Brynn

Chapter 3

Brynn
• • •

With Brooks strapped in his stroller the two of us tag along with Ryan for her morning run through the park across the street from our building. Ryan runs for therapeutic reasons, it was a coping mechanism she learned about in rehab. I run because I love it. The smell of the cool morning air, the way my heart rate increases the longer I go, the feeling of the muscles in my legs as they flex when they hit the ground.

I always feel better after a run, it keeps me in shape and helps relieve any stress I'm feeling. I guess it's therapeutic for me too. Brooks enjoys it as well, he thinks it's a fun game and lets out a little giggle whenever we make a turn. He loves when we pass people in the park, especially if they have kids or a dog.

After jogging for fifteen minutes we stop and take a break. I grab my water bottle from the stroller and take a long drink, chugging half of its contents in one go. I guess I was thirstier than I realized.

"B, look! It's ice cream." Ryan gushes as a woman and a little boy walk by with ice cream cones in their hands.

The little boy looks to be four or five, the vanilla ice cream slowly dripping down his little fingers but he doesn't seem to mind as he laps it up with a smile on his face.

Ryan grabs the stroller and guides it around the corner toward the ice cream stand we pass every time we go on this trail. I may have no self control when it comes to guys but Ryan has no self control when it comes to food. Seth literally stares at her while she eats, nearly drooling as she indulges her every craving without a care in the world. He says the way she acts like every bite that goes into her mouth is the best thing she's ever tasted turns him on, but pretty much everything Ryan does turns Seth on.

I sit my water bottle on the ground and bend over to stretch a little so my muscles don't get tight while I wait for Ryan to get her ice cream. I sigh into the stretch, hanging there for a moment and then BAM, something runs right into my butt and I barely catch myself with my hands so I don't eat the pavement.

Two hands grip my sides and I laugh at the sensation. My arms give out under the tickling and I fall forward onto my stomach. I roll over onto my back, smoothing my hair away as I stare up at the guy looming above me.

"Sorry, I'm ticklish." I say and then my eyes widen as he leans toward me and I can finally see his face without the glare of the sun blocking it.

    Taylor chuckles and offers me a hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to mow you down like that."

I take his hand and he pulls me up from the ground in an effortless tug that leaves me a little breathless.

"We have to stop meeting like this." I laugh as I dust my leggings off.

He gives me a big smile. "We really do. I'm sorry for knocking you down. I was jogging and I glanced over my shoulder because I thought someone said my name and then there you were, ass in the air."

"It's okay, I'm fine." I reply, my eyes skirting down his body.

He looks damn good in his tight, short sleeve compression shirt and running shorts. His hair is damp and falling in his face, sweat beading on his forehead. His arms and legs are very defined and I can only imagine what the rest of him looks like. Judging by the way he's built I'm guessing he works out quite often, I wouldn't mind becoming a new addition to his exercise routine.

No! Bad Brynn, I mentally scold myself.

"You should give me your number so we can hang out. Your man is welcome to come too." He suggests.

I bite my lip, contemplating his offer. It wouldn't hurt to give him my number. I don't actually have to hang out with him if I ultimately decide that I can't control myself around him.