Justin fell into step alongside her. She wished the path was narrow, but there was plenty of room for them to run side by side. Maybe that was just as well. It would be distracting to have him behind her, and if he was in front of her, she probably wouldn't be able to take her eyes off him.

"How was your night?" she asked, wanting to distract herself from that thought. "Any ghostly encounters?"

"Not a one," he said, flinging her a smile. "I slept great."

"I'm glad to hear it. Did you enjoy dinner at La Ventana?"

"It was excellent. Incredible steak."

"And catching up with your grandparents was probably even better."

"It was," he admitted. "I don't see them or talk to them as much as I like. I travel so much. I'm always in a different time zone. It's hard to find a moment when we're all awake. So, is this our pace? Because it seems slow."

"I was just warming up, but I'm ready to go now. Are you?"

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