Page 57 of Shining Through

After the speech, the coaches gravitated toward the bar, and the skaters dispersed to their rooms. Tabitha said goodnight to Peter and went back upstairs, missing Daniil, missing her family and wishing she could be anyplace else.

She arrived at the room before Mia, but saw evidence that she’d been here earlier. A navy blue team garment bag hung in the closet. A pair of small pink mittens was on the desk. On the vacant bed, a Teddy bear was propped against the pillows.

Tabitha studied the bear. Its tan fur was worn away in places and its left eye had been replaced with a button. The bear obviously traveled everywhere with Mia and looked older than she was.

As Tabitha was brushing her teeth, she heard Mia come in. She came out of the bathroom, determined to be pleasant. But Mia was already in bed, wearing ear-buds and a pink polka-dot sleep mask. Her slender arms were wrapped around Teddy.

By Friday evening, Tabitha was ready to skate. Her hip was still sore from the fall she’d taken earlier in the week, but her practices had been solid. Though she’d skated only her competition programs, she felt renewed determination and commitment. Maybe a little pressure was what she’d needed to push her into competition form.

She and Mia coexisted in the room, giving each other ample space and never being together for too long. During practices and backstage in the athlete’s lounge, Yelena Baryatinskaya and Katia Filipova, both of whom were favored but not shoe-ins, were cool but polite. None of the other four competitors posed much of a threat.

In the short program competition, Katia skated well, but Yelena’s “Skyfall” program was marred by an under-rotated triple toe. Mia Lang’s execution of her “What a Feeling” program was flawless, but her presentation scores were lower than expected. Presumably the judges weren’t 1-D fans. Tabitha’s “Swan Lake” program was perfect, putting her in the lead.

Once her event was over, rather than stay to watch the ice-dance competition, Tabitha returned to the hotel. She hadn’t been in the room five minutes when the front desk called to tell her a floral delivery was on its way. The bouquet of two dozen red roses had a card attached, which read, “I wish I could be there to toss these after your beautiful performance. Love, D”

The thought of her sweet bad boy with the killer smile and gentle heart made her entire body feel alive. She grabbed her phone and typed a text, thanking him for the flowers. Then she added, “are you in St. Petersburg?”

“Just got here. Saw your results. Can’t wait to celebrate.”

Hmm. She assumed he meant tomorrow night, but it was still early. If she’d stayed to watch the ice dancers, she wouldn’t be in bed until after eleven. Daniil had sent her his address last week, and she knew it was just a short distance from the hotel. She could drop by and see him and still be back before everyone else. Tomorrow morning, she could sleep a little later, and still have plenty of time before her afternoon competition. She was in first place. Why not relax and live a little?

She texted back. “Me too. Want company?”

The four-story building was on an island in the river that cut through the city, and the same 18th century Neo-Classical architecture as those around the hotel. As she climbed from a cab, frigid night air stung Tabitha’s bare legs and crept under her short skirt. In LA, the sexy outfit had seemed like a good idea, but it wasn’t suited for the near-Arctic climate of St. Petersburg. Daniil would have to help her get warm.

She took the elevator to the top floor, which seemed to have just one apartment. Daniil opened the door seconds after she arrived. He took her in his arms and kissed her breathless. Coming here had definitely been the right thing to do.

“I’ve missed you,” she murmured against his lips.

“I’ve missed you, Angel.”

The stark and modern apartment was decorated in gray, black and chrome. Cold, and austere, it didn’t fit passionate, romantic Daniil at all.

“Is this your place?”

He took her coat and hung it in the closet. “It used to be, back when I trained in Peter. The building belongs to my father’s company, and this suite is for executives who come to the city on business.” He smirked. “Or need an out of the way place for personal business.”

Luxurious, yet impersonal it looked like the perfect place for a cheating man to arrange a tryst. Had Daniil’s father ever come here for that purpose? From what she knew of the man, it wouldn’t have surprised her.

Had Daniil?

He gestured toward the black and chrome bar that sat beneath the enormous TV, mounted on the living room wall. “Would you like something to drink? Are you hungry?”

“Nothing to drink, thanks.” She came to his side and looped her arms around his neck. “And the only thing I’m hungry for is you.”

“Then wait no longer.” Daniil ran his hands up her sides and then pulled her close. His voice dropped lower, and he brushed a kiss across her lips before claiming her mouth in a deep kiss.

His warm embrace took away some of her fears. The tug-of-war that waged in her heart, pulling her between trust and doubt lessened. She let herself be carried away by a sense of everything good and right. Just as she was more than an Ice Queen, he was more than a Bad Boy who would break her heart. Doubt was no match for the thrill of his kiss.

They made their way to the bedroom, shedding clothes as they went. He peeled away her skirt and silk blouse and paused to admire her new black bra and silk thong. Then he peeled them away, too. Naked, she climbed onto the bed, and knelt before him, caressing his muscled upper body, and strong arms, embellished with tattoos.

She brushed her palm across his chest and flicked her fingertips across his nipples; he closed his eyes and released a low groan. Paris had been all about him discovering her, now she wanted to do the same. She touched and kissed him all over, and his response brought a thrilling sense of power that took her desire to a fever pitch. She pulled him down on top of her, and when he pushed his long, hard length inside her wet folds, she released a loud, lusty cry.

Afterward, Tabitha lay in his arms. A current of connection passed from his dark eyes to hers, wrapping around them like a web. “I needed this,” she whispered. “I needed you. Sometimes it feels like there’s so much uncertainty, and nothing I can believe in.”

He stroked her shoulder and pulled her closer. “Why so troubled, Angel? Mia Lang is superb, but you are extraordinary.”

“Mia is also determined and hungry. Lately, I haven’t been. I’m tired of being judged. I was perfect tonight, but I may not be tomorrow. And nothing short of perfection is good enough. You know what that’s like.”

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