Running Back to You (The Running Series, #1) (30 page)

A
fter a quick shower, Evan drives me to the bakery where I select a Babka
for my mother and a box of assorted pastries for his sister.  Evan refuses to
let me pay, but I am in such a delightful mood this morning, I concede much
easier than I normally would.  I wish I could have made my own dessert, but
this will have to do.

My favorite coffee shop is open, allowing us to get our morning caffeine
fix.  The next stop is back to my house so I can pick up a change of clothes
and a few other personal items.  I know I won’t be sleeping home tonight, so I
need to pack an overnight bag.

Evan insists that I stay in the car while he inspects the house.  I give
him my keys and wait.  My mind starts racing, playing the ‘what if’ game over
and over. 
What if
the stalker came back? 
What if
he’s waiting
in the house right now? 
What if
he’s left a trap of some kind? 
What
if
Evan gets hurt?  Minutes feel like hours as I wait for Evan to return to
the car.

After what seems like an eternity, Evan stands at the front door and
waves me in.  Relieved, I join him and start gathering my things.

“Can you show me exactly what was left lying on your bed last night?”  He
follows me as I lead him to my bedroom closet. 

Hanging right where I left it is my red dress.  I hand it to him, along
with my high heels.  Normally, I would expect him to tease me about wearing
this sexy, little number, but not now.  His jaw is set tight and I can see his
anger returning.

“Evan, I loved that dress, but now?  I really don’t ever want to see it
again.  Will you please throw it away for me?” 

“With pleasure.  My next pleasure will come when you let me take you
shopping to replace it.  I would love to see you trying on dresses for me.”

“I don’t think so, baby.  No one has ever bought me clothes other than my
mother.  It just doesn’t feel right.”  I don’t know why, but allowing him to
take me shopping would make me feel like a gold digger.  “It’s just too soon to
start spending your money.”

“You’re so different from any other girls I’ve ever known.  Maybe I
should check one more time to make sure you really do have girl parts.”  Evan
peeks down the neck of my shirt, “Nope, everything seems to be in order down
there.”

I swat him away, “Would you let me finish, please?  Make yourself useful
and go take out the trash, please.”  He needs to find a better way to keep his
hands busy.  His phone keeps beeping with new text messages.  “And while you’re
at it, tell who ever keeps texting you that it’s a holiday.  No working today.  Got
it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”  Evan lets me finish packing, and soon enough, we’re on our
way back to his house.  “Juliette, would you mind if I work-out for a few hours
before we leave?  I promise to be showered and dressed by noon.”

“Of course.  Do you work out every day?” 

“I do.  Camp starts in a few months, and I have to stay sharp.  Two or
three hours a day right now is fine, but soon I’ll be getting in four hour
work-outs.”  Wow, no wonder he’s in such good shape. 

“I haven’t been running for a few days.  Would you mind if I used the
treadmill for a while, too?  Would that mess up your routine too much?”  I
really do need to exercise, but it would also give me a chance to watch Evan workout.

“I’d much prefer having you with me rather than running along the beach alone
where anyone can be waiting.”  It occurs to me that letting him take care of me
might not be such a bad thing, after all.

Evan carries my bags to his room and we get changed together.  He throws
on a pair of long shorts and a tank shirt.  “I’m going to grab us some water. 
I’ll meet you up there.”  My eyes follow him as he walks away.  Wow. 

I leave on my sports bra, pull on a pair of yoga pants, and toss my hair
into a ponytail.  After I throw on my sneakers, I head upstairs to join my man.

Entering the exercise room, I stop dead in my tracks when I see Evan on
the weight machine.  He’s straddling the bench and grasping the bar, repeatedly
bringing it up, then down again.  Each time, his cut biceps and forearms
stretch and flex, emphasizing the dark veins and ripped muscles.

“Juliette, did you forget something?  You look ... deep in thought.”  If he
only knew.

“No, I’m good.  Can you show me how to use your treadmill?”

Evan walks over and demonstrates how the settings work.  It’s not that
different from the others I’ve used in the past.  I start off at a brisk walk. 
I clip on my iPod, plug in my earphones, and put the music on shuffle.  First
up is Fall Out Boy.  Once JT comes on, I speed up to a full-out run.  I try to
focus on my workout and shut out the image of the sexy quarterback in the room
with me. 

As I continue my run, Evan moves to the rowing machine.  Watching his toned
legs stretch and glide with the machine, all I can think about is how much I
would like to feel my own legs wrapped around him right here and right now.  I
close my eyes and images of our morning calisthenics flood my mind.  Arms,
legs, lips, tongues, all tangled and woven together.

“Juliette, are you trying to kill me?”

I look up and Evan is sitting, watching me.  “What?”  I can see his mouth
moving, but I cannot hear him until I take off the earphones. 

“Baby, you’re barely dressed, running, sweating, biting your lip, and I
swear I heard you let out a moan.  What are you trying to do to me?”

I slow the machine down so I can answer without losing my breath. 
“There are a great number of things I would like to do to you, if you must
know.”

“Really?  Care to elaborate?  As a guest here, it’s my duty to make sure
your stay is a pleasant one, Miss Fletcher.”  He’s eying me with the look of a
predator ready to attack its prey.

“I was just thinking about how that bench you were sitting on over there
is the perfect height for me to get ... traction.”  I take a big gulp of my water
and wipe my face off as the machine slows to a complete stop.

“Care to test out your theory?”

“Later.”  I plant a chaste kiss on his lips.  “I’m going downstairs to
take a shower and get ready.  Save a little energy for me tonight.”  His hair
is slightly damp with sweat and he smells so manly.  I never knew the smell of
sweat could be so freaking hot.  “Mmm ... definitely later.”

