Sexual Games [The Heroes of Silver Springs 8] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Tonya Ramagos Page A

The record to beat is a minute and nineteen seconds.” He puffed out a hard breath. “The best I’ve done so far is a minute thirty.”
    “You’re just saving the speed for when it matters.”
    “If that’s the case, then you should skunk the female record.” He’d timed Terri and watched her complete the course seconds below the current minute-and-forty-eight time for the female division.
    “Let’s hope so.”
    “The current coed tandem team record is a minute and twenty-six seconds.” He knew he didn’t need to tell her that. They had studied the challenge’s website, as well as the course layout they’d been provided upon their online registrations. They had talked about strategies and carefully decided which of them would be best at completing each of the five events. Despite their differences in gender, they were pretty evenly matched in strength and endurance.
    “We did it in Billings in a minute twenty,” Terri reminded him.
    “Once.” Thaddeus turned and hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his cargo pants.
    “In an enclosed stairwell,” Terri pointed out. “Climbing that tower will be different. It’s open, brighter, wider.”
    “And exposed to all the elements. The building we used for practice in Billings was also only four stories, not five.”
    Terri shrugged and pushed a blonde ringlet out of her eyes. “So you have five seconds to make the extra flight. Look at it this way, if we don’t win, at least we tried. That’s the whole point, right?”
    “Absolutely.” Winning wasn’t the only goal on his mind. Sure, he wanted them to come out on top in all three divisions. He had no doubt they’d come damn close, too. But as far as he was concerned, he’d know the sweet taste of victory the moment he stepped onto the course tomorrow.
    “Will your parents be here? Have you talked to them yet, let them know you’re in town?”
    Thaddeus nodded. “They’ll be here, them and any other member of the Carter clan they can round up. I talked to them this morning. Mom is still giving me shit because I didn’t want to stay at the estate instead of bunking with Jackson.”
    “We could have, you know? Stayed with them, I mean. I wouldn’t have minded.”
    Thaddeus would have. Spending close to a week in the family home with his parents and Terri would have been a bad, bad idea. He glanced at his wristwatch. “I’m thinking it’s time to find some lunch. What about you?”
    “I’m game. I could go for a big, thick, juicy cheeseburger right about now.”
    “Uh uh, you got pizza last night. Today we eat healthy.”
    Terri wrinkled her nose and feigned a pout. The combination of the expression sent him into a fit of laughter.
    “I talked to Jackson before he dashed out of the apartment this morning. There’s a place called the High Noon Café a few streets over from here. I’ve never been there. He said it opened a few months ago. He recommended it highly, said it has fantastic blue plate specials every day.”
    Terri groaned dramatically. “Something tells me I don’t want to know what a blue plate special is.”
    “Well, I do. Besides, the last thing you need is to tank up on carbs before you tackle that thing tomorrow.” He tossed a look behind him at the challenge course and started walking.
    “You know, Vegister. You really have your priorities screwed up. Carbs are supposed to be good for active people.”
    “Carbs loaded with nutrients, yes. The stuff you shovel into your body, no.” He shot her a grin as he reached the car. “And vegetables have carbs. Some just have less than others.”
    “Does Jackson eat at this place a lot?”
    “It sounded like he does from the way he talked. Why?”
    “Just curious.”
    Thaddeus narrowed his eyes. Terri Vega was rarely just curious about anything. “Spill it.” He waited a beat and a thought formed in his mind that had him spinning in front of the car to look at her. “Interested?” He knew he didn’t need to say more. Sure