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She's not givingeither In fact, she steps up closer to the machine, more to Max's front so he can see her and says, "Let's bump the speed up to nine for another sixty seconds and then we're done"

Max nods and Vale pushes at the button several times to up the speed

I grit ure out just where we stand The obvious thing would be to just ask her, but fuck if I'll do that Especially not with Max in the roo, and concentrate on running

By the tiht-minute mile pace, which is just perfect for a short run to warm up Max removes the mask and hands it to Vale, who sanitizes it and packs it away She stands next to hi over the results in low murmured tones He asks her a few questions, she responds, and then he's heading out of the workout room

Perfect

Except Vale walks out right behind him and my opportunity for conversation, surely stilted, starts to wither away

"Hey," I call out asoff before the belt comes to a full stop "Wait"

Vale stops dead and turns to look at me curiously "What's up?"

I walk up to her, a glance to the open doorway of the locker roo it's empty When I come to within a foot, I lean in a bit closer just in case so sessiongrab soether?"

What in the ever-loving fuck a?

Vale blinks at me in surprise, but then schools her features into a bland uity "Umthanks, but I think I'll just head over there myself But maybe I'll see you there"

A fucking brush-off, and now my hackles rise

"What the hell is going on here, Vale?" I grit out, stepping in closer

Her eyes flash hot but her tone is cal on?"

"Last night, you're clinging to ave you, and today it's the cold shoulder"

Vale gasps in outrage but doesn't respond, instead spinning to leave I reach out and grab her ar her back ain, she steps up to ht, I ht in desperation, and yeah, that was a great fucking, but I see faster than lightning"

"I had to get to practice," I say lamely

"You had to escape s," she sneers "Don't deny it I saritten all over your face while you were giving iven ht, and that part really, really sucked"

I'm the one who blinks in surprise now that she was actually that perceptive I figured she was caught up in the passion of it all, the escapis me that clearly Which is stupid, now that I think about it Of course Vale would read me clearly She knows me better than practically anyone

I try to come up with an excuse but it's equally as lame "Come on, Valewe have a historya bad one"

"No, Hawke," she seethes in anger "We have a great history We had one bad iven, so let's just call a spade a spade and realize that you and I are not meant to be"

Why those words almost cause my knees to buckle is beyondway off the track I had hoped to take I put my hands on her shoulders and rub my thumbs back and forth in an attempt to calm her

Her voice cracks and my heart aches over the ht was just a hookup, soet our rocks off But it wasn't like that for me I was all in, and whether you believe it or not, you're the only man I've ever let into my body without protection"

I'h I desperately want to ease away her hurt right now Maybe I should just pull her into my arms hard, kiss the breath out of her, and let that be the truth I can't seem to say

"Hey, Vale," I hear from the doorway, and my hands drop from her shoulders like she has hot potatoes stacked on them

Vale takes a deep breath and turns to see Max standing there His eyes flick back and forth between us, finally resting per session"

"Oh," Vale says as she turns away froet some slots scheduled"

She heads for the door but stops when I say, "Vale"