5. Leo
CHAPTER FIVE
Aria looks at me with a perplexed expression. “Is this the routine you and Delaney did together?”
I shake my head at her, attempting to conceal the contentment that settles over me. There’s a bite in her tone. If I didn’t know she didn’t like me, I’d question whether or not that was jealousy I hear in her voice. “Why would I do the same routine over again?”
She narrows her gray eyes. “I meant if this was the one you two were working on this year.”
“Oh.” I knew exactly what she meant. That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to poke harder. If we are going to be forced to work together, I’m not going to make it easy on her. “No. This was one I asked her if she wanted to do, but the throw triple Axel made her a little nervous.”
“I want to do it.”
I bite back the smile that threatens to form on my lips. It's kind of fucked up, but I like seeing her like this. The determination is set on her facial features as she stares me down. She knows it was a routine Delaney and I were working on, so she wants to perfect it. She wants to rise to the challenge and be better. She's acting like she has something to prove and I admire that.
Aria knows she's one of the best figure skaters in the world, yet she doesn't let herself get comfortable with that position. It's something you have to constantly work on if you want to stay at the top. It's very easy to fall into the habit of thinking you will always remain at the top. That's not how things work in this sport. One competition could make or break your career. Aria Reed wasn't going to let anything get in the way of her and a gold medal.
"Can I make a small suggestion?"
Deciding not to be difficult, I shrug and nod. "Sure, let's hear it."
Aria begins to skate in slow motion, working through the things I showed her. I watch her and slowly move behind her. "When we get to this part in the routine, we skate together instead of in unison separately." She spins around to face me. "Follow my lead."
I'm a bit reluctant, but I do as she asks and I jump into the skating routine with her. We skate together, our hands clasped as we come around the turn. The way Delaney and I had practiced was without any jumps and we skated together during this part. I pull Aria close to me, before pushing her away. My hands slip from hers until just our fingertips are linked together. She slides her hand into mine and I use my body weight to generate momentum as I spin, swinging her around me.
Aria gets low to the ice, spinning around me. The tension is palpable in the air and Aria's long hair whips around her head. I pull her up and we both straighten out, skating together again with our arms outstretched. "I think we should add in a twist lift here," she tells me.
Excitement licks at my veins. I have no intention of stopping her from exploring her ideas for our routine. It was Delaney's and mine, but it isn't anymore. Now it belongs to Aria and me and she's intent on making it her own. The adrenaline courses through me, flooding my veins. My spine straightens and I nod as she looks back at me once more. We begin to skate around one end of the rink. We're moving in perfect unison. I drop my hands from hers and grab her hips.
"Are you ready?" I ask her as we set up the movement for the lift.
Aria nods. "Do it."
We move faster, still skating backward as I generate speed and lift her into the air. Aria crosses her ankles, drawing her arms into her body as she twists in the air. Her body is tight and firm, rolling three times before gravity begins to pull her back down to earth. I effortlessly catch her and drop her back down onto her skates. We don't miss a beat as we work through the rest of the routine, ending up in the center of the ice, both of our chests heaving as she wraps her arms around the back of my neck and we melt into each other.
The faint smell of her perfume invades my senses as I breathe her in. My chest rises and falls with every shallow breath. My lungs scream for oxygen but my body screams for something entirely different. Having her this close is literal torture. She’s the one person I shouldn’t want, yet my cock is constantly betraying me. That’s all it is—lust. There’s nothing more and there never will be. Aria is undoubtedly beautiful. I'm not blind, but I also know I can't let myself travel down that road with her again.
The music comes to an end and I abruptly let her go. Aria's eyes meet mine as she straightens herself, but the disappointment in her expression quickly vanishes. She gives me a small smile. "So, what did you think? Can we add that modification to the routine?"
My jaw clenches and my nostrils flare. It’s perfect. It’s exactly what the routine needs, which is why it can’t happen. If I give in to her, it’s only going to chip away at my resolve. How long until I’m giving her everything?
"I think it's better the way I showed you."
Anger flares in her irises as I turn, no longer facing her. "You can't be serious."
I skate away, choosing to not engage. It was a dick move and I instantly regret it, but I can't give in now. Doing our routine with the twist lift made it much better. I can't admit that to her, because if I do, I would essentially be saying she is a better skater than me and my pride will never let me do that. She might help me stay on top, but I won’t let her pass me.
