Free The Marine's E-Mail Order Bride (Heroes of Chance Creek Book 3) by Cora Seton Page B

came in handy when he got mad at us. ‘Five times around the course!’” he mimicked in a fatherly voice. “When we were really in trouble he gave us a time to beat. A really hard time. A few times I ran it for three days straight before I got it.”
    “That’s awful!”
    “That’s what gives you muscles like these,” he retorted and pulled off his shirt. He posed for her. “What do you think?”
    “Apart from the fact you’re an astounding show-off? I don’t know.” She reached out and traced a finger over his bicep. “Those are pretty impressive,” she admitted.
    “I bet you’ve got some pretty impressive muscles, too.” He touched her arm. “Show me.”
    Storm panicked and pulled away. Her muscles were adequate—after all, she’d surfed for years and she did yoga most mornings. They weren’t the muscles of a seasoned mountaineer, though.
    “Come on.” Zane reached out again.
    Storm didn’t know what else to do.
    She launched herself into his arms and kissed him.
    When Storm pulled back, Zane took her hands, unwilling to let her go. “What was that for?”
    She shrugged. “I guess you’re just too sexy for your own good.”
    He liked that idea. “You’re pretty sexy yourself.”
    “Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?”
    “Whatever you want me to,” he confessed with a chuckle. “You’re the one calling the shots here.”
    “Really?” She seemed pleased. “Then I want you to run the obstacle course.”
    “Now?” He had a better idea. He tugged her closer. Storm resisted.
    “I want to see what a Marine can do.”
    He grinned down at her. “I’ll show you what a Marine can do.” He snatched a kiss and was about to do it again when the stiffness in her posture told him it was time to lighten the mood. He strode toward the monkey bars that started the course. “Tell me when to go.”
    Storm got into the spirit of it. “On your mark. Get set. Go!”
    He leaped up to the bars and crossed them in the blink of an eye, hitting the ground running as soon as he was off of them. A few short strides brought him to the climbing wall. He leaped up, grabbed the top and swung his legs up and over. Dropping to the ground on the other side, he heard Storm say, “Wow!” Zane grinned. His plan was working. What woman could resist a man at the peak of his physical prowess?
    As he ran, Storm trailed after him. The exercise felt great after his last few days of relative inactivity. He’d have to make it a practice to come out here in the mornings and start his day with a lap or two—with Storm as an appreciative audience, if not as a participant.
    Although why wouldn’t she be a participant? She was a mountaineer. Wouldn’t she appreciate the chance to exercise and hone her skills? Dressed as she was now in a skirt and sandals, she couldn’t do it today, but he’d have her try it soon.
    As he burst out of the forest at the far end of the course, Storm was there to cheer him on. “Go, Zane! Whooo!” she screamed as he crossed the finish line.
    “Did you like that?” he said when he caught his breath again.
    “I did like that. Good job.”
    “How about we race tomorrow—you and me?”
    Storm’s expression stiffened. “I don’t know…”
    “Why not? You’ll do fine. I’ll give you a head start.”
    “We’ll see.”
    Zane wondered if she didn’t like the idea of competing against him. “Tell you what. Let’s go through the course again. I’ll show you the obstacles one by one. Tomorrow you’ll feel right at home here.” He didn’t wait for her to answer. He led her back to the first one. “I’m sure you know how to do this.”
    “Yes, I know how to do that one,” she agreed and relaxed a little, just as he’d hoped. He went across the bars slowly hand over hand, jumped down again and came to give her a kiss.
    “My brothers and I always thought the monkey bars were too easy. We came up with all kinds of ways to cross them, including walking on top of the bars,