Fallen Crest Forever (Fallen Crest Series Book 7)(117)

My life wasn’t going to fall apart, and now I needed to run. I just needed to feel that burn in my legs, wind against my cheeks, and the sense of freedom. It wasn’t flying, but it was the closest thing I could get.

He sighed and lay back down. “It’s five in the morning. We fell asleep two hours ago.”

It was less than that. Logan had picked us up at one thirty, but I went home with Mason and hadn’t let him sleep till an hour ago. I grinned, my body warming as I remembered straddling him. I wanted to dominate, and Ninja Sam took on a whole different meaning last night—or technically earlier this morning.

“Go back to sleep.” I stood, bending my knees and hugging them to my chest one at a time. “I have to run. I haven’t gone for two weeks.”

“You haven’t?”

I paused, hearing his surprise. I felt my throat thicken. “If I started, I wouldn’t have stopped.”

“Oh.”

I grinned. “We should probably talk again.”

He growled, flipped over, and buried his head in the pillow. “Yes, but not now. God, not now.” The blanket moved off his back, slipping down to rest just above his ass, and I sighed.

Goddamn. That ass.

I bit my lip. I knew what he looked like from the back as he thrust inside of me. I’d watched in the mirror a few times, and I now had the urge to drag him into the bathroom.

“I’m too tired.”

I laughed. “What are you talking about?”

His head was under the pillow, and his voice came out muffled. “I know what you’re thinking. I can feel your thoughts, and I’m calling for a ceasefire. I’m tired, woman. Some of us are human.”

Human? I mouthed that word, still grinning to myself. He was calling me the non-human? Him? Who could outrun and outmuscle so many football players? Who was good enough to go to the NFL? Who the coaches would go to such great lengths to keep on their team? Him?

He was the machine, but I’d take the compliment. It just added to my morning. I was already on top of the world.

I reached for the door, but paused, my eyes tracing up his back. He rolled over, his eyes meeting mine with a twinkle.

The grin tugging at the corner of his lip had my lips twitching to mirror his, and the ache between my legs blossomed into an overwhelming love for him. I could feel everything inside of me soften.

“I love you,” I said softly.

“I love you back.”

“We’re going to be okay?”

He nodded. “We’ll be fine.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt the flutter in my stomach as I smiled back.

His words were a blanket that I wrapped around myself. I felt them as I left and started down the street.

It felt good to run, but after a five-minute sprint, I stopped.

No one else was up. No cars. I didn’t see any lights in the houses. It was just me, just the street, and I breathed it in.

I closed my eyes, spread my arms wide, and tipped my head back.

I was ready to fly.





“Okay,” Faith grumbled as she found me on the park bench. “I’m here.”

I’d called her after a couple miles. I was going to demolish this girl, but I wanted to meet with her first.

She sat down on the bench beside me, yawning, and rubbed under her eyes. “Why did you demand I meet you here? It’s Saturday. You know we have a race today, don’t you?”

“You and I don’t.”

“Yes, we do.” Her yawn stopped abruptly. Her mouth flattened, and her forehead wrinkled. “We can’t miss any qualifying race.”

“We’re going to miss one.” I stood and jumped up and down. I was antsy. “You and I are going to have our own race. Right here. Right now. And this is the last one.”

“What are you talking about?” She stood too, more cautious.

“You want me to help you? You want to make me motivate you?”

“Yeah, but you’ve been gone for two weeks. Coach said something happened.”

She wanted to know what, but she wasn’t asking. Good. I wouldn’t have told her anyway. My hand rested on my hip. “I saw Raelynn last night.”

She didn’t move, but I felt her attention snap into focus. “Yeah?”

I waited, studying her, and then I saw the guilt. My lip curled. “You’re such a liar. You never went to see her, did you?”

Shame filled her eyes. I saw it for a brief second before she looked away. She swallowed, and when she turned back it was gone. She’d gotten herself under control, and she raised her top lip to match mine.

“What about it? Why do you give a shit? You haven’t gone to see her either. Did you talk to her last night?”

“No, but that’s not my job. It’s yours. You were her best friend.”