Page 24 of Date With Skates

I pause, looking to my left when the voice catches my attention. I recognize it right away.

“You’re stalking me now?” I question.

“Me?” Étienne asks with a hand on his chest, batting his lashes innocently. “Never.”

I roll my eyes. “Whatever you say, Trouble.”

“Are you ever going to say my name?” he asks as we stop at the bench. There are a lot of people waiting for the bus to head back, and we stand to the side to keep talking. A few people recognize me and say hello, so I wave back.

“Yeah, after you give me those lessons you promised. I don’t want you thinking I’m an idiot.”

He moves to stand in front of me, lowering his voice, his eyes on mine. “Even if you were, your cock is nice enough to make up for it.”

My stomach heats, my dick thickening in my pants.

How does he do that? I love sex as much as the next guy and I’m always down for it, but the way my body responds to his cocky mouth? It’s a problem. Actually, it’s trouble. His nickname really is fitting.

“Maybe I’m afraid I’ll say your name too good.”

A slow smile crosses his lips, his eyes flashing dark.

“I was the one who said I’d have you screaming it, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“But that hasn’t happened, has it?” I say.

“Goading me doesn’t work,” he says simply. “If I want something, I take it. If I don’t, well, I leave it alone.”

“Yet you’re here.”

“Which should tell you something,” he says smartly.

“Mm,” I hum. “It sure does.”

We don’t say another word as we get on the bus and ride back to the Village, but I do notice how his leg is pushed right up against mine, even though he has plenty of room on his side of the seat. If I was sure there weren’t cameras on this bus, my hand would be between his legs, but the last thing I need to do is get caught doing something stupid like that. Not only would it get me kicked out of the Olympics, it could ruin my entire career.

For the first time, I wonder if people question why I’m sitting with him. Do they think we’re friends? That it’s just a coincidence? Even the guys on the team haven’t asked about our hanging out, and a few of them have seen us together, chatting on multiple occasions. Maybe they don’t care because they know how I am, so they let it go. That definitely works out in my favor.

When we get off the bus, Étienne follows me, though I’m not sure where we’re going.

“Want to grab some food?” he asks.

“Oh, so you’re not embarrassed for people to know that you know me?” I ask. “After this morning, I wasn’t sure.”

He pouts, his voice turning into something you’d speak to a child in. “Did I hurt your feelings?”

I huff a laugh. “Not even close.”

But yeah… he kind of did.

I walk ahead and pull open the door to the dining hall.

He stops right before walking in and looks up at me.

“It’s okay to admit that I did. I know I can be an asshole.”

His words are somehow sincere yet not really apologetic.

He doesn’t wait for a response. He heads inside.