Chapter One

Jess glanced to her left. “How are you doing over there, Legs?”

“Fine, Wheels, just fine,” Alex huffed through gritted teeth. “Why? Having trouble keeping up? I could slow down if you need me to.”

“You wish.” Jess gave her chair an extra burst of speed, hands burning in her black leather gloves. Her heart hammered against the inside of her chest and her lungs burned with every breath, but it certainly felt good to be in a competition again since the world shut down over three years ago. And the Run Thru the Rapids 10K was the perfect race to get back into the swing of things, short and sweet.

A lot had changed during the pandemic. Jess had been out of work for over a year. Infinity Books had been forced to close for several months, and even when they reopened, it was only with a skeleton crew. Without any need for the Espresso Book Machine, Jess had been laid off. As fun as her unofficial vacation had been at first, she’d quickly grown bored. She could only watch Doctor Who so many times.

But her woes paled in comparison to what Alex had been through. As an ER doctor, Alex had been on the frontline. For the first six months, she’d lived at the hospital, under quarantine since she worked with COVID patients. The only way Jess had been able to see her was on FaceTime and the occasional glimpse through locked windows. It had taken a toll on Alex, watching patient after patient gasp their last breath alone. Not a moment went by that Jess hadn’t worried Alex herself would become the patient.

That was what made today so special. For the first time since it had all begun, it felt as if they had regained some sense of normalcy. Here she was beside Alex, doing what they both loved.

“What do you want to eat tonight?” Alex’s voice broke her from her deep thoughts.

Jess glanced beside her. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Legs. Here we are in the middle of a 10K run and you’re thinking about your stomach?”

Alex did her best to look nonchalant as she pushed herself to keep pace. “Sure, why not? I thought maybe we could celebrate.”

“Celebrate? Celebrate what? Not keeling over during the race? Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Jess narrowed her eyes, looking for the telltale signs of heat exhaustion—or worse yet, heat stroke. Alex was well known for pushing herself far beyond her limits, so it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if she were loopy from dehydration. But Alex looked fine—no blotchy skin, no lack of sweat, nothing.

Alex flashed her a bright, wide smile. “Never felt better. I’m here with my beautiful, loving, and oh so talented girlfriend—what’s not to celebrate?”

“Hmmm.” Jess slowed up, eyeing Alex skeptically. She was up to something. Jess could tell from the cat-that-ate-the-canary grin plastered across her face. The woman was never good at hiding her feelings. She was even worse at keeping a secret. “I’m not buying it. You’re planning something. I can see it on your face. Now, out with it.”

Alex slapped her hand to her chest, her mouth open in exaggerated shock. “I would never—”

“Cut the crap, Legs. You can’t fool me. You’re even worse at keeping a secret than Jordan.” Jess’s younger sister (by ten months) was notorious for spilling secrets.

“Hey, I’m not that bad, Wheels.” Alex feigned righteous indignation.

Jess couldn’t keep from laughing as she watched Alex’s mock outrage. Even with all her bluster, Jess knew Alex was only joking. This was one of the things that she enjoyed most about their relationship. Though it may not have started out that way, they had reached the point where they could tease without worry of offending.

Alex threw up her arms. “Fine, you win, I’ll tell you. I did have something in mind.”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

With her most salacious grin, Alex leaned in close. “Let’s just say that it’ll require the removal of your gloves.”

Jess’s eyes grew wide. Her face flushed in a way that had nothing to do with running a 10K. There was only one reason she removed her gloves.

“That is, if you can catch me.” With that, Alex took off like a cat doing a victory lap after using the litterbox, quickly leaving Jess behind.

Momentarily stunned, Jess stared after Alex, who cackled with laughter as she pulled away. With a wicked smile, Jess thrust herself forward with a mighty push. She hadn’t seen Alex run this fast before, and this late in a 10K. It was all she could do to pull even with her.

They were on the last kilometer. “You don’t think maybe we should ease up a little, Legs?”

Without looking over, Alex pushed on. “Never!”

“Fine, but don’t blame me when you can’t walk tomorrow.” When Alex got like this, there was no reasoning with her. She clearly had something to prove. The only thing Jess could do was try her best to keep up.

