Avoiding Temptation (Avoiding #3)(104)

But when she turned back around, she didn’t see Ramsey at all. It was Jack chasing after her. Despite everything, a small smile touched the edges of her mouth. Wasn’t it just perfectly ironic to have Jack chasing her?

Jack was much taller than her, so she knew that he would catch up soon enough, but he didn’t try calling out to her or asking her to slow down. He just made headway, and when he caught up to her, he matched her pace and jogged alongside her. He didn’t say anything. He just let her run away from her problems…away from everything.

Everything but him.

Her breathing was jagged, coming out in uneven gasps and pants. Her side had a stitch in it that stabbed her with every breath. Her hair was matted, and her body was coated in a layer of sweat and sand that had only gotten worse with her second run. Her feet and legs were starting to feel heavy, and she knew she was slowing. She wasn’t going to be able to keep up this pace for much longer. She was feeling a bit woozy, probably with dehydration, but it had the added benefit of clearing her mind.

Jack was breathing heavily next to her, but he didn’t look as out of it as she did. This must not be a hard pace for him, and he hadn’t just come from a run in any case.

Lexi stumbled and fell onto her bare knees in the sand. Her hands landed roughly down to catch herself, and she groaned as her legs finally stilled. Her whole body was humming alive with the adrenaline coursing through her. Her chest heaved as she stared down at the wet sand, and her vision dipped and blurred. She slammed her hands down again and again on the sand, wanting to make a difference in the shape of the world, but her hands just pushed the sand out of the way, not really changing it at all. It was just an act of displacement…not change…never change.

“Hey. Hey. Hey,” Jack said, sinking into the sand next to her and grabbing her hands.

She fought against him, but he held her tight, keeping her from continuing her assault.

“Lex,” he whispered, “it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” she said through tears that she hadn’t even known were spilling down her cheeks.

“It’ll be okay,” he said, pulling her in close to him.

She resisted him. “Stop. I’m disgusting.”

“I don’t care.”

“I’m covered in sand and sweat.”

“You’re still beautiful, and you still need me. So, I’m not going to stop,” he said, drawing her into him and cradling her against his chest.

“You’re not allowed to think I’m beautiful,” she said through her tears.

“Shh…” He stroked her back softly. “I’ll never stop thinking that.”

“Don’t be nice to me. I want to be angry.” Tears were falling so hard now that she could only speak through the hiccups.

“Then, be angry. I’m not going to stop you.”

“I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Not even on my worst day, and I’m far from that, Lex.”

“Did you sleep with those girls?” she asked.

Jack stiffened. “What girls?”

“Your secretary…the attendant at your old apartment…other people…”

“No,” he said softly. “No, I didn’t.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” The question had been eating at her, and in her delirious state, she wanted to think about anything but what she had left behind at the beach house.

“I didn’t say anything because…no one would have believed me. It’s like how I tend not to discuss politics because people argue with me, and I’m not going to change their mind…but that doesn’t mean I don’t disagree with them.”

“It was stupid.”

“Very. I’ve done a lot of really stupid things, but I don’t think you’re trying to punch a hole through the sand because of me.”

Lexi sagged in his arms at the reminder of why she had run miles away from the beach house. Ramsey had called her Parker. Even if it was just in anger, he had still called her by the name of his ex-girlfriend…the one they were arguing about in the first place. How could he be that stupid? And was he really still that hung up on her?

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jack asked.

“No. Not really.”

“Do you want to just walk then?”

“Okay,” she mumbled, shifting away from Jack.

He stood up first and then offered her his hand. She let him haul her up off the ground. Her legs were still shaky, and she grabbed on to his arm to keep herself steady.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Anywhere. Not back,” she admitted.

“Me either.”

Jack nodded his head toward the direction they had been running in. They set off across the mostly deserted beach. Lexi hadn’t wondered at the time if anyone had seen them together in the sand, but she thought about it now. She wondered who had been witness to her meltdown. Granted, it didn’t really matter because the only person who would remember it was Jack.

In the distance, they could see a large public pier, and with a knowing glance between them, they headed toward it. When they finally reached it, the sun was already falling on the horizon. They wouldn’t be able to stay long, or they would never get back in time before nightfall.