Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
“I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Allie appears in ten, dressed in tight shorts and a bra top that leaves nothing to the imagination. I’ve found two bottles of cool water and opened the sliding doors to the pool so we can access the beach. We’re the only two up this early, so it’s easy to escape. “I’m meeting the neighbor at eight,” Allie says. “Just enough time to humiliate myself.”
I bend to kiss her lips. “You’ve got this.”
“You haven’t seen me run.”
The air has that warm, damp early morning feel and is scented with the dew-covered flowers that surround the perimeter of the property. We make our way down the stairs and at the bottom, Allie rests her hands on her hips and surveys the ocean. It’s a little calmer than yesterday and the light makes the horizon blur from sea to sky. “God, it’s beautiful,” she says. “I could get used to living here and seeing this every morning.”
“Me too.”
I inhale deeply and tip my head to the sky, feeling all the tension of the past few months slipping away. I shake my fingers and bounce on my toes. The city can be fun, but the pressure to keep up, to conform with the expectations of a premier personal trainer is tough. I just want to enjoy a simple life. To spend each day filled with laughter and love, and right now, my real life lacks both.
“Come on shorty.” I ruffle Allie’s hair, and she squeals, shoving my hand away. I start running, and Allie joins me a few seconds behind, pushing to catch up. The urge to extend to my top speed is there, my muscles screaming to let go, but I don’t want to outrun Allie by too much. This isn’t about me hitting my performance targets or making her feel bad about her fitness. This is about us sharing something, and Allie getting to fulfill a promise she made to herself. It might be a small promise, but getting to complete this run is a step toward her beginning to listen to her internal voice.
Whatever was behind the questions she asked earlier remains unresolved, and if our time together today can help clear her mind…well, I’ll be a happy man.
I run at her speed, relishing the wind as it whips over my skin, loving the feeling of Allie at my side. She does a lot better than I expected, and after twenty minutes, I slow down to take a drink. Allie’s panting hard and her back is glistening with sweat, but her expression is bright and after glugging back half her bottle of water, she looks to the sky and laughs.
“See,” I say. “It’s awesome, isn’t it?”
“It is,” she agrees. “So frickin’ awesome.” She bends at the waist, stretching her hands to the sand, then tucks her legs up behind her one at a time to stretch her glutes.
I’m used to working out with women. Many of my clients like to run with a partner for encouragement and safety. But I’ve never run with anyone I’ve slept with before and the connection makes the experience feel different. It’s nice to share my passion this way. I’d enjoy running with Allie again if I haven’t put her off.
“We could do this tomorrow morning, if you’d like.”
“Trying to get me into better shape?” she jokes.
“Enjoying your company.”
Her expression brightens as she swipes damp tendrils of chestnut hair from her forehead. “I’ve enjoyed your company too. Yeah. Let’s do it again tomorrow. I’m feeling very righteous right now. I could do with feeling this way every morning.”
She glances at her watch and then twists to scan further down the beach. “I’m meeting Natalie from next door now.”
I rest my hand on her elbow and lean in for a soft kiss that steals the breath from my lungs. “I’m glad you decided to take a chance with us,” I tell her.
“Is that what I’m doing?” She blinks her honey eyes.
“Yeah. That’s what you’re doing.”
“I’m glad I did too.”
I watch her turn and walk down the beach until I see Natalie emerge from the back of her property. The realization that my time with Allie is over spears me in the gut but I do what I always do, and run again, letting the pounding of my feet on the sand distract my mind from regret.
22
ALLIE
When Natalie appears on the beach, exiting a door at the back of her in-law’s property and descending the stairs, Jimmy sprints back up the beach in the opposite direction, turning into a tiny dot in seconds. I knew he wasn’t pushing himself when we ran together.
Watching his retreating form, I’m struck with longing for him to return and smile at me again. It’s a silly emotion that I need to keep in check.
Natalie’s dressed in blue linen shorts with an elastic waist and a white strapless top that tucks in. She has a large black camera with a trunk-like lens and a brown leather backpack hooked over both shoulders.