Love and Other Games

by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, Kara Leigh Miller

  She stopped struggling and rested her forehead on his chest; her hands went to his waist. “I don’t know.”

  He heard her choke back a sob. Cole put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up to him. Then he lowered his mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a soft, searing kiss. He’d never kissed anyone like he kissed her then. It was so full of emotion, so full of uncertainty and hope. Everything he wanted to say but couldn’t was poured into that single kiss. “Please don’t leave, Brenna. Stay for the rest of the games and fly back with the team like planned.”

  “Why?” Her tear soaked eyes pleaded with him. “Why prolong the inevitable?”

  “Because the thought of letting you leave here, of not seeing you again … ” He shook his head and swallowed tightly. “I’m scared shitless.” There, he’d said it.

  “Scared of what?” Her hands slipped under the hem of his shirt and snaked around his stomach.

  Her touch set him ablaze, awaking something dormant deep within him. It was primal, animalistic, and powerful. There was no fighting it. “Of how I feel about you,” he said right before claiming her lips in another kiss. As far as he was concerned, they belonged to him anyway. She belonged to him.

  “How do you feel about me, Cole?” she asked with a hint of a smile as she lifted his shirt up his torso and over his head. She lowered her mouth and planted several hot kisses along his chest, stopping to linger on each of his nipples, her tongue circling the hardened peaks.

  Cole groaned. “God that feels good.” He speared his fingers into her hair and brought her mouth to him, plunging his tongue between her lips and kissing her until they were both gasping for breath. Brenna reached for his belt buckle, frantically tugging at it to get it undone. He honestly hadn’t come here with the intention of having sex with her, but he wasn’t stupid enough to tell her no, either. They proceeded to tear the clothes from each other’s bodies, leaving a trail from the door to the bed, touching and kissing every inch of each other that they could get to. Cole’s need raged out of control as the back of Brenna’s legs hit the edge of the bed causing her to fall backward, bringing him down on top of her. He fumbled in the bedside stand for a condom and rolled it on without ever releasing her lips.

  He moaned as he sunk deep into her sweet, welcoming body. “Brenna, baby.” He bent his arms on either side of her head, smoothed the hair from her forehead and kissed her while working in and out of her. Shit, she felt too good. There was no way he was going to last very long. Not when she lifted her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust, her fingers curling against his back sending shivers down his spine. He nipped at her lips, groaning, not wanting to ever leave the warmth of her body or the safety of her arms.

  “Cole,” she whimpered.

  “Yeah, that’s it.” He increased his pace. “Let it go. I’ve got you. I won’t let you go. I’ll never let you go,” he whispered. Cole put his arms under her shoulders and pulled her against his body as they gave into their passion, giving over all control to their physical needs. He collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her neck. Brenna kept her arms wrapped around him, holding him as if she were drowning and he was her lifeboat.

  Brenna’s lips puckered against his shoulder, eliciting a shudder from him. “I’ll stay,” she said.

  He sighed with relief. It felt as though a weight had been lifted. She wasn’t going to leave him—at least, not right away anyway. Shifting his weight into his arms, he looked down at her. She smiled up at him, and his heart tripped several beats. God, she was beautiful. He had to tell her. He had to tell her the truth about how he felt because the thought of any other man being with her like he was right now was enough to drive him to murder.

  “What is it, Cole? Why are you staring at me like that?”

  Licking his lips, he said, “I’m falling in love with you, Brenna.”

  “What?”

  “Believe me; I know how crazy that sounds considering how long we’ve known each other. And trust me, I’ve tried to make sense of it, to explain it, and I can’t. All I know is that I want to be with you.”

  ***

  Brenna was dumbfounded. Had she just heard him correctly? Was it possible? Did Colton Campbell really just say that he was falling in love with her? How was she supposed to respond to that?

  “You asked me if I’d be willing to change my ways for the right woman. Well, here I am, Brenna. I’m willing to change for you.”

