Page 12 of Rome: The Ballerina

“I have,” I confessed.

Only then did he take the bottle and pop it right into his mouth. He began chugging, not stopping until the bottle was empty. Amused, astounded, and full of admiration, my eyes trained themselves on the man in front of me.

Did he just–

He did.

The bottle lowered, revealing the curiosity on his handsome face. He looked up at the sky and then back at me.

“Peppermint.”

I rolled the inside of my bottom lip between my teeth. The mini peppermint I’d popped into my mouth during the jog to the location for the run was still evident on my tongue.

“It’s not even seven in the morning–” he paused, “Ms. Mellow. And, you’re already eating candy.”

“Rome–” I sighed. “My name is Rome, and the mints keep my mouth moist during runs.”

I couldn’t believe how awful that sounded. I’d meant every word, and every word was true. However, my heart tightened after releasing them.

He couldn’t resist. He couldn’t resist if he wanted to. Joyous chuckles left his frame. I turned around, sharing the same joy while simultaneously feeling the effects of being the butt end of a joke. He had me by the collar. It was invigorating and pathetic at once.

“Good morning, Rome. I’m Sa–”

Prrrt!

The whistle silenced him. Two minutes had felt like two whole lifetimes. But we were off again within the next second. Him behind me. Me in front of him.

Wondering.

Drowning.

Flying.

Unraveling.

All at once.

Thirty minutesof a steady pace got me to our destination with sweat beads dripping down my forehead, stomach, and back. The burn was on and it felt as freeing as the run had. Enthused, I placed my hands on my head and walked in a large circle, attempting to decelerate my heart and allow my body to cool.

My cell vibrated in my pocket. I pulled my hands down, slapping them on my thighs before shoving one into my right pocket. The AirDrop box appeared on the screen, claiming that SD wanted to send me a photo. I lifted my head, observing the crowd to see who the initials belonged to. It wasn’t long before I located the sender.

He was a mere three feet in front of me. His gaze pinned my heart against my back. I lowered my eyes, accepting the incoming photo. Anything was less unnerving than staring back athim. It was like staring up at the sun on a summer day just before a solar eclipse. He was a rare occasion, but he was a sight to behold when he did come around.

In my dreams.

In reality.

My mouth was instantly drained of its moisture at once, making it hard to swallow the lump in my throat. I stared down at the image, astounded by its beauty. The sunrise was stunning. So was I, seemingly running towards the darkness and the light as they collided.

“Here.”

I looked up to find him in my personal space for the tenth time since he’d stolen my AirPod. This time, he wasn’t offering me water alone. He was offering a small bottle and a cool towel that he’d drenched in ice-cold H2O.

“So there are no excuses when I tell you it’s time to go.”

His assertiveness was appalling and addicting, simultaneously. He was a secure man. Confidence oozed from those pretty brown eyes and that rigid jawline.

Denying him access to me right now wasn’t an option. Not because he said so, but because it wasn’t plausible for me. I wasn’t ready to let him go. He still felt like a dream.

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