“Sorry to hear about your job. Want to talk about it?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
I ran a finger along her arm, taking my time to trace the skin from her shoulder and across her bicep, and linger at her wrist. She shivered under my touch.
“Why don’t you tell me about your night and I’ll tell you about mine?” I suggested.
“I know about you, Blaine Crews.”
I chuckled. “And what do you think you know?”
She twisted her lips together. “Your reputation has made it to the United States. Your reputation with women,” she added.
“I hope it’s a good one.” I waggled my eyebrows. I knew what the press reported about me.
“You seriously don’t care what people think about you? That you’re known as the swimming Casanova?”
“Don’t give a shit.” I pressed my thumb into her wrist. “I like women. I like beautiful, sexy, smart women.”
I saw her chest rise with a deep breath.
“And this is normal for you? You pick up women outside the ladies’ room?”
“This might be a first for me, but you sort of fell into my arms.”
“I didn’t fall. You ran into me and knocked me over.” Her brows knitted together. It was cute and feisty.
“I also caught you, didn’t I?”
“How do I know you didn’t knock me over on purpose?” She folded her arms over her chest, pressing her breasts together.
“You don’t.”
She tried to smile, but a tear slipped from her lashes. Damn it. A crying woman was usually something I tried to avoid, but she was so fucking beautiful I was running out of reasons to turn around and walk away.
There was only one way this was going to go.
“Come on.” I grabbed her hand in mine and led her toward the back exit. “You’re upset. You need a shoulder to cry on.”
“I didn’t say yes.”
“But you didn’t say no.”
I pushed through the swinging door and we emerged into the parking lot. The lights from the arena lit up the sky. It hadn’t sunk in yet that less than two hours ago, I had broken the world record in that building while my entire country watched.
I was a star. I was their hero. I was Blaine Crews.
8
Ava
My laptop seemed as discouraged by the heat as I was. It sputtered and clicked when I turned it on. I wanted to try to get as much of Blaine’s story together as I could. I looked at my phone. I had a few hours before Vic wanted everything on the server.
First I wanted to record my notes from our interview, and then I was going to head to the aquatics center. I needed to see for myself what was going on at the swim facility. If I was lucky I might be able to interview someone who worked in the building. Maybe there would be another swimmer trying to get in the pool who would be willing to give me a few quotes.
It would be difficult to get a statement from an Olympic representative, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t give them a chance to comment. I looked at my watch. I needed to get over there.
I pulled a bottle of water from my bag. I had stocked up on snacks and water at one of the markets on the block.
I wanted to crawl under the covers and shake the remnants of jet lag along with the encounter with Blaine, but I had work to do. I needed this job. I had to power through until this story was on the server.
I felt the adrenaline awaken my senses as I pieced together the details into a narrative that explained what Blaine experienced this morning. What if this was only the first account? What if more of the venues weren’t ready for athletes?
I could comb the city, unearthing the deficiencies, exposing the Olympics for what they were. What Blaine had done for me was huge, but I didn’t want to be indebted to him for giving me a one-of-a-kind exclusive that no one in the press corps had. Part of me knew people would pay big money for the kind of access I had to him.
I piled my hair on top of my head, fastening it with a clip. The wispy ends fell around my face. I brushed one aside and remembered Blaine’s fingers grazing my skin. I closed my eyes for a second. And let myself remember.
***
5 weeks ago
We stood in the parking lot looking at the lights swirling around us. Sydney was a beautiful city.
As Blaine clutched my hand, I realized how strong and wide his hands were. They made mine feel small and sheltered.
He towered over me, and I wondered how distraught I was to walk out here with him. But was he a stranger? Everyone in the world knew who he was. I had been covering his story since I arrived in Sydney.
I did know things about him. I knew he didn’t have a family cheering for him in the stands. I knew he was twenty-seven. I knew he had eaten more calories per day than I did in a week.
I had interviewed hundreds of players, but none of them had the effect on me that Blaine did. I reminded myself this wasn’t an interview. I didn’t know what it was. Only that I was standing outside with one of the most revered athletes in the world and his fingers were threaded through mine as if somehow, for just this moment, I was his.
He leaned close and I could smell the fresh soap on his skin. He must have showered after the meet and run across the street to get a celebratory pint.
I liked the clean scent. I was surprised by how many things I liked about him.
I didn’t know how I fit into his night. Why was I staring into his eyes when he could be sharing his victory with anyone else?
The night air felt good on my face. I took a deep breath.
“Feel better?” he asked.
I was afraid to speak. Afraid that it was all a dream. That he would turn away, walk back into the pub, and act like we had never met. Or that I would snap back into reality and realize I was committing the cardinal sin of my career—fraternizing with an athlete. My job at Sports Now was over, but I had carved out a career in sports reporting. One night with a notorious playboy and I risked stamping a career-ending reputation on my resume.
I nodded. “Thank you. I can breathe out here.”
“It sucks being sacked, love.”
There was that word again. I knew it had its own meaning here, but every time he said it I melted a little inside.
