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“Whew, I can’t stop thinking about the Men’s Swim team last night.” Parker dusts the chalk off her hands and turns to watch Mac compete on the uneven bars. “That is one hot group of guys. And not just in the pool.”
Veronica snorts, adjusting her sparkly blue leotard. It might have been constructed by a team of seventy-five people and cost seven hundred dollars, but apparently nothing could make it stop riding up her butt.
She should have known better than to stand by Parker during prelims, though. Her constant chatter when she’s nervous makes it hard to stay in the zone, but she can’t let that comment skate by. “And they know it, too.”
“That Logan Echolls couldn’t stop eye-fucking you over his drink.” Parker gives her a sly look. “If it were me, I’d have definitely visited his side of the Village.”
Busying herself in her bag, Veronica hides her face. When composed, she reappears, fiddling with a roll of tape. “I know you would have.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Parker shoves her shoulder, but it’s playful. “No slut shaming!”
“Never!” Veronica holds up her hands, placating. “You are an Olympic gymnast, poised to win gold. You can do who you want, when you want. But Logan Echolls is a dick. No, thank you.”
“Why do you say that?”
Because she already did hookup with him, two nights ago. She had just been looking for fun, not a love connection. His brand of snarky flirting, trading quips and pop culture references with her non-stop at the bar, definitely got her blood boiling, but it morphed into more than that.
They stayed up all night talking, sharing stories of their childhood as dedicated athletes. He understood her drive, her desire for gold. She sympathized with his frustration at his crazy parents, pushing him to succeed so they could live vicariously through him. Shared the paralyzing fear of what would happen after the Olympics, once the goal was gone and life was just...normal.
So when he asked for her number over breakfast the next morning and said he wanted to see her again, she believed him.
Stupid, stupid Veronica.
“Eh,” she answers Parker, tightening her ponytail and waiting for her turn at the floor routine. “He’s just a shallow flirt.”
Parker bobs her brows. “Doesn’t mean he’d be bad between the sheets.”
He wasn’t. In fact, it was the best sex Veronica ever had. She could appreciate a good one-night stand; not everything had to be about commitment and monogamy. Just fun to blow off steam and adrenaline. But Logan led her to think he was actually interested in her as a person. She had been vulnerable with him, and then he betrayed that. She’s learned her lesson.
Parker looks entirely too interested. Time to change the subject. “You were pretty cozy with Casey last night. How did that go?”
“Good, great even.” Parker bites her lip. “And I agreed to go out with him again tonight. You have to come, too.”
“I really should—”
“If you say ‘rest,’ I’m gonna scream.”
“The spectators might wonder at that.” Veronica waves around at the stadium full of people, cheering them on. But Parker doesn’t appreciate her wit.
“I’m being serious. I know you want to win; we all do. But you’re an Olympic athlete, for crying out loud. You are young and sexy, hanging out in the Village. You can’t let this opportunity pass you by. It’s a moral imperative.”
“You sound like Lilly.”
“And you sound like Meg,” Parker shoots back.
Veronica pastes on a fake smile as her name is announced. Parker gives her the obligatory teammate hug, using the opportunity to whisper in her ear, “You know I’m right. Now, go kick some ass.”
Patting Parker harder on the back than strictly necessary, she beams at the crowd, sends a special smile to her dad in the stands, and then bounds over to the white rectangle. Striking her pose, she gets in her mental groove and waits for the music to start.
Veronica’s floor routine goes well, better than anyone expected. She’s good at tumbling—obviously, she’s a freaking Olympic gymnast. But each girl on the team has their personal event. Meg is the best tumbler, Parker and Jackie rock the uneven bars, no one can beat Mac or Lilly on the beam, and Veronica is the greatest vaulter the US has seen in twenty years.
So her high scores are a surprise, securing them a spot in the team semi-finals. But she can’t figure out how to convince her fellow gymnasts that she doesn’t want to go out after and celebrate.
“Come on, Veronica.” Lilly tugs her arm, pulling her off the shuttle from the Village and into the club in downtown Tokyo. “We don’t even have early practice tomorrow.”
“I know, but Coach Dent—”
“No.” Jackie cuts her off, yelling over the thumping music. “You’re not allowed to talk about team stuff tonight. We’re just a group of girls, out to have fun.”
“Oooh, and speaking of fun…” Giggling, Parker points to the Men’s Swim Team, lined up at the bar. “Let’s go see what they have to offer.”
