22 - Jessica

Jessica

I still have room for first times. I definitely have room for long distance running. At exactly 8:00 PM, Matthew and I left the house. Thank heavens, I packed my hot pink sports bra! I felt ridiculous when I shoved it between a pair of leather pants and denim shorts, but it turns out to be my last-minute salvation.

Andrei and Miles are upstairs in his bedroom, waiting for Audrey's call. Hopefully my attempt for an athletic activity to be with Matthew won't reach my besties' radar, but with the teasing looks Andrei kept giving me, I'd say I have one percent chance.

"Are you sure about this?" Matthew asks as he closes the front door behind him.

Nope.

"Of course. I'm absolutely sure about this." I stretched here and there, hoping I'd look like I've done this so many times before.

We walked side by side. I got confused when we didn't go to the car to drive to the gym where we'll supposedly run on a treadmill. When we got on the road, I assumed we were probably going for a run around the neighborhood.

But I don't think we were.

I cleared my throat. "So, we're going to run around the neighborhood?"

"No. I prefer the park."

I nodded. "We're going to walk all the way there? Great. A little warm up."

He smiles. Not his default 'golden-hearted smile' one but the kind that makes his eyes sparkle and his dimple more defined.

Cutest thing ever.

"With whom do you usually, you know, run?"

He shrugged. "Cade. We meet up at the park sometimes."

"Anyone else other than your brother?"

He shakes his head.

Damn.

For a guy who's probably the nicest person alive, he has zero relationships going on other than with his siblings. Even when he mostly spends his philanthropic life abroad being a godsend and everything, there's surely at least one person – not blood-related – he loves to hang out with when he's not out there saving the world with his golden heart. There should be. Otherwise, he must be living a lonely life.

"How about you? Anyone special you exercise with?"

I blink, surprised that I wasn't the only one randomly asking questions. "Oh, I don't think I have anyone. I mean, I don't exercise a lot."

His head leaned to one side. "I never pegged you as someone who runs out of company."

"It's not the lack of company. It's more like a lack of a good company. All the good ones are either married or hanging out with a boyfriend."

He chuckles softly. "I get what you mean."

I smiled. "And I figured some of your good companies are tying the knot?" The words were out before I could think them through.

His eyes darted to the ground and came back up, guarded.

Crap.

I shouldn't have said anything because for one split-second I thought I saw hurt in his face and I want to hug him. "It wasn't easy when Kathie and Audrey tied the knot. I'm not sure if your brothers did me a favor. They took away Martini Fridays. And then there's crying babies and diapers and endless pooping and then crying," I blabbered on and on. Which something I tend to do when under pressure or under enormous guilt. I gulped. "And, uh, did I mention crying?"

His dimple reappeared. "Yeah. Three times, so I'm guessing there was a lot of it," he says with a chuckle, the little flicker of existent/non-existent hurt gone.

Phew.

"Should we start running? I'm gonna take the lead," I gushed. I hastily chuck one foot in front of the other, hoping to save us both from the thoughtless blabbermouth I turned into these days. Matthew caught up immediately which was a little bit of let down because I had a really long head start. How slow was I going?

It makes me think that if Matthew wasn't being polite, I would've been left behind.

Prickles of sweat formed on my forehead. And despite of the slow-paced jog I was in, my calves were starting to sting. Just when I was comforting myself that it was going to be over soon, Matthew stopped. And then when I look up, we were just at the Park's entrance.

Goddamn it.

I looked behind me. It felt like there was at least five miles behind me. But the way I see it, it was even barely a mile.

"There's three different paths in the park. We'll stay in one. Just holler if you ever get tired, okay?" Matthew says without a hint of exhaustion. He looked like the jog toward the park was nothing to him.

I snorted despite of the alarming truth that I would holler for an inhaler soon. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm going to be just fine."

"You sure?"

"Oh, hush. Stop being a cutie." The words were out thoughtlessly. I just hoped that the night made the blush somehow less visible.

A dimple hollowed on his cheek. Matthew Parkinson is grinning at me.

I gulped hard.

Just when I thought Matthew can't be anymore adorable, he goes showing off the cutest grin I've ever seen on a grown man.

Oh, God.

I shake my head. "You know what? I'm gonna start running." Running felt like the most rational way out of the situation. After thirty minutes though, I realized it was one of the million dumb ideas I've had. I'm sweating everywhere – in places I never knew could produce so much sweat! I think there's a fountain of it dripping from my armpits. My calves are screaming in pain and my lungs are probably going to collapse if I take another step. Matthew lapsed me several times and it took every ounce of courage in my body not to call out to him and asked if he could give me a piggyback ride the rest of the way.

Or he can swing me over his shoulder like a sack of potato – I don't care anymore. He can drag me by the foot all he wants I just want the torture to be over. Maybe push the ridiculous thought of asking strangers for inhaler aside.

There are five food trucks lining the park and as I pass by them to do another endless loop, my stomach growls with hunger and my mind whines with frustration knowing I'd probably consume calories much more than what I burned.

"You tired yet?" Matthew came up from behind me, sweaty – a good kind of sweaty. The bastard. I told myself I will never give in to peer pressure, but here I am desperate for an inhaler because of this one dude who has a nice smile.

I fake an enthusiastic thumb up, terrified that a last, dying breath will come out instead if I open my mouth.

Seriously, how am I still standing?

"You want to race this one last loop with me?" He slowed down so we're jogging side by side. I have this inkling suspicion that this guy has a giant motor up his ass.

I gulped. "It's a last loop?"

"Yeah."

"Already?"

He nods. "I feel like walking instead of running. It's a beautiful night."

Oh, thank God!

I was too desperate to be done with the all the running that I just sprinted forward without even hearing the prize to whomever wins. When I finally sped past the food trucks, I dropped my hands to my knees and panted so hard I thought I could breathe in a whole rock through my nose.

"I didn't know you're so competitive."

I hear Matthew's voice from behind me. "Yeah. I could get aggressive than that."

He chuckles. "Noted. I guess you're the winner."

I stood straight up and clasped my hands together. "Music to my ears."

"Winner gets to make the loser pay for whatever she likes."

I gazed over his shoulder, my eyes zeroing in on the food trucks. "Anything?"

"Yep. Come on. Let's get you anything you like." He turns around and walk straight to the food trucks like he's been reading my mind the whole time.

However, as I stared up the menu, blabbering my order like a kid, it didn't matter. For the first time, I felt like a child pointing to "special" fries on the menu board, eager to find out what made it special.

Its scary how easily, smoothly and quickly my friendship with Matthew escalated.

Hey, guys! Oh, man. It's been freakin ages! I'm beyond exhilarated to finally be able to post a chapter. I'm feeling the thrill that I haven't felt in weeks. Gosh, how's everyone? Y'all need to update me even with tiniest, microscopic changes in you sweet lives!

Anyways, vote vote voteeeee if you liked this chapter. Or if you missed me as bad I missed you. Love you!