“It’s okay if you want to go back inside. I’m fine. Really. Thanks for making sure I was okay.” The last thing I wanted was to be thrown a pity party by Blaine Crews.
“You don’t think I’m going to leave a pretty girl out here, do you?”
“Maybe she doesn’t need to be rescued,” I said coyly. “Besides, I don’t know anything about you.”
“Why don’t we change that?” I could see his smirk through the darkness. He was charming and sexy, but oozing with cockiness. It was easy to see where the label came from.
His hand snaked around my waist, dragging me toward him. My nose filled with the clean scent of his skin and the beer on his breath. His mouth moved against mine before I knew what had struck.
Instinct and primal need swept through me when I felt his tongue glide across mine. Damn, he was a good kisser. His hands cupped my face as we sank deeper into the kiss. If I wanted to breathe, I couldn’t. If I wanted to speak, there weren’t any words. There was only Blaine, me, and a raging fire that had sprung free the instant he touched me.
9
Blaine
5 weeks ago
Her lips were fucking edible. I kissed her hard, sucking and biting, stealing every breath I could from her body. She leaned into me. I didn’t need to read any more signs. She wanted this as badly as I did.
I stood back to gaze into her eyes.
“Let’s get out of here.” I tugged on her hand.
“But don’t you want to celebrate?” she asked. “They’re going to be disappointed.”
“”Those blokes haven’t even noticed I’m gone. I’ve got one more race. I can celebrate tomorrow night.” I brought the soft spot of her wrist to my lips. She shivere
d under my touch. “Besides, I want to hear what happened.”
“It’s too embarrassing to talk about.”
I didn’t want to stand out here in the parking lot all night. I wanted to take her back to my room. I wanted to kiss her, hold her, and fuck her senseless.
“Then, we can talk about something else.” I led her to my car. “Or we can forget the talking.”
I shuttled her into the passenger side and closed the door.
“Is Blaine Crews kidnapping me?” She cracked a smile. “Because that’s kind of what this feels like.”
“Do you want me to kidnap you?”
“Yeah, I think I do.” She licked her lips, making them glossy and smooth.
I reached over the console, devouring her with a hungry kiss. Damn, what was she doing to me? I was losing it just from her lips and I hadn’t even seen her naked yet.
I broke away, knowing I had to get her back to my room before I stripped her down in the backseat of my car. She took a heavy breath as I peeled out of the parking lot.
I couldn’t find a parking spot at the hotel fast enough. Before the valet could congratulate me on the way through the building I had Ava in the elevator.
By the time the elevator doors closed behind us, I had her pinned with my chest against the wall. I gripped her cheeks with my hand, slipping my tongue between her parted lips.
Fuck, she tasted sweet. A delicious foreign delicacy made for me. She panted under the pressure of my tongue. The doors slid open and we groped and stumbled our way to my door. The key card was somewhere in my back pocket.
Her hands canvassed my arms and chests while I tried to get us in the room.
The door swung open and I lifted her in my arms before locking the door behind us.
“I’ve never done anything like this,” she whispered.
God, she made my head spin, my dick harden, and something in my chest pang.
“Welcome to Australia.” I took her hands over her head and bit gently along her throat.
I wanted her all at once. Her lips. Her baby blues locked on mine while I buried myself deep inside her. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my world records than by fucking this gorgeous woman for the rest of the night.
I pulled her bottom lip between my teeth. My cock grew rock hard when I heard her moan.
Tonight I had made history. And I was about to make more.
10
Ava
5 weeks ago
As soon as we stumbled into his hotel room I knew I had decided I wasn’t turning back. This was going to happen. I wanted Blaine Crews to drown out my shitty day. I wanted him to help me forget I had just lost my dream job. I wanted him to make everything fade to black, with nothing left but the two of us.
His hands tangled in my hair, tugging slightly on the back of my head. I groaned when his mouth crashed against mine.
Everything about him was electric and powerful. He knew what he wanted without hesitation and he didn’t waste time talking about it. He took exactly what he wanted.
He spun me toward the door, shoving my back flat against the surface.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” His hands slid to my throat, moving slowly with controlled pressure as he slipped the straps off my camisole. They hung loosely off my shoulders.
With a quick tug he yanked the front below my bra. His head dropped to kiss the skin brimming over the top of the lace.
My head reeled back when his teeth nipped at the fabric, freeing my nipples.
“Shit,” I whispered.
In an instant he had sucked a nipple in his mouth and swirled his tongue around the hard peak. My hands splayed against the door for support. I thought I might fall to the carpet as Blaine sucked and nipped at my breast.
His other hand sneaked up the back of my skirt and I froze when I felt his fingers begin to massage the slit between my legs.
Was this happening? Was I letting this playboy ravage me? God, yes I was.
I whimpered when I felt the first finger flick my panties out of the way.
He smiled wickedly before his teeth assaulted the other breast. My knees wobbled and my thighs tingled with unsteady pulses as he pried my folds apart, coating my clit with my own wetness in a circling motion.
My skirt was up over my hips and I knew I was tilting forward, needing him to make the next move. I rocked back and forth until I finally sighed with satisfaction when he pushed his fingers inside me.
