Chapter Thirty-Eight

“You weren’t that bad,” Darcy said, her lips curling at the corners.

“I looked like an awkward fish.”

Darcy cocked her head to one side. “Are you implying that some fish aren’t awkward?”

Natalie smacked her on the arm with the back of her hand. “You know what I mean.”

Darcy laughed. “You bet I do. I saw you jump.” She placed her hand on Natalie’s shoulder. “The important thing is that you tried your best.” She couldn’t help teasing Natalie. Not after yesterday when she’d been so much better on the ice. It was nice to get the upper hand even if it was only jumping off a box.

“Do you want another chance? I can catch you,” Darcy said, pointing at the equipment the crew hadn’t cleared yet.

Natalie shook her head. “No way. I’d kill you.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “I know you think I’ve become some kind of delicate flower in the last three years, but I work out enough to catch you. Come on. It’ll be fun.”

Natalie hesitated, her eyes moving from Darcy to the box she was going to jump off.

“Oh my god, stop being such a baby. It’s not like if you jump off the box and land on the ground you’re going to break something from the twelve-inch drop.” When Natalie didn’t relent immediately, Darcy pointed at a stack of mats in the corner. “We can put those out if you’re worried you’ll break your ankle.”

Natalie got onto the box. “You’re so annoying. I bet you drove your sister completely nuts as a kid.”

“Stop yapping and jump, you big American chicken.”

Natalie tucked into the deep squat position Jeff and Samira had taught them and checked to make sure Darcy was ready. “On the count of three,” Natalie said.

Darcy braced herself and put her hands up to catch Natalie. The thought that this was a bad idea flitted through her brain but disappeared as soon as Natalie launched herself from the box. Darcy’s hands found Natalie’s stomach and held her aloft long enough for Natalie to try to hold the flight position Samira had demonstrated.

It wasn’t much better than her first attempt and had the distinct disadvantage of being caught by someone without any experience. As soon as Darcy caught her, Natalie started to twist. In a moment of panic, she let her legs drop, changing her center of gravity and forcing Darcy to hug her around the waist to keep her from crashing to the floor.

Darcy set her down as gently as she could manage. In the process, Darcy found her face pressed against Natalie’s chest. She pulled her head back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to...” There was no way to finish that sentence that didn’t involve acknowledging that her face had been pressed against Natalie’s boobs.

“It’s okay,” Natalie said.

Darcy’s arms were still wrapped around her waist. Her heart pounded, probably from the adrenaline rush of thinking she was about to drop her former teammate on top of herself. Of course that was it. Natalie’s face was so close to hers she could see the constellation of freckles across Natalie’s nose. They were faint under the TV makeup but from this distance Darcy could still see them. Natalie’s eyes were brilliant blue and sparkling with something. Maybe it was the rush of having Darcy catch her so badly, or maybe, Darcy hoped, it was something else.

Natalie looked at Darcy’s lips and then back at Darcy’s eyes. It happened in a split second but it was enough to convince Darcy. She leaned in, her lips brushing Natalie’s. For the second Natalie didn’t return the kiss panic flooded Darcy.

She dropped her hands and moved to step back, an apology already on her lips, but Natalie grabbed her hips and pulled her closer. For a minute they forgot where they were and what they were doing and kissed like it hadn’t been fifteen years since the last time. Fifteen years of good, but not like this, kisses. Fifteen years of wondering if anything would ever compare to kissing Natalie.

Darcy cupped Natalie’s cheek with her right hand before letting her fingers find the back of Natalie’s neck. Natalie’s hand on her hip squeezed them closer together. Whether it was the sensory overload of feeling Natalie pressed against her or the sound of the door to the gym creaking open, Darcy couldn’t be sure, but they sprang apart.

They both took a half step back; Darcy dropped her gaze. Natalie turned around to see who was walking back into the gym.

“You need any help?” Natalie asked the crew, her voice significantly louder than necessary.

Is her blood rushing in her ears, too?

“No. We’ve got it. Are you two riding back with us?”

“Yep,” Darcy said, not meeting their eyes. “We just need to grab our coats. We’ll be out in a second.” She walked over to the side of the gym, where they’d left their belongings. She dawdled, waiting for Natalie to join her.

She picked up their coats, handing Natalie hers. She kept her eyes lowered.

“You ever going to look at me again?” Natalie asked.

Darcy looked up from the floor and found a cocky smirk on Natalie’s face. God, she was annoying and so, so hot. “We should go. And maybe talk about what happened, or something.” Dammit, she didn’t know what to say and it all came out jumbled and sounding like she was nervous.

Which she was, but Natalie didn’t need to know that. Darcy was a grown-ass woman who kissed other women all the time.

Okay, that was a lie. Not all the time. Not really since she and Sabrina broke up. And never a coworker.

Oh shit. She was going to end up at HR or something over this. She took a deep breath and tried to let it out slowly.

“Stop freaking out. It’s not a big deal.” Natalie took her coat and snatched her hat and gloves from the bench, too. “Of course we can talk about it, you giant lesbian. But I swear to god if you try to U-Haul with me, I’m on the first flight home.”

Darcy laughed, her anxiety dissipating like magic. “Settle down, Carpenter, you’re not that good a kisser.”

Natalie stepped closer. “That’s bullshit and we both know it,” she said in a low voice. The vibrations traveled through Darcy.

Holy shit. Natalie had always been this way but that was part of what made Darcy want her so much. Nat might brag but she never did it without having the skill to back it up. An ache built low in Darcy’s stomach. She’d fucked all this up the first time.

She was not going to make the same mistake twice.