Fighting Their Attraction

by Nicole Flockton

  He laughed at her sassiness, and she yelped a little when he scooped her up and headed for one of the doors off the small living room.

  “Which bed?” he asked as he entered her room.

  “The one closest to the window.”

  In three steps, Brady placed her on the mattress and kneeled at her feet. Before she could ask what he had planned, he lifted one of her booted feet and rested it against his thigh. Fascinated, she watched as he unlaced her shoe and pulled it, and her sock, off. He repeated the action with the other foot. Shivers rippled through her as he stroked a finger down the top of her foot.

  “Do they hurt?” he asked.

  Words were impossible at the moment, so she shook her head. Too many sensations were ripping through her, and they were all gathering in the area between her thighs. He studied her for a few seconds, as though trying to determine whether she was telling the truth. Gently, he placed the foot he was holding on the ground and stood. Arielle scooted up the bed; maybe he’d take that as a sign to join her. The mattress depressed with his weight, and he quickly removed his own boots and socks.

  For the first time in her life, she wished she competed in a summer sport. Then there wouldn’t be so many layers to remove. She got off the bed, her hands going to the button and zipper of her pants. She’d removed them before Brady even comprehended what she was doing.

  “In a hurry, are you? Okay, I can get on board with that.” He stood and removed his own pants. But when his fingers gripped the hem of his sweater, she stopped him. His eyebrow rose.

  “I want to do it,” she said. “From the moment I saw you in this sweater, I’ve been wanting to remove it.”

  He chuckled. “If I’d known that, I would’ve suggested we leave earlier.”

  With slow, deliberate movements, she pushed the sweater up, her fingers brushing every inch of skin she was revealing. The muscles jumped beneath her touch. The guy had a seriously sexy six-pack.

  When the material got to his shoulders, Brady took over and ripped the garment over his head. The expanse of flesh on display was mouthwatering, and she lay her hands flat against his chest.

  “You are beautiful, Brady,” she muttered and leaned forward to kiss the strip of skin between his pecs.

  His arms banded around her, holding her to him. She had no plans to complain. Who would when held in the arms of the sexiest guy she’d ever had the pleasure and privilege of touching? Being so tight against him, there was no mistaking how aroused Brady was. The proof brushed against her belly.

  Part of her wanted to draw this experience out. Who knew if they’d ever get this chance again? It wasn’t like they could go over to each other’s places every night. They were at the Olympics. They had roommates, and if Mom ever found out what she was doing right now, the fallout would be disastrous.

  She pushed thoughts of the consequences far from her mind. If she had only this one night with Brady, she was going to make the most of it. She was taking charge of her wants and needs, and she wanted and needed Brady.

  On tiptoe, she lightly touched her lips to his before leaning back so she could look into his eyes. “Make love to me, Brady.”

  He groaned and erased the space she’d created between them. His lips crashed down on hers, and his hands went to the sweater and thermal she wore. Seconds later, he had removed them and her bra. All she wore were her panties, and she knew they weren’t going to last much longer.

  Brady relinquished the hold he had on her mouth long enough to strip the covers back. With a gentle push, he encouraged her to lie down on the soft cotton. Instead of covering her, he hovered above, the expression in his eyes unreadable.

  His finger traced down her cheek, across her chin, before moving to her other cheek. Her flesh tingled in the wake of his touch. He followed the outline of her mouth with the pad of his finger. Her tongue shot out and licked it. “I have pictured this moment ever since our first kiss.”

  Once again, he captured her lips as he lowered his hips to hers. Even though they were still in their underwear, the thin fabric couldn’t hide his arousal, and she was sure he could feel her wetness through her lace panties.

  Brady moved so that he lay on his side. While their mouths devoured each other, his hand found her breast. She arched into his touch. His palm massaged her soft flesh as his thumb and forefinger rolled her nipple. The bud hardened from the onslaught. He repeated the action on her other breast. Arielle raised her hips, indicating the place she wanted touched the most.

