Chapter 51 Running Wild (1)

• The sun blazed down on the track field, a relentless heat that kissed my skin and left it glistening with sweat. My breaths came in sharp, rhythmic gasps as I pushed through my last lap, the rubbery bounce of the track beneath my sneakers urging me forward. I could feel every muscle in my body working, flexing, straining—my calves tight, my thighs burning, my core pulling me upright even as exhaustion clawed at me. My tight training wear hugged me like a second skin, the black spandex shorts riding high on my hips, the matching sports bra clinging to my chest, damp with the effort of the run. The fabric was soaked, outlining every curve, every dip, and I knew if anyone was watching, they’d see it all—the way my breasts heaved with each breath, the way my ass flexed as I powered through the final stretch.
• I slowed to a jog, then a walk, my hands on my hips as I tipped my head back. My ponytail swung heavy behind me, strands of dark hair sticking to my shoulders and back. The field was quiet today, just me and the endless stretch of red track, the faint hum of cicadas buzzing in the distance. I loved this—the solitude, the ache in my body that told me I’d pushed it to the edge. It made me feel alive, electric, like every nerve was buzzing under my skin.
• I stopped near the benches, bending over to stretch, my fingers brushing the ground as I felt the pull in my hamstrings. My shorts crept up higher, the tight fabric digging into my thighs, and I could feel the dampness between my legs—not just from the heat, but from something else. Something primal. Running always did this to me—left me raw, needy, like all that pent-up energy had nowhere to go but there. I straightened up, wiping a hand across my forehead, and caught my reflection in the water bottle I’d left on the bench. My cheeks were flushed, my lips parted, my brown eyes dark and wild. I looked like I’d just stepped out of something forbidden, and damn if that didn’t send a thrill racing down my spine.