“Mmm, how much would it take to get them to remove their shirts?” Mac taps a finger on her chin, faux thoughtful. “Because damn. I’d like to see that again.”
Veronica has seen it, up close and personal. And while, yes, it was incredible, she can’t stomach the idea of sitting across from Logan all night, not after what happened yesterday.
“Nah, guys, I don’t think I—”
Lilly’s forehead wrinkles in concern. “What’s up with you?”
Veronica sighs. Lilly is her best friend; they tell each other everything. She should just fess up to what happened and admit that Logan made her feel like an idiot last night. But she glances around the club and shakes her head. This isn’t the time or the place.
“Later,” she mouths to Lilly, following the team over to the bar.
Parker sidles up to Casey, resting a hand on his arm and leaning in close. Yeah, she’s definitely going home with him tonight. Jackie’s eyes sparkle as she starts a conversation with Wallace Fennel, another cute swimmer. Mac chats with Luke Haldeman, and Lilly laughs open-mouthed at something Troy Vandergraff whispers in her ear. That just leaves Veronica, huddling at the back of the group, hoping Logan doesn’t notice her.
“Hey.”
No such luck. His deep voice sends a shiver across her skin, and she curses her body’s torturous reaction.
Ignoring him, she turns to the bartender. “Can I get a beer?”
“Veronica.” Logan tugs on the hem of her black tank top. “What’s going on?”
Lilly locks eyes with her at the end of the bar, raising an eyebrow. Do you need help?
Veronica gives a tiny head shake. No, I’ve got this.
After being best friends for eight years, they have an unspoken language.
Sighing, she turns to Logan, channeling disinterest and disdain.
“What? Is it so hard to believe that I can resist your charms?”
Blinking, he takes a step back. “You liked my charms the other night. Three times, if I recall correctly.”
“Well, that doesn’t mean I have to like them tonight. A girl’s allowed to change her mind.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Something like concern crosses his features, and she steels herself against it. It’s obviously a ploy. “It’s just, after the other night, I thought—”
“You thought wrong.” Veronica accepts her bottle from the bartender and takes a long swig. “I’m sure you’ll have no problem finding someone who’s interested.”
“But I don’t understand—”
“Hey, Logan, give us a minute.” Lilly interrupts, linking her arm through Veronica’s. “I need to talk to V.”
Nodding, his face falls as he swivels to the bar. Lilly steers her towards the bathroom.
“I had it under control,” she hisses, shaking her arm from Lilly’s grasp.
“Of course you did.” Lilly’s voice is light, just this side of condescension. “This bathroom trip is for me.”
Pushing the door open, Lilly halts by the sinks and puts her hands on Veronica’s shoulders. Squaring them, she gets in her personal space, as usual, and grabs her chin. Pulling a tube of lipgloss out of her pocket, she paints Veronica’s lips pink before she can protest.
“Ready to tell me what’s going on?”
Lilly turns to her own pout in the mirror, and it’s useless to resist.
“Fine,” Veronica huffs, folding her arms over her chest. “I slept with Logan, and now I regret it.”
Lilly’s eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. “Wha—how? When?”
“I snuck back out the other night, went to his room,” she mumbles, unwilling to meet Lilly’s gaze.
“Yeah, you did! Good for you.” Lilly’s full lips turn up in a grin. “But what’s the problem? Was it bad?”
Veronica shakes her head, miserable. “It was actually, um, really good.”
If she lets herself think about it, she’ll get turned on all over again. Clearing her throat, she forces herself to focus and continue.
“But that’s not the problem. I kind of, uh, got attached. And I thought he was, too. He asked for my number and said he couldn’t wait to see me the next night.”
“Oh, sweetie.” Lilly’s face creases in sympathy that Veronica couldn’t stand from anyone else. “Why did you stay away from him last night? You ignored him the entire evening.”
“It was his fault!” Veronica shoots back. “I walked into the club, and he was chatting up a different girl, buying her drinks and flirting. Some beach volleyball player, a tall and stacked brunette.”
Basically, the opposite of me.
She shrugs, slipping on indifference like a mask. “It’s fine. I’m certainly not feeling attached anymore. I’m glad I know what he’s truly like. But it does make drinks awkward tonight.”
Lilly laces their fingers together. “You don’t have to pretend with me, you know.”
She doesn’t. It’s one of the most amazing things about her best friend.
