Sam followed him out of the shower. He wrapped a warm towel around her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately. The click of the dressing room door broke their kiss. Stepping back from Sam, Finn felt his heart race as footsteps grew louder the closer they got to the shower room. Sam stared at him, frowning. She reached for him, but he raised his finger to his lips. Shaking her head she called out, “Hello?”
“Toasties! Sam—I made you one—sustenance before the qualies,” Maya’s voice called out. “You still in that shower? There’ll be no hot water left.”
“Just out,” Sam said. Finn reached into the shower and turned off the running water. “I’ll be down in a minute.”She winked suggestively at Finn. He grinned and shook his head to hold back a laugh.
“Tell Finn,” Maya called from the dressing room. “I can’t find him—but he’s probably in his room—and I know how much you’d like to relive that naked moment you guys had a few weeks ago.” She giggled. “And if I were you, I’d take this chance!”
Finn’s eyebrows shot up. He grinned at Sam and dropped his towel. Sam’s eyes immediately lowered to his cock, then, as her face reddened, rose back to his face, then just as quickly she looked away.
“Eh, yeah,” she half stammered. “Thanks for that!”
“See you in the kitchen.” Maya left the dressing room.
Sam turned to Finn, who was standing, in all his naked glory, with his hands on his hips. She stared at his shoulder as if there was nowhere else she could look. “I can explain …”
Finn twirled slowly. “No explanations necessary.”
Sam started laughing. “Finn! Come here!”
“Happy to!” He picked up his towel and wrapped it around his waist.
Sam leaned against him, laying her head on his damp chest. “I, eh, I wasn’t expecting this to happen.”
“Me either.” Finn leaned his chin on her head. “It was …”
“Yeah.” He could feel her smile against him, hear the happiness in her voice. “Well …”
“Well,” he echoed. He ran his hands down her back, settling on her waist. “We’d better get moving, before she comes back to find us.”
“Yeah. Can you imagine the Insta post?”
“There’s that,” he said happily.
“See you downstairs,” Sam said, planting a kiss on his chest.
Finn squeezed her tight. “Downstairs in five.” He let her go and walked to the door. Resting his hand on the handle, he turned back to look at her. She was so beautiful. It was like he’d never seen anything as perfect or wonderful before in his whole life. Not Bernini’s statues, not the Northern Lights rippling across the sky, not the mountains covered in the freshest snow. His heart swelled as she smiled shyly at him, her hair tucked behind her ear and her towel clinging to her curves. He’d never forget this moment,never.
8
Sam
It was dark, the sky filled with stars and the wind nonexistent. Down near the base of the competition slope, sponsor banners barely moved, and the crowds gathered. Livigno’s snowy peaks were shadowy silhouettes against the brightly lit terrain, the snow sparkling under the floodlights. Sam stood at the top of the slope, holding her board tightly. With a sigh she smoothed down theOhanasticker her mom had given her years ago after a family holiday. She didn’t care that it was meant for a surfboard—it was the meaning that she loved. Now it was fading, scratched and the edges were curled. Sam pressed down again on the sticker, willing it to stay on. She’d peeled it off every old board and set it on every new one. It had survived snowstorms, competitions, and tears. But there was no way she could compete without it. She kissed two fingers and touched the sticker, praying it wouldn’t come off. She needed it.
“Sam!” Her dad stalked over to her. His voice was low but sharp as his eyes flickered over the sticker. “Get it together. You look like you’ve never seen a slope before.”
“Okay,” Sam snapped. “I’m with it. Ugh.” She struggled with her goggles and her helmet.
“You’re not.” Jake fixed her with a hard stare. “You haven’t been with it since we got here. This isn’t some backcountry practice run, Sam. It’s the damn Olympics.”
“I know what it is.” Sam’s tone cracked sharper than she intended.
“Then act like it,” Jake said. “You can’t let your mind wander—not now. This isn’t a season—it’s your career.”
The words hit like icy water, but Sam didn’t flinch. Jake continued. He stepped toward her. “You were made for this, Sam. Don’t throw it away because you’re too stubborn to talk to me.”
Sam kept her eyes on the slope. “You know what day today is?”
His silence stretched.
