Love and Other Games (6 page)

“Snow angels?”

“Yeah.” She flapped her arms and legs at the side and began to make her shape.

Ty joined her and again she found herself laughing. Before she knew it, there was a group of men standing over them, the clicks of their cameras ricocheting in the empty space around them.

Chris’s voice boomed. “How sweet. They’re making little snow angels.”

Ty sat up onto his elbows, his brows pinched together. “Stop it, asshole.”

Adam patted Chris on the chest. “Yeah, let the lovebirds do their cute little mating ritual.” He pulled Chris’s phone down and then pointed at Ty. “Don’t forget we practice at The Pipe in thirty minutes.” Adam winked and walked away, leaving footprints in the fresh snow.

“Later.” Chris called as he followed with one last click of his camera.

Ty got up and held out his hand. “Let me walk you back.”

“But your practice.”

He looked at his watch. “I still have time to walk you back like a gentleman.”

He crooked her arm through his elbow and escorted her down the path. After a minute, he finally broke the silence. “You know, we may seem like jackasses all the time, but we’re also serious about what we do. We worked hard to get to where we’re at – at the freaking Olympics – believe me. Our lives are this sport.”

“You must be good if you made it this far.”

“We made it by working our asses off. But I want you to know I take this seriously. It’s my life.”

“I know.” She nodded. And she did. More than he understood.

“And being here gives us the chance to relax a bit. Party a little bit. Take it easy. We made it this far – to the top – so why not enjoy the time too. But believe me, when it’s time to practice, I’m all there. This sport is my life. I’m not always a jokester. ”

“And that’s why you’re named Trouble, right?” She smiled.

“That and other things. You’ve seen enough of Trouble to know.”

“I’ve seen a good amount of Trouble and I’d like to see more.” She squeezed his hand.

He stopped in his tracks, studying her. “Are you for real?”

“Absolutely.” She reached up and took his head in her palms. “All of you.”

He swooped her up and pulled her body around him, placing his lips on hers for a demanding kiss. His hands explored the hollows of her back and she buried her hands in his thick hair. Just. So. Right.

She showered kisses around his lips and along his angular jaw, wanting to taste him everywhere. When a couple of volunteers walked by, snickering, he pulled back, his breathing heavy. For once, she really didn’t care. She bit her lip. “You have to practice.”

He looked up at the sky and back at her, a slow smile forming. “Will you come see me at the Qualifying Round tomorrow?”

She nodded. “I’ll do my best to be there.”

“It’ll mean a lot to me if you do.” He leaned against the dorm building.

“I’ll be there.” She stroked his cheek. “Thank you for today. I enjoyed hanging out with you boys.”

He backed away and pointed. “I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Trouble.” She waved and he ran off, somehow providing her with the perfect view of his tight ass in those baggy ski pants that sat low on his hips. She definitely wanted to see all of him – starting with that.

Nadia tugged Lara’s arm and steered her through the crowd to the front. An announcer’s voice boomed overhead echoing times and different athletes names – but she didn’t hear Ty’s name yet. She was relieved, because she came a little late – thanks to Lara – and she didn’t want to miss any action from her sexy snowboarder. The last qualifying round was a big deal and she wanted to show her support to Ty. How she’d do it, she didn’t know.

“Slow down, Nadia. It hasn’t started.” Lara jerked her arm away.

“I don’t want to miss Ty or any of the US snowboarders, for that matter.” She bounced on her toes and stared over the railing, trying to spot Ty at the starting point.

Lara pointed to a big screen above The Pipe. “Look, there he is.”

On the enormous television, Ty prepared himself, tightening his helmet under his chin, his longer hair curling over the edges and around his ears. He wore all white, ski pants, a long-sleeved white tunic with the Olympics logo on the front and a huge US flag on the shoulder.

Nadia smiled to herself as he placed his iPod ear buds into his ears and goggles over his eyes. Deep breaths caused his chest to rise and fall and it reminded her of when he kissed her last – his dark eyes on hers and that naughty smile. She bit her lip, excited to see him in action, but at the same time nervous for him. This could make or break a medal for him.

“He’s hot, Nad.” Lara said, as if she had read Nadia’s inside thoughts.