“I’m not pretending,” Veronica insists, dropping her hand and crossing her arms over her chest again like armor. “It’s not a big deal, I just feel a little dumb. Now I know better.”
“Okay.” Never deterred for long, Lilly draws herself up to her full height of five foot, three inches, and gives a decisive nod. “We’ll find you a strong, silent weight-lifter. Or maybe a diver. Mmm, those cut lines. How about—”
“No thanks, Lils. I just want to focus on gold.”
Raising her eyebrows, Lilly shrugs. “Your loss.”
“No, I think it’s our team’s gain, remember?”
“I meant about the cut lines. They are hot.”
“What about you?” As they exit the bathroom, Lilly allows Veronica to steer the conversation back to one of Lilly’s favorite topics—her own love life. “Are we going to drop you off at Troy’s room?”
She taps her chin. “I’m considering it. Unless the synchronized divers show up. They work so well together; do you think I could talk them into a threesome?”
“Please never change, Lilly.”
“Moi?” She gaps, mock surprised. “As if!”
At least she has her best friend to make her smile.
Veronica lounges in her cardboard bed the next morning, enjoying a rare day without a morning practice. She has no idea where her Ukranian roommate is—probably either practicing or in someone else’s room. She seems nice enough but they haven’t been together for more than twenty minutes yet.
Puttering around, she reads a book she brought, then takes her time on her shower and hair routine, despite the communal bathrooms. Her stomach growls, and she’s just debating between breakfast and lunch when someone knocks on her door.
“Lilly,” she calls, moving across the small dorm room, “I told you last night, I’m fi—”
Opening the door, Veronica freezes. It’s not Lilly.
Leaning against the frame with his devastating puppy dog eyes on display, Logan Echolls clears his throat. “Hi.”
Stiffening, she considers slamming the door in his face. He must sense it because he shifts and plants his foot in the way. Do swimmers need feet? Can he still compete with a broken toe?
Before she can act on it, he asks, “Can we talk?”
“How did you find my room?” No way she’s letting him in here.
“I’m resourceful. I was just about to grab some lunch. Wanna join me?”
“I’m not hungry.” Except Veronica’s stomach choses that moment to rumble again, and Logan sends her a pointed eyebrow raise.
“Really? My treat.”
“There’s a freaking cafeteria, dummy,” she snarls, and Logan holds his hands up in surrender.
“Sorry, I thought it would be funny. I stand corrected. But would you just come eat with me and explain what the hell happened?”
Flashing back to his flirty smile, the drink in his hand for the brunette, the way the girl twined herself around him, she feels like an idiot all over again. Clenching her fists, a flash of shame burns through her.
“What happened? You happened!” Taking a deep breath, she vows to be calm and not let him know she’s rattled. “But it’s fine. We had a fun fling, no strings attached, and there’s nothing for you to worry about. I don’t have a desire for a repeat experience, though, so move along.”
“Veronica.” If possible, the intensity in his gaze triples. “I promise to leave you alone after this, but just so you know—I wanted more than a fling.”
Her mouth drops open, and she can’t think of a reply.
“Well, not at first,” Logan clarifies. “But that night with you was the best I’ve had in a long time. I meant it when I said I wanted to see you again.”
“You have a funny way of showing it,” Veronica huffs.
Logan rubs the back of his neck and stares up at her through his lashes. “By…asking for your number and trying to talk to you?”
“No, by practically sticking your tongue down that volleyball player’s throat and thinking I wouldn’t notice.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she rests against the door frame.
He blinks. “Volleyball player?”
“Yeah, that brunette you were sharing a drink with.”
His forehead creases. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’re lying! I saw you there, at the table with her.”
“Brunette at the—oh! I was asking her if she was using the extra chair at her table.”
“But you had a drink for her in your hands.”
“Veronica.” Logan waits a beat, staring at her. “I got that for you.”
“Oh.”
Now she feels like an idiot all over again. She should definitely slam her door and hide out in her room.
“Hey, bygones.” Grabbing her hand before she makes her move, he interlocks their fingers. His earnest brown eyes gleam. “Now will you have lunch with me?”
Taking a deep breath, she considers it. Even now, see-sawing between pissed at him and wanting to melt into him, she feels the pull. Remembering what Parker said about not letting opportunities pass her by, she grabs her keys and ID lanyard, shooting him a tentative smile. Young, free, and in the Olympic Village, she’ll only live once, right?
