After a few moments, he said, “You’d like to come?”

“Sure! It would be cool to meet him. If you want. I understand if you don’t. Maybe he hates me like my mother hates you. It’s not personal! She hates everyone who could beat me. Sorry, we’re not supposed to talk about that. Bad elephant! Get back in the trunk!” I was losing it. Why was I so nervous?

The furrow was back as Henry drove into the condo’s underground parking, circling down to the bottom level. There was no one in sight as he pulled into his spot and killed the engine. It ticked down in the silence.

I was sure Henry could hear how hard my heart was pounding. Fidgeting, I took off my seat belt. He did the same, yet didn’t move to get out.

I was supposed to be an adult, but I felt like a teenager. Why did I want him so much?

“I’d like you to come with me tomorrow,” he said quietly.

“Okay.” I nodded. And nodded again. “Do you want to—are we cool? I had a lot of fun last night. I’m up for more if you are. It doesn’t have to be—we can just—” I waved my hand.

I almost said that it didn’t have to mean anything, but I couldn’t. This already meant something. Even if we never hooked up again, this was something.

Henry exhaled a shuddery breath and licked his lips, his brown eyes locking on mine. “You really want me?”

The question was barely a whisper, and suddenly he seemed incredibly fragile. Like I could shatter him if I did or said the wrong thing. Protectiveness rose up, and I carefully rested my left hand on his thigh. I stared intensely into his eyes, willing him to believe me.

“I really want you.” Then more words tripped out. “It’s probably a bad idea with the Olympics so soon, but we’re already hanging out. We could agree that we hang until we go to Calgary, and then it’s every man for himself.” The unsaid question was: What about after the Olympics?

One step at a time.

“You won’t tell anyone?” Henry asked.

That question stung, not gonna lie. Was he ashamed of me? But no, that wasn’t fair. Of course we couldn’t tell anyone. Holy shit, it would be the hottest gossip in skating, and my mom would a hundred percent find out and lose it.

Admittedly, the thought grimly satisfied me, but that could come after the Olympics. Assuming Henry and I carried on…whatever this was.

One step at a time.

“It’s our secret,” I promised.

Slowly, I rubbed his thigh, my fingers dipping between his legs. He sucked in a breath, and oh yeah. He was hard. His tight practice pants hid nothing.

“Yeah?” I asked.

Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please—

“Yes.”

In a nanosecond, I leapt into action. Well, leaned into action since we were in the car. The stretchy fabric was soft under my palm, and I squeezed his dick with enough pressure to make him gasp. God, I loved that sound. I chased it, eager for more.