Nia stepped out onto the asphalt, swinging her water bottle from her fingertips, her hips moving a little slower than necessary.
"You forgot dinner," Nash said, still panting as he stood.
"I brought water. Dinner is me," she teased, hips swaying just a bit more.
Nash chuckled. "I've been waiting for my dinner for forty-five minutes."
"Beauty has to be earned, Big Idiot," she said, throwing her towel on the bench. She looked him up and down—sweat-soaked shirt clinging to his chest, veins popping on his forearms. Yeah, she was really in for a treat. "I see you've been sweating a lot without me."
"Endurance work," Nash said. "Running until my legs give out."
"Well," Nia smirked, "I'll run until your legs give out."
"You won't last," Nash challenged.
"We'll see."
They lined up at the baseline, side by side. Nash kept a steady, slow pace so she could keep up. She was fast—faster than almost everyone on the roster—and she stayed glued to him for the first ten laps.