“Let’s go.”
“Fuck!” Coach Dent’s explicative rings out through the make-shift Team USA locker room. Glancing around, Veronica’s glad there’s nothing substantial enough for Mallory to punch. Good ol’ Japan and their sustainability movement means that nothing is permanent and will all be recycled or reused after the Games. A broken hand on their coach would not be fun to explain on Good Morning, America.
Pacing the small space, Coach Dent swears again. “I don’t know what your problem is, ladies, but this is not the behavior of a team who wants to win gold!”
Veronica winces. Dent is right. Their scores in the semis were awful. They had squeaked by, just barely making it into the final medal round, but it hadn’t been pretty, or close to what they wanted at all.
Parker missed a rotation on the bars, and Jackie stepped out of bounds on one of her tumbling passes. Mac wobbled all over the place on the beam, and Lilly got off-beat during her floor routine, looking like a beginner. Veronica herself was shaky on the vault, hopping on her landing each time. Meg was the only one who had a solid performance, but solid isn’t enough. She just felt off all night and could tell the other girls did, too.
“This can’t happen again, ladies. Something needs to change…”
Hanging her head, she zones out and lets Mallory’s lecture wash over her, until her next words catch her ears.
“—and no socializing.”
Veronica’s eyes fly to Lilly’s, reflecting her own horror.
“What?” Parker looks equally aghast.
“You heard me.” Coach Dent pauses in her pacing and shakes her finger, really warming up to her topic. “I know you all were out until the crack of dawn last night, doing god only knows what, living it up with those swimmers. But no more. No more partying, no more boys, no distractions. We’re here to win, and you need to buckle down and focus. I’m setting an eleven p.m. curfew and a moratorium on clubbing, and I expect you to honor it.”
Not surprisingly, Meg nods her head. It does surprise Veronica when Jackie does it, too. “She’s right. This is the biggest moment of our lives. Is it really worth throwing it away on a few nights out?”
Veronica wants gold more than she’s ever wanted anything. But…Logan. Her belly twists at the thought of giving up time with him.
“I don’t want to leave here with any regrets,” Mac chimes in. “I’m willing to live like a nun for another week if that’s what it takes.”
Parker sighs. “I guess.”
All eyes fly to Lilly. “I think it’s crazy. I need to blow off a little steam.”
“How do you explain your abysmal performance today, then?” Mallory snaps, and Lilly stares at the floor.
“Fine.” She shrugs. “If it’s that important to you, I’ll agree.”
“Veronica?” Their coach prompts. “What do you say?”
She looks at the faces of her teammates, desperate, eager, resolute. She thinks about Logan, how his crooked grin melts her insides, how his quips make her laugh, how his drive and competitive spirit matches hers. She doesn’t want to let him go but…he’ll understand, right? She doesn’t have a choice.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll break things off with Logan. We’re going for gold. Whatever it takes.
“Let me get this straight.” Logan stretches his long legs out in front of him, leaning back in the leather recliner in the lounge. “You can’t see me anymore, for the good of the team?”
Miserable, Veronica nods and tucks her feet underneath her in the chair next to his. The athlete lounge is spacious, stocked with snacks, condoms, and all sorts of entertainment. She’s pretty sure that the US basketball team is playing Dance Dance Revolution over in the corner, but she focuses on Logan. She can’t tell if he’s amused or pissed.
He shrugs at her news. Maybe he doesn’t care at all. “And after you win gold, you can do whatever you want?”
She nods again.
“Okay. I’m willing to wait.”
“But…” This is their only time together, and she already wasted half of it thinking he was into someone else. Her fingers itch to feel his skin under them. “I want to be with you.”
“You know I feel the same.” Logan quirks a brow, and her stomach does a flip. “Maybe this is one of those ‘what the team doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt them’ situations?”
Veronica gulps and the flip in her belly turns into a persistent warming. “What do you mean?”
Logan scoots towards her, leaning closer. “Look, I get it. We’re all here to win. Do whatever you need to. But if it’s just something we need to keep on the down-low, I’m cool with that.”
Staring at his mouth, she can’t stop thinking about how good it feels on hers. All over her skin, actually. “Meet in mop closets?”
“Yeah.” His eyes burn with intensity. “Secrets are hot.”
Giving in to her desire, she brushes her lips across his. “So hot.”