The announcer on the loudspeaker proclaimed Ty Madsen as the first US snowboarder to take The Pipe. Nadia twisted her hands together and said a little prayer, watching him fist pump his teammates Adam and Chris who stood behind him.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Ty Madsen is new to the Olympics but not new to the sport. The first qualifying rounds showed his expertise and amazing abilities, with two double corks. We hear he might have a surprise trick up his sleeve.”

Ty tightened his bindings and stood up straight. After one deep breath, he took off in one swoosh. His natural ebb and flow was magical. Up he soared into the air, maybe seventeen feet, doing some kind of trick and landing with a bang. Applause roared around her.

Two snow bunnies next to her sighed. One of them commented in German, “He’s amazing. I’ve got to meet him.”

“Totally,” the other one yelled above the claps.

Nadia smiled to herself. Like she’d let that happen. This territorial attitude was surprising, but expected. She really liked the guy. She positioned herself closer to the barrier between The Pipe and the spectators.

Every twist and turn, people oohed and aahed. The thrill of the moment was not lost on her. She found herself yelling along with them, throwing her hands in the air with each trick. The swooshing sound of the board on the snow invigorated her as she watched his effortless motion —weaving, twisting, bending. She remembered his words the day before, “We work hard to be here.” Seeing him in his element made those words ring true.

When he flew up his last time on the side closer to her, the announcer exhaled an exclamation, “No way! Ladies and Gentlemen, we just saw Madsen do a 1080 Double Cork Tail Grab. A first here at the games.”

Lara grabbed Nadia’s arm. “Did you see that? Woo hoo!” she screamed.

He skidded at the bottom, snow cascading around him, and slowed to a stop, his hands lifting in a celebratory fist pump in the air. He undid the bindings on his board, bounced up and down and held up his board in a victory wave. The excitement of the event had her jumping up and down with him. A reporter tried to interview him, but Ty didn’t notice, instead looking around at the audience. Then he spotted her twenty feet away. A slow smile sprouted on his face and he pointed a number one sign at her. He tore his goggles off, staring right at her and mouthed, “Lucky Lady.”

Nadia’s heart swelled and she hugged herself.

The girls around her swooned. “Did he say something? I swear he said something to me.”

Lara butted in, “He wasn’t talking to you two, he was talking to my friend here.” Lara hugged Nadia.

Before she knew it, Ty shoved his way through the crowd and stood in front of her, whooping. “Did you see that?” He put his arms around her waist and lifted her up. “I fucking did it!”

Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as he let her body slide down his and he kissed her, strong and demanding, holding her head tight at his mouth. Behind her the snow bunnies sighed. When he let go of her, he held his fists high and howled turning in a circle, then faced her and placed his hand on her chin. “Thanks for showing up.”

The heat in her cheeks grew stronger from embarrassment as a camera filmed her at his side or from the kiss he just gave, she didn’t know. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

The reporter sidled up to him. “With that last backside flip, you’re sure to be in the finals. How does it feel?”

Ty tore his woolen hat off his head and threw it into the screaming audience. “I feel like gold. Woo-hoo!” He whelped. “And here’s my Lucky Lady.” He bent down and kissed her again, placing his hand against her neck, his tongue playing against her lips.

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. Ty Madsen and his Lucky Lady – sure to be in the finals tomorrow, maybe winning a medal for the US team.”

Chris tore Ty away from her with a heart aching tug. The thrill and excitement had her feeling like she won the Olympics too. “Dude, you tore it up out there. Come on, Trouble, you have to get ready for your next run,” Chris yelled behind the audience’s shrieks.

Ty kissed her quickly and pointed at her. “Stay here. I have two more runs and need your pretty face to steer me on.” He ran off fist pumping the air and high fiving those around him. A snowmobile picked him up with his board and they headed back up to the beginning of The Pipe.

She looked at her roommate, whose eyes were as round as the Olympics symbol. “What the heck, Nadia? What’s going on with you two?”

Suddenly, she had a crowd around her, asking questions, patting her on the back, congratulating her as if she was the athlete. “I don’t … Nothing.” She shook her head.

