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  “Does he hurt her?” I asked, my anger rising up so quickly it shocked me.

  “No!” Pierre clarified. “No. But he is…very demanding. She is here, always. Working constantly. Even when he is not here coaching, she comes to skate. Such a beautiful girl, so much life to live, but I fear she doesn’t actually live it.”

  “You’re very chatty,” I said, unsure I was comfortable talking about Cordelia behind her back like this.

  “I worry about her,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t mean to speak out of turn.”

  “It’s fine,” I assured him. I worried about her, too. Suddenly, her reputation as naïve made much more sense. Maybe, all she did was train. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of athletes who burned themselves out that way. It wasn’t so unbelievable that she really did live her whole life to skate.

  I looked back up in time to see her do a jump that turned into a backflip, and I sprang to my feet, totally sure she was about to slam her head into the ice. But she came up grinning and twisted into a spin, her laughter echoing through the arena.

  “Are you trying to kill yourself?” a man yelled, startling me.

  “Calm down,” Delia called back. She skidded to a stop on the other side of the ice, her hands on her hips as she stood in front of a tall man in the stands. “I’ve done it a hundred times.”

  “And it’s an illegal move, so I don’t know why you insist on working on it.” He looked up and seemed to spot me. “Who are you?”

  “Relax,” Delia said, skating back over to my side of the rink. “This is James. He’s here with me.”

  I walked down and met her at the edge. “You okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” she assured me. “That’s my uncle. You should probably go. We’re about to start practice, and he doesn’t like people watching.”

  “Call me later?” I asked.

  She nodded and stretched up, kissing me softly, her hand sliding over my cheek.

  I gripped her fingers and brushed my lips across her knuckles before releasing her. I didn’t want to let her go. I knew she needed to work, but I just wanted more time with her. It was already Thursday. In two days, we’d compete…and then what? I’d marry her on the spot and drag her back to Minnesota in a heartbeat if I thought she’d go for it. But somehow, I was betting she’d need a little more time to come to the future realities I’d set for us in my head.

  She turned back, and I saw her shoulders heave in a large sigh before she skated off to meet with her uncle. As she started into her routine, with her uncle barking out corrections, I couldn’t help noticing the joy I’d seen earlier was gone. Her entire demeanor was robotic and stoic, almost reserved. I understood what she’d meant about having to remind herself why she loved to skate.

  I wasn’t thrilled to leave, but she’d asked me to go, and I’d respect that. I nodded toward Pierre, who nodded back. He’d keep an eye on her for me. That would have to be enough for now.

  Chapter Five

  ~ Cordelia ~

  “Enough!” I yelled, scraping my blades across the ice to stop and glare at him. “Damnit, Charlie, just stop. I can’t do this anymore.”

  “Do what?” he fired back. “Skate? Win medals? Compete like you care?”

  “I don’t fucking care!” The admission startled me, but I felt in my bones it was true. I didn’t care about any of this. I was exhausted and completely burnt out. And every time he berated me, another piece of my heart seemed to shrivel up. “I don’t care, Charlie.”

  “Cordelia.” He reached over the rink wall and pulled me into a hug. “Baby girl, I’m sorry. I know I’m riding you pretty badly, but babe, you’ve worked way too hard to give up on this now. You’re here. You made it. Do you really want to give it all up?”

  “I need a break,” I told him, pulling away. “I know we’ve put in a lot of work. And I know the event is just a few days away. But I’m so tired. I feel like if we keep going like this, I’m just gonna quit.”

  And there it was. The absolute truth. I’d spent years, maybe my whole life, training and working and fighting and somewhere in there, I forgot to actually have a life.

  But now that I’d met James, my priorities had shifted. It had only been a couple of days, but damn…I could fall in love with him. I kind of already was. Finding him, or rather, him finding me had opened my eyes to a whole world I’d never experienced. And for the first time ever, I wanted to experience it all.