Waves of desire start in her core and radiate outward as Logan threads his fingers through her hair and deepens the kiss. His tongue delves in her mouth, exploring, and she wants more, wants everything, wants—
“Veronica!”
A shrill voice cuts off her thoughts about climbing into his lap and stripping off his shirt. Pulling away, blood rushes to her cheeks.
“What are you doing?” Lilly puts her hands on her hips and glares.
“Oh, um—”
“She was just explaining the new team policy,” Logan supplies, “and giving me a goodbye kiss.”
“Yes. That.” Hopping up, she puts her arm around Lilly. “Just like the team decided. No more distractions.”
Lilly winces. “I know, it’s awful. Probably the worst thing I’ve ever agreed to. But semis were so bad—”
“I get it.” Logan stands, palms up. “The Men’s Swim Team is rooting for you all the way...mostly so we can all go out again after and celebrate your victory.” He winks and gives her a two fingered salute, his eyes promising more, and her stomach muscles clench at the thought. “See ya ‘round, Veronica.”
“Good luck!” Lilly calls to his retreating back. Then she turns to Veronica. “I’m sorry you had to let him go, V. But just until we win.”
“Yeah,” Veronica agrees, hoping Lilly buys her act. Brushing off the twinge of guilt at lying to her best friend, she shakes her head. “I won’t even think about him again until we’re standing on the podium.”
That proves harder than Veronica expects, considering Parker steers them towards the Men’s Swim Team in the cafeteria that night.
“What?” she shrugs, holding her tray. “We have a curfew, we are not going out to party. No distractions. We’re just being friendly.”
“We have to eat. Might as well have good company.” Jackie nods and swings into a free seat next to Wallace Fennel.
Glancing at Veronica, Lilly whispers, “Is this okay?”
“Okay? Why wouldn’t it be?”
“I just don’t want it to be hard for you, seeing Logan but not being able to, you know, be with him.”
“Oh, it’s no big deal,” she breezes, sliding in next to him. “He understands that we have to focus.”
“We all do.” Logan clears his throat, sliding his hand under the table and finding her leg. “For the good of Team USA, we promise not to do anything that would jeopardize your future on the podium.”
But his questing fingers tell a different story. Veronica stifles a gasp as they feather over the fabric between her legs.
“How’s swimming going?” Mac asks the group, taking a bite of her banana.
“Pretty good.” Luke Haldeman slings his arm around the back of her chair and smiles. “We have a relay tonight, actually.”
Logan increases the pressure and speed of his fingers, and good god, how does he do that? She’s so turned on, she’s probably making a puddle on the plastic chair. Clenching her teeth, she breathes deeply through her nose and hopes no one notices.
Wallace sips his special golden Coke. “Yeah, you guys should come.”
“Someone wants to come,” Logan whispers under his breath, still stroking her, and Veronica bites back a moan. It’s a good thing they are at the end of the table.
“You’re totally inappropriate,” she hisses.
“Yep,” he agrees, smirking at her.
“What do you think, Veronica?” Lilly asks, and Veronica flushes, sure she’s caught in the act.
“Uh,” she stammers. To her relief, Logan removes his hand, but she aches for his touch, for her finish. His self-satisfied grin is almost unbearable.
“About the swim meet tonight?”
“I don’t see why not.” Thankful her voice doesn’t come out breathy, Veronica shifts in her chair and takes her revenge, sliding her palm over his slick athletic shorts. His Adam’s apple bobs, and she continues speaking and fondling. “We can still be in before curfew, and we’re just being patriotic.”
“Patriotic?” Logan groans softly so only she can hear, and shifts in his seat. “I think Uncle Sam would want you to finish what you’ve started.”
Desire churns in her belly, white hot and demanding.
“Meet me in your room after lunch, and we’ll see who finishes first.” Licking her lips, Veronica enjoys the way his eyes glow with lust.
“Gosh, Veronica, did you even hear me?” Jackie’s question snaps her out of her sex-crazed fog. “What’s gotten into you today?”
“Uh, what?”
“We were talking about the meet tonight. I asked what your favorite stroke is.”
The one Logan was using on her. She blinks, clearing her thoughts. “Probably the butterfly.”
“You’re in luck.” Casey leers. “That’s what Logan’s doing in the medley.”
Standing, she brushes any errant crumbs off her blue and red sweatpants. “We’ll be in the stands, cheering you on.”
“How will we spot you?” Troy asks, a teasing smile on his face.
