Snake Eater - THE BRAVO BOYS [book three]

Chapter TWENTY THREE

Shelby Quinn

... a few days later ...

"Okay, okay! Enough! You're too fast, it's too much!" I pant, doubling forward to place my hands on my knees as I suck in air, attempting to catch my breath.. Shooting lighting stabs at my side, punishing me for pushing myself to the limit in order to keep up with an athletic eighteen year old's workout routine..

The soft springtime sun beats down over the lush green parkland, a dreamy daylight glow filtering through the perennials that line the pathway that winds around the outer perimeter of the achorage.. After running without stopping for over an hour and covering the entire park several times over, I can barely bring myself to take another step.

Meanwhile the endlessly energetic teen cheerleader ahead of me has barely broken a sweat..

Dallas screeches to a stop on the pavement, turning back to jog on the spot in her pink trainers.. "C'mon Shelby, just one more lap!"

"No more - I'm done!" I wheeze, taking a few paces to flop down on the grass in my khaki green activewear, splaying out on my back I gaze up at the fluffy white clouds accumulating in the blue sky above me.. "I'm not the one running for Miss Darkport, so nobody's cares if my ass jiggles.."

Dallas joins me, folding down beside me to sit cross legged on the grass with a sweet giggle.. "I can think of one person who probably prefers a jiggly ass.."

"Nobody prefers that, Tex.." I sit up with a huff..

Dallas chides.. "I'm pretty sure my uncle would disagree.."

"Tsk.." I click my tongue at the girl and quickly brush off her teasing statement, while denying the fluttering rush I feel at her very mention of the man.. "I don't think Logan would appreciate you saying things like that.."

"Oh, no, he would totally hate it.." She smiles, impishly mischievous and playful in a way that bears a family resemblance I've become familiar with.. "Because it's true.."

I almost choke on the long pull I take from my water bottle at her tactless honesty.. It is unsurprising that somebody as blunt as Logan has managed to raise a young girl as earnest and confident in her opinions as Dallas is.. She is so well adjusted and witty, she almost reminds me of myself at her age.. The only difference being she has the love and respect of a man she can rely on.. My father never put me first the way Logan prioritises her.. "Well, regardless, he's been good enough to help me and I don't want to get on his bad side any more than I already have, so maybe we could just focus of the pageant-"

"Okay, but- you like him, right?" She disregards my efforts to get our conversation back on track, mimicking my movement as I push up to my feet and begin stretching out my aching legs..

"Well, he's- uh- exceptionally intelligent." I evade with a nondescript compliment to his character, trying to be kind despite the fact that my last encounter with The Hacker had been less than cordial..

"That's so not what I asked.." Dallas snorts.. "C'mon, you can tell me!"

Reaching up over my head to limber up my arms with a groan of defeat, unable to escape her persistent prodding.. "I think he can be very charming when he wants to be.."

"And the rest of the time?" She presses, stepping into a lunge with the flick of her long strawberry hair..

"The rest of the time- I'm absolutely positive he can't stand me.." I shrug with a false indifference, hiding any trace of disappointment from my face..

Dallas laughs a merry titter, light as air.. "Believe me, he wouldn't be helping you if that were true.. When Logan hates somebody he doesn't give them the time of day, he's stone cold that way..."