“Of course.”
“Perfect.”
She tied her shoes and pushed to her feet. On her way out the door, she paused and grinned up at him. “You’re not going to ask me to look at those reports, are you?”
She was so close, he hadn’t understood a word she’d said. He was too busy looking at the gold flecks in her dark eyes, the trio of dark freckles along her jaw, the fullness of her lips… “Huh?”
“Never mind. I’ll look at them after I run this crazy day out of my system. You don’t even have to ask.”
Julia did run most of the stress from her body, though doubt and fear lingered, as well as one healthy dose of lust. She was starting to understand Drake’s comment about Noah’s charisma—because she hadn’t been able to get the man out of her mind during her run. Or while she’d showered. And now, in yoga pants and a thin, long-sleeved T-shirt, all her wayward thoughts about Noah’s hot body and smart mouth made her crave the sexual attention she’d forgone for quite some time.
Her stomach growled as she pulled on fresh socks, so she ventured out of her cocoon and went in search of food. Noah’s voice came from the big living room at the front of the house, where he paced the room while talking on the phone. She shot him a salute on her way past, and the gesture made him smile.
“What? Yeah, I’m here,” he said into the phone. “Go ahead and book it. Just pass the flight dates by Drake first, would you? He’s got my latest schedule.”
She glanced at the manila envelope, the contents—paper reports and two CDs—now lying on top. Admittedly, she was curious to see what the tests had shown. She wouldn’t stay and defraud Epic of their money, but she could consult Drake on the best plan of action for Noah. She understood the man’s stress. Understood how the pressure from deep pockets could sway a person to do things they wouldn’t do under normal conditions.
Right now, Noah was thinking with his wallet. If he were thinking with his heart, he’d take the time off required to heal fully before going back to the Games. But professional athletes didn’t often get those luxuries. They were driven from both inside and outside forces. And, too often, Julia could only stand by while their lives were slowly crushed in the vise. Once upon a time, she’d experienced it herself—certainly not something she wanted to live through again.
Pulling open the fridge, she scoured the measly contents.
“Catch you later,” Noah said into the phone as he came around behind her and disconnected from his call. She glanced over her shoulder as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the counter, his gaze sliding down her body and holding on her ass. “Don’t let me interrupt. There might be something cardboard-like on the bottom shelf waaaay in the back.”
“I’ll pass. It’s probably moldy cardboard.” She straightened and turned. “Where are you going?” When he gave her a confused look, she nodded to the phone he’d laid on the island.
“Oh. North Carolina. Just a charity thing. It’ll only be a couple of days and after the Games.”
“The charity funded by Treasure Hunt?”
“Yeah. Do you really eat only organic?”
“No.” She laughed the word. “I’d starve half the time. This country has a very inorganic food supply, and I’m too busy to stay strict. I’m a believer in moderation—as long as I’m not healing. If I’m under the weather or have an injury, then I’m strictly organic, no sugar, no alcohol. But when I’m healthy, I balance.”
“Are you healthy now?” he asked.
“Picture-perfect.”
His lips quirked on one side. “I’ll say.” He tipped his head toward another room off the kitchen, a smaller, cozier space that framed the gorgeous view of the lake, along with a fireplace that held a storybook fire in the hearth, and a sofa that looked as soft as a cloud, with a sleek blanket laid out as if waiting for someone. “Go relax. I’ll bring you something that’s sure to turn this day around.”
She gave him a dubious look, then wandered into the room, where the fire had the space perfectly toasty. “Any news on the storm?”
“Supposed to get eighteen inches overnight. God,” he said on an indrawn breath, his voice dripping with desire. “Gives me wood just thinking about it.”
Julia laughed. “I’ll bet.” But thinking about his wood was not where her mind should be. So she forced her thoughts back to ordinary subjects and remembered the weird setup in his gym, which she could only explain as a huge trampoline surrounded by workout mats. But the description didn’t do the complexity of the structure justice. “What’s that trampoline-like thing in your gym?”
“It’s a…well… I guess it’s a cool trampoline-like thing.”
She rolled her eyes. Glassware clinked in the kitchen, and she strolled to the window to soak in the view. Snowdrifts came in waves, clearing a glimpse of the lake here and there. “This is like a life-size snow globe.”
His laugh drifted in from the kitchen. “Riding in it is like living in the snow globe.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Boarding? Like I’d miss my leg if I lost it.”
A pang of guilt tightened her chest. Yes, she’d been honest—avascular necrosis was a very real danger with this type of injury, especially considering the condition of his leg and his history of spotty therapy. But the stress in her own life had caused at least half the problems they’d had today. She used to have the patience of Job with athletes. Now…
“I use the trampoline setup to practice my aerial moves.” His words were punctuated by a soft ding and followed by the spray of an aerosol can. A minute later, he came into the room with two big mugs topped with whipped cream, the small white triangles sprinkled with something dark—cinnamon, by the spicy scent drifting from the kitchen.