by SM Olivier
I whimpered, wishing he didn’t have to leave me. I now felt empty. He softly chuckled as if he could read my thoughts, then scooped me up.
“You did good, kitten, so very good,” he crooned near my ear as he carried me to the bathroom.
He made it seem effortless as he leaned inside the shower and turned it on. He sat us on the edge of the tub as the water heated up, me still cradled against him. He then peppered sweet kisses against my face.
“I love you so damn much.” He nuzzled my cheek before kissing the spot behind my ear.
“I love you, too,” I murmured, feeling like a cat basking in the warmth of the sun.
“How are you feeling?” He gently caressed my hair away from my face. His loving, searching eyes met mine. I fell even deeper in love with him. It was so hard not to. He was damn near perfect.
“That was,” I searched for the right words, but there weren’t any to correctly name it, and honestly, my mind was now mush. I couldn’t even form a coherent thought after those two mind-blowing orgasms. My body still felt separated from reality.
“It was… wow.” I finally whispered, followed by a yawn.
He chuckled once more. “Let’s get you cleaned up and in bed. You have an early morning.”
“Thank you, baby,” I mumbled before kissing his shoulder.
I didn’t know how far I wanted to experiment sexually. However, I could see how Kyler would be a fantastic teacher if I chose to explore more pleasurable avenues. He had already proven himself tonight. He had unlocked a door within that I never knew existed.
“No, thank you,” he murmured against my forehead. “I’m a better man with you, Peyton. And just when I think you can’t surprise me anymore, you do, and I fall a little bit more in love with you. I’m such a lucky man to call you mine.”
I was speechless. I didn’t know how to respond. I wanted to find the right words, but I was so tired. My mind was a jumbled mess. I wished I could express myself, but my eyelids were so heavy.
“I—” I began sleepily.
“Shh,” he interrupted, “you need to sleep. I’ll wash us and get us back to bed.”
I trusted him completely.
I nodded against his chest and closed my eyes. I knew I couldn’t argue with him, even if I was capable of it. Soon, I vaguely felt the warmth of the water surrounding me and his hands gently washing me down. Later, not knowing when or how I got there, I was in bed, where I knew I’d end the day with one of the men I loved with my entire being, spooning me from behind. And tonight it was Kyler: my protector, my teacher, my knight who kept the nightmares and fears at bay.
20
●
Understudy
When my alarm went off the next morning, surprisingly, my eyes opened with no difficulty. I was immediately filled with anticipation and nerves. Today was the day. In a few short hours, I would be on the stage once again. I couldn’t wait to get lost in the music and movements. However, my newfound notoriety made me leery of the reaction I was going to receive. I was hoping I would be ignored for the most part. Well, unless I was dancing.
I only wanted to be observed for the dancer I was and not judged or dissected over what had happened to me. I hoped if I stayed with my competition team, I would be left alone for the most part.
I rolled over in bed and winced slightly at the soreness between my legs. I probably should have taken it easy, but, honestly, I couldn’t even feel a touch of remorse. Last night was a first for me, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Besides, duets and group numbers were typically after lunch, so I was sure I would be recovered enough by then. I looked over my shoulder and noticed the bed beside me was empty. I frowned and looked towards the bathroom. The lights were off.
I shuffled out of bed to the bathroom and placed some toothpaste on my toothbrush as I turned the sink on. I needed to wash my face, and I wanted the water to warm up while I peed. I brushed my teeth as I sat on the toilet, then gasped at what I was feeling.
I knew Kyler had taken me harder than he ever had last night, so I knew external pain could be another side effect. The soreness within was a new experience, along with the burn on my inner thighs. I peered down and noticed the stubble-burn on my skin. I was torn between pleasure and disgruntlement. The satisfaction remained.
I gently patted myself dry before I finished brushing my teeth. I quickly washed my hands, then my face, and lastly grabbed my hair rollers. My bus ride would be slightly uncomfortable, but I didn’t regret my decision to stay up longer.