  “Take the day,” Charlie said, pulling me from my thoughts. “The whole day. Go eat a million calories. Go play with your friends. Go see that boy who’s obviously on your mind. You’re right. I don’t want you over-trained. Come back at ten a.m. tomorrow, and we’ll see how you feel. Okay?”

  “Really?” I asked, already skating to the door. I was shocked, since tomorrow was Friday and the last day for training, which should be light that close to competition.

  “Yeah,” he said.

  I climbed up the bench and changed into my shoes, shoving my skates and bag back under. Pierre let me store them there so I didn’t have to lug my gear back and forth four times a day, and it was one of the things I adored about him.

  Snagging my coat, I bolted up the stairs, half-afraid Charlie would change his mind and call me back. As soon as got outside, I pulled out my phone and texted James.

  What are you up to?

  Absolutely nothing, he answered immediately.

  Can I come over?

  It was bold of me, but I suddenly knew exactly what I wanted to do with my day of freedom. Twenty-four hours ago, I’d never even kissed a boy. Now, I knew without a doubt I wanted James to be my first everything.

  I could meet you somewhere, he finally said.

  I’ll just be over in a minute. Where’s your dorm?

  He told me, and I walked briskly across campus, eager to be in his arms again. I wanted him, and I just hoped he wanted me, too.

  Someone was leaving just as I got there, so I slid inside and knocked on James’ door. When Mike opened it, I hoped the disappointment wasn’t clear on my face. I’d hoped James was alone.

  “Hey, Cordelia,” Mike said, holding open the door to let me inside.

  “Hi, Mike,” I answered.

  “Did you get sprung early?” James asked, walking over and taking my jacket before pulling me into a hug.

  “Yup,” I agreed. “I’m a free woman until tomorrow at ten. I hope it’s okay I stopped by.”

  “Of course,” Mike answered. He grabbed his coat from a hook and pulled it on. “I was just on my way out. See you kids later.”

  Oh, thank goodness.

  “Your first day of freedom, and you want to spend it with me?” James asked. “I’m flattered.”

  “Well, I don’t really know anyone else,” I teased.

  “I guess that’s true,” he agreed with a chuckle. “So, what do you want to do?”

  “Funny you should ask.” I slid my arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss me.

  James moaned, his tongue running across the seam of my lips until I opened to him. His arms crushed me against his body, and my stomach clenched with need for him.

  He broke the kiss, staring down at me with so much heat in his gaze I felt as if I were melting beneath it. I wanted him; I was totally sure about that. But now that I was here, I couldn’t help being a little nervous.

  “Cordelia,” he whispered, his thumb stroking my cheek. “What’s going on in that pretty, little head of yours?”

  “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I mean, I am. I am sure. I just… I’ve never…”

  Smooth, Delia.

  “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” he assured me.

  “I am ready,” I told him. “I think I’ve been waiting for you for years.”

  “I know exactly how long I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. “But I’ll wait as long as I need to. I’m not going anywhere. You don’t have to do this for me.”

  “I’m not doing this for you,�
� I promised him. “I’m doing it for me. I’m just not sure how to do it.”

  Heat spread across my face at my admission. I’d already told him he was my first kiss. I was pretty sure he could extrapolate I’d never done anything else with a man. But to say it out loud was just embarrassing.

  “Tell me you want me,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  “James, I want you.”

  He scooped me into his arms and carried me into his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. He set me on the bed, laying me down before settling his body over mine.

  The weight of him on top of me was the most heavenly thing I’d ever experienced. I could have laid there with him resting over me for the rest of my life. When his hips shifted, I spread my thighs, so he could slide between them, and my body arched up at the feel of him hard against my aching center.

  “James,” I whispered, my hands gripping his shoulders as his mouth traveled over my throat.

  He nipped my chin before looking down at me, one hand smoothing my hair away from my face.

  “Baby, if I do anything you don’t like, you have to promise to tell me. I don’t want to hurt you or make your first time anything but perfect. Okay?”

