Closer by Morning by Thom Collins Page A

but he was happy enough to run beside him, to share his quiet company. A couple of times Dale deliberately hung back so he could take a peek at Matt’s bodacious butt as he ran uphill. Sneaky, but he didn’t feel bad about it, not when he could look at an ass like that.
    At one point, Matt glanced behind and caught him staring. There was a moment of uncertainty and Dale was convinced he’d got it so wrong. Then Matt cracked a broad smile and, with a conspiratorial look, kept running. The smile was infectious.
    God, he is beautiful. Sexy too.
    There could be no doubt now. Not after a look like that. Annabel was just a colleague after all. Matt was definitely interested in him.
    Wasn’t he?
    Self-doubt lingered. Dale just didn’t have it in him to make the first move. Not under circumstances like this.
    Exhausted and elated, they made it to the end of the course. Dale’s heart pounded inside his chest. That had been some workout.
    Annabel looked far less composed than when she’d started. Her blonde hair had gone to hell, clinging to her face and neck in sweaty strands. Her makeup was a lot more resistant—lips, eyes, powder were all still perfect.
    As much as Dale wanted to hang around and talk to Matt, there just wasn’t time. He was pushing it even coming here this morning. They needed him on set and in costume by eight.
    â€œAre you going for the triple session?” he asked, as they headed back to their cars. “See you Friday?”
    Matt’s brown eyes sparkled in the gray light. “We’re on a roll. Wouldn’t miss it.”
    Annabel watched them both with a huge shit-eating grin on her face. Whatever she thought she knew or suspected, he didn’t have the time or the interest to find out.
    â€œGot to go,” he said reluctantly. Annabel was spoiling his plans just by being here. Today he’d intended to find out more about Matt, with a little probing, disguised as small talk. No chance of that with her looming over their shoulders, alert to every word.
    Dale headed to his car, feeling less euphoric than he had after his first session. Never mind, there’s always Friday . Maybe Annabel would fail to drag her ass out of bed again.
    As he started the engine there was a tap at the window. It was Matt.
    Delighted, Dale opened the window. Matt smiled uncertainly and handed him a business card. Matt Blyth—Solicitor it read.
    â€œI wanted to give you this. My contact details are all on there. Office, mobile, email. I thought you might like to stay in touch. I don’t know… We could do a training session together. You know, away from the group.”
    Dale looked from the card to Matt’s lovely face. “A training session?”
    â€œIt doesn’t have to be.” Suddenly Matt was blushing. “We could go for a run or a drink. If you want to keep in touch that is.”
    â€œOh, I do.” Dale beamed. “I really do. How about I call you later?”
    â€œGreat. I’ll look forward to it.”
    ****
    Annabel came into Matt’s office in a flurry of excitement as he prepared his files for court. She looked remarkable, given that less than two hours before she had been gasping her way up and down the hills. She wore a pale gray trouser suit with a cream silk blouse. Her hair had been washed and straightened and her makeup was fresh and businesslike. She was a remarkable woman, never seen looking anything less than her best.
    Dramatically, she threw a copy of the local newspaper The Echo onto his desk and pulled out a chair. The entire front page was dedicated to the murder of Olly Raymond, the young man pulled from the river on Monday. The story was the main headline on the news again that morning. Police were reluctant to connect the killing to that of Conner Welsh two weeks earlier but social media moved faster than any police conference, and the public had already linked the two.
    â€œI knew there was something