Page 13 of Ruled Out

She’s right. It is as simple as that. So why does it seem impossible?

“You’re right. I’m making this into something it doesn't need to be. I can’t put myself in inappropriate situations with her anymore. I’m her coach, she’s my athlete, end of story.”

“Problem solved,” Willow says with a yawn. “Anyways, I’m always here if you need to chat.”

“I know, Lo,” I reply, my lips turning up in a soft smile. “Go back to sleep. Call me this week so we can catch up.”

After we say goodnight, I spend another sleepless night staring at the ceiling fan. There’s one last thing I need to do in the morning, and then she’ll be nothing but another one of my athletes.

At least, that’s what I tell myself until I see Phoebe sitting on the beach the next morning, looking like a sun-kissed angel with a book in her hand, the sunrise cascading golden light across her skin. I had to stop and check on her, to make sure she was okay.

Why can’t I just stay away?

SEVEN

PHOEBE

This is exactly what I needed after the drama of yesterday. I’m sitting on the beach, watching the sunrise, and reading a smutty romance novel. What more could a girl ask for?

After texting Knox last night, I crashed and slept like the dead. With a full belly and exhausted body, I slept harder than I have in years. I don’t think I moved an inch all night. I woke up early this morning, feeling well rested and wanting to get out of the apartment.

I thought about waking Maisie up to watch the sunrise with me, but I quickly decided against it. She’s already threatened me with my life if ever I attempt to wake her up before her alarm. Maisie is the furthest thing from a morning person, needing a gallon of coffee to bring her back to life. I have to admit, the peace and quiet is nice. It’s just me, the sea breeze, and the soft sound of waves rolling in.

“What are you doing out here this early? I’m surprised you’re up before sunrise.” A deep chuckle startles me, causing me to throw my book up in the air in shock.

It lands in the sand, revealing the explicit cover to my unexpected guest. There’s a naked man plastered on the front, rippling abs and all. I scramble to my knees and gather the book in my arms, flipping it over to hide the cover.

“Studying for anatomy class?” He smirks, taunting me. I roll my eyes, grabbing a handful of sand and tossing it at him.

It’s just my luck to run into Knox,again, at six in the morning while reading a dirty ass sex scene. I wasn’t expecting to see anyone I knew; I’m only wearing a pair of leggings and an old, baggy sweatshirt, my hair tossed up in a messy bun, with absolutely no makeup on. Actually, I’m pretty sure my mascara from yesterday is smeared around my eyes. I probably look like a feral animal right now.Jesus Christ, take me now.

Of course, Knox is absolutely gorgeous, even at six in the morning.Figures. He’s wearing running shorts that end right above his knees, showing off his tanned, toned legs. His shirt has the sleeves cut off, revealing his chiseled biceps and the sides of his lean torso. His raven hair is damp from sweat, making him look like he just got out of the shower. He’s the spitting image of the men I read about in my romance books; too perfect to be real. I decide to use humor to play off my embarrassment, and maybe makehimblush a little.

“Want to borrow it after I finish? It has some delicious sex scenes in it. Maybe you could learn a thing or two?” I say with a smirk.

“I see you’re back to your normal self this morning.” He winces and clears his throat, choosing to ignore my snarky comment. “What are you doing out here this early?”

I sigh. I guess I have to actually answer that one. “I love watching the sun rise, especially over the ocean. I woke up early this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. So, here I am. What about you?”

He shrugs. “I run this route almost every morning; it’s the best view in Coral Cove. I’ve seen a lot of sunrises in my lifetime, but nothing quite beats this. Can’t ask for a better running view.”

His comment makes me smile. I love that he appreciates the ocean, which is quite literally my favorite place in the entire world. I swear, I was a mermaid in my past life.

“Mind if I sit?” Knox asks, motioning his hand toward the sand. He doesn’t wait for my reply before plopping down next to me.

We sit in silence for what feels like minutes, staring out at the vast sea. My heart thumps in my chest when I feel Knox turn his head to gaze at me. When he finally speaks, I swear, my heart skips a beat.

“You okay?” he asks in a soft tone. I’m still staring at the horizon, but I can feel his full attention on me.

“I’m fine,” I reply quietly, fidgeting with the sleeves of my sweatshirt.

“You really worried me yesterday, Phoebe. I know you were trying to be tough, but…”

I interrupt him before he can get too far. “Can we not talk about me right now? We’ve already had this discussion. I know I need to fuel my body before workouts and make sure I’m getting enough sleep. The past couple of days were complete hell for me. I just want to move past it,” I respond, running my palms back and forth through the soft sand.

“Okay,” he says gently, his eyes tracking the movement of my hands. It’s almost as if he wants to reach out and touch me.

“Can I ask you something?” I blurt out.

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