  Her own hands followed a similar path to his, except she bypassed his nipples and headed south. Her fingers dipped inside the waistband of his boxers and curled around his hardness. She moaned against his mouth. He felt so good, but she wanted him inside her, not in her hand.

  She released the hold she had on his dick and grabbed the waistband of his boxers. A warm hand closed over hers.

  “I think it will be safer if I take these off myself. I have a feeling you aren’t going to be gentle.”

  A blush stole over her body. Brady was right. In her haste to remove his final piece of clothing, she would more likely cause him pain. The opposite of the pleasure she wanted to give him.

  While he was busy removing his briefs, she removed her own. Awareness shimmered through her when she heard the crinkle of a foil package. From beneath her lashes, she watched as Brady rolled the thin latex down his hard length. She was a little disappointed he didn’t let her do the honors. On the other hand, she was so anxious for him to be inside her, she didn’t care that he’d taken matters into his own hands.

  Brady’s fingers brushed the inside of her thigh as he returned to the bed. Her eyelids drifted closed in anticipation of those fingers finding her core. A shudder ripped through her at unexpected slide of his tongue up her slick folds. She groaned when his teeth nipped her tight bundle of nerves. All her thoughts concentrated on the man between her thighs. With each stroke of his tongue, her body tightened, waiting for that moment when it all became too much and the tension needed to be released. In the past, she’d had to give her lovers a helping hand, but Brady knew what he was doing. A finger joined in his tongue, and the second it slid inside, her orgasm hit her. Her hips bucked beneath his mouth as she moaned her release. If only this sensation would never leave her. No man had ever given her this intense an orgasm through oral sex.

  He gave her one last kiss before he raised over her. He positioned himself at her entrance and entered her still-quivering body. His hard length slid slowly in.

  “God, Brady.” The words rushed out of her. “More.”

  “Fuck, Ari, you feel amazing.”

  He began to move then, sliding out before thrusting back in until he was buried deep within her. With her body still vibrating from her earlier orgasm, the sensation was indescribable. The tightness built inside of her again. She wrapped her legs around Brady’s hips, deepening his penetration. Her second orgasm washed over her, and she cried out his name. Two thrusts later, Brady groaned loudly in her ear and shuddered out his release.

  Her breaths came in short gasps, and if she tried to stand she’d collapse in a heap because her legs had the consistency of jelly.

  Brady crumpled on the bed beside her, dragging her to his side. She draped her arm across his chest and buried her face in his shoulder.

  She never wanted to move.

  Brady lay on his back and stared at the ceiling while Arielle slept beside him. He needed to get out of here. He was competing in the half pipe tomorrow. Theoretically, he should’ve walked her to her door, kissed her good night, and gone back to his room so that he could get a good night’s sleep. What he’d always done before a competition. But turning his back on Arielle had been impossible, and he wouldn’t trade what they’d shared in this bed for anything.

  She stirred and rolled away from him. It would be a dick move to leave her in the middle of the night. He may be plenty of things, but with the woman who’d shared this amazing experience with him, he didn’t want to be a
dick.

  He brushed his lips across the silky smooth expanse of her shoulder. His initial thought about Arielle had been correct. Her body did pack a punch, and he wished he could explore it more.

  Another time.

  In another place, maybe they could’ve taken this flirtation and turned it into a relationship. But he still had goals to achieve. After missing out on gold in the slopestyle, he wanted to make sure he did his very best with the half pipe, his favorite event and the one he was known for. He had to win. Arielle’s event wasn’t until the following week. He had no doubts that she wanted to do one better than the team event.

  “Ari,” he whispered as he kissed her again.

  “Hmmm?”

  “I have to go.”

  She moved, her breast brushing his hand. Immediately, his dick hardened. He inwardly groaned. With her warm body snuggled up against him, he waged an inner war: give in to his carnal needs or do the right thing for both of them?

