Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(64)

It’d been nearly thirty-six hours since we’d fought in his truck on the way back from yoga—not that I was counting. The day before, he’d given us a break from training so we could pack and prepare for Rio. Instead, I’d done a mighty fine job of wallowing in my room, trying to make sense of my life.

I was about to go to Rio and compete in the Olympics. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and if I was smart, I’d keep my head down and focus on gymnastics—yet thoughts of Erik consumed me. I couldn’t stop replaying our night in the yoga studio. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him hovering over me, lust smoldering behind his gaze. Every time I brushed my hand across my skin, I pretended it was his hand, claiming me as he had in front of Kira. I knew he’d been moved by the experience. His mouth had been everywhere, blazing across my skin with enough heat that even thirty-six hours later, I still felt burned.

I’d never done anything like that before—what we’d done with Kira—and just the thought of it heated my blood. Lying there with both of their attention on me, their hands, their mouths, their dark words aimed at me and my pleasure alone—it was enough to drive me insane. Though the night had ripped me from my comfort zone, I’d let myself enjoy it because I knew Erik was there, holding me through it. He’d known I would enjoy it, and I had. I’d felt safe with him there, and yet by the end of the night, the Hyde to his Jekyll had returned. The magic was lost the moment he started his truck, and I was back to being a doll for him to either play with or pack away when I no longer convenienced him.





“I already have a few party invites nailed down,” Lexi said.

She’d snatched the window seat on the plane and I’d taken the seat beside her, across the aisle from Molly. Lexi was on her phone, scrolling through Facebook, accepting and declining event invitations. I was busy trying to see into first-class. Erik was up there and every time one of the flight attendants giggled, I tilted my head and tried to see past the curtain.

“HELLO. Are you listening? Parties.”

Molly laughed. “We have that gymnastics mixer tonight.”

Lexi gagged. “That’s an Olympic-sanctioned event. It’s like an ice cream social with chaperones.” She turned and leaned in toward both of us. “I’m talking about real parties, the kind where pants are optional.”

I stared down at my jean shorts and Lexi laughed.

“Why would Brie want to go to those?” Molly asked with a hushed tone. “Unless of course they allow coaches in as well?”

I glared at her. “Stop.”

“What?” she asked innocently. “The tension between you two has hit a new level. You won’t tell me what happened at yoga, so I can only assume the worst.”

She waggled her eyebrows and I shook my head. “Nothing happened.”

Lexi coughed. “Liar.”

Another giggle sounded from first class and I leaned forward to rifle through my backpack for my MP3 player. I wouldn’t survive the flight, not with Erik up there ignoring me and Lexi and Molly interrogating me. I stuffed my earbuds into my ears and closed my eyes, crossing my arms when Lexi tried to get my attention.

“Wake me up when we get there,” I said, squeezing my eyes closed harder.

“Fine,” she said, just before tugging one of my headphones out so I could hear the second part of her sentence. “But after the mixer tonight, we’re going out—Olympic style.”





It was a short drive from the airport to the village, though that didn’t make it any better. All six of us were stuffed into the same shuttle. As we’d loaded up, Erik had stood back, letting us all climb in first. He didn’t make eye contact with me as I passed him, but his hand pressed to my lower back, guiding me toward the back seat. I’d shivered at his touch and I knew the bastard had felt it.

Once we were all inside, he’d hopped in and slid the large door closed behind him. For the twenty-minute drive, I stared at the back of his head, taking in the clean cut of his inky black hair and trying hard to read his thoughts; I wanted to get to the juicy stuff: the things that kept him up at night, what he really thought of me. I could smell his body wash from my perch behind him. It was a scent I’d come to associate with lust and longing. I hated it.

Lexi leaned in close and whispered, “You haven’t blinked in like five minutes. I think there’s dust collecting on your eyeballs.”

I elbowed her in the chest and she laughed, not the least bit deterred.

“Whoa! Look!” Rosie said, pointing out the window as our shuttle drove into the Olympic Village.

The place was everything I’d imagined: new and luxurious. It reminded me of an outdoor mall with shops lining a central road. There were coffee shops, salons, bookstores, pharmacies. Anything we needed was only a short walk away from the American athlete complex.

“Don’t be late this evening and don’t do anything stupid,” Erik said, keeping his attention out the window. “We have qualifications in two days, so no alcohol and no parties.”

“Gonna put a guard outside our door?” Lexi challenged.

I caught his subtle smirk. “If I have to.”

“Will you be there tonight?” I asked the back of his head. It was the first time I’d talked to him in two days and I regretted the question as soon as I’d asked it.