Lilly bats her lashes. “Look for cutest girls in Team USA gear.”
“Can you come down and chat after?” Wallace asks Jackie.
Parker gives Casey a longing look as she pushes away from the table. “As long as we’re on the ten fifteen shuttle back to the Village, it should be fine.”
“Well, thanks, ladies.” Luke chews his pizza and swallows. “We appreciate the support.”
“See you soon,” Logan mouths, angling his body so no one notices.
With a knowing nod, Veronica pulls Lilly out of her chair. “Yep. Anything for Team USA!”
Lilly sighs as they toss their trash and return their trays. “Are you sure about this decision to swear off fun, girls?”
Parker glances over at the table where the swim team is still fueling up. “Yeah, this is tougher than I expected.”
“Tough?” Mac’s eyes narrow. “You’ve been getting up at four am for years, training your body to do the impossible! We’re at the Olympics. We can do this.”
“Yeah,” Veronica lies through her teeth and squeezes her thighs together. “Totally worth it.”
And what her teammates don’t know about her scheduled rendezvous, can’t hurt them.
Veronica bites her lip, surveying the pool from high up in the stands. The girls wave and cheer as the relay team walks out, and she’s positive Logan catches her eye and winks.
It sends a blush to her toes as she thinks about what they did in his room earlier. Those cardboard beds are definitely not strong enough for some of his moves. But, not to be deterred, Logan improvised, and they both definitely burned up enough energy to take the edge off.
The swimmers are focused and in the zone. The roar of the crowd doesn’t seem to register as they unzip their windbreakers and stretch.
Oh, god. Veronica literally just had Logan naked, underneath her, less than six hours ago. Why is her mouth dry at the sight of his bare chest? But wow. Her breath catches in her throat as she takes in all those well-defined muscles and smooth tan skin.
Parker elbows her. “Swim team, am I right?”
Mac holds her hands up in supplication in front of her. “Thank you, Jesus, for allowing us to meet them our first night in the Village.”
“And we’re still focused,” Jackie chimes in, leaning over Lilly on Veronica’s other side to speak.
“Yep.” Lilly nods. “We’ll be in our beds before eleven, so we’ll be rested before our team competition tomorrow.”
Veronica grimaces. “If we’re not, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mallory tries to lock us in. If she finds out about this…”
“But she won’t.” Parker tosses her waterfall of hair over her shoulder. “Meg’s holed up in her room, probably penning letters to her boring fiance. And none of us will tell.”
“Shh, it’s starting!” Mac reaches out, flapping her arms to get their attention, and five pairs of eyes rivet to the pool.
Wallace, Luke, Logan, and Casey line up behind the starting block and adjust their caps and goggles. Shaking out their arms and legs, they move into position and Wallace takes his place on the platform for lane five.
The warning whistle blows, and everything freezes as the swimmers hold. Then the starting tone sounds, and the stadium erupts in cheers as the first member of each relay team dives in. The other swimmers crowd around their lane, intent on the action, and Veronica’s heart races.
Wallace’s glides through the water on his back with ease, gobbling up long stretches of the pool, as Team USA moves into the top three. Down and back, and then Luke hits the water in the breaststroke. Once he touches the wall, Logan enters the pool and Veronica’s pounding heart might stop. His butterfly is nothing short of beautiful. Massive shoulders rising out of the water, he eats up the distance, and they take the lead over the Austrailians and the Brits. Casey flies in last, his freestyle crawl neat and tidy, and no one can catch him. When he reaches the end, his team jumps up and down in victory.
Veronica and the other gymnasts scream themselves hoarse, yelling and celebrating in the stands like it’s their own gold medal. Her chest swells with pride at Logan and his team’s accomplishments.
Blowing her a kiss from the floor, Logan’s eyes blaze with intensity. Veronica knows that look, knows the emotions behind it. He’s all hopped up on victory and endorphins. And she’s pretty sure he’ll want to burn them off in the best way possible.
“Later,” she mouths before anyone notices.
“Woof.” Climbing off him, Veronica lays, spent and sated, next to Logan in his narrow twin bed.
“Yeah. That was pretty amazing.” His chest rises and falls under her head, as she snuggles under his arm. These beds were definitely not made with sex in mind, but they make it work.
Reaching across her, he grabs a tissue and cleans himself up, then wraps the condom before returning to their close proximity.
“I’m glad you snuck out to see me.”