  “Why?” she asked as she yawned.

  He kissed her again. Their lips softly caressed each other. He went to pull away, but she tightened her grip on him. Maybe he could leave in a little bit.

  The moon was hidden by thick clouds, and light snowflakes drifted around Brady as he walked into his building. Slowly, he made his way to his room and unlocked the door. He braced himself to receive some rude comments from Nate when he slipped into the bedroom, but silence greeted him. The other bed in the room was neatly made like his own.

  Okay, so Nate had decided staying somewhere else would be a good idea. For once, Brady agreed with him. At least he could keep the time he spent in Ari’s arms a special moment between the two of them. He didn’t believe she would shout from the rooftops that she’d slept with Brady Thompson. She definitely wasn’t that type of girl.

  Exhaustion was biting at his heels. His event started at 10:00 a.m., but he would need to get there by at least 8:30 a.m. to go through his moves with his coach. He pulled his boots off and fell face down on the bed, clothes and all. All he needed was a couple more hours of sleep, and he would be fine. All he needed to do was qualify.

  Easy.

  Chapter 9

  There was one more competitor before the qualifying round for the half pipe competition ended. If this last guy from France scored five points more than him, Brady would be out, and his Games would be over. All he would have to show for it would be one silver medal. Not the two golds he’d been visualizing.

  How the fuck had it come to this?

  The half pipe was his event. He was the current X Games champion; he should’ve nailed this round today. Instead, he was barely hanging on by the tips of his fingernails.

  “Brady.”

  He looked up and found his coach standing over him. His stomach plummeted to his feet at the scowl on Dirk’s face.

  He was out.

  “Shit.”

  “You’re in—barely.”

  It took a full ten seconds for the words to penetrate the haze of disappointment surrounding him. “What?”

  “You’re in,” Dirk repeated, and then he smiled. Not the smile he’d given Brady after his win in the slopestyle, but a smile all the same.

  “How?”

  “Marcel crashed out on his first trick. He didn’t get enough points to beat you.” His coach slapped him on the back. “I expect to see you back here after the women’s event wraps up. We’ve got work to do. I don’t know what was going through your mind out there, but you need to get your head back in the game. Or tomorrow is over before you even get there.”

  Brady nodded, allowing the reality of the situation sink in. He had been given another chance. Maybe a walk in the fresh air would clear his mind. A cold wind rushed across his face the second he exited the small building. Finding a quiet space, he closed his eyes and centered himself like he did before he competed.

  Dirk was right—he needed to get his focus back on the reason he was standing in the snow. He was here for Olympic gold. He wasn’t here to hook up with a pretty face.

  He sighed and gazed out over the snowy ridges

  Arielle is more than a pretty face, and you know it.

  That was the problem. His lack of sleep and the memories of what he’d shared with her had clouded his mind. No matter how much he tried for clarity and concentration on his routines, he hadn’t been able to forget the way she’d looked in his arms. Her hair spread out on the pillow. The way her eyes shone with delight as she orgasmed. How perfectly they fitted together.

  “Fuck, I don’t need this.”

  Last night was the first time he’d ever slept with a woman before a competition. There had been plenty of women on the X Games circuit who wanted to warm his bed, and sometimes he’d taken them up on their offer, but never the night before his events. Until now. And he’d almost blown his chances. He couldn’t afford a repeat performance, no matter how much he might want one. There was only one thing he could do, and that was keep his distance from Arielle. He couldn’t let the temptation and need to see her override the reason he was standing on this mountainside.

  He’d come to South Korea to win gold. If achieving that goal meant sacrificing his happiness, that’s what he’d do. Even if he felt like a little piece of himself was dying inside. Better that than failing.

  Arielle walked out of her practice, paused under the arena’s portico and opened up the Olympic app on her phone. Energy pulsed through her. Practice had been amazing, and Mom was convinced her daughter was going to win gold. Arielle didn’t want to get her hopes up, but if she could go into her competition with the same amount of enthusiasm and precision, she had a good chance of medalling.