  I nodded, sucking my bottom lip between my teeth in an effort to keep from moaning. I didn’t even have my clothes off yet, and I felt as if I were about to explode into a million, tiny pieces just from the pressure of his body against mine.

  His mouth crashed over mine, the kiss deep and fierce. I lost the fight and moaned deeply, my fingers carding into his hair as his hips rocked against me, his tongue sliding over mine.

  James pulled back and tugged at my shirt until I sat up and lifted my arms, allowing him to yank it over my head. He slid down my body, trailing kisses over my throat and chest, before sucking one of my nipples into his mouth through my bra.

  I arched into him, my body shaking and my nails digging into the mattress below me. I didn’t know a lot about sex, but I was starting to wonder if you could orgasm just from having your breasts touched. Every pull of his mouth or pinch of his fingers on my other nipple sent electricity straight to my pussy until I was writhing beneath him, begging him for more.

  He moved up to kiss me again, one of his hands sliding down my stomach to pop the button on my jeans. When his finger slid into my panties, it only took a single stroke over my soaked slit to make me cry out, my body spasming as the orgasm crashed over me.

  “Jesus Christ,” he whispered. “You’re so fucking beautiful. I could watch you come for the rest of my life.” He kissed me again before climbing off the bed. “You have way too many fucking clothes on.”

  He suddenly tugged at my jeans, wrenching them, along with my panties, down before tossing them aside.

  I watched in rapt awe as he pulled off his shirt, revealing an eight-pack of abs and that deep v-cut of hips I’d always assumed were actually photoshopped onto models. I couldn’t resist sitting up and running my hands over the grooves. Leaning forward, I swiped my tongue across one sharp hipbone.

  James growled as he reached around me and undid the clasp of my bra, before pushing me back, sliding the straps off my arms and leaving me completely naked on the bed in front of him.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, his fingers on the button of his jeans. “We can stop now, no harm, no foul. I could get you some pancakes, and we could watch a movie. Anything you want.”

  “James.” I stared up at him, hoping he could see how sure I felt about him. “I want you. And then, yeah, I want pancakes.”

  He popped open his pants and whipped them off quickly, climbing back over me. I felt his erection against my cleft, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to shift my hips and force him to take me.

  “If we do this,” he said, forcing me to meet his gaze. “That’s it. You’re mine.”

  “Promise?”

  He kissed me, slowly and deeply, and I gasped into his mouth as he moved, his cock pushing inside me. He rocked slowly forward until I felt his hips meet my thighs. My pussy clenched around him, and another orgasm rocked through me. I hadn’t even felt it build, but I cried out, my nails digging for purchase in his back.

  “Fuck, Delia!” he cried out. He started to move, his hard length sliding in and out of my soaked channel. “Tell me, baby. Tell me you’re mine.”

  “Of course, I’m yours,” I told him. And I meant it. He was my first everything and hopefully, my last. I couldn’t imagine ever allowing anyone else to experience this with me. How could I ever want anyone else?

  He called out my name as he came then collapsed onto the mattress next me, rolling me into his arms as he peppered kisses all over my face.

  “I’m in love you, Cordelia Quinn,” he said, opening his eyes to meet my gaze.

  “I love you, too,” I admitted. And God, I really did. I wasn’t sure how it could happen so fast. But as I stared into those bright blue eyes, I knew that it was true.

  Chapter Six

  ~ James ~

  “Do you want to take a nap?” I asked Cordelia, who’d burrowed herself into my arms, her head on my shoulder and her eyes closed.

  “No,” she said. “I feel alive…energized, you know? I think I could run a marathon.”

  “Hmm, then maybe, I didn’t try hard enough,” I teased. I kissed her forehead then laid my head against hers.

  “I think you did pretty well.”

  “Better than pancakes?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

  I reached over and tickled her side, making her scream with laughter as she tried to shift away from me.