  She was speechless. Her heart beat in her chest like a caged animal wanting to be set free, wanting to shout that she was falling for him, too, and that she would do whatever it took to be with him. But her mind yanked on the brakes, bringing her to a screeching halt. This was Cole Campbell she was dealing with. He was an Olympic athlete who enjoyed women—those were two qualities she swore she’d never accept in a man. Could she really trust him with her heart?

  “I know it won’t be easy with us living in different states, but I’m willing to try if you are.”

  Tears spilled down the sides of her face.

  “Brenna, baby, please say something.”

  She took a deep breath and wiped her tears. “Yes,” she whispered and nodded.

  “Yes?”

  “Yes.” Brenna smiled. “I want to try. God, you have no idea how badly I want to try.” She laughed through her tears.

  Cole’s soft lips brushed over hers, teasing her with an almost kiss. “You never answered my question.”

  “What question was that?” She closed her eyes and parted her lips, waiting and anticipating a kiss that still didn’t come.

  “How do you feel about me, Brenna? In here?” He placed his hand over her heart. “I need to know.”

  She hesitated. Did she tell him that she was in love with him? Or did she take the less honest route and tell him that she was falling for him? There was no falling for her. She’d already fallen—hard.

  “Look at me,” he whispered, rubbing his nose against hers.

  Brenna opened her eyes. One look at him and she knew she had to be honest. “I’m in love with you, Cole.”

  He smiled, and then he gave her the kiss she’d been waiting for. “We’ll make this work. I promise.” It was a promise he had every intention of keeping no matter the cost. Cole couldn’t wait a moment longer to start making plans for their future. It was a future Cole was looking forward to more than he’d been looking forward to the Olympics just a few weeks ago. He’d gone for the gold and left with something worth so much more.

  The Girl behind the Gold

  Aria Kane

  Chapter One

  Lia fingered the blue evil eye charm dangling at her neck and tried to meet the sponsor representative’s eyes, but his gaze continually shifted over her shoulders toward the bustling Olympic Village’s main indoor plaza. Mr. Chancey seemed to be talking in circles. Her English was good, but not great – certainly not good enough to decipher his true meaning. She suddenly wished Del had been able to take this meeting with her.

  She frowned and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but what are you saying? In a few words?”

  The short, stocky American ran a hand through his thinning salt-and-pepper hair. He began to talk, but stopped, clearing his throat and taking a sip from the coffee cup sitting on the table in front of him. Lia concentrated on keeping her breathing even; she couldn’t let anyone know how badly she needed this deal – how badly her family needed it. The Milonas family did not take charity. Even the money her neighbors somehow scraped together so that she could travel to Switzerland for the Games, she planned to pay back all of it, down to the last cent.

  “You’re an excellent athlete,” Mr. Chancey said.

  Lia heard the tone people used when they said something nice just before saying something heartbreaking. She blinked slowly, willing her heart to stay calm.

  “You’re very attractive, would look great in all kinds of ads,” he added, watching her closely for a reaction.

  Lia wouldn’t blush at the comment. She refused to. T
his was part of the game, she knew, even if she didn’t like it. Female skiers competed in layers that doubled their size, but posed wearing bikinis in magazines and on billboards.

  “And I’m a gold medal favorite,” she reminded him, tilting her head in warning. “I had the top finals qualifying score yesterday, and I didn’t even try that hard.”

  A smile flicked at the tips of his lips before he regained control. “Yes, well … that’s the problem right there,” he said, gesturing at her as though it were obvious.

  Lia looked down at her jacket and matching pants, patting her hair. “What?”

  “People respect you, your dedication and your hard work.” There was still a “but” floating around underneath the surface of his words.

  “That’s good, right? I’m dedicated to excellence, like Ravenski products.”

  “Respect doesn’t sell skis and jackets, darling.” Mr. Chancey shook his head, glancing sideways at her.