Half a kilometer to go. Alex continued to run full out, her focus straight ahead. Jess’s hands burned as if she’d set her gloves aflame. How Alex was able to keep up this crazy pace was beyond Jess, but she would be damned if she let up now. She pushed harder and harder, her shoulders and arms begging for mercy.

Two hundred meters. The finish line was right up the street. They continued pushing each other, jockeying for position. Sweat streamed down Jess’s face, running into her eyes. Each breath felt like a flame exiting her lungs.

One hundred meters. People lined the sides of the street, cheering them on. Jess barely heard them.

Alex thundered on with a singular determination. “Trouble keeping up, Wheels?”

“You wish! Just try to catch me.” Jess pushed with all her might to stay even with Alex.

Fifty meters. Twenty-five. Ten. They crossed the finish line. As Jess rolled to a stop, Alex dropped to her hands and knees, her head tucked down. Jess spun around. “Oh shit, I’ve killed her.”

Jess rolled up to Alex, who was still huffing deeply. Medical staff ran toward them. “Legs, Legs, talk to me. Come on, Alex, are you okay?” There was a note of panic in her voice.

Alex slowly looked up, a bright smile on her lips. She then took a knee and lifted a small box as Jess struggled to comprehend what was happening. Had Alex completely lost her mind? Had she finally succumbed to heat stroke? Then it dawned on her. Alex on one knee, a small box held aloft. Jess clapped her gloved hands to her mouth.

“Will you?” Alex looked into her eyes expectantly.

“Wha…wha…what?” All Jess could do was stammer as her mind worked to take in the scene in front of her.

“Will you marry me, Wheels?” Alex flipped open the small box.

* * *

A collective hush fell over the crowd. Alex’s pulse thundered in her ears. The moment drew out. She bit her bottom lip. If her legs hadn’t felt like jelly before, they certainly did now.

Jess stared back, her mouth slowly opening and closing.

Alex’s stomach flip-flopped. Why wasn’t Jess saying anything? Oh God, had she read the signs wrong? They’d been together over four years, lived together almost as long. It felt like the time was right, the time was now. Hadn’t they even talked about getting married once everything with the pandemic had settled down? If working at a hospital during the biggest health crisis of her career had taught her anything, it was that life was fleeting. So, if not now, when?

She raised her eyebrows. “Well, what do you say, Wheels? Shall we get hitched?”

Jess smiled, tears running down her cheeks—although if Alex were to point that out, she had no doubt Jess would claim it was sweat from the run. Jess reached out and cradled Alex’s chin in her palm. “Yes, Legs. A thousand times, yes.”

Alex leaped to her feet and pumped both fists into the air. “Woohoo! She said yes!” She shouted at the top of her lungs.

The crowd clapped and hollered. Above it all, Jordan let out a squeal of excitement that carried up and down the block. And before they even had a chance to move, they were besieged.

Jordan threw her arms around her sister and pulled her in tight. “I am so happy for the two of you. It’s about time, too. After all that you have been through, both of you, you deserve happiness.” Her voice grew thicker with each word, and Jordan quickly blotted away her tears.

“Jordan, don’t you dare cry. You’ll make me cry.” Jess hugged her tight.

Jordan’s husband stepped in to lighten the mood. With his big, bear-like voice, he spoke with his usual lighthearted exuberance. “What this occasion needs is a celebration. How about we all meet back at Mom and Dad’s for a barbecue?”

Jordan cleared her throat, her voice still heavy. “My husband, the backyard chef. Any excuse to barbecue.”

“You know it, babe.” Tim leaned in and kissed his wife on the neck below her left ear, making her giggle and squeal like a schoolgirl.

Jess laughed at their antics. Before Alex, she never thought she could have the same. But now, not only did she have a loving girlfriend, but that girlfriend was her fiancée. She smiled. Fiancée. She liked how that sounded. Until Alex, she would never have even hoped to dream. She gave Alex’s hand a gentle squeeze. “So, what do you say, Legs? You up for some barbecue?”

Alex’s stomach growled as if on cue. “Sure thing, Wheels. But only if I get a shower first. I smell like a whipped swamp donkey.”

Jess laughed and eyed her up and down with a fiercely appraising look. “You look like a very cute swamp donkey to me.”

Behind Jess, Jordan made gagging gestures. “You two really are too much. My poor innocent ears.”

