Running Back to You (The Running Series, #1) (14 page)

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Authors: Suzanne Sweeney

Tags: #romance, #beach, #football, #sports, #new jersey, #Humor, #fiction, #new adult, #contemporary, #coming of age

BOOK: Running Back to You (The Running Series, #1)
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I
’m so glad I shaved my legs this morning, because I don’t have the
luxury of time to primp.  There is only one hour until my date arrives.  A
quick shower to wash away the grime of the day’s labor will have to do.  I
spend the few precious minutes I have to dry my long hair into a straight and
sleek style that sweeps off to one side. 

As I flip through the dresses hanging in my closet, I drift back to the
thoughts of Evan’s hand tracing delicate circles on my bare shoulders.  I can
still feel his strong hand resting on my skin.  I definitely want to feel that
again, so I know immediately which dress I’m going to
select.

My hand rests on a simple midnight blue
frock with a plunging back, a scoop neck, and an intermission hemline.  It’s a
simple, lightweight lined dress.  Perfectly casual but still sexy.

The reference to getting seasick prevents me
from grabbing my FMPs, so I opt for a simple pair of gold gladiator sandals
that fit securely on my feet, but are still cute and sexy.  I grab my Victoria
Secret’s boyfriend sweater, and I’m all set.

Exactly on time, Evan arrives at five o’clock sharp.  I open
the door and all worries are forgotten.  Evan’s eyes lock with mine and I am
frozen in place.  Before I can react, I am in Evan’s strong arms, which are
wrapped tightly around my waist, pulling me close.  My arms are tucked beneath
his and I find his lips touching mine.  All caution is thrown to the wind, and
I kiss him with all the yearning and passion that has been building inside me. 
Our tongues twist and turn, dancing wildly, eager to explore this new
territory.  The stubble on his chin tickles in the most delightful way. 

Slowly, we break apart from our embrace.  “Hi there,” Evan
whispers in my ear.  “Are you ready?”  All I can manage is an enthusiastic nod. 
“What’s the matter? You’re awfully quiet tonight.”

The cloud lifts, and I find my words.  “Let me grab my bag
and we can go.”  I grab my bag, my sweater, lock the door, and off we go.

Waiting in my driveway is a jet black Porsche 911.  Evan
gallantly walks me to the passenger side and opens the door for me.  He slips
into the driver’s seat and our journey begins. 

Evan puts on his playlist and I’m learning a lot about him
based on his music preferences.  Our ride begins with a nice calming classic
from Led Zeppelin.  He turns his steering wheel into a drum as he strums along
to the sounds of Genesis and Bon Jovi.  There’s no doubt, he’s a classic rock
kind of guy.

I like driving with Evan.  It gives me another opportunity to
examine his masculine features.  He didn’t shave today, and the stubble is
seductive.  His strong jaw frames his face exquisitely.  His hand is resting on
the stick shift, and I cannot resist placing my hand on top of his and caressing
his strong hands.  Strong hands on a man are on the top of my turn-on list. 
There is nothing worse than a man with a weak handshake.

He lets me doodle invisible shapes on his hand for a short
while before he slowly turns his palm over and takes my hand in his.  Our
finger knit together and my heart sings.

I’m curious, so I ask, “So, where are you taking me tonight? 
You didn’t give too much away in your message.”

“Jersey City.  The Liberty Landing Marina.”

“Is that near the Statue of Liberty?  You know, even growing
up here all my life, I’ve never been there.”

“Actually, yes.  Adam called in a favor and got us a charter
boat for the evening.  It’s ours for the next three hours.”

“Adam did this for us?  Really?”  I guess last night’s dinner
changed Adam’s outlook on things.

“Sure.  It’s what he does.  He’s very good at his job.”

Evan’s phone rings with an in-coming text message.  He peeks
over at the screen and immediately silences the phone.  The fact that he
doesn’t want to interrupt our time together is sweet.

In less than an hour, we arrive at the marina.  There are
literally hundreds of vessels of all different sizes and types.  Historic
schooners, fishing boats, and yachts are all lining the docks.  I am escorted
to a mid-sized yacht with the name ‘Checkmate’ emblazoned on the stern.

