Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(66)

I couldn’t even get the second word out of my mouth. Lexi had worked some serious magic on my appearance. I angled my face left and right, taking in the soft brown and gold eye shadows she’d used to cover my lids. I had even, tan skin, but she’d done something to make it glow under the bathroom lights.

Lexi crossed her arms, proud of herself. “See? Subtle, but sensual.” She reached out to push my hair forward so the long loose waves fell over my shoulder. It felt like silk against my bare skin.

“What about lipstick?” I asked, taking in my pale pink lips.

“I was going to suggest some, but I figured you’d fight me on it.”

“How about red?”

Lexi squealed and lunged for her makeup bag. “YES. I have the perfect shade for your skin tone.”

Molly laughed and shook her head. “Why do I feel like we’re preparing Brie for more than just the mixer?”

I let a slow-spreading predatory smile unfold across my lips as I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

You’re preparing me for war.





Chapter Twenty-Six


Brie





Our gymnastics mixer coincided with the opening ceremonies. I was sad to be missing out, and though the parade of nations takes hours on end, it would have been fun to meet the other athletes competing for the United States. Rather than having us attend, the U.S. Gymnastics Association had invited male and female gymnasts from every competing country in an effort to “unite nations” for one common goal: bringing gymnastics programs to the less fortunate across the globe. Our involvement would ensure that enough donors with deep pockets would be in attendance. In exchange, we waltzed around the room, stuffed our faces with hors d’oeuvres, and smiled for the cameras when they were aimed at us.

All in all, it wasn’t so bad. They’d rented out a ballroom inside a hotel in the heart of downtown Rio, a few miles away from the village. The decor was beautiful and the lighting was low, giving off an elegant tone.

“Have you tried the chicken skewer things?” Molly said with a full mouth.

Well, almost elegant.

“Um, ma’am there’s a limit per guest…”

I glanced over to see Molly trying to shove nearly half the tray onto her small appetizer plate.

Lexi stepped forward and waved the waiter away. “Do you realize who she is?! She’s not a guest; she’s the reason we’re all here, buddy. If she wants to eat your skinny little chicken legs, you’d better let her!”

He flitted away, opting not to call Lexi’s bluff.

Molly blushed. “I’m just really hungry from the flight.”

She had a point. We were all athletes with intense training regimes; feeding us tiny chicken bites was just cruel.

I brought my glass of water to my lips and continued my survey of the room. I’d been looking for Erik for the last twenty minutes, ever since we’d first arrived, and I still hadn’t found him in the crowd.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get real food after this,” Lexi assured her. “I saw like twenty restaurants on the way here.”

“Where’s Rosie?” I asked.

“Talking to a reporter. They latched onto her as soon as we arrived and she’s too polite to walk away.”

I cringed. I had no interest in talking to reporters. They asked the same questions every single time: are you ready for the games, have you been training hard, are you nervous, etc.

“Well if she’s still trapped by the time Molly finishes eating her family chicken platter, we should go save her.”

“Where’s June?” Molly asked, holding out her plate for us to steal from. I waved it away, too nervous to eat.

“Eh,” Lexi replied. “Last time I saw her, she was trying to suck some French guy’s dick.”

Had I been eating, I would have choked. “Wait what?”

She shrugged. “She’s over there talking to the French gymnasts.”

I followed her finger and found June in a circle, smiling and chatting away without a care in the world.

“I don’t understand her,” Molly said.

Lexi turned to me with wide eyes. “Incoming.”

Before I could process what she meant, I felt a solid hand hit my lower back.

“Brie!”

I turned over my shoulder and locked eyes with Noah—sweet, handsome Noah. His bright brown eyes held my attention for a moment before I let my gaze fall down his body. He’d grown up since I’d last seen him; he wasn’t the boy I’d left at Worlds the year before. This version of Noah was a year older and half a foot taller.

“I thought that was you,” he said, bending to wrap me in a hug.

I inhaled his cologne and felt my heart flutter before he took a step back and gave me enough space to assess him. He was wearing black pants and a charcoal gray button-down rolled up to his elbows. His blond hair was a bit overgrown, falling over his forehead and adding to his boyish charm.

“You look good,” he said, raising a brow as he stole a quick glance down my body.

I laughed and thanked him before introducing him to Lexi and Molly.

“We’ve heard sooo much about you,” Lexi oozed. “Brie said you guys met last year at Worlds?”

He smiled wider, revealing a dimple on the right side of his mouth. “We became friends there and then I somehow talked her into going on a few dates with me.”