“Uh, let’s be clear—I came to see your gold medal.”
Logan’s eyes light up at her words, even as he gives her ass a playful swat. “Did my gold medal just give you three orgasms?”
“Maybe,” Veronica teases, then nips his shoulder. “It sure didn’t hurt. Tell the truth—you woud have worn it during sex if they hadn’t locked it in the safe for you.”
Logan shifts, rolling her flush on top of him. It’s the only position in this narrow bed where they can see each other. “Mmm, it would have been tempting, for sure.”
“Well, some other time,” Veronica quips, the words leaving her mouth before she thinks about the implication.
Not taking his eyes off her, Logan tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
“University of Illinois, right?” he asks, and it takes her a moment to catch up to the non-sequitur.
“That’s what it says on my bio. The Fighting Illini. A good gymnastics program, and not too far from my dad in Chicago.”
Logan nods. “Did you know I go to Notre Dame?”
“I think I heard that somewhere.” She keeps her voice casual and light. They are just exchanging pleasantries. No big deal. “Are you Catholic?”
“No, but I grew up in Michigan and my dad loves how prestigious it is.” Rolling his eyes, he lets her know what he thinks of that. “It’s a good school, good swimming program. And I didn’t want to go to U of M, so there’s that.”
He clears his throat. “It’s also in Indiana.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess it is.”
“That’s the state next to Illinois.”
“Are you a geography major?”
“What in the hell would anyone do with a geography degree?”
She shrugs at his rhetorical question. She’s pretty sure she knows where he’s going with this, but torturing him by making him spell it out is entertaining. Almost as good as that thing he did with his tongue earlier.
“Regardless,” Logan continues, “I can read a map.”
“Impressive skill.”
“And it turns out that our schools are only about three hours apart.”
“Oh, interesting.” Playing it cool, she sits up and inspects her fingernails, grinding her pelvis on top of his just to hear his quick intake of breath.
“So yeah.” Grabbing her hips, Logan stills her motion. “If you ever do want to have sex with me while I’m wearing my gold medal...there could be an opportunity for that.”
She shrugs again, but can’t keep the smile off her face, probably negating the casual attitude she’s trying to project.
“Maybe I’ll have a gold medal of my own.”
“That’s true.” Pulling her down, he hugs her to his chest. “I definitely want to have sex with a gold medal gymnast. God, can you imagine? I’d be the envy of every guy on campus. Any frat would have to pledge me, on that alone.”
Laughing, she pinches his side. “You’re a jackass.”
But….gold medals aside….she likes the hint of possibility.
“Veronica!”
Pounding on her door pulls her out of a deep slumber. Her comfy pillow shifts beneath her, and her eyes fly open. Rolling off Logan, she hits the floor as he hops out of her bed. The warm afternoon light streams in, reminding her that it’s not morning. Her roommate had practice, so she had snuck Logan in for some afternoon delight, and it had definitely been delightful. So delightful that she fell asleep on top of him afterwards.
“Shit! It’s one of your teammates!”
Bouncing from one bare foot to another, his eyes widen in panic as he glances around her minuscule room.
“Hang on!” Veronica calls, flying to the door.
“Under the bed? In the closet?” she hisses to Logan.
He dives for the closet as she wrenches the door open.
“Uh, hey, Parker, what’s up?”
“Not much.” Parker waltzes in and flops down on her rumpled bed. “Why are you out of breath?”
“Oh, I, uh—”
Thankfully Parker chatters on, saving her from answering. “God, your bed is still warm. Were you napping?”
“Um, yeah.” Not a lie. Exactly. She just wasn’t alone.
“Wow, I can hardly ever take naps during the day. But I guess everyone’s sleep schedule is off, being on the other side of the world and all.”
“Uh-huh.”
Rustling emanates from her closet, and Veronica moves in front of the door, grabbing a Team USA bobblehead doll off her nightstand and playing with it to cover the sound.
“So, ah, what’s up?” She can’t figure out a nice way to ask Parker why she needed to come in and disturb her.
“I’m just so nervous about the team competition. And then we have the individuals after that, and the all-around. Gosh, I can’t even. I could use a distraction. It’s sucks we can’t go out and party. How are you dealing with everything so well?”
Veronica gives a guilty glance towards her closet. She feels terrible betraying her team like this, she does, but Logan is doing an admirable job of taking her thoughts off everything. He certainly doesn’t seem to mind being her favorite form of stress relief. She feels better than she has in years.
