Page 4 of Chasing Wild Heart

Talk at me,I silently correct with disgust.

I want to ignore him. I want to march past him and throw my weary body and the rest of my shit in the last row. I want to yell at him for being a dick since day one, but I don't. I can be a mature adult.

Rolling my eyes and huffing loudly, I toss my bag onto the seat closest to the window and sullenly slide into the empty one by the aisle.

I pin my arms across my chest and slink further into the cushion as the rest of the team pile onto the bus.

Tabby and Eden are the first to unexpectedly abandon their animated conversation the second their curious eyes glance between me and Dash occupying the first rows. Amusing grins break wide open when they walk past us and settle into the empty seats.

The cycle repeats with the remaining six members, but Daphne's silent grin and sparkling eyes shine the brightest.

“Told ya so,” she mouths at me with an annoying wink.

The bus driver, Ben, is the last to board and catches the wordless all clear from Dash.

I don’t miss the fifty-something father of three’s frown when he glances at the unusually quiet passengers through the rear-view mirror. For a split second, his lips part as if he’ll address the gigantic elephant on the bus, but just as quick, he presses them together, shakes his head, and shifts into drive.

Even five minutes into the hour-long ride home, the eerie and irritating silence speaks volumes. With front row seats to theJuni & Dash Show, the team is eager to witness a dramatic showdown. His authoritarian method of coaching irks all of us to where most everything he says goes in one ear and out the other. We don’t exactly hate Dash, we just hate his superior and entitled attitude.

I crack a small grin when Dash peeks over his seat and realizes eight nosy neighbors will watch “our talk” – nine, including Ben, the bus driver.

Let them watch because,I think to myself. Except for Ben, my teammates know my history, my passion, and my reason for being here. Anything I tell Dash, they already know.

“Fuck,” he mutters with a heavy sigh, switching places with his backpack so that only the narrow black aisle separates us.

“What’s up?” I ask innocently, pulling my tired legs onto the seat and wrapping my arms around my knees.

If he thinks I’m going to give him an easy out, then he’s more of a dumbass than I thought.

“Juni,” he starts, a slight edge in his tone, but the exhaustion in his dark blue eyes betrays any real threat. “What do you want?”

So many things,I’m tempted to say out loud.

I’d like the cat distribution system to find me when the timing is right. I wish any course involving numbers wasn’t so damn hard for me. And do I truly have the brass balls to spend one night at a sex club?

“I just want to run.” My answer is honest and simple, but also leaves room for interpretation and argument.

Swinging his long legs into the aisle, Dash leans forward, rests his forearms on his knees, and stares at me. I meet his gaze despite his posture not only eating up the small space between us, but making me feel slightly uncomfortable with the more intimate setting.

Damn him.

“Juniper,” he practically growls, lacing his fingers together.

I loathe the way my heart skips and my stomach flutters whenever he says my full name like he wants to throw me over his knee and spank me. And I hate myself even more for wanting it.

I bite my tongue to keep myself from spitting out his full name, Dashwood. Not only would that response be childish, but it would show him he’s irritating the ever-loving fuck out of me. And I can’t let him have the upper hand.

“Yes?” I bat my lashes and flash him a fake smile.

“That’s all you want to do? Run?” he grits out evenly.

“Yup,” I reply, popping the “p” at the end for emphasis.

“Bullshit.”

I raise a brow lazily in silent defiance, but my mind greedily snatches the win for not showing frustration first.

“Then run on your own time,” Dash snaps, his fingers tearing through his dark gold locks. “You’re wasting my time if you’re not here to win. I could spend more time with the rest of the team.”

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