Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(91)

“Could you come pick me up? I want to talk to you.”

“Can it wait six days?”

In six days, the Olympics will be over.

I crossed my arm over my chest, protecting myself from him. “No. I think we should talk now.”

My heart was pounding in my chest with such intensity I was sure he could hear it through the phone.

“Are you at the athlete complex?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be there in five minutes. Meet me outside, by the U.S. flag.”

I inhaled his words, biting down my smile.

He was coming for me.

After I slid my phone back into my purse, I turned to the mirror and dabbed on a bit of lipstick, fluffed my hair, and checked to make sure there wasn’t any mascara under my eyes. My dress was tight, the sweetheart neckline accentuating my small frame, and I smiled confidently as I left the bathroom.

Molly and Lexi were right where I left them and though they weren’t happy when I told them I was heading out, neither of them tried to stop me. I guessed they could sense how little I wanted to be there.

The elevator was empty when the doors slid closed and the silence in the space amplified my nerves. My hand shook as I leaned forward and pressed the button for the ground floor. I pressed my other hand to my stomach, trying to get ahold of myself, but my heart was really to blame. It wouldn’t slow down. The elevator descended slowly and my nerves grew, multiplying until I could hardly breathe.

I clenched my fists by my sides as I strolled through the lobby, pausing briefly when I caught sight of Erik through the glass doors. He was leaning against the side of a cab, staring up at my building. He looked ready for war: mussed up sex hair and a dark scowl marring his handsome features. His dark jeans stretched across his long legs and his arms were crossed over his black shirt.

His armor was in place, but he didn’t need it any more. I’d wipe away that scowl and kiss away his frown.

I’ll be the one to surrender.

His gaze skimmed down the building and locked onto me as I pushed open the glass doors.

I smiled and stepped closer as I felt him take me in slowly.

“You’re early,” I said, holding up my phone.

The right side of his mouth tipped up in a smirk, but he made no move to greet me, not like Hudson. He’d bent and kissed Rosie’s cheek, but Erik kept his distance, standing a foot away from me, waiting for an explanation.

“I called you because I want to talk to you about…” I wet my bottom lip and glanced away, trying to collect my thoughts. “About us, I guess.”

His brow arched.

“I’ll admit I never went into this process expecting to think of you as anything other than my coach…”

A group of athletes tumbled out of the doors behind us, laughing loudly. Erik reached out and gripped my hand, dragging me away from the cab and down the block until we were standing in front of the closed post office. It was as private as we would get out on the street.

“I’m listening,” he said, nudging his head forward for me to continue.

I stared down at where he held me, his hand tight around my bicep, and when he followed my gaze and realized he was still holding me, he didn’t let go. Warmth bloomed through my body and I stared up at him, more sure of my feelings than ever.

“I like you,” I said, the words practically tumbling out of me. “As much as it pains me to admit it, I actually have feelings for you other than, well, lust.” His thumb caressed the back of my arm as I continued. “I know most of the time we can’t stand each other, and I enjoy pissing you off more than I’d like to admit,” I said, hiding my smile in the crook of my shoulder before he reached out and nudged my chin back so I was staring up at him.

“But I don’t want to keep playing this game,” I said, pointing back and forth between us. “I want the real thing.”

“Erik? Brie?”

I whipped my head to the left just as Valerie came into view a few yards down the sidewalk.

“Hey!”

Erik pushed me away from him so fast I nearly got whiplash. Valerie stepped closer and scanned between us, glancing to the spot where Erik’s hand had been on my arm a moment before. It definitely wasn’t there now, but she’d seen it. She had to have seen it.

“Congratulations, again, Brie! What are you two up to?” she asked, registering the fact that I was dressed for a night out.

I opened my mouth to reply, but Erik beat me to it.

“Going over a few things about individual finals.”

I knew why he was lying. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to prance around the Olympics with me on his arm, and yet the fact that he’d lied to Valerie of all people felt like a slap in the face—and it f*cking stung.

She smiled and leaned forward to pat Erik’s arm. “You never stop working do you?”

Tell her to stop touching you. Tell her you’re seeing someone.

He didn’t say a word.

Valerie cleared her throat and pointed over her shoulder. “I actually just went up to your room to get you. Are you ready?”

Ready?

For what?

“Oh, it’s a coaches thing,” Valerie said with an eye roll, having noticed my confusion. “They’ve been dragging us all over Rio the last few days. Did Erik tell you about the longest lunch in history they forced us to go to yesterday? We had to sit through a forty-five minute speech before they served food. I wouldn’t have survived if Erik hadn’t been cracking jokes the whole time.”