Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

I looked down when my phone rang. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw it was Blaine.

“Hey, there.”

“Hey, love. How’s work?”

“Shitty. How’s the pool?” I stopped to sit on a bench. I couldn’t believe how much cooler it was this week.

“Jim thinks I can shave another half second off my turn. I’m working on it.”

I imagined his body slicing through the water as his massive shoulders came up out of the water. He was incredible. And for the past week he had been mine. All mine. I never once felt as if Blaine wanted one of those swim groupie girls. We didn’t talk about what this was, but I wasn’t naïve enough to think he wanted something after Rio.

I was a constant while he was here. He needed that to focus on swimming.

“That’s great. I’m heading out to look for a story,” I explained.

“Why don’t you stop by here?” he suggested.

“Because you have to focus,” I teased.

“I focus better when you’re here.”

“I don’t see how that’s possible.” When we were alone all he did was pull the clothes from my body and take me to a new side of paradise.

“Come watch me swim, love. I want you to be in the stands. Tonight is the ceremony and I won’t get to see you. Curfew starts tonight.”

It was going to suck, but from now until the end of the swim finals Blaine was off limits after eleven o’clock. No more waking up together. He offered to sneak me into the village, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not as long as he had a tiny twin bed and a roommate.

“All right. I’ll stop by. But I can’t stay long. I have to work, remember?”

“See you soon.”

He hung up, and I looked for the shuttle to carry me to the aquatics center. I had this funny feeling that I should tell the baby where we were headed, but I stopped myself. Again, I was going crazy.

I climbed onboard and enjoyed the ride through the city.

17

Blaine

Tonight was Opening Ceremonies and tomorrow was my first event. I had one final day to warm up before competition started. And I wanted Ava here.

I couldn’t explain it, but she fed something in me. Calmed my soul. Energized my blood. Fueled my strength. It had only been a week since I had found her again, but it felt longer than that.

Jim hovered over the edge of the pool. “Ready for the butterfly?” he asked.

I snapped my goggles into place and splashed water over my shoulders. I saw Ava walk in and I grinned.

“I’m ready now.”

She waved at me as she took a seat in the bleachers.

Jim dropped his arm and I dove into the water, ready to plow through and kick ass on this lap. By the time I touched the wall at the other end of the pool I knew I had done exactly what we wanted. I had cut time off my first turn.

Jim laughed. “Son of a bitch. You’re going to blow the other chaps out of the water. Now if you can do that on every turn, it’s going to be incredible.”

“That’s the plan.” I pushed out of the water and dragged my body over the side of the pool.

Ava watched as I walked around the wall separating the swimmers from the fans. I didn’t give a shit who saw me. I planted a rough kiss on her lips.