“Who could forget every word that fell from your lying mouth?” Lucy piped up. She was sitting on the sand, Samuel next to her.
I snorted. “Privacy means nothing to you people, does it?”
Eventually, I couldn’t hold that pose any longer and had to straighten my neck. I plonked onto the sand, pulling Brace down to sit next to me, which lasted all of ten seconds. Reaching over, he picked me up and placed me squarely between his legs. As I sank into him, I had a brief thought that all of us as couples may be making Talina uncomfortable. But when I looked over she was being thoroughly entertained by Quarn. I squinted, noticing that he was spilling stories about my life in New York.
“... covered head to toe in slime from the pond in the park, she’s running flat out trying to escape some Gangers ...”
It was definitely an Abby story. I groaned.
“Want me to shut him up?” Brace leaned in close to my ear. “Or provide some entertaining distractions?”
I smiled before shaking my head.
“Nah, I guess I can put up with embarrassing stories if they make her smile.”
“I’m certainly enjoying tales of your youth.”
Would I have time to learn any of the countless things Brace had seen and done?
“We have forever if that’s what you want.”
“Let’s just get through tomorrow, and then we can worry about forever,” I said, closing my eyes and resting against his warmth.
I must have fallen asleep on the beach, enclosed in Brace’s arms. When I woke early the next morning, I was a tad surprised to find myself snuggled into my soft bed. I was alone, but I could hear movement, and as I rolled over Brace walked out of my bathroom. I eye-devoured his huge expanses of exposed golden skin, lingering on the band of his sweat pants. He was heading out for a jog. I knew he ran when he was stressed, something I could relate to.
“Do you want to come for a run with me, Red?”
I sat up, pushing my curls back from where they were trying to strangle me.
“Yes!” I said, excited. “Give me a minute to get ready.”
I didn’t care if we had to sneak out. I’d been dying for a run.
I dashed through the bathroom and brushed my teeth before throwing on some sweats and joggers.
I met him outside. Apparently he had cleared this with everyone, and we were on our own. The sun was just starting to rise in the dark purple of the sky. It was cool but already looked like a perfect First-World day. I felt like a kid whose Christmas was being held at Disneyland. We warmed up; it felt so good to stretch my tight muscles.
“Hope you can keep up with me, Red,” Brace taunted as we took off along the path.
I ignored him, but my eyes flashed in challenge. Our rules were that we had to stick to Angelisian. But the town was large enough that we would have a decent jog. I matched his pace for the first mile, running in silence. After that my muscles, which I had been neglecting, started to protest the exercise.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed through. It seemed to take longer than usual, but finally I reached that magic place. Every person who runs knows what I’m talking about. It’s on the other side of the pain, where suddenly you’re in the zone and could run forever.
Brace slowed a little, allowing me to step in front. Of course I didn’t know the town very well, but I just followed the path we’d been on. It seemed to be winding along the outsides of the buildings, between them and the shielded boundary. Looking over my shoulder, I saw something that brought me to a halt. Brace stopped next to me, his breathing even, just a few small beads of sweat at his temple, unlike myself, who had really started to puff.
“You let me pass so you could stare at my butt.” I gave him a shove.
He didn’t even bother to deny it as a large grin crossed his face. “Red, you have a truly spectacular ass. I’m only human, you know.”
I shoved him again, shaking my head. “You aren’t human, but clearly there isn’t that much difference between men on any planet.”
He shrugged as we started running again. I was still in front, and the entire time I could feel his eyes on me as we made it back to the house. I left Brace to shower downstairs; I didn’t trust either of us alone at the moment.
Back in my room, I shed my clothes into the laundry chute before stepping in for a long hot shower.
Once I was clean, I wandered aimlessly through the huge expanse of my wardrobe, wondering what one wore to a Walker battle. I decided to dress to impress. Sometimes clothes were as good as armor, and I needed to look more confident than I felt right now. The weather was neither hot nor cold yet, so I could get away with anything except deep summer or winter fashion.