“It’s okay to want things,” Charlie said hesitantly.
“I know that.”
Charlie reached out to caress her face as she had earlier. “Is it so wrong to want this? With me?”
“It’s notwrong.” Olive struggled to find the right way to phrase it. It wasn’t about Charlie, it was about Olive. She had too many responsibilities at home. A family dependent on her. A career she did not want to lose; one that afforded her with verylittle free time, and even less time to have any sort of meaningful relationship.
Olive exhaled, stopping her thought spiral. It wasn’t as if Charlie had said that she wanted a relationship, but hockey players looking just for someone to fuck did not look at you the way Charlie was looking at her. Olive eventually settled on, “I don’t have time to get involved with someone right now.”
“It seems like you’ve had plenty of time,” Charlie countered back, her words not feeling like the argument it could be. Her tone was resigned.
“I’m on vacation,” Olive finally said.
“Okay, then I can be your vacation fling. You can at least want that, right?”
Olive nodded, though the logical part of her was telling her to step away, to pull the plug on this before it got any more messy. She was trying hard to ignore her heart, which was telling her to agree to more. To agree on a plan of action in their home country. On a plan to be there at more games, in the jersey Charlie had wanted to give her.
Olive silenced her brain with another kiss, and Charlie was more than happy to let her take charge again. After, they cleaned up and threw on the flimsy hotel robes before laying down on Charlie’s tiny twin bed. It was dark outside, and Charlie curled up in Olive’s arms. Despite their somewhat tense conversation earlier, Olive was fully relaxed. Multiple orgasms would do that to anyone, she supposed.
She didn’t know why she was making it so difficult for herself. It was likely a defense mechanism, a push to keep everyone at bay. She was so used to running on 100% at all times that she didn’t know how to let anyone in, not in a meaningful way.
It was probably why the Natalia broke up with her. The ex had wanted more, but Olive was never ready for it, she could not promise her anything other than the occasional date. This trip was meant to be a chance for them to reconnect and go further… and look where it landed Olive.
She looked down at Charlie, who was now peacefully asleep, and she exhaled slowly. It wasn’t a bad place to be, but Olive still wasn’t quite sure if this was a potential disaster, destined for implosion any day now.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
CHARLIE
The light comingin from the window next to her bed woke her up, and she groaned and burrowed further into the warmth around her. It was the second time she had woken up in Olive’s arms, and she was no less awed by it than the first.
Charlie opened her eyes slowly and did her best not to move too much. Olive didn’t seem to be awake yet, and Charlie studied her face. It was hard to reconcile the peaceful woman here with the firecracker that Charlie recognized her to be. She was getting entirely too comfortable with having her around, but she knew that it was not a guarantee that this would continue once Olive was back home with the usual consequences of fucking someone on the regular. Though they could theoretically make plans for the future, it seemed that anything beyond the two weeks here was in another realm, another universe that Olive did not dare approach, no matter how much Charlie tried to get her to.
If this was in a TV show, Charlie would probably want to reach in and slap herself for how much power she was willing to give Olive over her.
But there was a part of Charlie that liked it.
On the ice and in her normal life, Charlie was in control. She was the best, and she had to be. But with Olive, Charlie could be herself.
And she didn’t quite want that feeling to go away yet.
Charlie kissed Olive’s cheek, then gently detangled herself out of bed. She looked at the floor around them, doing her best not to tsk at the mess of discarded clothes. She’d have to give Olive something to wear. Well, she could wear her own clothes, but Charliewantedto give her hers. Wanted to see her in them. Maybe she really wasn’t any better than all the other hockey players she made fun of over the years who would fawn over their dates wearing their jerseys and hoodies.
Charlie quickly gathered all her clothes and threw them in the laundry side of her suitcase, before gathering Olive’s clothes and using one of the many sponsor-provided bags to pack up hers. She managed to find her favourite Toronto Succubi hoodie, which she folded neatly and placed next to the bag.
Charlie grabbed her usual hat & team-branded merch and changed in the washroom before stepping out of the hotel room, quietly closing the door behind her. She had to leave her phone behind to charge, and she practically sprinted to the cafeteria to grab breakfast for them both. She filled her tray with more food than was reasonable for one person, even an athlete. The cafeteria employees said nothing, likely used to the varied portions here in the Olympic Village.
When Charlie reached the end of the line, she used the to-go containers there to pack up all the various pastries before shoving them, and several juice and hydration drinks, into the tote bag she brought.
“Someone had a fun night, it seems,” a voice behind her said.
Charlie turned around to find Blake with a shit-eating grin on their face. They were eating the chocolate muffins they were obsessed with, and they had that look in their eyes that told Charlie they knew exactly what she was up to yesterday.
“Team Canada did secure their first win. It was a cause for celebration,” Charlie responded.
“And somehow, I don’t see you here with any of your teammates,” Blake continued.
