“You ready? This is it.” Coach Fitzgerald slaps me on my back and I fumble forward.

I can already feel how off I am. Demi and I stayed up late, talking about how drastically different our childhoods were. She grew up near Aspen in what I imagine is a mansion on a mountain. Whereas I, scraped change up off the sidewalk just to buy a candy bar on the way home from school. Her bedroom held a canopy bed and mine a twin mattress on the floor in the corner of a bedroom I shared with my brothers.

I didn't tell Demi everything, I didn't want to appear like I was that lacking, but I think she got the point when I mentioned how I loved to go over to Grady's house growing up because there was always drinks and snacks out for their B&B guests. We were poor, but I survived.

Maybe if I would’ve been handed everything I wanted I wouldn’t have strived to be where I am now. I wouldn't be standing on top of this mountain questioning whether I can do enough to make it to the finals.

My body is drained, and it hasn’t escaped me that I didn't sleep with Demi last night which means all the luck is gone. What's wrong with me? Her leg sucks but not that bad, she could’ve had sex. She definitely wanted to have sex and like a moron, I turned her down. Now I'll be dragging ass all day.

The truth is I forgot all about the luck thing. I haven’t even thought about it in days.

“Hey,” a soft, feminine voice stops me before I get up to the starting gate to get ready.

Before I even have a chance to say hello, her lips press to mine, her mitten-covered hands on my cheeks. “Good luck,” she says with the sincerest eyes I've ever encountered.

“Thanks. Someone kept me up last night.”

She flutters her eyes. “At least you didn't expend any energy.”

I lean in closer to make sure none of the other guys can hear me. “That changes tonight.”

“Hey, you win gold and I'll be your celebratory prize.”

My dick literally shoots up in my pants. “Done.”

“You're next,” Coach yells and then looks at who I'm talking to. “Oh, hey, Demi. When do you compete?”

They start talking about how it sucks being at the end of the Classics, then Coach asks about her mom and the light in her eyes diminishes a bit.

“So, you think our boy can do it?” Coach asks teasingly.

I sit down on the chair, clipping into my board and glance up. Our eyes lock and her attention is on me when she answers.

“I hope so, otherwise I'll be running for my life.” She makes like she’s feeling money between her thumb and index finger, as if she bet on me. “But it's his. I know it.”

I mouth thank you then stand up on my board. “How about one more kiss?”

She glances at Coach and then jogs up to me. She raises to her tiptoes and lightly presses her lips to mine. A few of the guys lingering around whistle and sure enough as soon as she falls back on her heels, her cheeks are red and not from the wind this high up on the mountain.

“Don't fuck it up.” She smacks me lightly in the stomach, turning and walking back down toward the spectator’s area. Glancing over her shoulder, she smiles. “I'll meet you at the bottom.”

I nod, watching her go. Hopefully, a kiss is enough to get me seeded well.

“Okay, Romeo, let's get set.” Coach raises his eyebrows, no doubt wondering what's going on with me and Demi.

I place my goggles over my eyes, strap my mittens again, rock my hips a few times and then nod to Coach.

Minutes later, the metal gate slams down and I jet out onto the icy terrain. I hate riding by myself—I much prefer a challenger next to me. Maybe because the reason I compete so hard is that I've done it my entire life with my brothers. Always fighting for the remote, the last helping of food, Mom’s attention.

My mind shifts back to last night with Demi and my heart speeds up knowing she's down there waiting for me, ready to give me a hug after my killer score goes up on that screen.

The line between Demi and me is blurring. I may have never been in a serious relationship my entire life, but I can still feel the energy shifting. It's no longer only sexually charged. There's a familiarity between us. A calmness inside me different from the storm that's usually brewing—the one that wants to go crazy jumping off of shit and pushing the limits, say whatever I want no matter who I offend.

The killer of all it is that I'm enjoying myself. Finding out about her, what she loves and what she hates last night was somehow fun. I didn't even care if we slept together. That might be a bit of a stretch, I am a testosterone-laden male after all, but the fact that we didn’t have sex didn’t diminish the night.

