by Jenna Payne
“Oh, your jaw looks awful. Does it hurt?”
She reached out and cupped his cheek, gently stroking the bruise. He winced.
“It hurts when you do that.”
“Sorry.”
She pulled her hand away.
“I didn’t say stop. I like it when you put your hands on me.”
His grin was sheepish, the suggestion clear in his tones.
“Don’t you think it’s a little fast?”
“Do you? It doesn’t really matter what anyone thinks but you in this case. It’s not like I’m going to run and tell my hockey buddies that you slept with me. Give me a little credit.”
Vienna considered it for a moment.
“I guess I don’t. I mean we have known each other most of our lives.”
“You totally stole my line.”
“I did. I don’t know I just-”
Ethan leaned forward, capturing her mouth and cutting off her train of thought. She leaned into him, slowly opening herself more and more to him. He pulled her into his arms and against him. She inhaled the scent of him, eyes falling closed as she gave herself over to the moment.
When he finally pulled away, he was smiling at her.
“You overthink things,” he teased.
“Of course I do. That’s what makes me a good competitor and I-”
He kissed her again, pulling her onto his lap and putting his arms beneath her. He stood while he kissed her, never breaking the contact while he walked down the hall.
She broke the kiss, her eyes searching his.
“Are we really doing this?”
“We are.”
He kissed her again before she could change her mind.
*****
Ethan set Vienna on the bed gently, sliding her gown over her head and dropping it onto the floor. She was completely naked, and Ethan arched an eyebrow in surprise.
“If I’d known you were sitting across from me with no panties that entire time, we never would have made it to the bed.”
“I’ll remember that for next time,” she said, pulling him down for a deep kiss.
He broke away, trailing tender kisses down her throat and over her shoulders. She gasped softly when he kissed the gentle slope of her breast, teasing her with a soft brush of his lips right above her nipple. She arched her back into him, her body moving of its own free will.
“Patience my dear. We have all day.”
She groaned in frustration, but she was at his mercy and he wasn’t about to be hurried. He took his time, moving on to other parts of her body. Every time he came close to one of her hotspots, he adjusted his course, leaving her aching for more.
She threaded her fingers through his hair when he moved up her belly again, just inches from her breast. She guided him, unashamed as she tugged his hair to move him closer to her erect nipple. He kissed just below it, blowing his hot breath across the tiny nub, causing it to harden even more.
“Do you want me to kiss it?”
“Please,” she breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper.
“How bad do you want it?”
“Bad.”
She was struggling now. Trying to hold onto her sanity, but his leisurely approach was destroying her. She hadn’t realized how much she’d wanted to feel him inside of her until she was beneath him. Now that he was that close, she needed him. Now.
Ethan chuckled, lips encircling her nipple. He sucked, softly at first then increasing the pressure as she writhed beneath him. He hummed while he did it, the sensation almost too much for her.
She threw her head back, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him ever closer. He abandoned the first nipple, cupping her other breast in his hand and roughly pulling that nipple into his mouth and tugging. The difference set her on fire. Gentle was good, but Vienna was so aroused that she wasn’t going to be able to tolerate gentle much longer. She wanted him now, and she didn’t want him to be gentle.
Her legs were wrapped around his hips, just above his loose knit pants. Slowly, she pushed down, working his pants down while he continued his torturous attentions, alternating between one nipple and the other.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” he said, with her nipple caught in his teeth while he spoke.
His free hand went beneath her, gliding down her body and over her tight ass. His hand explored until he found her center, dipping his fingers into the folds and working her into a frenzy.
Vienna arched her back, her hands pulling at the sheets beneath her as he expertly worked her body to the brink of orgasm and pulled away.
“I can’t take much more of this,” she choked out.
“Is that a challenge?” he asked, his teeth still raking over her nipple when he spoke.
His voice was maddeningly calm, though she could feel his erection pushing against the fabric that pressed against her leg.
How was he so calm when she felt like she was going to fly apart at any moment?
“No. Ethan, just please,” she stuttered.
He smiled, pulling away and gazing down at her.
“Suit yourself.”
He slipped his pants off, hovering over her on his knees for a moment, drinking in the sight of her naked and wanting beneath him. Her eyes traveled down his chiseled body and settled on his erection. She bit her lip and moved her hips against him. She was ready.
He winked at her, clearly amused with her overwhelming desire.
“You know, I can do this all day.”
Vienna lunged at him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him down onto the bed. She rolled, pinning him beneath her and sliding her sex against his hard length.
When his head met her opening, she slipped onto him, taking the wide length of him to the hilt. Her head dropped back and she began moving her hips vigorously.
When she looked down at Ethan, he was smiling wickedly at her. His hands went up, cupping each breast and squeezing roughly. Vienna’s eyes fluttered and she bit her lip. He watched her as she moved, continuing to knead and pull at her supple breasts. One final thrust sent Vienna over the edge and she began to buck and shudder around him.
