Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(68)

I needed to be closer to him, to catch his scent or hear his voice, something that would connect us. I walked right behind him and held my breath, expecting him to reach out and stop me, to call a f*cking spade a spade.

He didn’t falter from his conversation, but one of the other coaches noticed me walking by and reached out to stop me.

“Oh, Erik! Isn’t this one yours?”

My back bristled as the group turned to asses me.

Yes. Tell them I’m yours, Erik.

Erik took a sip of his drink and nodded. “Brie Watson.”

The pretty coach with blonde hair and a runner’s body stepped forward.

“I watched you compete at Worlds. You’re quite a vision up on the beam,” she said with a genuine smile and an adorable English accent. She reached her hand out for me and I shook it as she introduced herself. “I’m Valerie. I coach for Great Britain.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, hearing the strain in my voice.

Erik was a foot away from me but he wouldn’t make eye contact, wouldn’t grace me with his gaze.

“Could I speak with you for a second, uh, Coach?” I asked, turning to him. There were half a dozen eyes pinned on us, waiting for his answer, and when he shook his head, my heart broke in two.

“It can wait until tomorrow, right?”

He looked bored when he turned to me, like he was assessing a complete stranger. I wanted to reach up and slap him, but instead, I clenched my fists by my sides and swallowed down my embarrassment with my head held high.

“I—sure,” I said, unsure of how to counter his presumption without sounding desperate.

“Go ahead Erik,” Valerie said, concern etched across her features. “I’ll just go—”

He cut her off and stepped forward, turning his back to me. “It’s all right. What were you saying about the coach’s orientation in the morning?”

My mouth dropped. Fucking *. How could someone be so cold? So domineering? So indifferent? I wanted to tear him apart for treating me like that in front of other people, but there was nothing I could do that wouldn’t draw untoward attention to us.

I turned away and tried to find Noah again. He was right where I’d left him with a smile and a glass of water, waiting for me like a true gentleman. Noah was the person I belonged with; he made so much more sense.

“Do you want to go sit down and talk?” he asked, holding his hand to a safe spot behind my shoulder.

I forced a polite smile. “I’d love to.”

Sometime later, while I was at the bar with Noah, ordering another water, Erik stepped up to join us. He could have slid into the space beside me, but he chose to go on the other side of Noah, putting a clear distance between us.

His eyes caught mine and a challenge was issued with a single look. I pressed up onto my toes and slipped my hand around Noah’s back. He’d been going on about something stupid, but the second my lips hit his ear, he shut up and listened.

“What are you doing after this?” I asked Noah, keeping my eyes on Erik.

He was watching me sidle up to Noah.

“Fuck you,” I mouthed noiselessly, slowly enough that Erik would have no trouble interpreting it.

His eyes narrowed and just when I thought he’d reach out and yank Noah away from me, he leaned closer.

“Nice friend you have here, Brie. Where’d you find him?”

Noah’s back straightened as he turned to assess Erik. I tried to resist, my gaze flitting between them, taking in the differences. Age, confidence, height, looks—Erik had him beat, hands down. I forced my focus on Noah and leaned into him until he wrapped an arm across my shoulder, tugging me to his chest.

“Noah’s actually an old boyfriend.”

“Oh, nice to meet you Coach Winter,” Noah said, turning to Erik. “I was hoping to meet you, man.”

Erik nodded dismissively then turned to me and reached out a hand. “You ready to go?”

“Go?” I frowned. “I thought this thing was supposed to last another hour or two.”

“You have an early morning, I’m sure your friend understands,” he said simply, reaching out to grip my elbow. His touch was not to be contested; I knew if I tried to pull away, he’d make a scene. He’d acted like a complete * after yoga and for the last two days he’d ignored me, pushed me away, and embarrassed me. Now he suddenly wanted me again, like a child that sees his discarded toy in the hands of another.

“You’re right, Erik, we do have an early morning,” I said, whipping my arm out of his grasp and stepping away from Noah. “But Noah is more than capable of escorting me back, right Noah? Let's go.”





Chapter Twenty-Seven


Erik





Noah paled as he glanced between the two of us.

“You call your coach by his first name?” Noah asked, missing his chance to lead her away.

Yeah, dick. She calls me by my first name, and she f*cking screams it every time I make her come.

“Noah,” I started, addressing him for the first time. “I’m sure you are eager to catch up with Brie, and there will be plenty of time in the weeks to come, but for now, I need to make sure my athletes get a good night’s sleep for their early morning tomorrow. Good night.”