Chapter Forty-Four

The second the Zamboni hit the ice at the end of the second period, Darcy and Natalie told Raquel they were leaving. She looked jealous but assured them she wouldn’t be staying much longer, either.

Darcy texted their driver and hoped he’d be at the curb by the time they wound their way through the arena to the exit. She walked next to Natalie, glancing at her any time she thought she could without being noticed. Natalie’s cheeks were pink. Whether it was from the wine, the walk, or what Darcy hoped they were about to be doing, she didn’t know. And she couldn’t ask so she checked every few steps for clues.

At the door, Natalie put her winter coat on and pressed her face against the glass. “Not here yet.” Her voice betrayed impatience.

“You got somewhere to be, Carpenter?” Darcy asked with a wicked grin. She was enjoying seeing Natalie just as flustered as she felt. She wanted to be back at the hotel, behind a locked door. Now. But she enjoyed watching Natalie’s building impatience.

Natalie shoved the door open the instant a car rolled up to the curb. She paused to hold it open for Darcy, who considered grabbing Natalie’s hand on her way by. Instead, she thanked Natalie and hurried ahead to open the car door for her. She thought about taking the front seat. Her stomach would feel better if she sat up front, but she had no interest in sitting with the driver when she could sit with Natalie.

She couldn’t bear to keep her hands to herself for much longer, so she slid next to Natalie and let her shoulder bounce off Natalie.

“Sorry,” she whispered, not meaning it.

Natalie looked at her, the arena lights allowing Darcy to see half of her face. Natalie’s eyes were intense and anticipation shot through Darcy. She pressed her hand against the seat between them, using it to hold herself up but leaving it in hopes Natalie would reach toward her.

For a few agonizing seconds, Darcy stared at the space between them waiting, hoping. She was about to move her hand to her lap when Natalie reached out and wrapped her fingers around Darcy’s.

It should have been a reassuring gesture, proof that Darcy hadn’t imagined the electricity between them. Instead, the feel of Natalie’s skin against hers—even the ridiculously PG skin of their pinkies—was enough to make the drive back to the hotel unbearable.

She didn’t want chaste touches like they were a couple of schoolgirls holding hands on the bus after a game. She wanted to shove Natalie against the wall and trail kisses down her body until Natalie’s legs were shaking and she was calling Darcy’s name, her fingers digging into Darcy’s scalp.

Darcy ventured a look across to Natalie and found her staring back. The streetlights allowed glimpses of Natalie’s face and Darcy’s mouth dropped open at the undisguised want in Natalie’s eyes.

Darcy checked the traffic. Considering it was the Olympics and the place was swarming with tourists, the traffic wasn’t too bad. But no matter how long it took to get back to their rooms, it was too long.

The last time she got to touch Natalie, run her tongue along her abs and lick her nipples, was over a decade ago. She shook off the memory. It was too mixed up in the way things ended. She could hardly think of the way Natalie tasted, the way her tongue felt sliding along Darcy’s lower lip, without remembering how she’d fucked it all up afterward.

No. She was not going to think about that. She was older and smarter and there was no way she was going to make the same mistake again.

Natalie slid her phone out of her pocket and nodded to Darcy. Then she started texting.

Are we there yet?

Darcy checked her phone and smiled. What are you, 5?

Natalie shot her a look and then sent another text. I don’t think our driver would be very happy if I did what I want to do to you in here.

Darcy swallowed, her fingers shook slightly. She should shut this down. They were in public. In a work car.

What might that be? She shouldn’t be egging Natalie on, but she really wanted to know what she had in mind.

Natalie’s thumbs typed out her response. She paused, then deleted it. Her face, lit by the glow of her phone, contorted as though she were having an argument with herself. She started typing again. I want to find out what you’re wearing under that ridiculously hot suit.

Darcy shifted in her seat but it did nothing to address the delicious ache overwhelming her. She checked where they were. Thank god, she could see the hotel. She flashed Natalie a smile and typed one last text. I hope you like them but I don’t plan to be wearing them for long.

Natalie placed her hand on Darcy’s leg, her fingers rubbing tiny circles along her inner thigh. She looked at Darcy, her eyes pure fire. Darcy’s heart pounded with anticipation.

The car came to a stop. “Here you go, ladies.” The driver’s voice cut through the silent car. Natalie jerked her hand away like she’d been caught.

Darcy unbuckled her seat belt and swallowed, hoping she could force her voice to sound normal. “Thank you so much. Have a good rest of your night,” she said, pushing the door open and sliding out onto the sidewalk. She didn’t wait for his response. She didn’t give a fuck about it. All she cared about was getting up to her room where she could kiss Natalie.

They hurried through the lobby to the elevators and waited what felt like an eternity for the doors to open. Once inside, Natalie jammed her finger against the button for their floor before hitting the door close button. She wasn’t fast enough because two men got on after them. Darcy offered a polite smile that she hoped didn’t invite conversation. She faced the front and forced herself not to look at Natalie. She didn’t need these two dudes seeing how turned on she was and the way she couldn’t stop imagining what was going to happen in a few minutes.

When the men stepped off the elevator a few floors before Natalie and Darcy, they both turned to look at each other. Even in the harsh, fluorescent lights of the elevator, Darcy could see the way Natalie’s eyes blazed. She took half a step closer to Natalie and jabbed at the door close button.

“Impatient to get to bed?” Natalie asked, her voice low and husky.

Jesus.

The doors pinged open and Natalie led the way down the hallway to her room. She paused at the door to her room. When Darcy stopped next to her, she grinned and held the door open.

Darcy took a deep breath and stepped into the room, barely able to resist the urge to pull Natalie in by the lapels of her incredibly hot suit.