“Those are respectable boundaries.”
“Don’t sass me.” She laughed and pinched my cheeks. “I’m going out. Maybe I’ll let you meet this new guy soon.”
“He plays dress up for a living?”
“Professional wrestler.” She snorted. “Those guys are super sensitive about being told they play dress up, though. Go figure.”
54
***Cass***
After a night of not being able to sleep because of the way my brain wouldn’t shut off, or shut up, I needed to do something to wake up and decided to go for a run. I was also hoping that by the time I got home I’d be so tired that I’d be able to nap. Aunt Jolene was in her room, loudly opening and closing drawers while singing an angry-sounding song so I slipped out of the house as quietly as possible.
The only time I really missed LA those days was when I stepped outside and the Texas heat slapped me in the face. I was sweating before I reached the end of the sidewalk. Despite wearing shorts and a tank top, I felt like I was wearing way too many clothes. I’d barely started the run when I started daydreaming about the cold shower I was going to take when I got home.
I ran towards campus without thinking and everything faded away as my feet slapped the sidewalk in a rhythmic pattern. As strange as it sounded I felt like I was able to take a deep breathfor the first time in months. The process of checking in with my body as I ran was an old balm my brain recognized and respected. As I went from muscle to muscle, I relaxed into the run. I also realized I was okay. Nothing ached. Not my body, not my heart, not anything.
Every moment of realizing I was okay after things had finished so terribly with Cole, Jax, and Ryder was like a present. I’d stopped waiting for the other shoe to drop. Years and years of pain had taught me to expect more of the same pain but that feeling was gone. I was finally expecting more. Just like West had suggested.
I felt lighter and freer by the day. I wasn’t ignorant to the issues I still had to deal with and the pitfalls that I would still need to face because of the picture leaking with the Fords but it felt…possible. I felt stronger and capable. I knew that my big heart had already fallen hard for the Ford brothers but even that felt like something I could handle.
“Strawberry!”
I looked over my shoulder at the sudden shout and nearly stumbled when I saw Hayes running at me. His truck was parked on the sidewalk, where it definitely shouldn’t have been parked, and he was coming at me fast in joggers and a t-shirt. “W-what are you doing?!”
He grinned when he reached me and then jogged past me. “Come on, Strawberry! Don’t slow down now!”
I laughed like an idiot and sped up again. “You’re nuts! You can’t just leave your truck there!”
He shot me a wink. “I’m a Ford. I can leave my truck wherever I want to.”
I faked a gag and elbowed him. “Prick.”
“Would a prick see his girl running around campus like a machine and leave her to it?” He yanked his shirt off and nearly stumbled in the process. “Would a prick chance every asshole oncampus seeing his girl in that tank top and thinking they had a chance?”
I laughed as he tossed his shirt at my head. I batted it away and sped up. “You’re already breathing hard, Hayes. Get your shirt and go back to your truck!”
His smile was dangerous as he sped past me. “Keep up if you can, loser.”
I scoffed and pushed hard. I would speed up and then he would, he would speed up and then I would. We were eventually full out sprinting across campus, both of us fighting to stay in the lead. I had side stitches and my lungs were squeezing but I didn’t want to lose so I pushed my body harder and prayed he’d give up soon.
We both cut across a green space and before I could throw my hands in the air and admit defeat Hayes wrapped his sweaty arms around me and we both went down hard. Laughing and breathing hard, I rolled onto my back and stared up at the clear blue sky. He linked our fingers and we both needed a few minutes to recover.
I felt him looking at me and rolled my head to the side to meet his gaze. We were both grinning like idiots and dripping sweat. He was still so hot, even flushed red with his hair plastered to his head.
His eyes moved over my face and down my chest. “Still fucking beautiful.”
I snorted, completely what I felt was a picture of grossness. “I never pegged you for a liar.”
“Give me half an hour to recover and I’ll teach you to not insult yourself.” He lifted his hand and mimicked the motion of spanking. “Imagine this but more intimidating.”
I gasped suddenly and sat up. “Shit! Your knee, Hayes.”
“That won’t stop me from spanking you.”
“I’m serious, Hayes. What the fuck was I thinking? You shouldn’t be running that hard for that long. Does it hurt?” I leaned over him and gently prodded his knee, searching for any sign that I’d caused him to damage it. “Stand up for me. Please.”
He grumbled a lot but he finally stood up for me. Kneeling in front of him, I gripped the back of both of his knees gently and worked my fingers over the injured one. “It feels fine. Unlike my stubborn brother, I did everything I was supposed to do and I’m good. I could outrun you again right now.”