Ethan pulled her down, squishing her breasts against his hard chest and wrapping his strong arms around her.
He dug his heels into the mattress, driving into her over and over until he joined her. She writhed and whimpered in his arms as his orgasm consumed him. She finished before him, but he continued to thrust, squeezing every last drop of pleasure out of her before he fell back, spent, his arms locked around her.
He was still inside her, the heat of her almost burning his sensitive flesh. He kissed the top of her head, whispering sweet words to her while he cradled her in his arms. In no time, her body relaxed and her breathing was slow and even.
Still buried within her, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
*****
Vienna’s legs were still a bit sore when she stepped off the ice the next morning. She pushed thoughts of the previous day out of her mind. Her competition was early Saturday morning, which meant today was the last day of practice in Chehalis. Tomorrow was Friday, and today she would be leaving for Seattle shortly after lunch. That would give her most of Friday to get accustomed to the rink in Seattle and plenty of time to rest. She was down to the wire. Her stomach was in knots, but she wasn’t sure all her excitement was over the competition.
Ethan sat in the stands, cellphone in hand, pulling up the video of each of her programs while she took off her skates and laced her running shoes up.
“Do you want to watch them now?”
“No. Let’s go back to my place and eat. I need to pack so I can leave right after lunch.”
“I’ll meet you over there. I need to grab a few things.”
Vienna nodded, lost in thought. She walked out of the building, not even noticing when Ethan leaned down to kiss her. He smiled at her back as she walked away. She was in the zone and nothing was going to distract her. He found this s
ide of her amusing. She was so driven and so goal-oriented. It was one of the things he liked most about her.
Vienna got into her car and drove to her home, leaving the door unlocked behind her so Ethan could let himself in. She’d spent so much of yesterday wrapped in his arms she hadn’t gotten around to packing.
She put her large duffle bag on the bed, pulling her costumes out. She packed one for each program and two more in case something happened to the first two. She tossed her competition skates into the bag, wrapped in a towel so the brads for her laces didn’t snag on any of her clothes.
She made a quick sweep of her room and the bathroom, making sure she had everything for her stay in Washington. The competition started on Saturday and ended Sunday afternoon. It was going to be a long weekend, but she was ready.
If she did well this weekend, she would set her sights on qualifying for the Olympics. She closed her eyes, envisioning that for a moment before she pushed it to the side. One dream at a time. And right now, she was focused on the World Championship. Next week, she would reevaluate and plot her course. Now, she had to stay focused.
She could smell the food cooking before she realized that Ethan was already there. She was going to miss his cooking while she was gone.
Vienna lugged her bag into the living room, setting it down by the door and pulling up a chair at the table.
Ethan had sautéed chicken to go on a beautiful salad he’d already prepared and placed on her plate. He brought the sizzling pan over to the table, pushing half the chicken onto her salad and putting the rest on his.
“This looks delicious, thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
They ate in companionable silence, Ethan watching Vienna as she lost herself in thought over and over.
She looked up and caught him smiling at her.
“What?”
“You’re cute when you’re mulling over stuff.”
“Thanks. I’m just trying to visualize everything. It helps keep me calm before a competition.”
“Oh. I forgot to bring my phone in.”
He scooped up her empty plate and set it in the sink with his before racing outside to his car to get his phone.
When he returned, Vienna furrowed her brows in confusion.
“What’s in the bag?”
“My stuff.”
“For what?”
“For the weekend.”
“Which hotel are you staying at?”
His smile faltered.
“Whichever one you’re staying at.”
“What? No you can’t stay with me. My coach won’t like that and I have to focus.”
“So I can’t share a room with you?”
“No. The rooms we reserved are for competitors only. Even pairs skaters that are married don’t share a room.”
“My parents did.”
“Well that’s different.”
“So I can’t stay with you? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Of course not. I have to focus and rest. I can’t do that if you’re underfoot.”
“Is it alright if I come and watch you, or is that too distracting too?”
“Ethan, I don’t mean it that way. I want you to come to the competition, but the rest of the time, I need my space. I don’t know why you don’t understand.”
“I understand alright. It’s okay to sleep with me, but you don’t want to be seen in public with someone like me.”
“What do you mean someone like you? You’re amazing.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s just the way it is.”
“I don’t buy it,” he said, turning to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going home, where I’m welcome. I wouldn’t want to break your concentration and ruin your competition. Goodbye and good luck.”
“Ethan please don’t-”
But the slamming door cut her off mid-sentence. Hot tears threatened an instant before they spilled over. This was the last thing she needed before a competition. He should understand. It’s not like the figure skating world was new to him. But maybe they were too different.