“Like you should talk, sis.” Jess playfully slapped Jordan with her gloved hand.

Raucous laughter broke out as Jordan’s face flamed red. She shrugged and gave a sheepish grin. “What can I say?”

Tim tapped his watch, clearing his throat. “We’ll all meet at five. Don’t be late.”

With a quick round of hugs and more congratulations, they said goodbye.

Jess pulled Alex close. “What do you say we go home and I can wash my cute swamp donkey?”

Alex ruffled Jess’s sweaty hair. “Sounds good to me, my love.”

* * *

Alex walked into the bathroom naked after shedding her sweaty running clothes, bare feet clapping on the tile floor. Jess was in her chair, also sans clothing, holding a transfer board and getting ready to slide herself into the shower. Alex rushed forward.

“Hold on, babe, I can help you with that. That is, if you would like me to.” She bit her lower lip, waiting. Jess could be very sensitive about receiving help from others, especially if that help involved anything that might compromise her sense of independence.

Jess looked up at Alex and, seeing the uncertainty on her face, smiled and motioned her forward. “Actually, after a day like today, I wouldn’t mind feeling your big, strong arms around me.”

Alex bent down and carefully scooped Jess into her arms, thoroughly enjoying Jess’s bare skin pressed firmly against hers. She snuck a quick kiss, brushing her lips lightly against Jess’s forehead. Once she’d helped Jess onto the shower stool, she went to step back, but Jess clasped her hands tightly on Alex’s bare bottom, pulling her back in close. Jess nestled her chin into Alex’s little racing stripe of pubic hair and tenderly kissed her along the top of her mons.

Alex tried to pull back, but Jess held tighter. “Oh, Jess, not that I wouldn’t like that very much, but I’m all gross and sweaty.”

Jess looked up into Alex’s eyes, a devilish little grin on her lips. “You’re still sexy and beautiful to me. Maybe I don’t mind.”

“Ewwww. But I do.” Alex wrinkled her nose. “At least let me shower first.”

“Okay, but you better hurry. You know I don’t like to be kept waiting.” Jess made a low sound in the back of her throat, halfway between a purr and a growl.

Alex took a step back in surprise, her eyes googling. “That I do, Jess. That I do.” Jess’s assertiveness had caught her off guard—not that she was going to complain. Even now as she looked into the eyes of the woman she loved, she could see a deep hunger there, causing her own arousal to kick into overdrive. Without wasting any more time, Alex twisted on the shower to a medium cool and fumbled with her favorite lavender-scented body wash, trying not to drop the bottle as her hands trembled.

Jess mirrored Alex’s actions, turning on her own shower to her desired temperature. Alex lathered her body, washing away the heat and grime of the day. She watched as Jess did the same, her face turned up to the soft spray. Built specifically for Jess, the shower boasted dual heads and controls, the second of which were designed for a sitting position. The built-in seat made it easy for Jess to shower independently; however, the room for two came in handy also. The brown earthen tiles reminded Alex of a fancy luxury spa, someplace that doled out thick, fluffy towels with matching monogrammed bathrobes. Of course, the best part was sharing the experience with Jess.

“You’d better hurry up there, Legs.” With her eyes closed, Jess rinsed her hair. “I’m a woman with needs.”

Alex laughed at Jess’s boldness. “Hold your horses, Wheels. Didn’t your mama teach you that good things come to those who wait?” Maybe it was because she had proposed that Jess was feeling extra frisky. Or maybe it was post-race adrenaline. Or maybe just good old-fashioned horniness. Whatever the reason, Alex was beginning to regret agreeing to a family barbecue.

When she finished washing, Jess beckoned Alex closer. “Come here, you sexy woman.” She reached out and took Alex’s hand, tugging her near.

“We don’t have time for this.” The words weren’t easy to say. Alex wanted nothing more than to enjoy a fun tryst in the shower after a long day of running. “Seriously, we’re going to be late.”

“Maybe I don’t care.” Jess bit her lower lip, giving Alex a deeply sultry look. Then with a giggle, she continued. “What are they going to do, start without us? We’re the guests of honor, remember?”