I’ve never been on a yacht before, and I am in awe.  We enter
the cabin and I begin to explore.  There are full size windows along three
walls.  The fourth wall leads to the crew cabin where the captain is at the
helm.  Evan offers to take my sweater and he places it on one of the leather
chairs.  On one wall is a large sectional sofa in a cream-colored leather that
would easily seat eight.  The view of the Hudson River is breath-taking from
here.

Evan explores the bar.  It’s a beautiful teak wood with a
granite countertop.  Barstools provide seating for four more guests.  “Well,
ma’am, what will it be this evening?”  He’s holding a martini glass in his hand
awaiting my response.

“Surprise me.”  Anything that is created by this man before
me will taste magical. 

I watch Evan pour some vodka and pineapple juice in the
shaker, then empty the frothy mix into my glass.  He tops it off with a splash
of champagne, and he proudly presents his libation to me.  “It’s called a Flirtini. 
It’s supposed to make you flirty.  I hope it works.”

“My turn.  You sit, I’ll mix.”  We switch spots.  Evan sits
at the bar and I take my place behind the bar.  “What can I get for you this
evening, sir?”

“I’ll take the house specialty.”  It’s time to put my new bar
skills to good use. 

I rinse out the shaker and fill it with cognac, triple sec,
and a splash of lemon juice.  With as much grace as I can muster, I give the
mix a good shake over each shoulder, then toss it into the air end over top, and
catch it right side up.  Evan gives an enthusiastic applause, but the show’s
not over yet.  Again, I shake vigorously, but this time, I toss the silver cup
into the air and behind my back.  Thanks to Marcus’ masterful teaching, I nail
it and the shaker appears in my hand, right end up.  Yea!  I strain the mixture
into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon slice.  “Your drink, sir.  This
is a classic Sidecar.  I hope you enjoy it.” 

He takes my hand and places a heart-felt kiss on the top of
my hand.  “Wow, you are amazing.  I could watch you all night.”

It’s so easy and natural to be around him.  Evan hands me my
sweater and walks me to the deck.  The sun is beginning to set, and we are
passing the Statue of Liberty.  There are a few deck chairs at the rear of the
yacht where we perch ourselves to drink in our surroundings.

“Can I ask you a question,” I cautiously ask Evan.

“You can ask me anything.  I want you to know me, the real
me.  What do you want to know?”

I really don’t know much about him, so I start with the
basics.  “What’s your favorite color?” 

“Today, it’s navy blue.  Yesterday, it was lemon yellow. 
Tomorrow, it will depend.”

“Depend on what?”

He wraps his arms around me and looks into my eyes, “Depends
on what you’re wearing.”

Oh, my God!  I gently push him away but he holds on tighter. 
I love this feeling of being in his arms.  “Now who’s the flirty one, here,
chief?”

He brings his lips up to my ear and chuckles.  “Did you just
call me chief?”

“Why yes I did, chief.  Do you have a problem with that?”

Evan releases me takes my hand into his.  “No.  But does that
mean I can make up a name for you, too?”

“Fair is fair.  What do you have in mind?”

He replies without a moment’s hesitation, “How about girlfriend?”

“I like the sound of that.”  My heart is beating so fast, I’m
certain he can actually see my heart rate increase.

“Me, too.  Come here, sit with me.”  He pats his lap and
motions for me to join him on his lounge chair.  As I do, his phone goes off
again.  This time, he doesn’t even bother to look at it.  He turns it off and
returns his full attention to me.

“Don’t you want to check that?” I ask him.

“Nope.  I definitely do not.”  He puts the phone away.  “Now,
come here.”

As the yacht makes its way towards the tip of Manhattan, we
sit together with our arms and legs entwined like pretzels.  I don’t even
notice the magnificent skyline of New York City as we cruise past it. 

Oh, God, he smells so good.  He nibbles on my lower lip, and
then our tongues continue their delicate dance.  I gently caress his broad
shoulders, then run my hand up the back of his neck and twist my fingers in his
hair.  He lets out a low moan of satisfaction as I gently pull on his hair.

He responds in kind by wrapping my hair around his hand, then
slowly, gently pulling down causing me to lift my chin ever so slightly,
opening up my neck to his hungry love bites.  My plunging neckline gives him
more room to explore, and I arch my back just enough to invite him in. 

Eventually, our kisses slow and as I glance towards
Manhattan, I see that we are nearing the Intrepid.  “Look, Evan, isn’t it
big?” 

