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Of course once he considered her “healed,” their lessons would end Not soer for Clay meant she was ready for a real relationship That she should look around and find awas, she didn’t want to be with anyone but him
The realization surprised her andher She wasn’t falling for him, was she?
As Clay led the pack in their final lap, she turned the concept over in her mind No, she told herself as she walked over to the post she’d marked as the finish line She was smarter than that She knew Clay and liked him He was safe and familiar That hy he was her first choice for a sexual partner She’d spent the past decade ignoring her sexual side and assu with a man was impossible Of course it would take her a while to wars weren’t about Clay
The volunteers crossed the line one by one Most of therass, then flopped down next to it, panting and exhausted Clay stayed upright He was breathing hard and sweaty, but not done in by the task
“What else you got?” he asked with a wink
“You’re saying I haven’t beaten you yet?”
“Not even close”
She finished the workout with a stretching session and instructions for everyone to spend at least an hour a day on a stair-climber
“Next e hit the drill tower,” she reminded them “It’s seven stories of stairs”
One of the woear, with a hose on our back”
Charlie grinned “Not the first time”
AN HOUR LATER, Charlie and Clay were settling onto a big blanket in the park for a late lunch Neither of the in a restaurant wasn’t the best choice They’d settled on take-out sandwiches and a picnic
Clay still wore the clothes he’d worked out in A T-shirt and shorts Despite the sweat stains on his shirt and the fact that he hadn’t shaved that ood
“Letacross from her “You always have a blanket in your car”
“Of course”
“Along with a first-aid kit”
She passed hie sandwiches He shoved straws into the drink containers
“I’ prepared,” she told hi and if I’ to be hampered by a lack of equipuisher in my truck, as well”
“Impressive”
“Hardly Everyone should carry one It could save a life”
His dark gaze settled on her face “You’re earnest”
“I’ the crap out of you”
“You threaten me a lot”
“I like threatening you”
One corner of his mouth turned up “There’s a fae of the unintelligent”
“I’ie”
Clay laughed “I like that you’re tough”
“You say that because we’re practically having sex,” she said as she unwrapped her roast-beef sandwich “But the truth is you like those little petite women with dainty feet and mouse sneezes”
He took a bite of his sandwich and frowned “Mouse sneezes?” he asked when he’d chewed and sed
“Sure They make this tiny noise that’s so delicate you have to ask if they sneezed It’s annoying”
“I don’t like mouse sneezers”
“You say that now, but I know the truth”
He shook his head “Is this your idea of flirting? Telling me why I shouldn’t like you?”
“I’reat”
“It is your modesty that first drew me to you”
Charlie opened her bag of potato chips “I’d throw one of these at you, but it would be a waste of junk food A sin I never commit”
They were in the town’s main park, close to the lake Trees provided shade from the war couples, but Charlie felt that despite the crowd, she and Clay were alone
She liked the way they laughed together, how they could tease each other Being with hi but not so intelligent that he got on her nerves He was funny and charot, the more she appreciated kindness in people
She supposed if she were in a less ht about theether One of the other volunteers could hint Clay was trying to get Charlie to take it easy on hiroup Even with a good-size table tied to his back, he would still be the best at all the physical challenges Well, assu
“Heard from Rafe and Heidi?” she asked
“Mom said Heidi called to say they’d arrived and that Paris was beautiful Otherwise, it’s been radio silence”
“It’s their honeyuess that makes sense”
Clay finished up his sandwich, then dropped the wrappings back into the paper bag “Construction is finishing up on Mom and Glen’s new house”
“That’s fast”
“They paid for speedy service I think they want to be on their own”
“Is it strange having your mother fall in love?”
“Kind of,” he ad for one of the cookies they’d bought “I was pretty young when my dad died, so I don’t remember him much Rafe’s the one who missed him the most Shane has memories, but Rafe was hit the hardest”
“Your sister has a different dad, right?” Charlie didn’t know much about the lone Stryker sister She was a dancer of so Charlie could relate to The estrange
“Right” Clay bit into the cookie “A one-night stand with consequences We didn’t know very uy Nine months later, Evie arrived” He stared up at the sky, then back at her “She never fit in Thatand stuff Rafe did his best to take care of the family, so Shane and I looked after her We were only a few years older, so it’s not like ere qualified”
He glanced at her “I don’t think Mom ever dated much It’s been years I told her no one expected her to live like a nun” He chuckled “So Rafe didn’t appreciate when she moved here and fell in love with Glen”
“It worked out Now they’re going to have their own place”
He nodded “Shane’s house is nearly done, too He’ll behiet er”
“Typical guy It’s all about possession”