Part 3 (1/2)

Derek moved to the front of the group and took the clipboard from Louis, surveying them like a gym teacher facing the scrawny freshman cla.s.s.

'I don't care what you think your talents are. Consider yourselves underprepared, inept, and not even close to being ready for what you're about to face. As soon as you realize that, you might just survive this.'

Oh, please. He was taking this way too seriously. It was just a game. How hard could it be? It was just a game. How hard could it be?

'We'll start with a skirmish in teams of two. You'll be running the length of the island, and we'll do it in sets. Team One will consist of Gina, Trace, Ryder, Jake, Olivia, and Shay. Dalton, Linc, Mandy, Rafe, Punk, Rico, you'll be Team Two, so you can take a seat. We'll run you later.'

Of course. Why didn't it surprise her that the group who hung with him wasn't running with them?

He then split them up into smaller groups, Gina paired with Trace.

'I'll be waiting here at the finish line, but there will be others running with you to check your progress throughout.'

'Wait a minute,' Gina said. 'You're not running?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Because I'm not partic.i.p.ating in the games. You are.'

'But you're supposed to be coaching us, drilling us. I'd think you'd run with us.'

He rolled his eyes and stepped up to her. 'I'd outrun you.'

'Wanna bet?' She didn't know why she challenged him. Maybe to see what he had? For some reason she was disappointed he wasn't going to be joining them.

He stared her down for a few minutes, then said, 'Olivia will race with Trace and Shay. Jake and Ryder on another team.'

Oh, yeah. Now he was talking.

'Can you handle it?' he asked, challenge lacing his voice with sarcasm.

Her adrenaline levels shot up and she was primed and ready for a fight. Her nipples hardened, her panties moistened, and despite what her body thought it wanted, it was going to get something entirely different. A libido-crus.h.i.+ng, ball-busting skirmish in the sand.

'I can handle anything you've got. Let's get it on.'

Chapter Three.

D erek could have winced at Gina's choice of words, his body reacting with a jolt of awareness that had nothing to do with brawling and everything to do with clothes-ripping, no-holds-barred s.e.x. erek could have winced at Gina's choice of words, his body reacting with a jolt of awareness that had nothing to do with brawling and everything to do with clothes-ripping, no-holds-barred s.e.x.

'You gonna stand there all day with that s.h.i.+t-eating grin on your face, or are we going to dance?' she asked, an amused smile on her face.

Dance. Yeah, he'd like to dance with her, all right.

He turned to them and said, 'First we run. The length of the island and back. Then after I wear you out, we'll see what you've got left. What I want everyone to do is run side by side with the team member I a.s.signed you to. Don't run any faster than your partner. If they slow, then you slow. If your partner speeds up, then you'd better keep pace. The idea is to keep up with your partners, but don't exhaust them if you're a little faster. You don't want to run your team member into the ground, but you don't want to cut them too much slack, either. Play off each other's strengths but be mindful of weaknesses. Compensate for each other. You have ten minutes to warm up. Then line up at the starting point over there.' He pointed.

He almost laughed at the way they scrambled to the ground to stretch. When he turned to look at Gina, she had a wide smile on her face as she a.s.sessed his body.

'What?' he asked.

'Well, I know I'm in shape. But judging from the cigars you like to suck on and the way you inhaled those beers on the boat, I'd say you'll have a pretty tough time keeping up. And you look like you carry about two-twenty, two-twenty-five on six foot three or so, which means I can't pick you up or drag you.'

The woman was b.a.l.l.sy, he gave her that. 'You think I can't keep up with you?'

'Yeah.'

He laughed. 'Try me.'

'I intend to.'

She was a smart-a.s.s. He really liked smart-a.s.s women. 'Bet?'

'How much?'

'Baby, it's a guarantee I can't put up the money you can. I'm not a movie star. So it'll have to be something else.'

She rested her hands on her hips and thrust her b.r.e.a.s.t.s out. She d.a.m.n well did that on purpose! It worked, too. His d.i.c.k twitched.

Down, boy.

'Name it,' she said.

He couldn't help but think about exactly what he'd want for a prize. Gina underneath him, naked, their bodies entwined, their mouths meeting and tongues mes.h.i.+ng in a hot tangle. Instead, he said, 'How about winner calls?'

'Fine,' she said. 'If I win, you toss those smelly cigars in the nearest trash.' To emphasize her point, she jammed her finger in his chest and punctuated her statement. 'Every single one of them.'

d.a.m.n. Then again, he had no intention of losing. 'You got it. And if I win, you start out the game fifty points behind.'

She shrugged. 'Since I don't intend to come in second, that's almost too easy. You've got yourself a bet. Prepare to kiss your stogies good-bye.' She held out her hand and he slapped his hand in hers.

Good girl. She hadn't even flinched. But she was still going to lose. 'Prepare to start the game with points in the hole, Miss Bliss.' Easiest bet he ever made. He had stamina and plenty of it, enough to hold his own.

Her eyes sparkled like sunlit sapphires. 'In an hour I'll be dragging your sorry a.s.s across the finish line.'

While she stretched, he made sure everyone else was ready, then they set up at the marker Louis had prepared. Lou shook his head. 'Do you really have time for these childish games?'

'Just a way to stay in shape.'

'If you say so.'

They lined up into position and Lou fired the gun to set them off. Derek set the pace, though it seemed even in this Gina wanted to compete with him, running a bit ahead. Let her exhaust herself. He'd already marked the length of the island and knew how long it was. No way was he going to blow his wad on the front end. Besides, she had to stay in line with him and it p.i.s.sed her off they were running behind the others.

She needed to learn patience in this game.

Olivia, Shay, and Trace had the lead. Jake and Ryder were in second place, with him and Gina in last. And she was steaming mad. He grinned and slowed the pace even further, figuring he knew exactly what the other groups were capable of.