Collided: Dirty Air (Book 2)(44)

Athleisure isn’t the only thing raging right now.

“Seriously, where is your shirt? Here. Take mine.” I start to pull my shirt off, desperate for some type of visual protection. Her breasts rise up and down every time she breathes for fuck’s sake. I’ve tried to not look but it gets harder the higher we climb because the more exhausted she gets, the heavier she breathes.

Her winded voice catches when she glances at me removing my shirt, her eyes widening when they land on my stomach.

“No! Put your abs away. No one needs to see that.” She covers her eyes.

Her reactions make me want to say fuck you to friendship. Especially when she peeks at my body through the gaps of her fingers, catching a hint of exposed skin.

Her eyes meet mine before she becomes engrossed in the landscape views. “Oh look, I think I see a squirrel climbing up a tree. I’m going to go check it out.”

My eyes fall back to her butt as she walks away. I consider writing a personal letter of complaint to this legging company she drones on about. Athletic wear my ass. Who can work out in that? More importantly, who can ever get work done in a gym next to someone looking like that?

We climb to the top of the trail after another ten minutes of hiking, getting a great view overlooking the city. I’m thankful to be done climbing because I no longer feel tempted to smack Sophie’s ass while she walks ahead of me.

Sophie collapses on the grass. “I’m done for the day.”

“We still have to get back down.”

She fiddles with her necklace. “I’m pooped. Why don’t you even look winded?”

“Because I work out like an animal every day?” I smile at her. My body looms over her, casting a shadow and blocking her from getting any light.

She groans. “How could I forget?”

I like getting under her skin, pulling for the reactions she saves for me. She keeps me interested by the faces and quips she sends my way.

“Well, I could show you. Then you’ll never forget, I can promise you that,” I tease her.

She responds by throwing a rock about five feet away from me.

“You missed.” I grin at her.

“Next time I’ll aim for the head. It’s inflated enough to make for an easier target.”

I let out a loud laugh. “You feed my ego more than anyone else. That wild look you get in your eyes when I wear a suit is enough for me. No need to try so hard to avoid me.”

She coughs to cover up a gasp. “You really need to get laid because you’re starting to see things that aren’t there.”

Ah, so this is how she wants to play it.

“Is that an offer?” I drop my voice low.

A pebble lands a few feet away from me with a soft thud. She didn’t even try with that one.

I lie on the grass next to her. We stare at the sky, comfortable with our silence, no pressure to fill the quiet with useless words. My body brushes up against her as I readjust myself and get comfortable.

Sophie brings out things in me I don’t recognize. It’s different than what I had with Johanna, with that friendship being solely platonic from the start. My thing with Sophie is damn near flammable, waiting for one of us to set a match to this waiting game, setting our relationship ablaze.

She squints at the sky. “It sucks that Maya skipped out this week. I miss her.”

“Now you’re stuck with me. I have you all to myself, just how I want you.” My voice drops into a husky tone.

“You take up half of my time as it is already.”

I have no shame admitting how I like keeping her around and doing stuff together. It helps me pass the time when I don’t need to race or do McCoy-related activities.

“How’s the list coming along?” I’m curious to know what she’s done, or what she hasn’t.

“It’s not looking too hot. I was supposed to do at least one thing per week to complete it in time, but I’m falling behind.” She twirls a lock of hair around her finger.

The grass crunches beneath me as I turn my body toward her. Her eyes land on mine, making me want to kiss her senseless against the grass, fucking up her pink ensemble with dirt stains and greedy hands.

Holy fuck, what is happening with me lately?

I fight my internal war of acting like a caveman or a gentleman. “How unlike you. You’re usually on task.”

Sophie is the most organized person I’ve ever met. She sure as fuck has her life together, and even though I have a job and I can be responsible, she takes it to a whole new level.

“I know.” She swipes a few blonde strands out of her face. “But I’ve been so busy. Look, I’m working out. That’s not exactly on my list but it might as well be. I mean, I probably lost a pound from our climb alone.”

I grumble, “Not that you need it.” She’s a petite little thing. If she loses any weight, she’ll fly away. “But being busy is good. Which ones have you done then?”

I don’t reveal to Sophie how I hang around her whenever I have free time, passing on club nights with the boys because I prefer to spend time with her. For purely selfish reasons because I don’t want her to cross off those items. At least not with someone who isn’t me.

She sits and pulls out her laminated list from her mini backpack. I’ve never met someone as Type A as her.