The Billionaire Matchmaker Test (Billionaire Online Dating Service #5) - Elle James Page 0,50
about it.” He grinned. “I started running, and I haven’t stopped.”
“Apparently, it works for you,” Leslie said, practically running to keep up with him. “You look great.”
“Thanks. Are you into running?”
Leslie shrugged. “Not like you are. I work out three times a week, jogging on a track. I go two miles. I learned to swim as a kid, but other than an occasional trip to the lake, I don’t get to do much of that. As for biking…?” She shook her head. “I don’t even own one right now.”
Herman gave her a quick smile. “The nice thing about riding bicycles is that once you learn how, you never forget.”
Leslie chuckled. “That’s good, because I learned when I was in grade school, and I haven’t been on a bike since then.”
They arrived at the base of the domed rock where a variety of boulders in all sizes and shapes lay.
“This is where it gets a little harder,” he said. “Let me know if you need help.”
Leslie nodded. “Thanks.”
They started up the trail.
At the pace Herman was moving, talk was out of the question for Leslie. She tried to keep up but found him waiting at several points along the trail upward.
She’d thought herself in fairly good shape. Ha! By the time she reached the top, she was sweating, not in a pretty, glowing way, but a full-on, gonna-die-soon way.
Herman gripped her arm, a frown denting his brow. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said between heaving breaths. “I just need to sit for a few minutes.”
“Come over here. We can have a drink and munch on our lunch.”
Lunch. Her stomach rumbled amid wanting to throw up. Leslie looked around at the dome-shaped summit, praying for a tree for a little much-needed shade.
What did she expect? Of course, there wasn’t one. Enchanted Rock was a rock. Too tired to care, she dropped where she was and lay flat on her back, dragging air into her lungs.
Herman’s eyebrows drew together as he studied her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Leslie shaded her eyes and stared up at the handsome man, wanting to throat punch him. The bastard hadn’t even broken a sweat and wasn’t breathing hard in the least.
“I’m fine,” she said, though her tone was a little harsh. She closed her eyes and said in a softer voice, “Really. I just need to rest for a moment. I’m not in nearly as good shape as you are.”
“It’s okay,” he said, dropping down to sit beside her. “I don’t always remember that when I’m with others. You should have said something. I would have slowed down.” He slipped the pack off his shoulders and handed her the bottle of water she’d been foresighted enough to bring. “Here, drink. You look like you could use it.”
In other words, she looked like hell. Great first impression. Leslie took the bottle, struggled to sit up and drank half of it down, nearly choking as she did.
“Hey, slow down,” Herman said. He pulled a neatly wrapped granola bar out of his backpack. “You can munch on that for energy.”
“I’d rather wait for lunch.”
He grimaced. “This is lunch. I didn’t think we’d need anything heavy while hiking.”
At that moment, Leslie could have eaten a whole bucket of fried chicken by herself. She sighed and took the offering. Instead of opening it, she uncapped her water bottle and guzzled more of the refreshing, lukewarm water.
When she felt a little more like herself, she looked around at the other hikers walking across the smooth granite summit.
When she glanced back in the direction from which they’d come, she spotted Tag and a pretty brunette coming up over the rise. The brunette was bouncy and smiling, dressed in running shorts, sneakers, a sports bra and a loose tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a long ponytail, and she looked like she was having a great time. Tag was smiling at something she said.
Bitch. Leslie glared at her, an uncontrollable anger burning away at her normally kind and gentle spirit. How could that woman be smiling and bouncing after climbing up that horrible, treacherous trail?
Tag’s gaze swept the top of the rise and found her. His grin turned downward, and a frown settled heavily on his brow. He gripped his date’s elbow and steered her toward Leslie and Herman. “Leslie?” he said. “Is that you?”
She wanted to snap back, Of course, it’s me. You knew I was coming. Instead, she bit back her immediate response and said, “Tag?”