Page 28 of Break My Heart
‘How about breakfast? After the race? But only if you win.’
‘Oh, I’m going to win. There’s no question.’
Her brows rise. ‘And why is that?’
‘Look at these arms.’ I hold up my arm and flex my bicep. ‘That’s some serious strength there. I could go twice as fast as you.’
Her gaze moves from my arm back to my face. ‘Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.’
‘Guess so.’ I turn to leave, then turn back. ‘Go ahead and pick out a place for breakfast. I like Maury’s, but I’ll let you choose.’ I walk off, a smug grin on my face, knowing she’s probably fuming at my assumption that I’m going to win. Now she’ll know what I felt like when she taunted me at camp, acting like she’d already won before we even competed.
I’m looking forward to this. I wanted to take her to dinner, but this is better. I’ll finally get to prove to her that I can beat her. I wonder why she suggested this. She knows she can’t beat me in a canoe race. She’s in great shape, but so am I, and I have a lot more muscle than her. Was she just too stubborn to agree to go out with me so she made up this contest I had to win in order to take her to breakfast?
I don’t understand her. Gina’s always been a mystery to me. Just when I think I’ve figured her out, she does something that confuses me. She’s unpredictable, which is another reason why getting to know her is a good idea. This is such a brilliant plan. I should’ve thought of it sooner.
Chapter 7
Gina
When Sawyer showed up at my door yesterday to ask me out, I knew something was up. He was furious when he saw me at his parents’ orchard, and then less than an hour later, he’s bringing me fritters and inviting me to dinner? Did he really think I wouldn’t figure out what he’s doing?
He’s clearly trying to get on my good side, trying to get close to me so I’ll confide in him about my business. I can’t believe he thinks I’m that stupid, but since he does, I’m going to play along. I’m going to turn the tables on him and makehimthe one who confides inme. It shouldn’t be hard. He’s a guy, and he thinks I’m hot, as evidenced by the fact that he keeps staring at my boobs. When a guy’s distracted by a hot girl, you can get him to say most anything. Girls are smarter than that. I think Sawyer’s hot, but I don’t let it distract me, at least not to the point I’d tell him stuff about my business.
‘Over here!’ I yell when I see Sawyer searching the parking lot.
He sees me and heads my way.
I arrived early and got the canoes down from the stand. I almost laughed when I saw the shock on Sawyer’s face from my suggestion that we steal, or more like borrow, the canoes. Did he think I’m all sweet and innocent? That’s not me at all. I was taught to be tough by my Army sergeant dad and Army veteran grandfather. My dad spent most of my childhood overseas, leaving my grandparents to raise me, but mostly my grandfather since my grandma died when I was four.
‘Good morning,’ I say, smiling when I see Sawyer already checking me out. I wore my sexiest pair of black yoga pants, the ones that make my ass look freaking amazing. I paired them with a black sports bra and hot pink zip-up jacket, the tight lycra one I wear when I go running.
‘Morning,’ Sawyer says, his gaze returning to my face. ‘What time did you get here?’
‘Like ten minutes ago.’
Sawyer looks really good, and since he checked me out, it’s only fair I do the same to him. He’s wearing black running pants that are fitted and cling to his muscular legs. He had a jacket on when he got out of the car, but took it off, leaving him in a tight long-sleeve workout tee.
‘You already got them in the water?’ he says, noticing the canoes at the edge of the lake. ‘Those are heavy. I could’ve helped you.’
‘I didn’t need help.’ I walk over to the canoes. ‘You ready?’
‘I need to stretch. I just got up.’ He twists side-to-side, then brings his arm across his chest. ‘How’s your ankle?’
‘Better.’ I watch as he stretches his other arm. ‘I tried one of those apples. They’re really good. I’ve always been a fan of the tart ones.’
‘Same here. I like the sweet ones too but the tart seem to have more flavor.’ He leans down to stretch his hamstrings.
‘Tell your mom those fritters were amazing. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I ate the whole bag.’
‘You can go back and get more. She sells them in the barn.’
‘I didn’t think I was allowed back.’
He’s done stretching and walks up to me. ‘You can go there anytime. I was being stupid yesterday. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.’ He extends his hand to me. ‘Friends?’
‘We’ll see.’ I don’t shake his hand, but instead turn and walk to the edge of the lake where the canoes are waiting.
‘What does that mean?’ he says with a laugh, meeting me by the canoe. ‘You don’t want to be friends?’
