Theo and I were also in love.

We’d clearly established it now. I’d told him in a whisper while we waited in the corridor leading to the ice for the medal ceremony, and he’d squawked in outrage, motioning around us to the various people in the area.

True, perhaps I should have said “I love you” when we were still in the bathroom and he could respond, but I hadn’t. Then I simply couldn’t wait another moment.

“All right,” Theo said. “She’ll apply Valium and Chardonnay. Her dream of being the mother of an Olympic gold medalist is over, but she’ll have to deal.” He ran a hand through his still-damp hair. We’d both showered at the arena after the medal ceremony.

“Mm. What about you?”

“Well, it’s a little soon to be talking about kids, don’t you think? Though we could certainly raise a champion, I have no doubt.”

“Ha, ha.”

He grinned. “And we only just declared our undying love. You doing it when I couldn’t even say anything back!” Theo playfully pushed my arm and kissed me. “The nerve. But now we’re alone, and I can say all the things. Although I said them earlier, I guess. So, I could talk more, or we could get naked. Do you have a preference?”

I pretended to ponder, but he was already yanking off his clothes. He exclaimed “Oh, I have an idea!” and carefully picked up my medal from where I’d left it in its case, not wanting to remind Theo of it, no matter what he said.

He held out the medal. “Put it on.”

Shirtless, I stopped folding my hoodie. “Pardon?”

“You heard me.” He grinned devilishly. “Wear your gold medal.” Motioning to my pants, he added, “Come on! Screw folding. I’ll iron your stuff tomorrow.”

“No you won’t.” Still, I did as he requested, disrobing completely and leaving my pants tossed over a chair. I put on the medal, feeling incredibly foolish. “This is silly.”

Yet my protest faded as Theo eyed me lasciviously and beckoned me to bed, stretching out on his back. I leaned down to kiss him—and Theo winced and jerked back, rubbing his nose.

“Ow! That’s heavy!”

I stilled the swaying medal. “You wanted me to wear it!”

It took a minute for us to stop laughing. I took it off and carefully left it on the side table before kissing his nose. Soon, the laughter faded as we moved together, mouths meeting, slow and then fast. We were hard, but I didn’t think either of us wanted this to be over yet.

“Can I eat your ass?” Theo asked. “Would you like that?”

I made a helpless little whimper. He knew I liked it—he’d wrung all sorts of noises from me with his tongue. But I said, “Yes,” because he wanted to hear it. As much as Theo wanted me to be aggressive with him sometimes and take control, he also loved giving me pleasure. And trying to shock me with his words.