I went to grab my bag but noticed it was gone. Kyler must have taken it. Had he been able to sleep? Had he woken from a nightmare and I hadn’t heard him? Now I was concerned.
I was about to bound up the steps with renewed energy and concern but quickly reminded myself that it wasn’t the greatest of ideas. I grabbed the handrail and climbed at a more sensible pace, instead. I could hear quiet murmurings as I reached the top of the stairs.
When I entered the kitchen, I noticed Kyler and Zane sitting at the breakfast bar. They quietly talked to each other as they ate a large pile of eggs, bacon, and toast.
“Morning, kitten.” Kyler looked towards me first. His grin was immense, and he had a knowing gleam in his eyes.
“What are you doing up so early?” I asked him as he slid a travel mug towards me.
He made his way towards me, grabbed my upper arms, and pulled me close before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. “I wanted to make sure you had your coffee and some food before your big day,” he murmured before placing a sweet kiss on my lips.
Warmth filled my chest. I hoped I would never take advantage of Kyler’s thoughtfulness. I prayed I would always appreciate the way he took care of me all the time. I’d heard how easy it could be to take others for granted in a relationship, and I was determined never to fall into that trap.
“Thank you.” I leaned my forehead against his chest and eyed the food. I didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but I could never eat on competition days. I tried to stick to liquids until after my competition.
Zane started to chuckle before he stood up and opened the refrigerator. He began to unload it with fruits and veggies. I realized he was pulling out the ingredients for one of my shakes.
I shot him a playful glare.
“What?” Kyler asked in bewilderment.
“She doesn’t like to eat on competition days,” Zane explained with a smirk before he reached into the pantry and pulled out one of those Ninja Bullets.
He came back out with the bullet and a canister of protein powder.
“You have to eat.” Kyler frowned. “You still need to gain weight.”
I tried to give him an apologetic smile. “I will eat a ton tonight, but if I eat before I compete, I feel sluggish and bloated.”
“Did you clear this with Bryce?” Kyler crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow at me. Without removing his eyes from me, he reached over and slid his Gerber multi-purpose tool/knife into his boot. Even when he wasn’t going to work, he carried the tool.
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes at him. “Bryce and I never talked about my nutrition beyond his desire for me to gain weight. I’ve been eating more oversized portions and more frequently throughout the day. I’m gaining weight. This won’t be a setback for me,” I tried to explain patiently. “I understand your concern, but I know how to listen to my body. I’ve been competing at this level for nearly twelve years. When I was twelve or thirteen, I realized that if I ate on competition days, I had to fight nausea throughout the day and I felt… lethargic. And,” I nodded towards his tool, “do you ever go anywhere without that?”
He narrowed his eyes on me, realizing I was trying to distract him.
Seriously, the guy was like a boy scout. He always had a knife or tool on him. I would poke fun at him, but I had seen his tools come in useful at the most random times.
“We all have our quirks,” Zane finally spoke up. “Crew told me how you used to only eat protein and veggi
es during football season, Ky. You stayed away from all carbs. Peyton’s still getting all the nutrients she needs in her shake,” he reassured him before looking my way. “Ever since Kyler returned from the military, I’ve seen him with one.” He smirked at me, answering my question about the Gerber.
Zane threw a large scoop of vanilla protein powder into the cup. He then added blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and spinach. He threw in some ice and milk before turning on the machine.
I barely contained my smug smile. Even Kyler couldn’t disagree that I was still getting vital nutrients, and it was healthy for me.
“It doesn’t hurt to be always prepared.” Kyler shrugged as he patted his ankle. “A few bites of eggs, though, kitten,” he insisted.
I realized he was trying to use that commanding voice on me once again. It caused flutters in my stomach at the memories that flooded, but I still giggled and shook my head. I took a step forward and cupped his cheek. I stood on my tiptoes and lifted my lips to his ear.
