“Come on, Elle! You’re too slow!”
Liam’s laughter carried down the trail as he jogged ahead, his hand holding mine just tightly enough to pull me along.
I tried to catch my breath, but my chest was already aching—not from running, but from how easy he made it look. How easy he always made us feel.
“Wait!” I called, laughing despite myself. “Not all of us are marathon runners!”
He slowed just enough for me to catch up, then leaned in close, grinning. “Fine. But only because I don’t want you blaming me when you collapse in the middle of nowhere.”
His eyes sparkled like they always did when he teased me. That boyish charm had been my undoing since forever.
The lake came into view, still and glittering under the afternoon sun. Liam spread his arms wide. “See? Worth it.”
And God, he was