“You can’t say nothing is happening. It’s all right there on your face and in his kiss. Wow.” Nadia crossed her arms.

Nadia wiggled her eyebrows. “I told you I could have fun.”

People backed off once the next snowboarder, someone from Finland, started down the half-pipe. But, she couldn’t help the uneasiness that overwhelmed her. In the last ten minutes, her heart swelled and ached as if she belonged to Ty. And she didn’t. Not really. They were having fun and it’d only been a few days, but for an instance when he stood by her, hugging her and kissing her, she felt like they were a real couple. It’d been so long since she had a partner. This was something she actively avoided. But for this moment, it felt right. Needed. Idyllic.

And she was a realist. Not a dreamer. She had to remind herself that.

She was extremely happy for Ty, but after the event, she would have to leave. Taking evasive measures were in order. She couldn’t lead herself on, and that’s the direction her heart turned. Could it really happen so fast?

She needed to get back to her original goal – to land the perfect job that her father envisioned for her. Her father, who had won three ski medals in past Olympics. Ever since she graduated university and worked for the Swiss Snowsports Association as an events administrator, her father had the plan for her to assist in the Committee Headquarters. Since the Olympics was his life, it easily became hers. She owed it to him.

But what about her? Didn’t she owe her heart what she wanted … Ty?

Ty entered the community building taking in the almost empty facility. He had to find Nadia. After his second run and a couple of interviews, he couldn’t find her among the crowd. He was sure he saw her there after his last 180. She stood there next to the fence, under the heavy lighting, a sweet smile on her face. Her woolen cap pulled over her blonde hair and that sexy-as-hell tight jacket and scarf resting against her breasts. Then he answered his last questions to the reporter and she was gone.

With a brisk walk to the reception desk, he faced a tall, blond dude who cocked his head at him. The same guy who talked to Nadia on the night he met her. “How can I help you?”

Ty placed both hands firmly on the desk and looked down at his nametag. “Sven? I’m looking for Nadia. Have you seen her?”

Sven broke eye contact and messed with some papers in front of him. “She’s not here.”

Ty’s shoulders dropped. Damn it, he really wanted to see her. He ran his fingers through his messed-up hair. “Do you know where she went? I’ve got to find her.”

Sven’s cold eyes stared at him straight on. “And you are?”

“Ty Madsen, US Snowboard team.” He pointed to the US logo on his jacket.

Sven narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “Nadia doesn’t have time to play around …
sir
.”

Ty stepped back and held his palms up. “Whoa, dude. Why so hostile?” He leaned down to whisper. “Nadia and I are seeing each other. I’m not stalking her or something.”

This had the opposite affect than he expected. Sven’s rigid body stiffened even more, and he slammed his hand on Ty’s shoulder, pulling him closer. “Listen
dude
, if Nadia was seeing someone, she would’ve told me. She doesn’t need the likes of
Trouble
Madsen, anyway.”

“What the hell’s your problem?” Ty shook off his hand and frowned.

A movement from the corner of his eye shook his attention away from the over-protective volunteer. Nadia’s long blonde hair swished in front of him and her blue eyes shone like melting ice. “Sven, enough.” She grabbed Ty’s hand and led him to the back of the room. Ty followed like he belonged on her dogsled, not saying a word. Just the touch of her hand had him hard.

She glanced around the room, as if she were looking for something in particular, then peeked around a corner. The door next to them stated: John Sorensen, Volunteer Director. Opening the office, she jerked him inside and slammed the door, locking it.

He let out a cocky smile. “I like the idea of being locked in a room with you. What are you up to Nadia?”

“We need to talk in privacy.” She pushed him against the door. “This is my boss’s office and it’s private.”

His hand took her face and held it gently. “What do you have in mind?”

Nadia pulled in a deep breath and exhaled out her nose. “I’m really happy for you.”

He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. “The finals. Can you believe it?”

She nodded, twirling a piece of hair around her finger. “Yes, I can. You’re a natural out there.”

His hand rubbed lower and caressed the small of her back. “Wanna celebrate?”

She looked away and tugged at the hem of her jacket, her lashes fanning across her pale cheeks. “First we need to talk.”