  “You’re so damn beautiful,” I whispered. “How did I ever get so lucky?”

  “I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one,” she argued. “So, what are we going to do today?”

  “Whatever you want,” I said.

  “I think I want to try snowboarding,” she admitted.

  “I thought you were afraid of getting hurt?”

  “Yeah, well, that was old Delia talking. New Delia wants to experience everything I can with you. Can we go?”

  As if I’d ever deny her anything. She could have asked to go to France, and I’d have had her at the airport in an hour.

  “That will involve getting out of bed,” I told her. “And putting on clothes. And leaving the bedroom.”

  “I understand the logistics,” she said with a laugh. “We can always come back to bed and get undressed later.”

  “That is a date,” I said, rolling over her and kissing her before forcing myself to get up.

  “Your body should be illegal,” Cordelia said.

  I looked over to find her gaze locked on my stomach. I laughed and swatted her with my T-shirt.

  “I’m always at my best physical shape right before the Winter Games. Get your fill, because once the competition is over, I go back to beer and bread. These abs disappear faster than you’d believe.”

  “What about these?” She got up on her knees and ran her hands over my hips, her thumbs sliding up the deep Vs. “Do these go away, too?”

  “You like it?” I asked. My cock jumped to attention at her touch.

  “I do.” She ran her tongue over her lips, her gaze dropping lower.

  “I would train nine hours a day to keep that look on your face,” I growled.

  She glanced back up at my face. “I’m pretty sure I’ll always look at you like this.”

  I pushed her back, following her body down to the mattress. Her thighs wrapped around my hips, and suddenly, I was fucking her again. I’d tried to be gentle the first time, but when she canted herself up, impaling that perfect pussy with my dick, I couldn’t hold back.

  “Yes, fuck, please, James!” she yelled, her nails digging into my shoulders, thighs locked around my hips and her head thrown back in obvious pleasure.

  “You’re mine, you know?” I told her, slamming my cock into her.

  “I know,” she agreed.

  I pounded into her, unable to keep
any sort of rhythm. I wanted to bring her to orgasm again, but I wasn’t sure if I could hold back my own long enough to make that happen. She’s so fucking perfect. Her tight channel gripped my shaft like a fist, and it was almost too much to take.

  “Babe, I’m not gonna last,” I warned her.

  “It’s okay,” she promised. “I want to feel you come inside of me again.”

  I groaned, and within a minute, I was pumping my seed inside of her. When I fell to the mattress next to her, I closed my eyes, and for just a moment, imagined how beautiful she would be swollen with my baby. Babies. Once these games were over, I was going to marry this girl and get her knocked up as fast as possible.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

  “What do you mean?” I opened my eyes and stared at her.

  “You looked so happy just then. And not like…orgasm happy. Just…happy. What were you thinking about?”

  “Nothing in particular,” I lied. “Just happy to be here with you.”

  “Okay,” she said, her tone indicating she didn’t believe me.

  “Do you still want to go boarding?” I asked, pulling her against my body. “Or do you want to stay in bed.”

  “Both. But let’s go boarding now while the sun is up. Plus, you owe me pancakes. Then we can spend all night making up for the orgasm you just screwed me out of…so to speak.”

  “Those are valid points,” I told her. “Okay. Let’s go hit the hills, then I’ll feed you, then I’ll tease and lick and fuck that beautiful pussy until you pass out from pleasure.”

  “Damn it, James, how am I supposed to think about anything else?” She glared at me, but there was no real anger in it.

  “That’s the point,” I said, climbing over her and getting out of bed. “I don’t want you thinking of anything but me fucking you for the rest of the day.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think that was going to be a problem anyway,” she assured me.

  She stood and looked around for her clothes, unfortunately finding them and taking them into the bathroom with her.

  I got dressed while she was occupied, and when she came out a few minutes later, all put back together, I couldn’t help being a little sad about it. But it would be okay. She’d be back here, naked and screaming in a few hours. I could wait.