“So, you took my advice,” Beckett hops on the treadmill next to me.

I look to my left. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Demi? Your lucky charm.”

I whip my head behind me to make sure no one is around. “We've come to an agreement, yes.” I up my incline.

“That's what I heard. You couldn't commit to trying a relationship?”

I distort my face so he knows I think he's crazy as fuck. “I'm not a relationship type of guy. Don't enter the jewelry store unless you're buying a ring.”

“You really need to work on your idioms.”

“Do you not understand what I'm saying?” I click up another level on my incline, my thighs already feeling the usual burn.

“I get what you're saying because I'm your friend, but—”

“You do know you're in a relationship, right?”

Beckett glances over, grabbing his water bottle and taking a swig. “Then someone should tell my dick because it's not getting any action.”

“That's exactly my point. You have all the responsibilities of one and none of the fun.”

The sound of our feet pounding on the treadmill echoes out as he’s quiet for a minute before responding. “And you think you're getting all the fun and no responsibilities.”

“What's up guys?” Grady hops up onto the machine on the other side of me.

“What am I missing? You two shitheads are done with your events. You should be banging your girlfriend and you should be banging your pseudo girlfriend,” I say to them, my head volleying between the two.

“I’m not resting until you're done. What do we have, four days?” Grady asks, instantly accelerating to his jogging rhythm. The man is a machine I swear.

“Qualifiers in four, finals in five. How is it that Demi and I got screwed this year? She competes on the second to last day.”

“Hey, last time it was me.” Beckett points to himself, grabbing the hem of his shirt and wiping his face.

“So, we all celebrate after. The night of the closing ceremony,” Grady says.

I shake my head at the two of them, clicking the incline button another time. “If I were you guys, I'd be locked in my hotel room with room service delivering on the hour and my girl naked next to me.”

Grady laughs. “Nice friend you are.” He looks past me to Beckett.

They know I'm full of shit. There isn't much I wouldn't do for the guys on either side of me.

“Is your family coming?” Beckett asks, he's about the only one who can ask me questions like that because he has as many family issues as I have.

“Nah. They'll watch on the television.”

He nods and lets the topic die there where it should.

“Mia and I are heading into Seoul tomorrow. Any takers?”

Beckett's eyes light up. “Me and Sky were thinking about it, too. Supposedly, Demi's got two tickets to some Korean game show.”

“What?” I whip my head in his direction and he laughs.

“What the hell? Did I just say fried chicken or some shit?”

Grady laughs. “Man, he really must be missing all that junk food.”

“Have you guys seen the Korean game shows? I gotta score a ticket.” I pluck my phone out from the holder. I'm a master at texting and running.

“Since you're her orgasm inducer I'm fairly sure you can get one,” Beckett says.

“What's this? What am I missing?” I feel Grady's eyes on me, but I'm too busy texting to care.

“Oh, let me fill you in, Rogue.” Then Beckett starts telling him everything that he heard from Skylar, who heard it from Demi.

---

I drop my phone back into the holder on the treadmill, both my buddies staring at either side of my face.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing,” Beckett says, shaking his head.

“Not really worth a conversation.” Grady slows the treadmill. “He'll only deny it.”

Beckett slows his, too, and soon they're each walking away from me.

“See you, Soups,” Grady says.

“What the fuck? What just happened? What happened to sticking together?”

I'm screaming to myself because they stop and talk to a few other athletes heading into the workout room.

Whatever.

I up my incline again, increasing the speed. The faster I finish this workout, the faster I'll be buried deep inside of Demi which is the only place I want to be right now.

---

I knock on her door. Footsteps pad across the floor and the door opens. I step in and reach my hands out to grab the woman's hips.

“Ugh, no.” Skylar puts her hand up in the air. “We're really not hard to tell apart.”

I walk past her and throw myself on the bed.

“Where's your roommate? I need to pay her.”

“Ew, I don't want to know.” She busies herself at her desk, packing up a bag.

“You didn't mind sharing all our sordid details with Hoff.”

She twists around, resting her back on the desk, crossing her arms over her USA sweatshirt.

“You wanna know what I think?”

I lean up on my elbows, my ankles crossed.

“I think that the two of you are playing with fire.” She points her finger at me. “I think that you'll hurt her again. I love you, Dax.”

“Awe,” I place my hand over my heart. “I love you too, Skylar.”

She rolls her eyes.

“I love you, but you’re like a four-year-old sometimes. Pushing and bulldozing your way through life without caring about who or what you’ve left in your wake.” She grabs a backpack and hitches it over her shoulder.

I sit up and stare directly into her eyes. “If you think that, you don't know me at all.”

“Maybe I don't. It's just been my observation and I think this is all fun and games right now, but in the end, it’ll be Demi that’s destroyed.”

Demi walks in, her cheeks rosy from the cold. “What?”

“Hey, Beckett and I are going to catch a hockey game. I'll be back later.” She pats her friend’s shoulder while looking at me.

“Have fun,” Demi says, removing her gloves and hat, depositing them on the table.

“Give your friend my best. Maybe spend the night, but that's probably crossing the line, right?” I sneer. If she's going to throw daggers, I'll throw them back.

“Bye.” Skylar shuts the door.

“What was that?” Demi asks, unzipping her coat.

I lay back down on the bed. “Nothing. I'm here to pay my debt.”

She smiles, the one where her entire mouth opens and shows all her white teeth. The one I don’t get to see nearly enough.

“Yeah, sorry, I was just getting off the hill when you texted me. I have to shower quick. My mom, ugh, she just won't let me rest for a moment.”

“Pushing you, huh?” Guessing that we won't be getting down and dirty under the sheets for a while, I sit up and rest my back on her headboard.

She hangs up her jacket and then bends over to take off her boots. God, her ass is on point.

“She expects perfection, you know? Like I get it that she medaled in three Classics and that she's an excellent skier, but I have coaches. Coaches that are a hell of a lot more patient with me.”

Off go her socks, and then her shirt.

I sit back admiring the strip show she's giving me without her realizing.

Her thumbs hook into her yoga pants. “I mean, does she think I'm out there trying to fuck up? I'm flying down a hill at seventy miles per hour. I want to say yes, I did that move so I could straddle the line between paralyzation or death. UGH!” She stands there in only her bra and panties. A matching blue set that makes my dick twitch in my pants.

“Your mom just wants you to do well.”

She looks me directly in the eyes, her two hands reaching behind her back and then the blue fabric glides down her arms until she throws it into her hamper. “For her or me?”

Her nipples are hard and ready for me, and my mouth salivates, wanting so badly to lick the budded peaks.

“You. I'm sure it's for you,” I say when she doesn’t respond.

She shakes her head, her hands sliding her panties down as she steps out of them, throwing them to join her other dirty clothes.

“Come here.” I hold my hand out for her.

She takes the elastic out of her hair, the long reddish strands falling over her freckled shoulders.

“I'm dirty and I probably smell.”

I grab hold of her hand and yank her to me.

“Did you really think you could strip in front of me and I'd just sit here and wait for you to shower?”

Her million-dollar smile warms her face. “You could join me.”

“I was wondering when you'd ask.”