“That voice only works in the bedroom,” I whispered before playfully biting his earlobe.
He growled before I was unceremoniously backed into the counter. “You’re playing a dangerous game, naughty girl. Do I need to take you downstairs and punish you?”
I shivered as a thrill of excitement slid down my spine. My lady bits were throbbing with arousal while in denial of the rough ride they’d taken last night. If we had time, I’d be requesting another go-round.
“I have to leave in ten minutes,” I pouted.
He grunted before he nipped my bottom lip, making me yelp with surprise. “You have no clue the beast you unleashed,” he rumbled in my ear.
“Call me Belle then, because I’ll tame that beast,” I responded saucily.
His eyes were dark with lust as he rubbed his thumb on my bottom lip. “Get out of here before I lose my control.” He kissed me with all his pent-up passion. My knees were weak by the time he pulled away.
“Let’s go, beautiful,” Zane said with a smile in his voice. “Thanks for breakfast again, Ky.” He slapped his eggs and bacon on his toast, making a sandwich of it, then grabbed our duffle bags and his travel mug.
“No problem, man.” Ky smirked. “I’ll see you guys in a few hours.”
“Bye, baby.” I waved my fingers at Ky, giving him a playful wink.
I barely remembered to grab my coffee cup on the way out.
●
Zane had us settled in the back of the bus. Harry Potter was playing on the tiny screen in front of us, and blankets were stretched across our laps. I had my curlers arranged on the free seat next to me, and I brushed my hair out in sections to wind them around the large curlers.
“Peyton,” I heard my name called from up front.
I looked up. The bus was mostly silent because the majority of the competition teams were asleep. The lights on the bus were on a night setting, so it was dim. Only the occasional flicker of a reflection bounced off the roof of the bus.
Fall had officially set in, so the mornings were darker for far longer. I hated how the sun tripped me up for weeks. It made me think my days were shorter when it was getting dark at five or six at night.
“Here,” I called as I raised my hand.
I saw Anya and Alex stand and make their way to me. My brows knitted in confusion, wondering what they wanted.
Alex was holding three costumes, and that confounded me further.
“We made a change late last night and entered you for a solo,” Anya said without preamble.
I inhaled deeply, choking on my own saliva. Zane immediately handed me his insulated water bottle. I took a long drink.
“Excuse me, but what?” I asked, astonished. “I wasn’t assigned a solo. What−” My voice trailed off as I realized what this was about.
I was such a horrible friend.
I had been texting Renee the last few days, but I never once asked her if she would be here today. Then, I had been so wrapped up in my memories and with Zane that I hadn’t even noticed her absence until that moment.
Anya and Alex nodded as they realized what had finally dawned on me.
“Am I dancing one of my older solos?” I inquired.
Up until this moment, Anya and Alex had seemed very mindful of my recovery process. After last night, I had no doubt my stamina was returning, but even I had doubts that I would be physically able to compete in three numbers today. My mind was more than willing, but my body continued to remind me that I wasn’t back at peak performance level. I still had a little way to go to return to my former high-level status.
“You want Peyton to perform in our duet, the group number, and a solo,” Zane voiced my concerns aloud. “She’s still recovering.”
“After what I saw last night, I think you’re up for it,” Anya said in a tone that brooked no argument. “And I would like you to perform the number we practiced at the beginning of the week.”
It took me a moment to realize she meant the dance I had been practicing to Ruelle and Fleurie’s Carry You. Admittedly, I had been practicing it all week since Anya had rearranged it and added it to my choreography. However, I still didn’t believe it was competition-worthy. It was a song and dance to gauge my progress. The moment I was able to nail each move with perfection was when I felt I was solo-ready.
“It’s not clean,” I admitted with defeat.
I would generally be so stoked to perform a solo. It was always an honor to share my passion with the world. Unfortunately, I felt like I would be doing a disservice to my art if I performed it without feeling one hundred percent ready.