“Leo, wait,” she calls out as she skates after me. She’s quick and I’m not moving that fast, so it doesn’t take much effort for her to catch up to me. Her soft, delicate hand reaches for my wrist and she pulls me back. "Stop being a fucking asshole."
I slowly turn around to face her, my head slightly tilting to the side. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," she snaps at me. Her grip tightens on my wrist and I don't bother removing her hand. I like how it feels there. "You know the routine is better with the twist lift. Do you want to say you came up with the idea? Is that what this is about?"
"I'm sorry?"
She rolls her eyes. "It's no secret you don't like me. I'm not exactly fond of you either, so the feeling’s mutual." She pauses, shaking her head as she purses her lips. Disappointment washes over her expression as she lets go of my wrist. "I thought maybe you could put this petty bullshit aside so we could work together, but I was wrong. I don't think this is going to work."
I shouldn't be surprised, but her words feel like a slap to the face. She brushes past me as she exits the ice rink and leaves me out there alone. I watch her as she disappears into the locker room without another look in my direction. As I finally force myself off the ice, she's coming back out of the room with her bag slung over her shoulder.
"Aria," I start, my voice hoarse and low. I can't let her walk away, not when I need her. Without her, I'm back to where I was. Without a partner. I'm fucked without her.
She looks at me over her shoulder with a warning written in her expression. "Don't, Leo."
I let it go and allow her to walk out of the rink without another word.
I fucked up.
***
My footsteps are heavy as I follow the paved path around the park. It snakes through trees and shrubs, circling the pond in the middle with a bubbling fountain. The sun has since set and the moon hangs in the night sky. It's full tonight, so it illuminates the walkway and casts its light across the surface of the pond. The park's now vacant, but I'm still here after it technically closed. I can't eradicate the guilt that continues to flood me in waves. As soon as I think I've forgiven myself, I see the image of her face flash through my mind again.
The disappointment hits me like a knife in my chest. Aria was right. Goddamn, she was right about so many things. We skate so well together and what she added to the routine made it perfect. It was exactly what it was missing. I was being childish and letting our past rivalry get in the way of our future. I didn't want to skate against Aria. I wanted to skate with her. I was just too stubborn and too fucking hardheaded to see it at first.
And now she's gone.
I have to get her back.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I open my messages and tap on Coach Kincaid's name. I type a message to him and I head out of the park. I step onto the sidewalk and follow the path into the small town of Idyll Cove. It's a sleepy town where everyone moves on island time. Given that it's a Thursday evening, the street is relatively empty. Most of the shops are closed and the only thing open are two restaurants and a bar.
As I walk past Davino’s, I glance to the right and look through the window. The glass is tinted, but I can see her as clear as day. She's sitting alone at a table as she lifts a glass of wine to her lips. I watch as she tilts her head back, the liquid sliding down her throat. Her long black hair is pulled back from her face and hangs down her back in loose curls. I stand outside the window, watching her as she directs her gaze in the opposite direction.
A smile pulls on her lips and I glance to where she's looking. She isn’t there alone. Griffin steps into the main room of the restaurant and takes a seat across from her at the table. Griffin fucking Carr. The asshole she ended up dating in high school. The asshole who took home the gold medal from regionals after I fell during a jump and fucked up my score.
Anger spreads through my body like wildfire. My feet are cemented in place, my entire body paralyzed with irritation as I watch the two of them. Griffin settles in the seat across from her with his gaze trained on hers as they fall into what appears to be a comfortable conversation. I watch them for another minute before I'm able to regain control over my legs again. Griffin is not getting the girl this time.
"Fuck this.”
Abandoning my spot by the window, my movements are purposeful as I stride over to the door of the restaurant. I pull it open gently and I'm careful to not draw any attention to myself as I enter. My footsteps are light, yet there's a heaviness in my limbs. Only two other tables are occupied in the dimly lit space. Soft classical music plays in the background. I step around the other tables with my sights set directly on Aria fucking Reed. She doesn't notice me at first as she laughs at something Griffin says to her.
As I get closer to the two of them, she lifts her gaze from his, her eyes widening as she sees me. My strides are long and I cover a lot of space in no time until I stop directly behind Griffin. Aria's lips part slightly and I watch the pink tint wash over her cheeks. She's surprised to see me, but she doesn't look like she's not pleased with me.
Good.
"Leo?"
Griffin slowly turns around, his lips lifting into a smile as his eyes settle on me. "Well, if it isn't the infamous Leo Wells."
