Page 51 of Inflame

“Fair enough.” I fill up one more glass of water and down it, just to make sure I compensate for the lack of humidity.

We meander through the hotel, warming up in the halls and stretching in the elevator. I have my distance tracker attached to my upper arm, and I double-check the laces on my running shoes. I have a film of sweat on my body before we even step outside. I think it has less to do with the warm-up and everything to do with the shirtless man who keeps giving me reasons to look at him.

The hotels in Vegas are so massive that running past one could take several minutes. I start off in a low jog and work my way up to a pace that is challenging but manageable for a longer distance. When I first got into running, I often made the mistake of starting out too fast. It took practice and adapting my technique to learn what worked best for me.

Nic easily can keep up. I thought he would struggle more because of his height and body structure. He is built, and sometimes the more muscle mass makes it harder to do high-impact cardio. Not for him. He is graceful and coordinated.

“Are you a runner?” I ask, keeping my eyes focused in front of me so I don’t fall on my face.

“I run a couple of times a week outside. I have a home gym and use that often. But there is only so much equipment can do for a body.”

He is so right. Treadmills and stair climbers are great. However, physically moving your body in fresh air does so much for the mind and spirit. I am addicted to the rush I get when I am in a workout class or running on a new path—like the one we are taking today.

“I agree with you. I feel so much better when I am able to move freely.”

I never thought hanging out with Nic would be this easy. He is becoming my friend in a short amount of time, and I am enjoying his company. While different from his brother in many ways, the Hoffman men still have a code they seem to live by. They take care of those they love, whether it be physically, emotionally, or financially. Angie has it so good and she deserves that. I know she and Graham will be the same power couple in marriage that they were while dating. Penny, however, may never be able to find independence if she gets the chance to move back to Portland and continue dating. Being the baby sister to two overbearing brothers has got to be challenging.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Nic asks, wiping his face with his arm.

“I have tonight planned with Angie for our girls’ night. Other than that, I didn’t plan much for today.”

“Good,” Nic responds. “I have something in mind.”

“Oh yeah? You going to share it with me?”

“Nope.”

I glare over at him. “What do I have to wear?”

“Preferably more than you wore last night.”

Oh, not this. “What was wrong with my outfit last night?” I frown. “I thought it looked good.”

“You looked stunning. That’s the problem. Every man in the entire hotel was trying to eye fuck you. And I had to keep myself from punching their faces in.”

“Why do you care?” I ask. “I’m not your responsibility.” I’m not Ethan’s either, apparently. He is keeping me at arm’s length when it comes to accepting me further into his life. Things were easy when I was still a student. Now, everything is different. Maybe this trip will turn a new page for us. I brought some surprise sexy lingerie just in case.

“As long as you are friends with Angie, then you are someone important to the happiness of my family. Graham and I protect who is important to us.”

“Maybe I don't need any protection. Maybe I am stronger than you think and can fight my own battles.”

“I’m sure all of that is true,” he explains, “but it's not like I can turn it on and off.”

We loop around and make our way back to the Bellagio, without talking much. Nic might think all eyes were on me last night, but this morning every female on the strip has eyes for only him. I saw how they watched his body move. He is powerful, yet graceful. Hard and rigid. And all—

Shit.

He’s not mine. He’s not anybody’s.

When we get back inside our room, I shower and work through my meditation soundtrack of inspirational thoughts that I have saved on my phone. It helps ground me and acts as a mental vision board for how I want to push through my obstacles that keep me from experiencing my true happiness.

I meander back into the bedroom and see that there is a small bag resting by the closed door leading out to the suite. I open the bag and find a tiny tube of Dramamine, a vegan granola bar, and a bottle of Just Fruit. I turn over the note card and read Nic’s elegant script.

Today’s adventure might make your stomach do some flips, so take two pills and enjoy the light snack. -Nic

Just when I think my thoughts were cleansed through my meditation, I am back to everything being jumbled again. I follow Nic’s orders and swallow two pills. We must be doing something that will cause me to throw up.

I change into a rainbow-colored sun dress with butterflies all over it. I slip on a pair of pink sandals and secure my hair in a loose side braid. Angie joins me as I do my makeup, looking super cute in denim short overalls.

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