Love and Other Games (3 page)

“Look, Ty, I don’t know why you’re wasting your time talking to me. There are plenty of women who are newbies here that would jump into your – how do you say —sack. So, go find someone else.”

Ty laughed. She was a feisty one – maybe she played women’s hockey. “Look, I’m just trying to make conversation. Do you want to dance?”

She stood up, her hands on her hips and her eyes shooting fireballs at his head. “No. I don’t want to dance. I don’t want to sleep with you. I don’t want to do any of your frivolous nonsense. We’ve already been there, so thank you and goodbye.” She walked away without looking back.

Ouch. He wasn’t very good at taking rejection, but she was pretty clear. He would have left it at that if she hadn’t come back – but she did.

Her purse lay on the floor between the settee and the loveseat. She stood over him and leaned down to grab her bag. But when she placed her hand on his shoulder to steady herself, they both froze. A current shot through him like a lightning bolt, and he knew she felt something too because her eyes darkened and she stared at him instead of her purse. A few beats passed when Ty reached up and placed his palm on top of hers, rubbing in circles with his thumb.

“I’m not the bad guy you think I am, you know.”

She bit her lip and finally reached her purse, standing up straight and looking directly into his eyes. “I know your type and you’re nothing but trouble.”

If she only knew.

She turned on her heel and glided away, her cute bottom mocking him as he watched her disappear in the crowd.

***

Nadia couldn’t take her eyes off him. In a room full of hundreds of athletes, no matter where she looked, he was in her peripheral vision. He laughed with his friends in the corner of the room. She knew his laugh now – dark, sensuous, flirtatious. He danced on the makeshift floor – with several women – placing his hand on their sides. She couldn’t help but feel jealous. The same hand had rubbed her knee not even an hour ago.

He was a pure player.

She touched the base of her neck, cleared her throat and looked at the man in front of her, instead. Sven had been her friend for almost ten years now. They had been in university together, on the college ski team, and now they both worked at the Olympics. She knew he had an enormous crush on her last year, and the look on his face told her that maybe he still did.

Sven’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on with you and that snowboarder?”

Nadia curled her lips. “Nothing. I barely know him.”

“Then why do you keep staring at him and him at you? Seems like you two know each other well enough.”

“He’s not staring at me.” She glanced over her shoulder, and sure enough, there he was ordering a Coke at the refreshment center. He winked at her and she turned back to Sven. “We just met a few hours ago.”

Sven rubbed her shoulder. “Be careful, Nadia.”

Nadia shrugged her shoulder from his hold. Sven had always tried to make more from their friendship, but she had been clear with him from day one – she didn’t want a relationship. Period. “You should know me better than that, Sven. I’m here for the professional experience, not to find love.”

“Tell him that.” Sven walked away, giving her the chance to really think about Ty without his distraction.

Ty was sexy as hell and even worse, he was the wrong kind of guy for her. Getting caught up in exuberant pranks or dancing with a handful of women was not something she wanted in a man anyway. She was happy with her life. Simple. Uncomplicated. Effortless. She liked her serious side, and she needed to remain that way in order to receive the recommendation needed for her dream job. So, no more thinking about Mr. Snowboard hottie.

Before she could take her eyes off him, her roommate, Lara, sidled up next to her. “Who’re you looking at? Ty Madsen?”

“Oh, you scared me, Lara.” She reached for the Olympics News flier on the bar in front of her and pretended to look through the pages. “Who’s Ty Madsen?”

Lara nodded in his direction. “The hottest new snowboarder from the US. You know they call him Trouble?”

“I’m not surprised.” Nadia shook her head, turning a page, then setting it to the side.

“Don’t you just love his longer hair and how it curves around his ears? Yum.”

Nadia squinted at her, then back in Ty’s direction, staring at his profile. Reflected light glimmered over his handsome face like beams of icy radiance. “Yum? Really?”

“You know, I think he keeps looking at you. Interesting.” Lara swished her dark hair over her shoulder, twirling a piece in her finger.

“Why are you so shocked? Some men find me attractive.”

“Well, you know, you’re so … ” Lara flapped her palms around. “So … serious.”