“Juliette, you have no idea!”  We just look at each other and
burst out laughing.

A member of the crew comes to announce our dinner is being
served in the cabin dining area.  Evan walks me to the table, holds out the
chair for me, and offers to take my sweater.  I take a moment to appreciate the
beautiful table setting before me.  The table is set for a romantic dinner for
two.  A white tablecloth lines the table dramatically to the floor while white
plates with red trim sit atop.  Resting on my plate is a solitary pink tulip
with a simple card.

To Juliette – Just Because. ~Evan
 

I raise the flower to smell the sweet, light scent.  The deep
pink color is stunning.  This man knows exactly how to get to a woman’s heart.

The waitress comes over to pour our drinks.  She begins to
pour a white wine into a red crystal wine glass, but she speaks directly to
Evan, “Tonight we will be serving miso-glazed salmon served on a bed of sesame
scallion salad which is being paired with a crisp Riesling.”  After pouring my
drink, she touches Evan on the shoulder as she pours into his glass.  She
continues, speaking only to him.  “Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”

Evan looks at me and asks, “Juliette, is there anything else
we need?”  Simple words with deeper meaning ... “we”.  God, I love the sound of
it.  I shake my head and take a deep breath.  How can one word affect me so
deeply?

I can’t blame the waitress for being momentarily blinded by
Evan, he does look delicious tonight.  He’s wearing a salmon-colored untucked V-neck
t-shirt and a very dark wash pair of jeans that hang low on his waist.  He has removed
his leather jacket, revealing his smooth muscles and broad shoulders.

Evan asks me about my day at work.  I tell him about my first
wedding gig for Marcus and Camilla.  He loves my idea about top shelf
desserts.  Marcus has become one of my friends and I wonder if these two would
get along.  How nice it would be for us all to hang out together, joking,
laughing, enjoying ourselves. 

My last boyfriend David didn’t really get along with my
friends.  He preferred it when we hung out with his friends or with no one at
all.  Now, when I look back, I can see that he was isolating me and causing me
to become dependent on him.  My friends were getting frustrated with me and
started calling less and less.  That’s why when he was unfaithful to me, the
pain was nearly unbearable.  I promised myself that I would never again become
so reliant upon someone else for my own happiness. 

Flirty waitress returns to clear our plates.  Again, speaking
only to Evan, she inquires, “Where would you like to enjoy your dessert
tonight, sir?”  She brushes up against him as she clears our plates.  Why do I
feel the sudden urge to scratch her eyes out?

“We’d like to sit out on the deck this evening.  Juliette,
would you like more wine?”  I agree and the flirt fills both our glasses, then
she excuses herself to prepare our dessert.

I’m feeling curious about Evan’s profession, so I press him
for a little information.  “So Evan, how did you get involved in professional
football?”

“I played football in High School and I got a scholarship to
play for UMD.  I love everything about the game.”  He has a spark in his eyes
when he talks about football.

“Isn’t it just a game?  And a seriously violent one at that? 
How can you be involved in a sport that is the cause for such serious physical
injuries?”

“The players know what they are getting into when they sign
up to play.  No one wants to get hurt, and we work very hard to protect our
players.  But you have to understand.  Football is one of the most complicated
games with complex tactical strategies.  You see, in every football play, two
sets of eleven players must work together to achieve their goals. The success
of any play is rarely dependent on a single player’s ability, but, instead, on
the united coherence of the teammates on the field. In other words, every time
the ball is snapped on a football field, the players are striving to create a
more perfect union among themselves.  It’s really an honor to be a part of such
an American institution.”

“What position did you play in college?”  I hope he names one
of the few positions I know.

“I was a quarterback in college.”  I should have known.  “Do
you have a favorite quarterback or football team, Juliette?  Be careful, the
wrong answer here could be disastrous.”

“No, sorry.  Well, wait.  Actually, Peyton Manning is pretty
cool.  I only know him from his appearances on Saturday Night Live.  He’s
really funny.  Does he play for the Giants?”  I’m trying not to embarrass
myself here.

“Right now, he’s playing for the Denver Broncos.  I thought
you went to school in Denver.  How could you not know that?  His brother Eli is
the Giants’ quarterback.”  He’s looking at me like I just grew another head. 

“You don’t have to make me feel bad, Evan.”

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