"Okay. I’m ready."
"Three, two, one, go!" I call out as I start to smash the pedals. My bike responds instantly and I take off. My breathing is heavy as my blood rushes through my ears. Exertion is my new addiction. I crave it, I get jittery without it. And clearly I lash out when I need a hit.
I glance back under my arm to make sure she’s with me and she is.
She’s fucking crushing it.
I lift a hand when my watch timer goes off and we move into interval recovery mode.
By the time we knock out the final interval I’m exhausted but invigorated.
"We're going to pull over here." I call out to her over my shoulder. Her gaze snaps up from my seat to my eyes and I smile as I turn back.
Whenever I use this path for training I visit the same coffee shop for my post ride treat.
We roll to a stop and she unclips before swinging her long leg over the back of the bike. "That felt so good. What was that?"
"VO2max."
"What's that?" She asks and I take in the brightness in her eyes and the beautiful flush of her cheeks. She unclips her helmet and I watch as she runs her fingers along her golden plait.
That fucking braid.
"It's a workout designed to help your body use oxygen better when you exercise. So it'll help you in each discipline."
"So I shouldn’t have been drafting behind you?"
"Were you? That’s illegal in TP races."
"I know," she laughs, "and I wasn’t, but it would be so much easier if TP races were like ice dancing."
"Ice dancing?"
"Yeah with like partners. They both have elements they need to hit together, footwork to complete, but then he lifts her up."
"Does she have to lift him too?"
She laughs, "not usually, no."
"So how is that fair?"
"Ohmygods, you’re missing the point. They’re a team but he’s doing the heavy lifting and letting her shine. It’s hard work to hold your body up while it’s being spun around in the air with blades on your feet over a sheet of ice but all eyes are on her."
"So you want me to do the heavy lifting while you shine?" No problem.
Her cheeks flush a deeper pink and the filthy thoughts are back.
"I don’t know what I’m saying anymore, but I have the feeling Isla Covington would understand."
"Who?"
"Ice dancing legend, Isla Covington? She’s one of my favorite athletes."
"I’ll have to look her up."
"Really? You’re going to look up an ice dancer?"
"Yeah, there are always things to learn from other athletes."
