Avery had agreed to tell Xavie
r that I crashed early when she went to see him. She would mention the adrenaline wore off and I just wanted to sleep. It was the perfect cover, and it wasn't a lie. It was exactly how I felt. I was coming down from the high of being here, and I knew everything would start to settle in my bones soon.
Standing in front of Kova's hotel room, I looked down both sides of the hallway then hesitantly raised my fist to rap on the door. My heart pounded in fear of being seen walking into my coach’s room after midnight alone.
The door opened immediately and I stepped inside. Before I could say a word, Kova grabbed my elbow and kicked the door shut with his foot. He pushed me up against the wall then pressed his body to mine. With one hand gripping my hip and the other angling my jaw up to his, Kova's body was fiery to the touch and seething with something a little darker under the surface. My lips parted and I gasped as his cool lips slanted over my needy ones. His tongue slipped into my mouth and I moaned at the connection, fisting his shirt, desperately needing more of him.
I most definitely was being paranoid earlier.
My palms slid up his chest and around to cup the back of his neck. I rolled my hips against his and felt my body come alive. I relished the feeling of how strong and powerful he felt while I was in his arms. I gripped his shoulders, feeling his muscles contract under my fingertips. Kova was like a caged animal that needed to be freed. And I loved it.
Skillful lips made my knees weak. Kova devoured me with a kiss he was more than eager to give. His passion engulfed me and I reveled in the way his mouth moved over mine. The man was a damned good kisser.
Kova's hand slipped over the small of my back. A shot of electricity shot up my spine. His erection pressed into me and I sighed into his mouth.
Cupping my butt, Kova lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around his hips. A cool breeze blew across us and I noticed my panties were damp. His palm slid into my hair, and his fingers curled around a chunk of the locks and tugged near the root. My chest pressed into his and I groaned in the back of my throat.
I broke the kiss, needing to breathe. "Kova," I said after drawing in much needed air.
My lips were swollen. His hungry mouth found my neck. I shivered as chills danced around my entire body. Kova clenched my hair and tugged it harder, exposing more flesh for his tongue to lick a wet trail to my ear. His teeth nipped my tender skin and I gasped before a sigh rolled off my lips.
"I've missed this," I whispered.
I rolled my hips in a smooth, slow wave against his hard body, silently begging for more. His hold on me tightened, and his cock teased the top of my pussy as I arched my hips back. I melted inside. I loved when he had control over us like this and still felt like an animal under my touch. Kova lifted his gaze to meet mine. His eyes gleamed. He peered at me in awe.
Kova studied my mouth. His palm cupped my jaw as his callused thumb dragged across my lower lip. I slipped my tongue out and wrapped it around his thumb. I drew it into my mouth and bit down. Kova’s nostrils flared. His body went rigid against mine. He pulled his thumb from my mouth, and my teeth cut into each crinkle of skin as he slipped out.
This intoxicating friction between us was too alluring, too dangerous. We hadn't been this close since the day we were ripped from each other. Now that we were alone, we were much more combustible than ever before.
"I wanted to do that the moment I saw you tonight in that red dress," he said, his voice raspy. "Kravisyata."
Why did my chest ache hearing those words?
His hand shook as he smoothed my hair behind my ear. One more glance into my eyes, then Kova stepped back from the wall and walked us over to the bed. He lowered me down. I sat on my knees and adjusted my linen cornflower blue shorts and white, flowery chemise.
"I didn't think you saw me until I walked up to you."
I lowered my eyes, not wanting to look at him, because the truth was, the way he’d acted toward me in that room made me feel invisible. Kova had treated me like a stranger, not someone I’d made a baby with.
Two fingers tipped my chin up until I was forced to meet his intense stare. He exhaled and I caught the faint scent of vodka on his breath. I wondered if he could hear how hard my heart was working right now.
Kova ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his front teeth dragging over the plumpness. "All I ever see is you. Everywhere I look, I am reminded of you. I knew the moment you walked into the room. I just did not expect to see you the way I did. And, honestly, what did you expect? I could not talk to you. I definitely could not have acted like we were more than coach and gymnast."
"That's why you ignored me? You didn't look my way once." I was still a little bothered over that. "I didn’t think you even thought about me. You acted like a stranger."
Kova snorted under his breath and backed away from the bed. He dragged his hands down his beautifully tormented face as he turned and gave me his back. My body instantly missed his warmth as he walked over to the round table in his room.
I climbed off the bed and stalked after him. He glanced at me and his expression shifted into a multitude of emotions. Right versus wrong. Want versus need. Sin and morals conflicted in the storm clouds of his eyes, and my brows furrowed. I didn’t like what I saw.
Kova reached for his glass and downed the rest of its contents. I watched his throat work the clear liquid, the slender muscles and veins contracting with each pull. The ice clinked together and Kova all but threw the glass back on the table.
"I'm right, aren't I? You did ignore me like a stranger." When he didn't answer, I pushed my next question through my teeth. "How do you manage to do a complete one-eighty in the span of a couple of hours? How do we go from being this close"—I crossed my middle finger over my index finger—"to this?" I separated my fingers into a peace sign. "Explain to me why you decided to put space between us, because that's what you did when you started this whole 'let us ignore Adrianna now that Olympics are over' campaign three point five seconds after it ended," I said, mocking his English. "You acted like you didn’t even know me."
I was getting myself worked up and I didn't want that. I wanted to remain in control of my emotions. Being this close to him yet feeling so far away completely blindsided me. I took a deep breath. Kova had ignored me, causing my past insecurities I’d fought so hard to ignore to come roaring back in full force. And he was lying about it.
"I did not ignore you, Adrianna," he said a little stilted.
I gawked. "Yes, you did. I don't understand why you acted like I was invisible when you suggested I come here to talk. Even now, I can see the look in your eyes when you look at me. You're not as impenetrable as you think you are. I see right through you, Kova."