heâd seen her chest. Thatâs pretty extreme, Charl, and to think it wasnât even necessary. Who was she kidding? It wasnât just what heâd said but the shocked, nearly horrified and unaccepting expression that had accompanied it. Pain radiated through her chest as all these thoughts and memories flashed past in less than a second. Think fast! Heâs waiting for a response to his comment. âThat youâre not perfect? I think I already knew that, Doctor, the day you said you didnât like my all-time-favorite chocolate bars.â
He laughed, and she felt good about dismantling the bomb heâd expected to leave her with.
Then, like the fact he was missing part of a leg meant nothing, they forgot about it and ran on, Jackson prodding her along and scooping her away from another zombie attack as they closed in on the last half-kilometer mark. For someone who hadnât trained, sheâd make sure to finish this race if it killed her, rather than let her new running partner down.
âI take it you run a lot,â she said, having to gasp the words since she was so out of breath.
âItâs the best stress reliever I know.â
âHey, Dr. Hilstead, isnât this your second time around?â one of the OR techs called from the crowd on the sidelines as they approached the finish line.
âIâm helping my friend be safe from the zombies,â he shouted back.
âWait, so youâve already finished this race?â
âI ran the ten kilometers.â He looked straight ahead, rather than rub it in with a self-satisfied look.
Yeah, I run five in my sleep. She mocked how she figured what his smug thoughts were about now, though using the last of her quickly disappearing breath. Now sheâd have to finish this race even if she had to crawl over the line, just to save face.
He laughed again, and she was happy a guy whoâd taken a big chance and shown the entire hospital his secret was in such a good mood. She hoped sheâd had something to do with it, too, because she wanted to think the biggest risk heâd taken had been with her reaction. That would make her special, and sheâd passed with flying colors. She hoped so anyway. Was she special?
âGot any steam left?â he asked. âLetâs finish strong.â
She understood the âletâsâ meant âherâ and he wanted her to kick it up for the next several meters. Typical guy. Show him a finish line and heâd have to make a run for it.
She nodded, lying, and pushed into a sprint, well, her version of a sprint anywayâno hint of form, arms nearly flailing and her feet kicking up in a girlie run way behind her. But in her world she finished strong, simply because she finished!
He grinned and grabbed her shoulder again, this time not scaring the life out of her but guiding her to the SAG station for water and a banana. Her knees were wobbly, she gulped for air, and her pulse tore through her chest, but other than that she felt great.
âGood job, Dr. Johnson!â several of the hospital volunteers said in unison.
She wasnât able to speak just yet, so she smiled and sipped some water to prove she was still alive. Jackson stood there grinning at her, his chest hardly moving, only a sheen of exertion on his skin. She, on the other hand, was sweating big fat drops, her sports bra with the ânatural-lookingâ silicone padding nearly sliding out of place. He nabbed a towel from the volunteersâ table and put it around her neck.
âThanks.â She could finally talk.
âYou did great.â
âYou made me.â
âThen Iâm glad I found you.â
Oh, the things she could imagine with that statement. Iâm glad I found you. Wait, heâd been looking for her? Further proof he might be interested, and now that sheâd passed the test, why not go for it? Sheâd finished the run, was now high on
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