It was time to throw a little shade his way.
“When it comes to exertion, we both know which one of us is spent at the end of a noisy yoga session. News flash, it’s not this plum,” she tossed back.
And there it was, the back and forth—the playful banter that had her grateful she could go toe to toe with this beefcake of a boxer.
“It’s almost time to cross,” Sebastian cried as the creek came into view, and they began the descent down the trail’s steep grade.
“Take it slow,” Raz called. “We’ve got the Spar with the British Beast charity event in town. You’ll get to see your old man dance around the ring, and you don’t want to be soaked when you see your friends.”
Her stomach did a little flip-flop. Raz’s PR people had coordinated with Rickety Rock, and their friends were coming to town to check it out. Of course, she was happy to support the town and visit with her friends. But tonight was also a reminder that this time was quickly coming to an end.
“Got it, Dad.”
Libby took a second to take in her fresh-from-the-trail mud-speckled legs. Luckily, Rickety Rock wasn’t ritzy like its neighbor city, Aspen. Showing up on Main Street in muddied running gear was par for the course around here.
She kept an eye on Sebastian as they passed a mile marker. This stretch was the final leg of the Crooked Mine Loop. Once they crossed the creek, it was less than a mile to downtown Rickety Rock, which would serve as the start and the finish of the big race.
“Hup-hup,” she called, signaling for Plum to pick up the pace, when another hup-hup rang out from behind. She looked over her shoulder as Doug, and his donkey racing partner, Ace, sprinted their way.
Oh no!
She glanced at Raz, but she didn’t have to see the man to read his reaction. She could feel the agitation rolling off him in crashing waves.
Raz hadn’t exactly warmed to the guy.
“Bloody Dougie,” he muttered under his breath.
“Namaste,” Doug called, coming up alongside them. “Can you feel the pull of the vortex? It’s giving Ace a little spring in his step.” The man gave Raz and Beefcake a once-over. “Is everything okay with your burro? Did he get into the alfalfa?” Doug continued as his blond, flowing hair bounced like a shampoo commercial with each stride.
“Beefcake’s fine, and we haven’t given him any alfalfa. Why?” Raz grouched.
“He looks a little sluggish, that’s all. Donkeys can pick up on your energy and mirror it. Just a little tip from your local donkey whisperer.”
“More like donkey wanker,” Raz grunted.
“What’s that?” Doug called.
“I said—” Raz began when Plum emitted a well-placed whinny and cut him off.
“This day’s got great energy,” she chimed, ignoring the fierce vibe coming off her beefcake.
With Raz and Beefcake on one side and Doug and his burro on the other, she and Plum were stuck smack-dab between her benchmark guys.
“And the energy will be even stronger after the Ass-in-Nine race, thanks to the full moon that night,” Doug continued.
“Oh yeah?” she replied, stealing another look at Raz and Beefcake. Both the donkey and the man were throwing eye daggers at Doug and Ace.
Hello, powder keg of psychic energy.
She could only hope it didn’t blow.
She couldn’t concentrate on the karma kinetics. She and Plum had to slow down. Besides the incline that came after crossing the creek, leading straight into Rickety Rock’s town square, this was the second trickiest stretch of the loop. This section of the trail included a steep incline that, in the blink of an eye, dipped into quite a downhill run. It leveled out for the creek crossing, but it would be easy to lose control with the dramatic changes in grade and terrain.
“I have a question for you, Libby,” Doug continued, his breaths coming hard and fast as the three racers ran side by side.
“What’s that?”
“Do you have plans after the Ass-in-Nine? I wanted to see if we could hang out, just the two of us.”
Really? Doug had to pick right now to hit on her?
She liked the guy. He was harmless—and clueless when it came to the whole benchmark situation. But she needed to focus on her footing, not play verbal footsie with the man.
Raz growled—the beast. But what did he have to growl about?
If anyone should be growly, it was her.
Erasmus Cress was the architect of the like cures like final benchmark. He was the one who’d suggested Doug. Sure, he looked like he’d swallowed a lemon when he’d done it, but it was his idea. And what was she supposed to say when he reversed course and threw out the twist of putting the defining benchmark into the universe’s hands? She appreciated the sentiment. She allowed the universe to guide her path every day. That was how she lived her life, but this Zen-Dougie-or-bust situation was like something out of a medieval romance.
If Doug wins the race, he wins her for the night.
If Erasmus wins…to be decided.
Ugh.
And nothing had been decided. Raz hadn’t weighed in on the TBA O limbo situation. It had been easy to put this crazy proposition out of her mind when the race was weeks away. But here they were, seven days out, and neither had breached the topic…until now, thanks to Doug’s invitation.
She caught Plum’s eye and would have sworn the donkey cringed.
Could donkeys cringe?
If there was a time to wince, it was now.
“I haven’t made any concrete plans for after the race,” she bit out, her thighs burning from the exertion. They should be going slower, but Raz and Beefcake had picked up the pace, and Plum had followed suit.
Raz growled again.
The Lion needed to cool it.
She hadn’t lied to Doug. And what did he want her to say?
Hey, Zen Dougie, if you win, I’m going to use all my womanly charms to sleep with you to see if you can rock my world and bring on the Os. And by the way, the growling beast running with Beefcake was the one who offered you up.
Yes, she wanted to make sure her O was back without the assist of Erasmus Cress and his magical cock.
Wait…
Or did she?
Everything had changed since she’d gone to the gym, and Raz had looked through her as if she didn’t exist.
Now, when he looked at her, he devoured her with his eyes as if he were counting the hours until they were alone.
She and Raz had revealed the darkest parts of their souls to each other. She’d connected with the man on a level she’d never thought possible. She couldn’t deny how happy she’d been these last few weeks. But it wasn’t a forever happiness. She’d known this the moment after they’d made yab and oh, so yummy love. She’d looked into Raz’s eyes and saw the truth. He wanted her, but there was still pain in his gaze. A pain that held him back. She wasn’t that different. And yet, nannying for Sebastian, creating Pun-chi yoga, learning to run with a donkey, and playing house with the man had felt like a life, a real life.
But it wasn’t.
This was a transaction.
Her situation hadn’t changed from the night she and Raz were arrested.
Raz had agreed to help her find her O, and she was here to care for his son while he trained.
This was about her needing a job and Anders and Alec needing tuition money.