Free More Than Rivals by Mary Whitney

couldn’t do that. Yet he also didn’t want to simply let her leave. He softly kicked the ground for a moment and then was inspired. “We should go for a run some time.”
    She laughed and looked at the sky. “You’re crazy.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Oh, I don’t know…” she said sarcastically.  
    “You know, I play tennis with Charles all the time. We go way back.”
    “Charles plays tennis?” Her brow furrowed. She appeared to be trying to imagine chubby Charles on the tennis court.
    “Yeah. He’s not bad. A little slow.”
    Lily’s eyes darted to his legs, and she shrugged. “Well, I’m sure you’d think I was slow if we ran together.”
    “Doubtful.”
    “You have a longer stride than I do.”
    “I’ll find the right pace. We can talk.”
    “I don’t like to talk when I run,” she said with a chuckle like she knew she was playing him.
    “Good. I don’t actually like to either.”
    “Okay then…” she said with a shy grin. “When are you next up in Sonoma?”
    “I’m in Santa Rosa all day on Wednesday. I was planning on going up the night before.”
    “Then let’s go for a run Tuesday night.”
    “Sounds great. We can figure out the details later.” He smirked as he asked a necessary, but loaded question. “Can I have your number?”
    Her mouth dropped open, but her eyes were knowing. She smiled mischievously, turned around, and headed toward a row of cars. With some sass in her walk, she called over her shoulder, “You can get it from your staff.”

CHAPTER SIX

    On Tuesday, the October night air was brisk as Lily tightened the laces on her running shoes. She glanced at the wrought iron leg of the bench and remembered the last time she sat on that seat—it had been the first time she met Jack. For a moment, she regretted suggesting they meet in front of the coffee shop. When she got his text message asking for a meeting place, it had seemed like a smart suggestion. It was a place he knew, so it required no explanation.  
    But as she sat on the wooden bench, she remembered how she felt flirting with him that night in August. She hoped he didn’t read anything into her offering that same location. Dwelling on the matter, she chided herself. You are thinking about this too much. This is just a friendly run. She redid her ponytail and patted down her stray hair. When she realized what she was doing, she had to question herself. Then why does it feel like a date?
    As she watched Jack walk toward her wearing running shorts and a t-shirt, she took a deep breath. He may have been wearing the appropriate attire for a run with a colleague, but for Lily it felt provocative. Jack was a politician. He was supposed to be permanently clad in a suit and tie, or at a minimum, a button-down and khakis. In shorts and a t-shirt, he showed off the lean, sculpted body of a soccer player—the kind of body she and Jordan would ogle. She decided it was best to avoid looking too far below his neck, or she might be caught checking him out. She told herself one more time. This is not a date.
    “Hey,” he said with a smile. He nodded to the door of the coffee shop. “We’re back at the scene of the crime.”
    “What crime?” she asked, kicking herself again for her choice of locations.
    “I suppose I should say crimes, since we both told some white lies that night.”
    “Haven’t we both reformed our ways?” She smiled.
    “We have.” He chuckled and looked around the empty street. “So where are you taking me?”
    “How far do you want to run?”
    “How about five miles? Any more and I’ll be embarrassed when you leave me in the dust.”
    “Ha! I sincerely doubt that.”
    “That I’ll be embarrassed or that you’ll leave me in the dust?”
    “Both.” She smiled and stood up. “Let’s get going then. We’ll run along the river and then head out down the railroad tracks.”
    “Cool. You lead the way.”
    As the two jogged along, the silence began to bother Lily. She didn’t