In my group number and my duet, I had Zane and the other girls to “hold” me up; I wasn’t the sole focus. There were others to distract the judges and audience from any of my fumbles or missteps. It gave me a false sense of security.
“We’ve been watching you,” Alex stated. “You’re ready. It’s not what you produced in the past, but it’s still better than most of the girls performing today. It’s been decided, and when we get there, you can try these costumes on and let us know what’s the best fit.”
I didn’t think I fully supported the logic of her thinking. I never wanted to step foot on the stage with anything less than my best; I didn’t want to compete just to compete.
“I think it’ll be too much for her,” Zane said bluntly.
I gave him a wane smile in appreciation.
“She’ll be fine.” Anya patted my hand, gave her son a level look, and went back to her seat in the front of the packed bus. Today the juniors and minis were with us, along with a few parent volunteers.
Alex gave me a sympathetic smile before hanging the costumes on the hook beside our seats and left us alone.
“My dance isn’t ready,” I grumbled to Zane.
He sighed. “Mom can be so stubborn at times.”
I finished putting the last curler in my hair before I leaned into him. “I can be ready by the next competition,” I continued to gripe. “It does have the potential to be a top solo. I’m just not ready now.” I sighed. “I already feel like you’re getting the raw end of the deal dancing with me today. I’m not there yet. My solo and our duet have a high level of difficulty, but at least with our duet, I have you there with me.”
“Well, if anyone can make it work, you can,” Zane said with a kiss to my temple.
“Thanks.” I tried to smile at him, stifling a yawn. “So Albany, huh?”
He nodded hesitantly. “I’m still hoping for a few more schools, but it’s one of the closer Division 1 schools. It’s just the first school that offered me and Crew a place together. I wouldn’t be half the player I am without Crew. I can’t imagine going to college without him.”
I nodded. I was trying really hard to be excited for him, but it was hard, knowing Madison would be there. I also hated knowing that, in less than a year, we’d be going our separate ways. I just hoped our collective relationship was strong enough to see us through all the changes.
“
You know you don’t have to worry about Madison with us, right?” Zane seemed to catch my misgivings as he threaded his fingers through mine.
“I know I can trust you guys,” I told him firmly. “I just don’t trust her. She says she’s sorry for the way she behaved with Golden, but I know Madison finds all of you attractive. Knowing Madison, if she thinks we aren’t together, she’ll try to get to you. After all, you guys will be the new star quarterback and defenseman.”
“How do you know I’ll be the new star quarterback?” he teased. “Plus, we’ll still be together. It’ll suck being long distance, but if we already made it through all we’ve been through, the distance will be a walk in a park. That is if you’re willing to do a long-distance relationship.”
I grinned at him, warmed by his reassurance. “Their current quarterback is a senior,” I mockingly sniffed, “and their second-string quarterback threw over ten interceptions in three games this season. The third-string guy would be better as a running back or something like that. You’re gonna be a superstar. I just know it. The recruiter knows it too. After the performance you put on last night, other colleges will know it also. Your record speaks for itself.”
I paused, looking into his eyes. “I wouldn’t mind trying the long-distance thing, but this is college. Do you want to be tied down to just me? What happens if you meet another attractive woman there? Four years is a long time to try to make a long-distance relationship work.”
He gave me a stunned look. “How do you know all that? I’ve never seen you watch football. And I don’t care how many attractive women are out there. All I know is I knew what life without you felt like, and I never want to feel that way ever again. I can’t imagine my life, my future, without you in it, and if it takes a little more work, it’s all worth it because I’m yours, and you’re mine. I love you, Peyton, and I wouldn’t risk this kind of love for anyone.”
My heart melted at his words, and I leaned over and kissed him. “I love you, too,” I admitted. “I don’t want this to end when we go away to college. And,” I added, “I may not watch all the games with you guys, but I’ve watched some of them and I pay attention. Plus, I may have… googled Albany and their players on the way home last night.”
