"You're going running", Rev said, decidedly. He was sick of watching Paige stare out windows listlessly. She had been melancholy all morning and she needed to be shaken out of it.
"You're not", she retorted hotly, "so if that's what you have in your head then neither of us are going".
He smiled at her. "You need to run, love. You haven't been because of me. I'm ready to try".
"Absolutely fucking NO", she said, scowling and flipping him the bird. "Your lung is not ready for anything more than a brisk walk".
He chuckled. She was in a mood, that was for sure.
"How about I ride the four wheeler alongside you?"
Her face softened. "Yes, dear. That would be acceptable behavior".
"All right then", he said, pointing to the stairs. She dashed off to change and came back in a short sleeve shirt, leggings, and running shoes. She stood on tip toe, grabbed him around the neck, and pulled his face down to hers, planting a kiss on him that made him want to bring her back upstairs.
"Thank you", she whispered as she let go.
"Stretch", he said, kissing her forehead. While she did that, he armed himself then went to gas up the four wheeler. He couldn't remember the last time he had used it.
She came outside looking for him with the gun he gave her on her thigh.
"Right on, love", he said and got a smile in return. "Ready?", he asked, starting the ATV. She nodded. "You want a ride down?", he asked. She shook her head no.
He grinned and started down the hill. He loved her fiery, independent spirit. It made the times when she leaned on him all that much more impactful.
She ran like the wind. He knew she had a lot of heavy emotions to work out, and he was gonna let her do it. He stayed slightly behind her for two reasons: one, so she didn't feel pressured to go faster to keep up with him; and two, so he could stare at her ass.
They had gone twenty minutes and her pace hadn't slowed. Thirty, and she hadn't turned around but started to slow her pace a bit. At forty, she was definitely going slower, and then she stopped abruptly, collapsing to her knees in the dirt. He stopped immediately and dismounted, kneeling next to her. She was holding her side and tears were running down her face. She was having a hell of a time catching her breath. He ran his hand over her head.
"All right then, sweetheart?"
She nodded but was still gasping.
"You gotta walk around a bit, love", he said, hauling her to her feet.
She started slowly walking back to the house, still holding her side. He kept pace next to her on the four wheeler. Once she was breathing normally, he reached over and caught her wrist.
"Okay, get on", he said, and stopped.
She got on behind him, immediately wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and resting her head between his shoulder blades. He felt his heart surge with love for her. When they got back, he helped her off the ATV, kissed her forehead, and told her to go take a shower.
...........................................................................
I really wished I could take a hot bath but that wasn't possible here. So I showered as quickly as possible, wrapped towels around my hair and body, and ran upstairs to get dressed. Except I was still kind of hot from the run, and still kind of emotional. I knew what else I needed but didn't know if Rev was up for it.
YOU ARE READING
The Neverending Hangover
Romance*Second in the Fire Whiskey series* 'I had been amazed at the connection Brad and I had, and our connection was inexplicable, but this with Rev was something else. It was different but just as impressive. Was I cursed or blessed to have two amazing...