Vienna moved around her home in a daze, tears flowing and heart broken. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but her priorities were clear. Double checking her heavy bag, she zipped it back up and hefted it over her shoulder. She didn’t have to leave for another hour, but she might as well.
There was no reason for her to stay here.
*****
Vienna scanned the crowd early Sunday morning, but she knew she wouldn’t find Ethan there. He’d been noticeably absent Saturday night, making her high-scoring short program hard to get excited about. She was in the lead in her division going into the long program. All she had to do was skate the long program clean and she would win the women’s single skate.
Her name was called over the loudspeaker and she pushed thoughts of Ethan out of her mind. It was his loss, and no big surprise. He was just like the other men she’d dated over the years. He got what he wanted from her and moved on at the first sign of tension. She would get over it, but for now, she had to focus.
She stepped out onto the ice, waving to the crowd when she took her courtesy circle around the rink. She stopped in the middle of the ice, getting into her opening pose and waiting for her music to start.
The piece began gently, and she flowed into her opening sequence with effortless grace. A medley of her favorite Broadway tunes.
When the tempo picked up, she shot into her first sequence to loud applause from the crowd. She nailed the landing on both, a broad smile spreading across her face.
The wind whipped her skirt around as she picked up speed. She was exhausted and emotionally drained, but the excitement of the competition fueled her. She stuck the next two jumps and mentally prepared herself for the last sequence; Ethan’s signature move.
She didn’t let the thought of him wiggle its way into her mind. She was too focused on nailing the jump and the landing. The crowd held its breath as her feet left the ice, the slicing of the blade almost deafening as it echoed above the silence.
She heard the crowd go silent, all eyes on her. Her skates touched down easily on the ice and she allowed herself a moment of relief as the crowd roared its approval.
Tightening her circle, she worked herself into the final spin sequence. She couldn’t hold back her smile as the music faded and she came out of the spin feeling triumphant.
She’d done it!
Flowers and tiny stuffed animals rained down from the stands and she stooped to pick up a few as she skated off the ice.
She sat on the bench beside her coach, waiting for the judges to tally her scores.
Her coach whooped in response to her high scores. The two competitors that were following her couldn’t close the gap no matter what they did. She’d won.
“Great job, Vienna,” her coach beamed.
“Thanks, Franz.”
She moved to the edge of the rink, watching the final performer take the ice. This was the best moment of her life, but Ethan’s absence was tearing at her. In a little under five minutes she was going to be on that ice, accepting her hard-earned medal.
A hand touched her shoulder, and she turned, expecting to see her coach.
She was shocked to see Ethan instead. He held a single red rose in his hand.
“What are you doing here?” she said, not wanting to get into a fight right before she went out to collect her medal.
“I’m sorry. That’s why I’m here. I was wrong.”
“You were,” she said, surprised at how hurt she sounded. “You missed my short program last night.”
“I didn’t. I saw you.”
“Why didn’t you let me know you were here then?”
“Because I was still mad, but I’ve had some time to think, and I realize I was wrong. I’m so sorry Vienna.”
Vienna searched his eyes, his face. He looked like a lost little boy. His expression almost undid he
r.
The announcer read the results of the last competitor, leaving a brief gap before they announced the winner.
“And your champion, ladies and gentlemen, is Vienna Rhett of Chehalis, Washington!”
The crowd roared and Vienna turned.
“Wait.”
“Ethan, I have to get out on the ice. I’ll be right back.”
“Promise?”
She kissed him on the cheek and took the rose he offered.
“I promise.”
She skated out onto the ice with the second and third place competitors, tears of joy streaking down her face. The crowd was on its feet, several of them chanting her name. It was more than she’d ever dreamed of.
She took her spot on the podium, catching Ethan’s gaze and smiling. His being there made the moment all the more special, and she was glad he’d set aside his hurt feelings and had come.
The small, gold medal felt heavy on her neck. She took a victory skate around the rink, waving at the fans before skating off the ice and into Ethan’s arms.
“I’m so glad you came,” she said, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around him.
“Whoa be careful,” he said, setting her back a little bit.
She saw something move beneath his coat.
“What is that?”
“Well,” he began, reaching into his heavy jacket, “you said that you wanted a roommate. It’s not a goldfish, but I think you two will get along.”
He pulled out a tiny, fluffy silver kitten with bright green eyes.
“She reminded me of you,” he said, handing the purring kitten over.
“Because I’m hairy and fluffy,” Vienna laughed, snuggling the precious cat tight.
“No. Elegant and perfectly beautiful.”
He pulled her close, kissing her passionately.
“I was actually hinting about you when I was talking about a roommate,” Vienna admitted, letting Ethan lead her to the locker rooms so she could change.
“I know. But a kitten is a good start.”
“As long as you don’t make me wait for you forever.”
He laughed, dipping his head down to kiss her once more.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Nothing. I was just thinking the same thing.”