Truce or Dare (Sweet Fortuity Book 1) by Rica Grayson Page B

myself. I almost immediately felt better.

    * * *

    “Why are you up so early anyway?” I asked, locking the door. He came in just under ten minutes. I was kind of impressed. “You like your sleep.”
    This was Chase. He loved his sleep nearly as much as he loved food.
    His grin made my stomach flip. “I like you safe more.”
    Smooth. I rolled my eyes.
    “I’ll be fine. I’m sure you have other–”
    “You got all you need?” he continued, ignoring me.
    Ugh. He wasn’t listening.
    “Yeah.”
    We stretched our arms as we walked to warm up.
    He kept up with me, which was no surprise. We both liked keeping ourselves fit, among other things. A little jolt of surprise went through me as I realized we’ve never really ran together. I was a morning runner, while he liked to do it just before sunset.
    “You don’t have to wake up early on my account,” I said. “I can find a running partner. It was just kind of late notice.”
    He only looked more amused. “It bothers you that much, running with me?”
    He was starting to get on my nerves, and I hadn’t even spent five minutes with him.
    “It doesn’t bother me exactly,” I mumbled, finding myself a little defensive.
    “Hmm.”
    He didn’t believe me. I kept running a bit further, as if I had something to prove.
    Chase didn’t disappoint. He went right along with me, matching my pace, and he didn’t even look winded.
    I slowed down to a walk after an hour. “I’m hungry,” I said all of a sudden.
    “Bacon and eggs?” he offered.
    Heck, why not? We were both hungry.

    * * *

    It was pretty quiet, but not awkward like I expected. It was like we’d both developed an understanding, both afraid to speak and rattle our fragile relationship.
    As I was finished eating, I saw that he pushed another piece of bread on my plate. I smacked his hand away, but I was too late.
    “I’m not–”
    “Yes, you’re not eating nearly enough,” he said smoothly.
    Argh.
    “I eat just fine.”
    Five minutes later, his phone rang.

    “I gotta go,” he told me when his phone call ended.
    “Oh.” Why was that one word loaded with disappointment? I hated that I heard it in my voice.
    His eyes warmed as he told me, “Let me know whenever you need a running partner.”
    Maybe I was going crazy, because I was tempted to take him up on his offer.

    * * *
    I didn’t understand . We had perfectly good weather this morning. Then it decides to do this.
    I didn’t mind the dark. But I was alone, in a large house, with the power knocked out. So I was alone, it was dark, and it was like the wind threatened to break the windows. I was also convinced there was a ghost out to get me, hiding in the space between the curtains and the windows.
    I was terrified.
    Kate didn’t answer.
    Sierra lived a bit further, Eva even further from me. To call or not to call?
    My finger hovered on my contact in the list, just before Eva.
    I saw the flash of lightning again, and the thunder made me jump. And I accidentally pressed his name.
    Shit.
    No, no, no.
    I canceled, panicking. Seconds later, his name blinked on my phone screen, calling me.
    I answered. “Chase,” I said, sounding a little breathless.
    “Sherr,” he said, his deep voice washing over me. “Something wrong?”
    “I– It’s nothing.” Even to my own ears, my voice sounded strained. “I didn’t mean to call.”
    He clued in to my state. “Where’s Haley? Are you alone?”
    “She’s on the night shift today. Paula went to visit her aunt, she’ll be back tomorrow.”
    “I’ll come over.” It surprised me, the offer, and the way he made it without hesitation.
    “Oh no. No. No, you don’t need–”
    “I won’t be long. Just came back from Wes’.”
    “Chase. That’s not–”
    “I’ll see you.”
    He hung up. That was the second time he ended the call before I gave him a piece of my mind. Argh.

    * * *
    T here was a knock on the door– two successive raps. I ran to it in a rush, and peeked in the hole.