Steady

Chapter Eleven

 The doorbell rings at exactly six in the morning. Sydney is in the shower getting ready for her shift at the coffee house, so I lumber from the kitchen to the door, still half-asleep, ready to tell whoever's at the door to beat it. It's my first day off since starting my horrid job and I plan on going back upstairs to lose myself in the blissful oblivion of sleep after I finish these Fruit Loops.

I swing the door open wide and my eyes attempt to bulge out of their sockets.

There, on my doorstep, is Jay.

Sweaty Jay.

Panting Jay.

Shirtless Jay.

"What...the hell?"

His eyes venture away from my face and take in my disheveled hair, my rumpled sleep shirt and athletic shorts.

"Why are you still in your pajamas?" He asks, swiping a hand across his moist forehead. "It's time to start the day!"

Without so much as a greeting or an invitation, Jay sidesteps me and enters the house. I close the door and turn to face him.

"What are you doing here?" I peek out the window. "And where is your truck?"

"At my apartment," he says. "I ran here."

I didn't know he was a fitness buff, but looking at his body now, I'm not surprised. The cut of his abdominal muscles tells me he's no stranger to sit ups. And the slim but defined curve of his arms makes me want to reach out and touch him. But I don't.

"Let's go." He tugs on sleeve of my shirt, pulling me toward the stairs. "Throw your hair up, toss on some shorts, and lace up your running shoes."

I stop in my tracks. "Running? As in...running?"

"Yeah." He smiles. "Running. Moving quickly. Arms pumping, lungs working overtime, the whole nine yards. C'mon, lets get going before it gets too hot."

"But—I—what about yesterday?"

He shakes his head, sending little droplets of sweat flying in every direction. "Forget about yesterday. Today is what matters. Now go!"

He swats at my behind as I grumble my disapproval and reluctantly climb the stairs.

"I hate you so hard right now."

***

"Jay! I'm serious! My heart—I can't—can't take it—slow down—JAY!"

This hill didn't seem so damn steep when I was behind the wheel of my car on the way to work, but I'm convinced this is the path to heaven, because I'm either going to keep going up until we reach the pearly gates or I'm going to die before I reach the top.

"Exercise is good for your heart," he calls over his shoulder. "Jake knew that. You've got a keeper in there." He pounds both hands against his chest, Tarzan style.

"Good for me," I wheeze.

He finally turns around and runs backward, getting a good look at my face. Whatever he sees there has him slowing his pace and I'm thankful. I don't even care if I have snot hanging out of my nose or all my eyebrows have fallen off; as long as we stop this madness soon.

"Although," he says thoughtfully, "seeing how red your face is right now, I'm gonna say it's probably a good idea if we ease you into it."

"You...think?" I pant. One syllable per breath. That's all I can manage. "Are you...torturing me? Is this...payback...for keeping...secrets? Because...I don't want...to die wearing pants...that say...'luscious'...across the ass."