It was like Lara read her mind, all her inner thoughts from earlier. “Yeah, I’m serious, but I like to have fun too, sometimes.”

Lara gave her an inquisitive eye. “Fun and Nadia? Never.” Her friend sat on the chair next to her. “It’s okay, that’s why we all love you. We can count on you.”

For some reason this really bothered her. She tapped her fingers on the bar. “Wait just a minute. I like to have fun.”

Lara leaned back in her chair and smirked. “Oh, yeah? What did you last do to have fun?”

“Just because I don’t chase after Olympians like I’m Aphrodite or something, doesn’t mean I don’t have fun.”

Lara held up her palm and slapped her leg. “See. No fun. It’s okay, roomie.”

“No, it’s not okay.” Nadia stood and jerked her purse up on her shoulder. “I admit I’m serious and I work hard, but I do have fun, Lara. You just wait and see.” She pointed at her roommate, paused and then scampered away.

She had made enough of an appearance. Her boss had already talked to her and gave her the new orders for the opening ceremony the following night. And she didn’t want to hear nonsense from Lara again. She had no idea why it bothered her so, but it did.

When she arrived at the door, a tap on her shoulder stopped her. Turning around, the green-eyed playboy smiled at her. “Leaving already?”

“I have an early morning. You probably do too.”

“Can I walk you home?” He was already zipping up his jacket and his hand circled her waist to walk her out the door.

“Um, I guess.” Well, if this wasn’t fun, then she had no idea what could top this. She jerked her hoodie up around her ears. “Actually, I’d appreciate company.”

His boldly handsome face smiled warmly down at her. “Great.” He pulled out a beanie hat from his pocket along with some dark, lined gloves. “It’s pretty cold out here, isn’t it?”

“You should know.” Her mouth twitched in humor.

“Touché.” His hand on her waist shouldn’t feel so good, but she wouldn’t lie to herself. It did.

She tried to look at anything but his face – for some reason, whenever she stared into his eyes, she lost track of her senses. He pulled her to him like skis on fresh fallen snow. Noticing the thick gloves he wore, with a MM on the back, she said, “Those gloves are interesting. I’ve never seen anything like them”

He held them out in front of them, letting her admire them more. “I made them.”

She shot him a glance. “You’re kidding.”

“No. My brother and I have a business back home. Madsen’s Mittens,” he said matter-of-factly.

He had his own business? Hmm. There was more to this guy than she thought. It scared her that he interested her so much. “So, you all warmed up now?” She pulled out her map, looking for the fastest route, then pointed in the direction they needed to go. “This way.”

“I had to take a steaming shower for half an hour, but at least I can feel my fingers now.” A glint of humor finally returned. This was the guy she was getting to know.

“Your lips aren’t blue anymore. That’s a good sign.”

He quirked an eyebrow questioningly. “So, you’ve been looking at my lips, huh?”

“I … Um … ”

He rubbed her back and even though she had a bulky jacket and layers of clothes, his hand worked magic. “I can’t believe I made you speechless.”

“You just say these things that are so unexpected.”

“So do you.” Ty looked around the path and at the dorm that lay ahead of them. “So, you’re from Switzerland, then? I’ve always wanted to find out what the army does with those teeny little red knives.”

She lifted an eyebrow and quirked her head. “Yeah and where we keep our Swiss cheese and how do we eat chocolate all of the time. Heard it already. Not funny.”

He held his hands out and shrugged. “I try. So, where’re we heading? Which dorm is that?”

“Those are the volunteer dorms.”

He stopped. “So, you’re not an athlete then?”

“I’m an athlete, just not the best.”

“I like how that sounds. It makes me sound like I’m the best.”

She laughed and continued to walk with him following beside her. “Well, you must be if you’re in the Olympics.”

They arrived at the front door and stopped walking – and talking. His eyes rested on her face and darkened for an instant. “I really don’t want our night to end here. I’m just getting to know you.”

“I’m not inviting you in, if that’s what you want. It’s against the rules.”

He cocked his head. “You’re something else, Lady Luck.” He stroked her cheek and she couldn’t help but lean into his palm. He stepped closer, and she jerked away before he could take it further. But damn it to hell, if she wanted fun, he was her answer. He was practically a walking, talking, candy on a stick.