I resist the urge to drive my fist into his face. No one would ever let me live something like that down considering Griffin is practically God's gift to everyone. He was always known for being a kind, gentle person. I knew there was more to Griffin Carr than what he showed the rest of the world, but I was never one to throw someone under the bus… unless he gave me a reason to.
I force the fakest, most plastic-looking smile onto my face. "Griffin."
"What brings you here?" Griffin asks me, the sweetness in his tone sickening. He tears his gaze from mine as he grabs his glass of wine and takes a sip. "I'm sorry we don't have another seat for you at the table."
I shrug with indifference as I grab an empty glass from the table behind me. Aria's eyebrows pull together as she watches me pick up the decanter of wine and pour some into my own glass. "That's okay. I'll just take yours instead."
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Leo,” Aria scolds me at the same time Griffin asks his stupid question.
I turn my attention to her, instead of wasting any more of my time on her date. “Aria. We need to talk.”
Her chin dips slightly, her eyes widening as a wave of worry passes through her irises. “Can this wait until later?”
"No," I tell her with a stern tone. One of us will be leaving this restaurant alone and it will not be me. I will not be leaving until I speak directly with Aria and I'm not going to do that with Griffin present. "It's a time-sensitive matter and it would be best if we discuss it now."
Her tongue slips out as she wets her lips and nods. She looks back at Griffin, a frown pulling her lips downward. "I'm terribly sorry, Griffin. Something has clearly come up that needs my attention. Can we reschedule this for another time?"
Griffin glances at me from the corner of his eye and I don't miss the look on his face that quickly disappears before Aria sees it. He isn't happy about this situation, but he doesn't let Aria know. Of course, Griffin has to be the most agreeable and accommodating person. "Of course. We can reschedule for whenever is good for you." He pushes his chair back and rises to his feet. "Please, you stay," he tells her and nods. "Just give me a call later tonight."
She won't be calling you, dickhead.
Aria reaches for Griffin's hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you. I appreciate you being so understanding."
Griffin gives her his award-winning smile before bidding her farewell. He nods at me before exiting the restaurant. I grab his wine glass and set it on the empty table beside us before I sit down. Aria looks flustered as hell, her neck and cheeks a perfect shade of pink. Her eyes are wide with her jaw set as she stares at me for a moment.
"You're something else, you know."
I flash a grin at her, this time a genuine one laced with amusement. "I'm well aware. I have a tendency to get what I want."
"What is it that you want?" she questions me.
The server walks up to the table with two plates of food. She gives me a quizzical look before she turns her attention to Aria and sets a plate in front of her. Aria offers her a smile. "You can put the other plate in front of him. My other friend had to leave."
She doesn't respond to Aria and gives her a smile while setting Griffin's food in front of me. I don't want to be rude, since I've already fully covered that base. I have no intention of eating the food that another man ordered.
"I want you."
Aria's fork clatters onto her plate as it slips from her hand. She gasps and recovers as she picks it back up. Her eyes flash to mine. "What?"
"I can't do this without you, Aria," I tell her as I fold my arms on the table in front of me. "We will do whatever you want to do with the routine. Hell, we can choreograph a new one if you'd rather do that." I pause for a second, letting out a deep breath. "Please skate with me."
Her lips part and she clamps them shut before trying again. "You interrupted dinner for that?"
"It was an urgent matter," I explain as I shrug sheepishly. "I need to know that you'll do it. I don't want to skate with anyone else. I don't want to have to find another partner. We both know we have chemistry and the skills. It has to be you."
She studies me as she slides her fork between her teeth. I watch, mesmerized, as she pulls the food from the tines and begins to chew. Her jaw moves in a delicate motion and the silence stretches between us. The electricity bounces off the molecules floating in the air. Her throat bobs, a slender movement as she swallows her food. She still doesn't speak a single word as she lifts her glass to her lips. She kisses the rim, tipping her head back as she pours some of the liquid into her mouth.
Aria swallows the wine and lifts her napkin from her lap to blot the corners of her mouth. Red lipstick stains the white cloth as she lowers it back to her lap. The anticipation is killing me. Amusement dances in her irises.
"Well?"
A slow smile pulls on her lips. "This is unusual. Let me enjoy the moment a minute longer."
I tilt my head to the side in question, not following what she is implying.
"I like watching you squirm like this, Leo."
A chuckle rumbles in my chest and I shake my head at her. "I'm begging you to put me out of my misery."
"Okay," she says with a grin. Her eyes shimmer as the light from the candle on the table catches them. "I'll skate with you."