BRUNO WAS ALL TOO HAPPY to get out of the house this morning. Although it’s cold as fuck and my face is frozen, I’m happy to be out here too. I don’t get him out near as much in the cold months as I should.
“Come on, boy.”
We jog through the tree-lined path, a few other joggers passing us on the opposite side. When we round a corner, I’m surprised, but also not, to see Lydia jogging in front of us. That ass. Makes the weeks since our weekend together feel like fucking torture. Her mouth balances out my need to fuck her, though.
Bruno runs ahead of me, his long jogging leash stretching to its limit as he sidles up to Lydia. For a second they just run beside each other, and then she notices him and grins down. But as soon as she looks back to identify his owner, her smile fades. She slows to a stop.
“Really? Now you’re bringing your dog for protection? I only use the gun if it’s necessary,” she smarts off. She reaches down and pats Bruno and of course the bastard loves it, licking and nearly knocking her over as she kneels to him.
“Yeah, some guard dog. Doesn’t even know evil when it’s right in front of him.” I press my lips together to keep from grinning and she shoots me a nasty look.
“Ha-ha. He seems in need of attention. Do you beat him like you do humans?” She stands as I come to stand by her and Bruno. I place my hand on my chest like she shot me.
“Straight to the heart.” I look at her for a minute, then stick out my hand to her. “Truce?”
She looks down at it like it’s a fucking piranha.
“Surely, we’ve busted each other’s balls enough, don’t you think?”
She stands a little taller before slowly lifting her hand, eyes coming up to meet mine, full of determination.
“I’m not sure I can promise I won’t bust your balls anymore, but sure, we can call a truce.” She shakes my hand and I hold on for a fraction of a second when she goes to pull it away. The wind blows little tendrils of hair around her face, one getting caught between her lips. I stare at her mouth where she licks, pulling the hair free with her fingers. My eyes flick up to hers and there’s a desire reflected there. I know she wants to hate me, but there’s a tie that binds us, one that’s rubbed her raw from trying to escape.
“Do you run here every day?” I ask her.
“I used to. Just started back recently, so I’m kind of working my way back into a routine. Keeps me from getting too sore if I take it slow.” Take it slow, huh? Yeah, I went there. I’m walking a fine line of torture with this woman; from wanting to throttle her, to wanting to throttle her.
“In that case, I don’t see why we can’t run together. I usually come every morning, bring Bruno.”
She reaches down and pets him at the mention of his name. Lucky bastard. She seems to consider my proposal, looking from me back to Bruno. “I don’t know. I think you boys should prove yourself before I make any deals.” She pulls her knees up to her chest one at a time, then her arms. I chuckle.
“We wouldn’t want to hold you up or anything.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, everything that happens next, plays out in slow motion.
Bruno takes off after another dog passing by on a leash with their owner. When he does, his leash somehow wraps around Lydia’s ankle and jerks her legs out from under her. I try to reach for her, and she tries to keep her balance and land on her feet, rolling her ankle instead.
“Damn, are you okay?” I jerk Bruno’s leash. “Bruno sit. Now.”
“I think it’s okay. I just landed on it wrong.” She tries to play it off. But when I go to help her up and she applies pressure on it, she collapses back to the sidewalk. “Shit. I’m not sure. I may have to sit for a minute.”
I loop one arm under her legs and the other around her middle, picking her up. Instead of protesting like I expect, she throws her arm around my neck and holds on as I carry her to a bench.
“Here, you sit and let me look at it.” I set her on the bench, quickly pulling Bruno’s leash from my arm and tying it around the bench leg.
“So, you’re a doctor, too?” she teases.
“I’ve learned my share of fixes for small injuries. Can you move it? Turn your foot side to side.”
She looks down at me where I kneel by her foot propped on my knee. “It hurts like hell when I try.” She moves it fractionally from the left to the right. I untie her shoe and pull it and her sock from her foot.
“Your ankle is already starting to swell. I don’t think it’s broke, but you need to have it x-rayed to be sure.”
“Great.” She releases a heavy breath. “I guess I’ll just call a cab. Do you see a path marker that I can give them?”
“Just get on my back. I’ll take you to my truck and then we’ll go to the ER.”
“It’s really not a big deal, I can call—”
“Get on my back, Lydia or I’m just going to carry you like a fucking baby.”
I know she wants to argue further, but she doesn’t. She pulls me closer and wraps her arm around my neck, and her legs around my waist as I stand, pulling Bruno’s leash with me.
“Where is your truck?”
“Half a mile back.”
“Are you kidding? You’re going to have to carry my ass a half mile?”
Knowing she’s immobile and because I’m a dick, I reach around and grab her ass with both hands.
“Now I’m carrying your ass.”
“I hope your back kills you tomorrow.”