Just Off The Key || Lizrei

Chapter 18: Turn off the Lights and Turn off the Shyness

Rei was not prepared to run five kilometers through Central Park. Or to be dragged five kilometers through Central Park by her girlfriend and her dogs. She was surrounded by people who looked like they were about to start a fucking triathlon.

It's a dog run, people. Calm yourselves down.

Rei held Liz's hand to prevent her from skipping as they came to the clearing where the run was supposed to start. Liz's eyes widened and she froze.

Dogs. Everywhere. Dogs, dogs, and more dogs. Rei quirked her eyebrows up and watched Liz soak it all in. Liz was broken from her reverie when Cornelius tried to bolt after a puppy that was trying to play with him.

Rei checked to make sure her girlfriend's arm wasn't dislocated.

Then Rei nudged Liz in the ribs and nodded towards the check-in table. "How about you sign us in, Liz?"

Liz looked at the table, which was surrounded by a good number of people, but not mobbed, and then down at Rei, twisting Cornelius's leash around her fingers. Rei waited patiently.

As patiently as one can wait when her dog's dragging them in five different directions.

Liz nodded confidently, and Rei swatted her on the butt as she walked away, grinning when Liz whirled around and flushed. Rei gave her a thumbs up. For what, she didn't know. Her ass? Yeah, that would work. It was glorious.

She sat on the grass, and then quickly got back up when Barnaby tried to sit in her lap, and she surveyed all the people and their animals around her. Ah, she should've gotten little clothes for Barnes and Cornelius to wear! Little running booties and neon vests.

Now Rei was disappointed in herself. She'd lost an opportunity to dress up her dogs. And they really didn't come around that often. Halloween was pretty much it.

She watched Liz standing quietly in the line, and then leaning over the counter to check them in, and smiling at the lady who handed them their pin-on numbers. Liz's hands fidgeted with the leash, but she waved happily at the woman when she left the table. And then she waved at Rei, who was smiling like a fool.

She didn't know why. She was about to run three miles. That did not deserve a smile.

"Ready!" Liz called out excitedly when she was still about twenty yards away. Rei was going to scream something back at her, though she hadn't determined what yet, when some guy sauntered into her path.

Rei stopped abruptly and looked up at him. Dark hair. Dark eyes. She raised an eyebrow instead of shoving him out of her way. It was the polite thing to do.

"I'm Kai." He stated confidently, sticking out his hand with a smile.

Rei narrowed her eyes, but shook his hand and introduced herself. Where was this guy's dog? Was he actually trolling the dog run to pick up girls? Rei bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, and then drew blood when she caught sight of Liz's expression. She looked like a meerkat, observing from a few feet behind Kai.

Eyes wide and alert. Ready to pounce for her woman. Or on her woman.

Rei shook her head slightly. She wanted to see how far this guy could get before he completely embarrassed himself.

Liz watched her warily and nodded, clasping her hands in front of her, and rocking back on her heels.

Rei focused back on Kai expectantly. She hadn't heard anything he'd said in the past thirty seconds, so she just nodded and hoped he hadn't asked any questions.

"You look like this run shouldn't be too hard for you." He remarked.

Whoa, dude. First of all, this run was going to be the hardest damn thing in Rei's life. Second of all, whoa dude. Rei flushed and glanced at Liz.