Read Chased for Free Online

close behind her. I make a list in my head since I don’t need to write it down and take a seat at the table, drinking the last of the orange juice from the fridge.
    She’s back five minutes later. When she appears in the kitchen it’s with two cups, not one.
    Damn.
    It’s sweet and I regret having to do this.
    Almost.
    Ariel hands me one of the cups. “Careful, it’s hot. I wasn’t sure what you wanted in it, so I left it...”
    Her voice trails off as I take both cups, pop off the lids, then tip them over the sink, my eyes never leaving hers.
    Then I hand hers back. She peers into the cup, horror crossing her face. When her slate eyes meet mine it’s like I’ve killed her puppy. “There’re three sips in here! What the heck Chase?”
    “Too much caffeine’s bad for running,” I say nonchalantly as I drink the ‘three sips’ left in mine.
    “I suppose you’re going to take three quarters of my donut too?” Ariel pulls it out of the bag I didn’t notice and waves it in front of me. When I reach for it, she tries to jerk it away but I’m too quick.
    “Nope.” I take the whole thing and chuck it in the trash.
    Her jaw is on the floor, and it’s actually pretty entertaining. “What am I going to eat?”
    I hand her a banana from the counter but she’s looking at me like I’ve grown a second head.
    “This is called a fruit. It’ll get you farther than Boston Cream any day of the week.”
    “Want to bet?” 
    “I thought you wanted this, Hastings,” I say easily. And fuck, I may be an asshole but right now I’m loving the way she narrows her eyes at me. It’s hilarious to find a girl who’s this un-picky about her food. Ash won’t even blow me without knowing the calorie count.
    “Chase Owens, you’re the devil,” she mutters.
    I grin. Most girls—hell, all girls—either ignore me or just want me to make them scream. And usually I feel the same way about them.
    But looking at her, teasing her, gives me a warm, protective feeling. I have to admit it’s a first and it feels pretty great.
    “Less talking, more walking, princess. Let’s go,” I say, pushing her toward the door.

 
     
     
     
    We’re running trails again today. I pay attention to everything she’s doing, using a professional eye, not a personal one.
    She shoots me a glance. “You’re looking at me. A lot.”
    “Yeah. I’m trying to figure out what we can fix. Mechanically. We have two weeks, I want to use every trick in the book.”
    Ariel looks back to the trail ahead of her and we continue, her just ahead of me. I’m studying her.
    “Your breathing,” I say suddenly. And just as fast I know I’m right.
    “Huh?” She pulls up, winded, and turns around.
    “It sounds like you’re doing it doggy style in a back alley.”
    Her cheeks are already flushed from the run so it’s impossible to tell if she’s embarrassed. “Is that visual really necessary?”
    “Nah, but it’s fun trying to piss you off. You’re breathing too shallow. Stop.”
    I stand behind her, my hands moving down her sides. “Breathe.” I order. She does. “Open up your chest. You need to get air all the way down here.” I dig my fingers just below her ribs.
    “Why are you so touchy?” Ariel demands over her shoulder.
    “You don’t know how your body works. I do. Breathe.” She does. “Better. Let’s go.”
    We keep going, and she’s trying. But I can tell she’s getting tired.
    “There’s a reward up ahead. Three more minutes.”
    Ariel’s face tightens.
    “You have a running mantra, Hastings? You know, something you say to keep yourself going when it’s hard?” I’m trying to keep her mind off the discomfort.
    “Yeah. Flutter, flutter . Like wings. I like to think my feet are fluttering over the ground. It’s stupid.”
    “I like it.”
    “You have one?”
    I shake my head. “Unless ‘faster, asshole’ counts.”
    She bursts into laughter. It gets us through.
    Minutes later, we make it to a place where the trees