  Finally, the app opened, and she scrolled until she found the snowboarding icon. Clicking it, she waited for the page to load. She had no doubt Brady would be in the top five, for sure. Where was he? She tracked down and found him listed last.

  “What? How is that possible?”

  “How is what possible, dear?”

  She hadn’t heard her mother approach. “Nothing, Mom. It’s nothing.”

  A telltale warmth crept up her neck. She’d never been very good at lying. Surely, Mom was going to call her out on it.

  “Why are you looking at the snowboarding results? Arielle, you’re not still associating with Brady Thompson, are you?”

  Nothing good could come from this conversation. Had it been smart to keep her parents as her coaches all these years? At least if she’d had a neutral person they wouldn’t be constantly on her about her personal life. Or, if they were, she could tell them it was none of their business.

  “Does it matter, Mom? I’m an adult now. I live by myself. Who’s talking to me now, my coach or my mom?”

  “Both. I’m one and the same when it comes to the people you surround yourself with and whether those people will help or hinder your performance.”

  “It always comes down to performance, doesn’t it, Mom? I could be seeing the most upstanding citizen in all of Canada, and still you’d find fault with him.” She tempered the urge to stamp her foot.

  A group of people walked past to enter the practice arena, and Arielle caught the sideways glances. This so wasn’t the place to have this conversation, but it was a conversation they needed to have anyway. “Mom, you seem to have a problem with Brady. Why? You’ve never even spoken to the guy.”

  Mom took hold of her elbow and led her to the side of the building, away from the entrance, where it was quiet and they wouldn’t be interrupted. This wasn’t going to be good.

  “Brady Thompson almost ruined Maybelle Li’s career because of his selfish attitude. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”

  “Okay, but it isn’t like he can break a partnership with me. It shouldn’t matter why he and Maybelle split. All that should matter is the person he is now. And he happens to be a nice person. I like him, Mom.”

  Her mom studied her. Arielle could spell it out for her: She’d slept with the guy. Had the best sex ever. And it hadn’t affe
cted her performance on the ice in her practice session, if anything she’d had one of her best sessions ever. Arielle was convinced if she and Brady continued associating with each other, it wouldn’t be an issue when it came to her event.

  “I saw him skate, Mom. The only person he hurt by breaking up his partnership was himself. He owns the ice. Perhaps he walked away from Maybelle for her own good. Maybe he did it because he wanted her to succeed, and for some reason, he knew he couldn’t be what she needed.”

  Her mother scoffed, an actual scoff. Arielle didn’t think she’d ever heard that sound from her, even during their past arguments. “Do you hear yourself, Arielle? You’re a bundle of contradictions. One second, you say he owned the ice. The next, you say he couldn’t give Maybelle what she needed to succeed.” Her mom took a breath. “The only reason they won that championship was because of Brady. Yes, Maybelle is an exceptional skater, but Brady had that elusive magic that all skaters look for. He’s as natural on the skates as you are, which is unusual for a person from Australia, a country where more than half the place isn’t covered in snow during winter. They would’ve won in Vancouver and Sochi. For goodness sake, they’re both young enough to have won here if they’d stayed together. They were that good. So I don’t believe your drivel that he walked away from Maybelle for her own good.”

  Arielle had contradicted herself, but it still didn’t explain why her mother was so against Brady. “Okay, Mom, you’re right. But I still believe there was something deeper going on. Is that really the only reason you don’t want me to associate with him? What do you think he’d do, convince me to give up skating?” A light-pink hue bloomed across Mom’s cheeks. “That’s it, isn’t it? You think if I grow close to Brady, he’ll do that to me. Why? He was at the team event. I spoke to him afterward; he was nothing but excited for me to win. He’s even talking to Maybelle. You are so wrong if you think that.”