Read In the Fast Lane (Fast Series Book 1) for Free Online

the screen. He followed her eyes to the food and grinned. “What?” he asked innocently.
    “Oh, you know what. You are not supposed to have that stuff in here!”
    “Jessi, coaches have been sneaking food in since the center was opened. I once caught Coach Burt and his buddies killing three different kinds of deep dish pizza.” He paused and tilted his head. “Although, I think that was part of Burt’s sick and twisted coaching style. He enjoyed making cocky swimmers suffer.”
    “Speaking of Burt,” Jessi huffed, “You seem to be following in his footsteps nicely.”
    Dalton snorted. “I wouldn’t say that, but I’m trying.” He smiled.
    Dalton’s eyes were still as unnerving as they had been eight years ago. Framed by dark brown curls, they stood out like beautiful, light blue jewels. The rest of him looked good too, unfortunately. He was still fit as ever, fatty breakfast foods notwithstanding, the ass.
    Jessi chided herself once again for being in any way attracted to this man. He was trouble for her, through and through. But his eyes told a rough and hard story, and it was a story she’d always been a sucker for.
    “Jessi, seriously. I’m trying to be a good coach here. I’m sorry for the past, and believe me, I wish it wouldn’t have happened. I really do want to get you where you need to be. So...” Dalton sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Take it for what it’s worth.”
    Jessi cocked her head. “Why is that, Dalton?”
    He looked confused. “Why is what?”
    “Why, after all these years of being blessedly absent from U.S. Swimming, have you so graciously returned, and to help me win, no less? I find that odd.”
    He glared down at her. “What does it matter, as long as you win?”
    She shrugged. “You’ve got a point. I guess it really doesn’t matter much to me. I’m just curious.”
    “Yes. I remember that about you,” he said dryly. He reached over and gave her a friendly pat on the back.
    Jessi glared at him. They weren’t getting all buddy-buddy here. Dalton needed to keep his hands to himself. “All right. I’m done talking about the past. I can’t say that I like you, Dalton McKinney, but I really do want to win. Badly. If you can make that happen, then I’ll play along.”
    A line ran between Dalton’s furrowed brows. She was happy to see that, at least in private, he was affected by her, because she was certainly affected by him.
    That touch, however small, reminded Jessi that it wasn’t just the boy she’d been in love with that she’d lost in Brazil. She had lost a friend, too. And they had been amazing friends.
    Thoughts of affection abruptly ended as he grabbed his sandwich, took a huge bite, closed his eyes in what could only be described as deep satisfaction, and started the tape.
    “You really are an ass, you know that?”
    “Hey, I left the lights on for you.”
    “Only so I could watch you eat.”
    He grinned and shrugged.
    “Dalton?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Every time I’ve ever said that I hated you, I meant it.”
    “Oh, don’t I know it.” He said with a grin full of greasy sunrise sandwich.
    With that said and done, they went to the tedious and depressing work of figuring out what was wrong with her butterfly.
     

     
    “Right here. That’s where I start to lose it.” Jessi was leaning forward, pointing at the screen.
    Dalton rewound the footage to get a good look. “Yep. See, you’re pulling too hard at the start of the race. I know you’re trying to distance yourself so you’ll have time at the end to slow down, but it’s not going to work in Canada. Your shoulder’s just not strong enough to hold them off or get the kind of distance you’re going to need. Kristen VanEmmerick is going to catch you quick.”
    “No, she won’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love that girl, but she is more ready for retirement than I am.”
    “Don’t underestimate her, Jessi. The woman can swim.”
    “So can I.”
    Dalton threw his