Page 127 of See You at the Finish Line

“If I recall, I won the last one.”

“Yeah, that’s why it’s a good idea. I can’t let that stand.”

We left the curtains open so we could see the moon over the bay. The wall of windows extends from downstairs up to our bedroom, and having her here, in my arms, is every one of my dreams come true. She stretches, arching into me. I’m pretty sure she’s doing it on purpose because she can feel exactly what it does to me. She continues like she didn’t just make me hard. Again.

“What race were you thinking? It’s been a while since I’ve done a marathon, that could be fun.”

“Is your memory foggy? Since when is it fun to train for a marathon?” I’m bewildered by this woman.

“Since it means I get to do three-hour training runs with you.”

My heart may burst, followed closely by my dick.

“What if we do something really crazy?”

She stops breathing. Paige looks up at me, the exhaustion no longer visible in her suspicious gaze.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Depends ... Are you thinking that we should redo the Moab 240?”

She looks at me with her big, beautiful eyes.

“Are you crazy?”

“What?”

“We got disqualified from that!”

“Exactly, we never got to cross the finish line.”

She’s shaking her head, but the seed is planted. I know her, and I know that it won’t take long for her to agree. I begin counting the seconds, letting the silence stretch between us, allowing her to settle into the idea.

I’m proven right in under a minute.

“Fine.” She slumps back down against my chest, curling into me. I hold her as close as I can, breathing in her coconut scent that has become my home, revelling in the miracle that this woman is mine.

I beam at her even though she can’t see me, placing a kiss on her head.

“I bet I’ll beat you,” I challenge.

“You’re on.”

ONE YEAR LATER

Paige

Porcupine Rim 221.47 mi/ 356.42 km

“I hate you,” I tell Adam as he passes me yet again on this leg. We’re almost done. I cannot believe we're almost done. I never thought we'd get to cross this finish line.

We just left the last check-in point at the Porcupine Rim aid station, and every part of my body wants to give up.

Even my mind is on the brink of quitting. In fact, if the hallucinations over the last eight hours have anything to say, it’s that my mind has left the building. The only thing keeping me going is the ass in front of me and the views all around me.

Porcupine Rim is incredible. Even after growing up in Utah and living here until a year ago, the views still stun me speechless. Especially this last trek. It could be that the finish line isso close, that the surge of relief and adrenaline is heightening my senses, but I feel on top of the world as the sun crests the red rock.

We’re still in the shade up on the rim, watching the world explode in colour with a brightness that almost hurts my eyes.

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