“A
re you ready, beautiful?”  Evan pulls me in for one more kiss before we
leave for our long drive. 

“Ready when you are, handsome.”  I look at him and smile.  He looks
absolutely edible in his dark washed jeans and untucked white button-down
shirt.  He’s wearing cologne that smells clean and musky.  

Evan opens the door for me, and off we go.  It’s really a joy to ride in
Evan’s car.  I’m used to driving simple, uncomplicated cars.  This car is a
machine.  There are controls on the steering wheel, a navigation system on the
dash, heated seats, and climate control.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this
vehicle could safely get us to the moon and back.

We arrive at my mother’s a little after one o’clock.  Not too far from
the house, we find a parking spot on the street.  Evan comes around to open my
door, takes my hand, and together, we stroll down the sidewalk. 

Each house we pass is nearly identical to the one before it.  To say that
each home is separated by an alley would be an exaggeration.  The space between
each is barely wide enough to drive a motorcycle through.  When I lead Evan
down one such alley, I explain, “This is their house.  We don’t use the front
door.  The side door takes us right to the kitchen.  Ready?”

“Absolutely.  Let’s go, lead the way.”  He doesn’t seem the least bit
worried or anxious.  My only worry is that we will have enough to talk about
for the next two hours.

Evan opens the door for me and I lead us inside.  Just as I suspected, my
mother is standing at the kitchen counter, peeling the potatoes.  She takes one
look at us and exclaims, “Juliette – you’re home.”  Walking directly over to
me, she wraps her arms around me and welcomes me home.  “And this must be
Evan.” 

“Mom, this is my boyfriend, Evan McGuire.  Evan, this is my mother,
Genevieve Fletcher.”  Evan offers to shake her hand, but my mother grabs him
and hugs him, too.

“I’m so pleased to meet you, Evan.  Please, call me Genny.”  We sit at
the table together.  Evan puts his arm around the back of my chair and
unconsciously touches my shoulder, rubbing gentle circles with his thumb.  Upon
occasion, he finds a renegade strand of hair that needs to be tucked back in
its proper place behind my ear.  We make small talk for a few minutes with my
mother about traffic and the weather. 

“Juliette, why don’t you take Evan inside to say hello to your
grandmother?  She should be getting the china out of the cabinet for dinner
soon.  You can help her set the table.”

I take Evan by the hand and we make our way into the living room where we
find my grandmother.  She smiles when she sees us together.  She and I are a
lot alike in so many ways.  She is strong-willed, opinionated, and not afraid
to speak her mind.  I spent many weekends with my grandparents when my mother
and father first separated and I developed a very close bond with her.

Introductions are made and Evan is his usual personable and gregarious
self.  She asks Evan a few questions about where he grew up, where he went to
school, and what he does for a living.  He patiently answers each of her
questions and tells her he works for the NFL.

“Do you?”  She studies him for a moment.  She is no fool.  I can tell
she’s working out everything in her head.  His size, his grace, his athletic
build.  “Now, Evan, I don’t follow football, but I would guess that a big
strapping boy like you doesn’t exactly have a desk job there.  Would I be
correct if I assumed that you are a professional football player?”

Evan looks to me for a sign about how much he should divulge.  With a
simple nod of my head, he knows it’s okay to explain.  “Yes, ma’am.  I play for
the New Jersey Sentinels.”

I am quite proud of my grandmother.  She cuts right to the quick, and
discovers in five minutes what it took me a week and a half to figure out.

My grandmother escorts us into the dining room and shows us the plates
she would like to use for dinner tonight.  “Oh, Evan, Genny and I would like to
thank you for the flowers.  They’re lovely.”

I glance at the table, and sitting in the center is a beautiful
arrangement of mixed color tulips in an exquisite green glass vase nearly
overflowing with at least forty vibrantly colored flowers. 

“When did you do this?” I whisper in his ear as we set the plates.

“I called Callie while you were on the phone with Auggie last night.” 

I give him a kiss and whisper in his ear, “Remind me to thank you
properly later.”  He never ceases to amaze me.

We join my mother in the kitchen and everyone pitches in to help prepare
dinner.  Evan busies himself mashing potatoes and my grandmother is checking on
the ham in the oven.

My grandmother has a lot of questions for Evan.  One of her main concerns
is for his safety.  Again, I’m in awe of my grandmother.  This is a
conversation I should have had with Evan myself, but we’ve only just
reconnected yesterday.

Evan becomes very animated and alive when he talks about football.  He
explains to her all the safety rules and precautions that have been put into
place.  He also explains to her that as back-up quarterback, he doesn’t get a
lot of plays, but when he does, it’s the job of the offensive line to protect
him. 

Just watching my mother and grandmother react to him is amusing.  He has
them eating out of the palm of his hand.  They are hanging on his every word. 
There is no doubt, he has won them over.  And then some.

“That’s why it is so important that I keep myself in top physical form. 
It keeps me from getting seriously injured,” he explains.  Hearing that
convinces me that I will never again interfere with one of his workouts like I
did today.  I need him healthy and fit when he takes the field.

“So, do you two get to spend much time together?  Professional football
must be a very demanding career,” my mother asks.

“Well, mom, to tell you the truth, for the next few days, Evan and I will
be seeing a lot of each other.  I’m staying at his house until I can get a
security system installed.”

“Is your landlord having it installed?” she questions.

“No, Mom.  Evan is having it installed for me.  Auggie and I had an
intruder in the house when we weren’t home.”

After ascertaining that I was safe and that nothing was stolen, she asks
if I notified the police.  Evan gives me an ‘
I told you so
’ look when I
admit that we filed a report last night.

I explain to her why I wasn’t able to bring a homemade dessert today and
she completely understands.