  “I’m done with these games,” Lia said, growing suddenly impatient. “Is Ravenski going to offer me a sponsorship?”

  Mr. Chancey took a deep breath, as he did when he was about to begin a long explanation, then thought better of it. “No.”

  “Not even if I win Gold?” Lia asked.

  “In that case, we can have another discussion, depending … ”

  Lia stood up, scraping the metal legs of her chair against the polished concrete floor, and turned to go. She still had a few more hours of sunlight and a landing that wasn’t as solid as it should be for the international stage. She didn’t have time for this if they didn’t have time for her.

  “It was nice meeting you, Lia.” Mr. Chancey’s tone was insincere and held a deep note of importance, like he was trying to make a point.

  She spun and examined his expectant face, squinting slightly, trying to see what she was missing. If she stared at him long enough, maybe he’d just spill it. But Mr. Chancey had more time than her, and it seemed he knew it.

  She sighed. “Why?”

  “Why, what, Lia?” His voice had that I’m-trying-to-teach-you-a-lesson quality school teachers always used.

  She crossed her arms and glared back at him, knowing she was acting like a petulant student, but not really caring. “Why won’t Ravenski offer me a contract?”

  “People may respect you, but they don’t love you. They don’t even really like you.”

  Lia started to protest but he held up a hand to stop her.

  “You’re too serious. You never smile. Your focus is legendary, but it doesn’t win you any hearts. And, above all else – in a sponsor’s mind, at least – hearts open wallets.”

  She couldn’t find any words. What could you possibly say to someone who just informed you that nobody in the entire world liked you? The urges to scream and cry battled for dominance, but she forced them both down and arranged her face into the cool, calm mask she practiced for post-loss interviews.

  A knowing smirk flashed across Mr. Chancey’s chubby face. She was probably proving his point, but she didn’t care. By the end of the Games, Lia determined, she’d be the one smiling. She had to be. She was her family’s last chance.

  “Thank you, Mr. Chancey, for your kind words,” she said before turning on her heel and striding out of the coffee shop’s seating area. Once she rounded the corner, she glanced at her watch. She had four hours before she had to be ready for that fancy party her manager insisted she attend with a few of her teammates.

  “It will be great for networking,” her manager, Del, had said. “It’s small, invite only. I snagged you an invite, of course. But there won’t be any press or anything there, only athletes and sponsor representatives.”

  Twenty-five years ago, Del had been the top female downhill skier in the world, but now she made a career out of boosting other Greek athletes’ careers. She was excellent at her job, so Lia tried to follow her advice without too many complaints. But it was easier said than done some days. Like today, when all Lia wanted was to practice her landing and take a dip in the hot tub.

  One thing was for sure: She wouldn’t change herself to please men like Mr. Chancey. She wasn’t likeable? What kind of people even said things like that? She’d work hard and win, like she’d always done, and that would be enough for the sponsors. It’d have to be.

  Lia lengthened her stride and stepped faster toward her dorm. Four hours was just enough time to get out to the practice aerial ramps, run a few jumps, and get back in time to shower and primp. The Games were in full swing and the entire complex buzzed with excitement, but Lia barely noticed any of it as she made her way to her door.

  She turned the key in the lock and sighed with relief when she realized her roommate wasn’t in. A little peace and quiet was exactly what she needed.

  As she packed her gear in an old blue duffle, she heard her laptop ding from where it sat on the simple wood desk. It was an old hand me down with a battery that lasted about five minutes, so she had to leave it plugged in whenever it was on. After another ding, she gave up on trying to ignore it.

  Flipping it open, she found a Skype invitation flashing on the screen from the username “EvangeliaMilonasNo1Fans.” Her smile bloomed as she pressed the button to connect.

  Her mother’s confused face appeared in the Skype window. “How do I do the thing?” the older woman muttered in Greek as she stared down at the keyboard below the webcam.

  “Mama,” Lia said, laughing. “You did it.”

  Her mom’s gaze snapped to the screen and her eyes softened. “Evangelia! How is Switzerland?”