“Uh, well, I’ve been listening to lots of music. And you know, you could go take a shower and have some lady time.”
Parker sits up and raises her brows. “Is that what you’ve been doing? To take the edge off?”
Nodding enthusiastically, Veronica coughs to cover up a suspicious noise from behind her. “Yep. Definitely. I highly recommend it.”
“Well, if you think it will help…” Trailing off, Parker stands and smooths her hands over her joggers, then moves to the door.
“Enjoy!” Veronica calls as she exits, then slams the door and sinks on her bed. Logan emerges from the closet in a fit of giggles and collapses on top of her.
“Lady time?” he manages through his laughter. “Is that what you call it?”
“Shut up,” she mumbles, playfully shoving his shoulder. “I panicked.”
“Obviously.” Logan clears his throat. “I do feel bad, though, making you lie to your teammates. If you want, we can cool it for a few days until—”
“No way.” Grabbing his head, Veronica pulls him to her in a searing kiss. “The girls will never know. It’s fine.”
“If you say so.”
Logan proceeds to suck on her neck, and Veronica isn’t capable of saying much of anything. He scrambles her brain in the best way possible. She wishes she didn’t have to keep it a secret, but how could anything this good be bad?
Blinking back tears, Veronica’s view of the stands from the podium blurs. Her dad, their fans, and the Men’s Swim Team in the top row all fade together, as the American flag is raised, and the National Anthem begins.
Gripping her teammates hands, they sing the words together with gusto, and no one cares that Parker is ridiculously off-key. Veronica’s gold medal is heavy around her neck. She knew it would be, but still, the weight of it surprised her when the smiling official placed it on her.
For all that she had wanted this forever, dreamed of it, she had worried, too. Worried about the soul-sucking emptiness that would fill her once it was over. But she’s giddy with the realization that this moment is the culmination of her whole life up to this point, everything she thought it would be...but also…not. Mac giggles, Lilly’s palm is sweaty in her own, and she has a wedgie. She’s glad it’s not perfect—it grounds her, reminds her that this is good, great even, amazing—but it doesn’t have to be the end of her story. She can be more than this, can have more life-altering moments. This is only the beginning of the next chapter.
The final notes sound, and the team’s line collapses into a group hug. Gold medals bumping each other, the bubble of tension from the somber moment pops, and they embrace and laugh, wide matching grins on every face.
They did it.
Coach Dent joins the huddle, and then their parents mob the floor. Her dad crushes her to his chest, murmuring his pride and astonishment.
The Men’s Swim Team flash their credentials and leap over the barrier between the stands and the stage, whooping and hollering their excitement. Trading hugs with everyone, Wallace pounds her on the back, Casey lifts her high and swings her around, and then she’s face to face with Logan.
Logan .
All her want coalesces into one bright point at the sight of him, and she doesn’t hold back any longer.
Grabbing the lapels of his warm-up jacket, Veronica pulls him to her, unable to keep her mouth off his. He picks her up, and her legs automatically wind around his waist. The catcalls of both teams don’t register, until a familiar throat clears in her ear. Reluctantly, she pulls away and slides down his body.
“Veronica,” her dad harumphs, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re making a scene.”
“Sorry, Dad. This is Logan.” Squeezing his hand, she meets his eye, and the bald affection there gives her courage. “My boyfriend.”
Lilly gasps, catching the attention of the rest of the team.
“I need to confess something.” Veronica bites her lip, hoping the gold medal high gets her through this. “I, um, lied. He and I have been secretly seeing each other this whole time.”
Parker’s mouth drops open, Lilly sputters, and Coach Dent flushes red.
“But—no distractions!”
Shrugging, Veronica lifts their clasped hands. “I’m sorry. I know it was wrong, but even with the distraction, things turned out okay. We won gold!”
She holds up her medal, and miraculously, it works. Parker nods, Lilly smiles, and Coach Dent softens.
“Yes, I guess. You did an amazing job today, Veronica.” Mallory gives her a quick hug, then steps back and assumes her typical authoritative posture. “Keep it up for the individual competitions, or I’m banning him again.”
Laughing, Logan tugs her to him and wraps his arms around her.
“Did you hear that? You have to win more medals or we’re breaking up.”
Bending down, he brushes a soft kiss across her lips, and Veronica smiles up at him. “Don’t you know? I’m going for gold. And we’re only just getting started.”