Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

“Have you filed an official complaint yet?”

He shook his head. “I promised Jim, my coach, that I would give them a day to get it fixed, but I don’t know that I have that kind of patience.”

“What are you going to do to prepare for the games if you can’t warm up?” I asked.

His eyes locked on mine and I felt my stomach flip. “I hope the answer is you, love.”

5

Blaine

I could answer all her questions. I would. I needed people to know how the Olympic Committee had screwed me over today. But I wanted to make it clear with every answer. With every word—I wanted Ava Gold.

One night with her wasn’t enough.

“B-Blaine,” she stammered.

“Are you going to put that in the story?” I taunted, shredding through her boundaries.

“You know I’m not. And you’re breaking our agreement.”

“Wasn’t that meant to be broken?” She couldn’t tell me she didn’t want to get laid as badly as I did. “I don’t like rules.”

It was written all over her pretty face. She wanted me to take her upstairs and make her forget all the bullshit going on in her life. We both needed a day and night like that. Last time she helped me celebrate and I was a shoulder for her to cry on. We both had new needs. Running into each other was accidental.

“This isn’t happening again. I can’t do it.”

She backed up from the table and crammed her notepad and pen in the bag and clamped it shut. I was surprised she hadn’t placed a recorder on the table.

“Ava, come on. We had fun in Sydney.”

Her eyes sparkled with fury. “Fun?”

Shit. Wrong word. I could never tell what was going to piss her off. “We blew off some steam together.”

“I got fired that night, and I was stupid enough to think that you were actually concerned about me.”

“Love, I was. Didn’t you feel better?”

“Ugh! I woke up alone in a hotel room. I had to get a cab back to my place. You didn’t call, text, message. Nothing, Blaine.”

She slung her bag over her shoulder and marched her curvy ass right past me.

“We never said it was more than one night.” I tried to keep my voice low.

“We never said it was only one night.” She glared at me. “I don’t do one-night stands. And I certainly don’t do them with asshole athletes. My mistake. I’m not going to make it again.”

“I’m no one’s mistake.” I could throw around threats too.

“Then go find someone else who thinks you’re irresistible.” She shoved off my chest to clear a path toward the staircase in the lobby. “I’m sure the village is crawling with girls who can’t wait for one meaningless compliment from you. You can have your pick and they’ll drop their panties right there for you, won’t they?” Her chest heaved from talking so rapidly.

“Stop, Ava.”

“Too close to home?” she goaded. “Did I actually reveal the truth about you? Are you worried people might find out what an absolute prick you are?”

“Stop.” I moved closer to her, feeling the heat rise between us. “Don’t move one bit.”

Her bottom lip was mine. I remembered it. How it tasted. How it felt under my tongue and teeth. How it looked clamped on my dick. Fuck.