Before she even thought more about what she was about to suggest, she blurted, “But it’s not against the rules to hang out in the outside Jacuzzi.” She widened her eyes. See. That was fun. Right?

A smirk formed on his face. “Jacuzzi, huh? Outside?”

“It’s just around the corner and even though it’s outside, it’s steaming hot. I bet you could still warm up.”

His fingers lingered to her shoulder, down her arm and to her fingertips. “Sounds like a deal. Which way?”

“I need to get my suit first.”

He shook his head and grabbed her hand. “Nope. If I don’t have a suit, you shouldn’t either.”

She dropped her head to her chest. Now the fun just took a whole other level. Damn. She took a deep breath. “There’ll be other people there. I’m not about to go skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi.”

He shrugged. “So, I’ll wear my boxers – nothing you haven’t seen – and you can wear your teeny-weeny undies.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “Sound like a plan?”

“I don’t know. I do have to get up early.” She second-guessed her wild and crazy idea that had popped out of who knows where. Probably her brain that apparently froze while helping him earlier.

“Oh come on. You already enticed me this much. You can’t say no now. Plus, tomorrow’s the opening ceremony – it’s not like we’ll be competing or anything.”

“Do you think this will be fun?” She quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m the king of fun.” His smile was ear-to-ear and sexy as hell.

Lara’s voice echoed in the back of her brain.
Fun and Nadia don’t mix.
For once in her life, her better judgment failed her. She tugged his hand and smiled. “Then fun it is. Let’s go before I change my mind.”

The hot tub sat behind the volunteer dorm, steam spraying from the hot water. Planks of wood surrounded the twenty-seater Jacuzzi with a room on the side that held towels and accessories. Just yesterday, Nadia had walked by and made a comment to Lara about how ridiculous it was to have an outside hot tub during the winter. Even if she saw plenty of them at ski resorts around Europe, it didn’t make sense. Now, she stood to the side with Ty, his green eyes piercing the distance between them.

“Here we are,” Ty said, wrapping his hand around her waist, his voice thick and unsteady. “No one else is here, so we have it all to ourselves.”

The jolt of awareness from his hand at her side, his fingers tracing her back, and his husky voice scared her, but at the same time it thrilled her. She was going to do this, no matter what inhibitions tried to force her to stop. She pointed at him. “I’m only doing this because people think I’m no fun.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I’m thinking you seem like a lot of fun, right now.”

She huffed and pulled off her jacket. Her stomach churned half in anticipation and half in dread. “Damn right I’m fun.”

Ty’s mouth quirked in humor as he followed her lead, taking off his huge jacket with the American flag on the sleeve. “A day without laughter is a day wasted, I always say. In fact, this might be the most fun I’ve had so far.”

“Including the handcuff thing?” She asked, unzipping her pants. When she looked at him, his hands were frozen on his own pants. “What?”

“I still have those handcuffs, if you want me to get them.”

She halted. “For what?”

He shrugged, his gaze undressing her. “You know. More fun.”

She was amazed that she actually thought about it for a second. Then she shook her head. “We’re only going for a dip in the hot tub. Nothing more.”

He removed one leg out of his pants and then another. “Just thought I’d try.”

Once they had their clothing off and stood in front of one another, she stopped to look at him. He brushed his hands up and down her arms, warming her. When he spoke again, his voice was tender, almost a murmur. “You sure about this?”

“We’re already undressed, so yeah.” She placed her hands at her hips. “Now you’re scared?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “Never.” When he grabbed her hand to take her to the water, he stopped and held her body out so he could look at her. “Wait a minute. Are you actually wearing underwear with the day of the week?”

She tossed her hair across her shoulders in a gesture of defiance. “You should never make fun of a girl’s underwear, especially when she’s standing in front of you.”

He reached up and caressed her face. “I think it’s sexy as hell.”

His touch made her senses spin. “Well, uh … then … let’s get in.” She grabbed his hand and pushed him in the water. Letting out a laugh, he pulled her two hands down and she emerged next to him, both of their shoulders under the warm water.

Squatting in the middle of the tub, he pulled her to his waist and set his forehead against hers. “Damn sexy.”