With all the mental thoughts traveling through my head, I realize I'm about to cross the finish line and I remember none of the race. Not one single turn, or jump, or whether I was able to keep my air low.

Shit, I probably strolled down the course like a grandma in the grocery aisle. I'm going to be seeded last and have to work my way up. Fuck.

I come to a stop, and the crowd is cheering so either they're cheering because they feel sorry for me, or I didn't do half bad. The screen takes forever to update, and I wait for the judges while I rack my brain trying to remember anything from the last few minutes.

My time goes up and the crowd cheers louder. I pump my fist in the air, unclipping myself from my board and walking through the opening in the inflatable barrier. Demi's arms wrap around my neck and her lips kiss my cheek before I can even talk to the press.

Guess our...friendship…is out there for all to see now.

A few cameras snap the picture.

“I knew you'd do it. Congratulations,” she whispers in my ear, stepping back to give my other friends room to approach.

Grady, Beckett, and Brandon fist bump me and Mia and Skylar both say their congratulations.

One of the interviewers, Nik, a snowboarder in his own right pulls me aside. Nik retired after the last Classics and he's trying to make a name for himself as a reporter here.

“Dax, or Soups, that's what they call you, right?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“How does it feel? You seemed to hit some kind of zone out there. You had a near flawless run like you were on autopilot.”

“I guess, yeah.”

“Man of few words, that's unusual for you. A lot of athletes have superstitions before they compete in something like this. You have any that helped you out on the course today?”

I glance back to my group of friends. Beckett's smug smile is the first thing I notice, but Demi's sweet grin with her hands pressed together in front of her mouth like she just ran her best time is what I can't stop looking at.

“A girl?” Nik asks, looking between Demi and me. “Never thought I'd see the day.”

“No!” I blurt out. “I mean... I don't believe in superstitions.” I regret the words immediately.

What's the harm in saying Demi is my lucky charm? Other than the fact that now she'll think that's the only reason I'm sticking around. She doesn't need to know why I originally sought her out—it would ruin everything. After her whole ‘I'm never good enough’ confession last night, that's the last thing I ever want her to know especially when it holds no weight anymore. Hopefully, Beckett kept his trap shut and didn't tell that panty shield, Skylar.

Nik laughs. “Okay, well, as of right now you're seeded in top spot, so good luck on the way to the semifinals.”

“Thanks, Nik.” He walks away, ready to interview the next guy who's going to come off the course.

“Way to go! Man, I still can't believe how much you were in the zone today.” Grady pulls my head down into a headlock.

I wiggle out of his hold. “Yeah, I just...I don't even know what to say.” Demi seems reluctant to come over to me now and I have to think that it has to do with the interview. But what could she be mad about? I didn't do anything but say I don't believe in superstitions. My response had nothing to do with us.

“We're headed to the restaurant, wanna join?” Beckett asks, and he has to know the answer is no. I have semifinals in a few hours.

“No, I'm going to hit the pillow for a bit.” My eyes veer to Demi who’s busy eyeballing the snow instead of looking at me.

“Good idea,” Beckett says. “We'll be back before your next run.”

I give my friends a fist bump, while Mia gives me a quick hug and Skylar mumbles congratulations again. Demi just gives me a small smile and bypasses me to follow the others.

I reach out and grab her arm, tugging her back to me. “You wanna stay with me?”

She blinks like it surprises her that I want her with me. “You sure?”

That's when I know that whatever it is between us, things aren’t so carefree anymore.

“Definitely. Nap?”

She wraps her arms around my waist, inching up on her toes and kissing my neck. “Maybe we can expend a little energy before our nap?”

Maybe I’m wrong because my little nympho has come out to play and what I thought was going to be a conversation about how I hurt her, is now about getting it on which shows how on page she is with this. The relief I expected to feel at that isn’t there.

“How’s your hip?” I ask.

“I think it needs to be stretched out with some rocking,” she says with a grin.

“Well,” I turn us toward the village, “how can I say no to helping out a fellow athlete?”