“Yeah, love.” He pumped in and out while my breathing grew more erratic and the coil in my belly tightened.
I was securely plastered to the door with Blaine’s arm holding me upright, my breasts heaving, my panties astray, my hips on a mission of their own. And the entire time, his tongue fired sinful shots of heat along my skin. I melted into a puddle of ecstasy as the intensity increased with each thrust of his fingers.
I didn’t care what the hotel guests could hear on the other side of the door. He had stolen my logic. I moaned, bucking my hips as he fucked me with his fingers.
Blaine savored me like a fine wine. He took his time to make the frenzy build deep under my skin. I clung to his shoulders with desire falling over me like a sleepy haze. As much as I wanted my release, I didn’t want it to be over. I wondered how long I could hold it off, but the harder I tried to keep it from happening, the quicker it catapulted through me, shaking through my body as I clenched at his thick fingers. He strummed over my clit, greedily eyeing me as I convulsed in his arms, giving in to the sensations flooding my body.
I tried to get my bearings, but Blaine lifted me in his arms, taking long strides toward the bed.
“I wanted to fuck you the instant I saw you.” He grinned, gnashing his teeth.
The words made me shiver. I felt greedy. I wanted more than the orgasm. I wanted him to fill me, and take me to the black space where I felt like I was falling and being held with utter protection at the same time.
“Then fuck me,” I whispered. I’d never spoken those words before. Who was I?
As Blaine crawled toward me on the bed, I didn’t care what the answer was. Tonight, I was the woman who was sharing a bed with Blaine Crews.
He kissed me, running his tongue over mine. I tilted my chin forward, wrapping my hands around his neck. I could kiss him all night. That wasn’t entirely true. I wanted more—more than I’d ever admitted to anyone before.
My fingers pulled on the hem of his T-shirt, dragging it over his head. I stared at him in awe. His body was chiseled like a work of art. I traced the lines of muscle that intersected hard ridges of more muscle. His chest was smooth and hard like marble.
My eyes traveled lower to the sharp V-cut wrapping his torso. I’d never seen anything like it. It was as if he had arrows pointing to the greatest masterpiece on his body. I chewed my bottom lip, debating if I was worthy of this kind of beauty. This kind of physical art.
I fidgeted with the button on his jeans, popping them open after a few tries. Blaine sat tall on his knees while I nudged the pants over his hips and off his massive thighs. Fuck, he was built like a god.
As he rolled back on the bed I tugged the cuffs over his feet and dropped the jeans on the floor with a thud. He rested his head on his hands, his elbows wide on the stack of white pillows.
And then the hunger hit me. He was flawless. Every part of him built to be the fastest swimmer in the world. And I wanted my own taste of him. I wanted to be the one to make him groan this time around.
His eyes followed me as I peeled the tattered cami from my shoulders and unclasped my bra. I moved into position, hovering over him until I was settled over his cock. I took in a sharp breath of air before I tugged the boxer briefs off his legs.
Holy shit. I thought the rest of him was perfection. But his cock deserved its own news story. I took his long and thick erection in my hand, reveling in the feel of his silky skin. I wanted to suck him deep. Show him that I knew exactly what to do with something so perfect, but I felt the intimidation rise in my
chest as I looked down at him.
I saw the smirk of amusement on his face. “Please say you’re gonna let me fuck those lips of yours.”
I felt the instant flutter of wetness between my legs. All I could think to do was nod in agreement. I’d try. I’d do anything to surprise him.
I lowered myself over his cock, touching the tip of my tongue to the bead of dew, glistening under the dim lights.
“Shit,” he groaned, flinching as my mouth wrapped around the top of his dick. My tongue licked back and forth while I sucked him inside.
Blaine jerked forward, hitting my throat with a thrust. We both groaned, but with each thrust I took him further, sucking and sliding until he was fisting his hands through my hair, tugging on my head, bucking under me.
“Fuck, Ava,” he growled. “You’re fucking killing me.”
I moaned, moving my lips more rapidly. I wanted to give him what he gave me—the pleasure of release. The blinding blackness where everything else was gone and the only thing that remained were our bodies.
“I have to fuck you,” he commanded.
I wasn’t prepared when he shifted under me, pulling his glorious dick from my mouth and flipping me on my back. I felt the tip of his cock nudge against my slick folds, caressing in a circle, toying with my entrance.
My eyes met his and in a sudden flash, he pushed inside me, bowing me off the bed with unreal bursts of pleasure.
“I’m going to fuck you until the sun comes up,” he promised, hilting himself inside me.
I whimpered at the intensity as he stretched my most sensitive areas and spread my knees wide, pushing deeper and harder. But soon there was a rhythm between us that rained with ecstasy. His mouth clamped over mine as our hungry tongues flicked and sucked at each other, desperate to ride the wave of passion together.
Blaine pumped faster. I clutched at his strong shoulders, mewing with pleasure. My legs locked around his waist, drawing him as close as I could.
“You’re mine tonight, Ava.”
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