“Ok, so don’t forget you can’t just stand still on this, but I also don’t want you going into an all-out sprint right now either,” Lauren’s still lecturing me. She’s been pretending that there’s nothing between us except a nurse and patient relationship all morning.

What Ms. Professional doesn’t realize is I’ve noticed as her gaze has licked every inch of my body. I caught how her eyes hovered over the bulge in my shorts. She might be doing a good job fooling the staff with her little show, but I lost my leg, not my eyesight. She’ll have to do a lot better than that to pull the wool over these baby blues.

“Just a jog, I’ve got it.” I interrupt and she gives me a sharp look. I know she hates me brushing her off like that, but I’ve been waiting a long damned time to get this carbon-fibre blade and I don’t want to sit on the sidelines of the track listening to instructions on how to run.

I know how to run.

“Yes, just a jog.” She answers sternly, double knotting the bright blue laces in her sneakers. “And I’ll do this first lap with you, so you can tell me if you have any problems, ok?”

I hop off the bench and am surprised by the springy response of the blade. In that small movement, I already feel lighter and faster, and I haven’t walked a step yet. “You got it.” I throw three fingers up to my brow in a sloppy salute and her nose gets these cute little crinkles on it as she frowns at me. Her gloss covered bottom lip sticks out just a little in a tiny pout.

God, how I want to just pull that lip in between my teeth and give it a little nip. I want to feel the heat of her breath on my skin as I make her cry out my name. Somehow I manage to direct my gaze back to the track and decide I’ll put this pent up energy into our little run instead of thinking about Lauren’s sexy round ass that she’s purposely showing off in a pair of skin tight yoga pants. Or her full, perky tits barely contained by her low cut tank top.

Like I said, she’s not fooling me with her little act.

Even though I’m eager to get out for the first run on my blade, I fall behind Lauren, just a bit. I mean, there’s no point in letting that sweet view go to waste now is there? When I left for the military, she was only a few months into adulthood. I remember her at eighteen, she was undeniably beautiful even if her body was still a bit lanky and a little awkward.

Now, at twenty-eight, she’s a goddess. Her frame has filled out with curves that would make a priest snap his neck taking a second look. It makes it hard to concentrate when all I can think of is how much better we’d both be in bed now that we’ve got some experience behind us.

As we stand side-by-side on the track, Lauren twists her arms out behind her in the world’s most unnecessary stretch. You know, you’ve really gotta limber up those shoulder muscles for a light jog. What’s next? Some downward dog yoga poses? That’s probably the most practical way to stretch her legs out, right? Regardless, I soak in the show she’s putting on for me with her tits pushed out toward me as her back arches.

I’m not totally sure what her game is yet. It’s clear to me that she wants me to notice her. And, well, she can check off that little box on the list. Done and done! On the other hand, she’s been distant and cold with me. I can’t decide if she wants to enjoy the chase, or if she still needs some space after losing her husband last year.

Enough racking my brain over it. If she wants me running around in circles for her while she gets some kind of kicks out of it, then she can get a taste of her own medicine right here on this track. “On your mark, get set, go!” I yell out and burst into a stride.

“Mack! I said a jog!” She yells behind me, annoyance dripping from her words. I hear her feet hitting the track not far behind me as she tries to keep up.

I love the crackle of the pine needles spread out over the track beneath me. My foot and my blade pound against the pavement, competing with my heart to see which can beat harder. The sweet smell of nature’s decay reaches my nostrils, and I breathe it deep into my lungs. It reminds me that not all death is painful and horrible, sometimes it can be beautiful.

Suddenly Lauren pulls ahead of me, ripping me from my thoughts and giving me a new singular focus: to win.

Arms pumping at my sides, the muscles in my thighs twitch and pulse as I push myself to catch up. The cool spring air clouds my breath around me like a locomotive picking up steam as I reach her heels. There's no way I'm going to let her get past me that easy.

I’ve missed going for runs. I love how my focus narrows to one mission. The war, my men, my leg ... it's all miles away as my attention lasers down to the simplest of goals: run. It reminds me of the many mornings that Lauren and I would race each other for the last hundred yards of our walk to elementary school when we were kids. Our backpacks thumping against our backs, mud splattering against our shoes, despite our mother's warnings to stay tidy. Simplicity was the fabric of my life back then, patterned with rich colors and textured with deep emotions that all seem to drain away as we age.

Her spandex covered ass jiggles a little each time her feet hit the ground. It’s hypnotic. I enjoy the view for a minute before pulling up beside her. She quickly looks over her shoulder at me and, I almost run out of breath. Not because I’m winded. But because, for the first time since I’ve seen her again, she’s smiling. Her smile is like a radiant beacon of hope guiding me from the darkness. How did I ever walk away from that smile? One thing is certain, I won’t be making that mistake again.

Lauren’s focus returns to the track and I concentrate on trying to pull out ahead of her. I pull deep breaths into my lungs and dig deep to propel myself forward even faster. We’re neck and neck, I can smell her on the wind.

“BOOM!”

The sound of an IED exploding fills the air and terror grips my heart. “Watch out!” Instinctively, I hurl myself at Lauren, tackling her to the ground and covering her with my body like a blanket.

“What the fuck!?” she screams as she thuds against the track.

I duck my head down beside hers, tucking my chin in against her shoulder and hold her tight. The track disappears and sand appears around me. I watch as metal fragments, dirt and body parts fly through the air around us as buzzing swarms my ears.

“Mack? Mack! MACK! What the hell are you doing?”

I blink slowly and the scene fades into the Colorado spring. The buzzing dies down and disappears, and instead I can hear birds chirping from the tree branches. Beneath me, Lauren looks like she can’t decide if she’s angry or scared. Her mouth is twisted up to the side but her eyes are open wide.

“Mack, what are you doing?” she asks again, but this time the fear is gone from her voice and instead there is a raspy tinge to her tone.

I realize that I’m lying on top of her, her legs are open around mine. Her tits are heaving against my chest. I can feel the heat from her pussy against my cock. Suddenly, Afghanistan feels like another lifetime.

“Sorry, I wiped out.” I lie. “I guess I’m not ready for an all out race on this thing yet,” I nod my head back toward my blade.

Lauren bites her lip and looks solemnly in my eyes, nodding slowly. I’m not sure if she buys my excuse, but right now I think she’s a bit preoccupied. I can feel her heart beating wildly in her ribcage. She looks over my face like she’s studying it, her eyes finally resting on my lips, like she’s willing them to kiss her.

“That’s ok,” she murmurs. I feel her roll her hips up against mine, the movement is small, but undeniable. My cock throbs as blood rushes into it. She still hasn’t made any effort to push me off of her or even to tell me to move.

I bring my face closer, hovering my lips over hers while I press my cock against her. She lets out a soft gasp and her eyes close. It’s too much for me. I press my mouth into hers, kissing her urgently. My tongue traces her bottom lip and quickly finds hers. They barely have a chance to reunite when from the waistband on her yoga pants, I can feel a buzzing against my abs.

I pull back and glance down. Her phone. Fuck her phone. I want to pull her tank top down and lick her perfect tits until she quivers for me, begging me to make her mine. I want to fuck her tight little pussy again and push this stupid buzzing phone up against her clit until she comes.

“Mack, I’ve got to answer that. You’ve got to move.” Her words are unconvincing, like she’s asking me a question instead of making a demand.

“Are you sure?”