Good girl.
Like she was an obedient dog.Sit. Shake. Roll over. Woof. Woof. Woof.She nearly growled.
“Don’t be sulky. I also come bearing good news. Your article on the top-five worst coachesis going great. In the top-five article views and third in most emailed. Nice work.”
Oh shit. Her “I come in peace” sales pitch to Tor just took a nosedive. He was never going to believe her when she’d put out that snarky hit piece.
She’d let her petty show and now it had come back to bite her in the butt cheek.
“This is going to be great. You’ve had a public feud with Gunnar. Now you’re down there one-on-one. Pardon myle Francoisbut my instincts are fucking phenomenal. With the lockout in place, we have to keep the masses entertained. This... Tor and Neve’s Excellent Adventure? It’s the gold standard in entertainment.”
“Glad to amuse you.” She swiveled her head. Tor paced up and down in front of a Western-themed saloon next to The Adeline.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I never pictured you as Tor Gunnar’s type.”
“Two things. We’re just friends. Well. Sort of for now. And second... ouch. Who talks like that?”
“Hey, don’t getting sulky on me when I’m just yankin’ your chain. But take one look at the guy. He looks like he stepped out of the pages of a Norwegian ad. Looks ready to milk a reindeer or some shit.”
“Sweden,” she bit off. “His heritage is Swedish.”
“You’re no fun.”
“That goes both ways.” She wasn’t trying to be cute. She was a hundred percent serious. “This has been real, but it hasn’t been real fun. Listen. I got to go.”
“Good luck. I look forward to all the juicy details.”
She hung up. “I didn’t realize theAgehad become a tabloid,” she snarled under her breath. Shoving the phone into her pocket, she crossed the street. Tension radiated from her muscles. This energy was only going to be expended one way.
Her sex clenched when she met Tor’s watchful gaze. Okay, technically there was another way she could expend this tension, but running would leave her with a clearer head. Her boss’s words rang in her head. What did a Norse god want with a woman like Neve when he could have anyone?
Ugh. Insecurity was an insidious asshole.
“Think you can keep up, old man?” she called with a wink, feigning an ease she in no way felt.
He took her measure. “Cocky much?”
“Not cocky if it’s true. I’m fast.”
“You talk more trash than Johnny in ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia.’”
“I guess that makes you the devil.” She should tell him about the profile right now. Just blurt it out and be done with it.
“Want to make another wager?”
“Let’s do it. I’m feeling lucky.” She bit back her tongue to keep from teasing,Andwin or lose, I’ll probably still get lucky.
“We get to the river. One mile. Fastest buys the other coffee.”
“Sounds good. I look forward to foregoing my usual dark roast. That coffee shop on the corner looks delightful. I’m in the mood for a double-shot mocha. Extra whipped cream. I won’t be a cheap date.”
“All right. Let’s put up or shut up.” He gave an “after you” gesture. “Ladies first.”
“Why, thank you, good sir.”
He grinned and the sun broke through the steely clouds. Yes. She’d ask him about doing the profile. But after the run.
Chapter Fourteen