“Still…” Alex was torn. “I don’t know… Won’t they…”

“You doth protest too much, my love,” Jess said cajolingly, slowly turning Alex around until she faced away. She then wrapped her arms around Alex and slid her right hand down over Alex’s taut stomach until her fingers rested over Alex’s center. With deft, strong fingers, she pushed in deeper, slowly increasing the pressure.

Alex gasped. Her legs suddenly felt rubbery, even more than they had after their run. She threw out a hand to stabilize herself. She was completely at Jess’s mercy. She couldn’t move if she had to, not that she wanted to. As Jess began to circle her fingers slowly, Alex moaned, pleasure radiating out as her center engorged. “Oh God, Jess, you don’t know what you’re doing to me.”

“Oh, but I think I do.” With a laugh, Jess patted her strong fingers against Alex’s swollen, throbbing clitoris.

Alex squealed at the explosion of pleasure and nearly fell to her knees. She would have, too, if not for Jess’s strong arms holding her up. She wasn’t sure how much more of this she could take. At the same time, she didn’t want it to end. Jess seemed to know exactly what her body needed. Alex had never had another lover so in tune with her desires. It was almost as if they shared a telepathic bond, an unspoken exchange of sexual give-and-take. Jess increased her pace and Alex bent double, supporting herself against the side of the shower. She drew in quick, short breaths. The sensation was building fast. Any moment now. And then it began, an explosion that radiated out from her center, tingling every part of her body. A deep flush rushed from her small, firm breasts up her neck to her cheeks and forehead. It felt as if she could boil water on her flaming skin. She shuddered, her body still bent in half—once, twice, three times, four—she lost track of how many. She convulsed with pleasure, again and again, her breath growing ragged in her throat, until it began to slowly subside. Finally, she was able to stand upright on her own and turned to face Jess. “That was… That was…”

“Good?” Jess lifted an eyebrow.

“Oh yeah. You can say that again.” Alex nodded vigorously. She took a deep breath and quickly blew it out. “Wow. Now it’s your turn.”

“As much as I would like that, we really should get going or everyone will begin to talk. We don’t want to give Jordan any more reason to speculate on our love life.”

Jordan was always teasing them about their intimacy. Although a bit too nosy for her own good, there was no one who was more fiercely protective of Jess than Jordan, and since Alex came into Jess’s life, Jordan was equally as protective of her. Still, Jordan’s greatest passion seemed to be to make her older sister blush. “You’re probably right there, Jess, but that’s not fair. I really want to return the favor.”

Jess smiled softly. “How about later when we get back home. That way we don’t have to rush.” Her devilish grin returned. “Plus I’ve got a few ideas I wouldn’t mind trying out.”

Alex took a step back. “Really? Do tell.”

Jess merely grinned wider and shook her head. “I don’t think so. It might ruin the surprise.”

“Oh?” Alex’s curiosity was nearly palpable. In the time they’d been together, Jess had become quite a bit more adventurous and less self-conscious. Their first time together, she’d been reluctant to remove her leather gloves. They had certainly grown a lot together over the past few years. It was hard to believe that Jess was the same person as that angry, highly sensitive woman she’d managed to offend the first time they met. “Come on, Wheels. At least give me a hint. You know how I am with secrets.”

Jess laughed and pinched her side. “Yes I do, but as you said earlier, good things come to those who wait.”

Alex grumbled, causing Jess to laugh even harder.

“You’ll survive, Legs, trust me. Now how about we get out of here and go get something to eat?” Jess gave her a salacious wink and lowered her voice. “You’re going to need your strength later. Besides, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back home.”

Alex didn’t need telling twice. She spun around, flipped off the water, and grabbed two fresh towels in one fluid motion. She tossed one towel to Jess. They quickly dried themselves. When Jess finished, Alex leaned forward. “Would you like me to help you again?” She nodded toward Jess’s chair. One thing Alex had learned very early on was to never make assumptions. Just because Jess had let her help her into the shower didn’t mean she desired help getting out.

Jess thought for a brief second. “Sure, I would like that.”

Alex bent forward and Jess threw her arms around Alex’s neck. Making sure she had her feet beneath her, Alex lifted Jess, cradling her legs and naked bum in her arms. Very gently, she stepped out of the shower and lowered Jess into her chair. She gave Jess a kiss on the forehead before standing up straight. “Let’s get a move on. Like you said, the sooner we get there, the sooner we get back home.”