Page 29 of The Charmer's Gambit
“Hardly fair considering you live here and are wearing”—I studied his shoes with a frown—“…not necessarily sneakers… But men’s footwear still has a leg up on women’s heels any day.”
“I promise to walk the entire way, but you can run.”
I scoffed at that. To assume I would have to run to beat him? “Yeah, because that’s not arrogant at all.”
“You were the one who stated male footwear trumps heels any day.”
Okay, he had me there. “So I can run, if I want, but you have to walk. And if you beat me up there, I have to stay in your house all week. What do I get if I win?”
He spread out his hands. “Whatever you want.”
I took in my surroundings and what appeared to be a gorgeous home up on that hill. Staying there would not be a hardship in the slightest. But . . . “What if I want to stay in your house while you sleep at the motel?”
His laugh was unexpected and charming. “Kicking the client out of his own home? Surely Janet wouldn’t approve.” His light tone said he wasn’t offended, so I rolled with it.
“Well, she’s not here, and this little wager is between you and me.” I waggled my finger between us. “Unless you’re afraid you might lose.”
“Oh, darlin’, I know I won’t.”
“Then game on.”
“I’ll even give you a head start. Just follow the road.” He pointed to the long driveway ahead of me where Rudy had stopped the town car. The older man stood leaning against it with a smirk on his face. Seemed Will wasn’t the only one who expected me to lose.
“You’re going to regret underestimating me, Mister Mershano.”
“Likewise, Miss Dawson.” His cocky grin hit me square in the lower abdomen. Confidence was definitely one of his sexier traits, not that I would ever admit it out loud.
“I hope you enjoy motel rooms!” I shouted as I started up the hill at a brisk pace. No way would I run up the hill in these two-inch heels. They would break in the gravel. But a quick walk? No problem. I spent most mornings at the gym, though I’d taken a bit of a hiatus thanks to this giant project. Still, it couldn’t be that hard. I walked over a mile in heels every day to work, and back again.
My feet started to complain about a quarter of the way up, mostly because the point of my stiletto kept catching between rocks. Will’s knowing chuckle slid up my spine as he followed, his steps silent on the gravel. I almost looked over my shoulder, but I caught myself. Knowing he was there, closing the distance with every step, pushed me harder.
The sensation of being stalked sent a chill down my spine, and my pulse kicked up a notch. It had nothing to do with exertion or the desire to win, but with the thrill of the chase. His game evolved in my head, causing me to lengthen my strides as I felt him nearing. I considered kicking off my shoes and running, but the gravel would destroy my stockings, and I was rather fond of them. And as athletic as I was, no way could I pull off running in these heels. I’d break my ankle.
“I’ll admit”—his breath was warm against the back of my neck, eliciting a yelp of surprise—“you’re doing far better than I anticipated, but we’re only halfway there, and even with the five-minute lead I gave you, I’m about to pass you.”
I turned around to smack him on the chest for scaring the shit out of me and caught my heel on a rock instead. His hands caught me before I could fall and yanked me back against his chest to steady me. My limbs shook so hard from the adrenaline coursing through my system that I couldn’t move.Caught, mybody seemed to say.Submit. I shivered as that word traversed my thoughts.
“Do you want another head start?” he whispered. “Or do you surrender?”
I trembled at the wordsurrender. Why did that sound so alluring on his lips? I’d given up control once and it hadn’t ended well, yet something about this man made me want to consider trying again. “Giving me another head start would be cheating.”
His hands seemed to tighten on my hips as he inhaled deeply, pressing his chest hard into my back. “I wouldn’t mind catching you again.” The words were hot against my ear. “Unless you forfeit, in which case I can call for the car.”
I stared up at the house.Halfway, he’d said. Exhilaration swam through my blood, exciting every nerve. The idea of a chase floored me in a way I never could have anticipated. A fun reprieve from reality, maybe? In any case, the idea of pushing Will sounded like an excellent diversion. But it would mean ruining my stockings. Oh well. I had a suitcase full of them. What was one pair for a little fun?
“Forfeiting isn’t in my nature,” I told him as I kicked off my heels and took off at full speed up the hill. Rather than stick to the gravel path, I took to the grassy field and heard him shout something behind me. Maybe a curse or a word about his future stay at the motel. Grinning like a lunatic, I bounded up the hill, my sights on the house above, and felt triumph bubbling to the surface just as my foot nailed a sharp rock. It sent me flying forward into a grassy mound that softened the blow, but my left ankle throbbed. Will’s face hovered over me a second later as he fell to his knees, his hands on my leg.
“Right. That backfired badly,” I said through gritted teeth.
He said nothing as he examined my ankle, rotating it and making me wince in the process. “I don’t think it’s broken, but very likely sprained.” His warm touch drifted up and down mylower leg before he met my gaze. “I tried to warn you about the rocks.”
I tried to smile and failed. Instead, I ended up biting my lip and lying back in the grass as my pain receptors caught up with my ankle. The adrenaline coursing through my system had weakened the impact, but now that it’d worn off, a flood of sensation rushed through my limbs and brought tears to my eyes.
Will took one look at my face and sighed. “Yeah, bad idea on my part. I’m going to need to carry you.”
I grabbed his wrist before he could wrap it beneath my shoulders. “Just help me up.” I paused to take a deep, steadying breath because, fuck, my ankle hurt. Dizziness hit me next, causing me to forget what I’d been about to say. Will twisted easily from my grip and slipped his arms beneath me. I didn’t get a chance to argue as he lifted me with ease and began the ascent up the hill. The lawyer in me who loved a good fight fled as I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave in to his strength.
“Ice and painkillers ought to do the trick,” he murmured.