  Before Lia could get a word out, her mother shouted. “Yannis! Christos! Your sister is on the computer!”

  She heard some scuffling in the background. Two boys, one ten, one twelve, both with sweaty mussed hair and dirt on their cheeks, charged into the frame. Her mama took a step back and smiled warmly at the boys.

  “Where’s Alex?” Lia asked.

  “He’s out with Papa,” Yannis, the youngest, said. “Fixing the fence on the back pasture.”

  Alex, at sixteen, was her oldest brother and did most of the manual labor on the farm now that her dad – and his back – were getting older. With the bank closing in, they didn’t have the money to hire laborers like they used to, so Alex usually worked from sun-up to sun-down before studying late into the night. She desperately wished she could help so that Alex could attend a real school. She had to remind herself that she was helping the best she could, even if it didn’t feel like it some days. Prize money from her past championships had paid for updates to the irrigation systems and a new herd Papa had been wanting for years. Her family didn’t have any problem with hard work, but the terrible economy had hit the farming industry like a brick to the chest. They were all working harder than they should have to just to stay afloat.

  “We saw the interview they did with you today on the TV!” Christos said.

  Lia smiled before remembering Mr. Chancey’s comments. She decided not to ask how they thought the interview went.

  “They said you were going to win,” Yannis said. “Even they know.”

  She found herself wishing she could playfully fluff his hair. He hated it when she did that, but it always made her smile. “I will try, Adelfáki. I have to go practice now, so I can bring you home a gold medal.”

  Her mama gave her a knowing smile and pushed the boys aside. “Go wash up for dinner,” she told them and waited until Lia heard their footsteps pounding up the stairs of their three-bedroom farmhouse before speaking again. “You look worried, Evangelia. How are things going there, really?”

  “Everything is fine, mama,” she lied. “I’m just worried about this landing. I really should go practice.”

  “Of course,” the woman said, but her voice was a weighted sigh. “Good luck.”

  “Is everything all right there?” Lia’s eyebrows creased with concern. “Is Papi—”

  “No, he’s fine,” her mama said. “Just more of the same. The bank’s been calling every
day. They may take the tractor.”

  Air rushed from Lia’s lips. Her mother didn’t say it, but that would ruin them. The farm would have to close and they’d have to move into the city, all of them looking for jobs – along with thousands of other people.

  Lia painted a brave mask on her face. “Don’t worry about it too much, please. I’ll take care of it. I’m working on something.”

  Her mother’s smile was laced with sadness. “I know.” She seemed to internally shake herself. Lia had learned the brave face from her mother, after all. “Good luck, Evangelia. We’ll be watching. I wish we could be there.”

  “Me too, mama, more than anything.”

  Chapter Two

  Brandon James glanced at his watch and sighed. Any second now, his boss would be calling asking for an update on his assignment. He didn’t have one. “Come back with a story that will make readers cry,” Joe had said. “Or don’t bother coming back.”

  Who could have guessed none of the Olympic athletes would have a story worth telling? At least not one that hadn’t already flooded the major TV networks. And Brandon didn’t do sloppy seconds. So far, his choices were to try to put a new spin on an old story, or bore his readers with a mediocre tale. Either way, he wouldn’t be working for Moment Magazine much longer.

  What he needed was someone with a story they didn’t want to tell. And for that, he needed to go somewhere without his press pass warning them all away like neon sign.

  He strolled to the small hotel bathroom and checked his suit. Waiting on Joe’s call was going to make him late. He should have left twenty minutes ago. Getting into this party tonight was not going to be easy. Even with all the pre-work he’d done over the past few days.

  He was retying his tie when the phone finally rang. Joe’s fake-nice voice greeted him as soon as he picked up the phone. “Hey buddy, what’s the word?”

  I’m not your buddy, pal, Brandon thought, but instead he said, “I’m working on something. Going to this thing tonight, got a few leads.”