Penalty for Boarding (Curves on Ice #3)

12. Olivia

OLIVIA

M y cheeks hurt from smiling so much as Calvin drives us back to his place, his hand resting possessively on my thigh the entire way. I feel like I'm floating, buoyed by the euphoria of our lovemaking and his heartfelt confession. He loves me. Calvin Barrett, the man I've been falling for since the moment we met, is in love with me.

It's almost too good to be true, but the steadiness in his gaze and the surety in his voice leave no room for doubt. This is real. We're real.

As he parks in front of his building, he turns to me, his eyes soft and warm. “Ready to head up?”

I nod, biting my lip as anticipation courses through me. “Is that shower about to be a dirty one?”

He grins, his eyes darkening. “You know it is.”

“In that case, I’m more than ready.”

We make our way inside, our hands brushing and tangling, unwilling to stop touching even for a moment. The elevator ride to his floor is charged, but the moment we’re in his apartment, Calvin has me pressed against the door, his mouth hot and hungry on mine. I moan into the kiss, my hands fisting in his shirt to pull him closer.

“I love you,” he murmurs against my lips. “I love you so fucking much, Olivia.”

“I love you too,” I whisper back, my heart so full with need it feels like it might burst. “Now show me how much.”

With a growl, Calvin scoops me into his arms and carries me toward the bathroom. He sets me on my feet next to the vanity, his hands skimming reverently over my curves.

“Let's get you out of these sweaty workout clothes and into the shower,” he says, his voice low and rough with want.

Together, we strip each other bare, hands caressing newly exposed skin. When we came together in his truck, it was all hurried movement and desperate need. But now, in the safety of his home, it's different—intimate and slow, lips trailing heated kisses over sensitive flesh. By the time we stumble into the shower, I'm aching for him, my body singing with need.

“Calvin.”

The hot spray cascades over us as he presses me against the cool tile, his mouth claiming mine in a deep, drugging kiss. His hands roam my body, mapping every dip and curve as I arch into his touch. Every nerve in my body tingles as he explores, his fingers trailing down my sides, teasing the soft flesh of my hips before dipping between my legs and finding my aching center.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he groans, his touch sending shivers of pleasure racing down my spine. “It’s almost unfair how stunning you are.”

He works me skillfully, wringing gasps and whimpers from my lips as he brings me to the brink again and again. Just when I think I can't take anymore, he hoists me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as he notches himself at my entrance.

“Please,” I keen, my nails digging into his shoulders. “I need you, Calvin. Desperately.”

“Desperately? Hmmm. I've got you, baby,” he rasps, surging forward and filling me in one deep stroke.

We both cry out at the sensation, and I realize I will never, never, get to a point in my life when this won't feel like magic.

“So good,” he grunts, setting a relentless pace, driving into me with powerful thrusts that have me seeing stars. I cry out, and the bathroom fills with the sounds of our passion—the slap of wet skin, the echoing moans, the whispered words of love and devotion.

Every doubt I’ve ever had is washed clean with each powerful thrust as my back knocks up against the tiles and I cling to him for dear life. “How can you feel so good?” I gasp, breathless, as he angles himself perfectly inside me, hitting that sweet spot that makes my vision blur. “I’m so close.”

“Then let go for me, Liv,” he urges, his voice a low, gravelly whisper that sends a fresh wave of heat coursing through me. “I fucking love it when you fall apart around me.”

Those words, slick with desire and anchored by the warmth radiating from his body, send me teetering on the edge. My fingers curl deeper into his shoulders as I lock my legs tighter around him, pulling him even closer.

“I can't hold on much longer,” I gasp, my head falling back against the tile as the coil in my belly winds tighter and tighter.

“Then let go, Olivia,” Calvin commands, his pelvic bone grinding against my clit. “Come for me, baby.”

With a sharp cry, I shatter in his arms, my body clenching around him as waves of ecstasy crash over me. He follows me over the edge with a hoarse shout of my name, his hips stuttering as he spills himself deep inside me, pinning me against the wall as the water teems around us.

“Holy fuck, Calvin.”

“Hmm.” We stay locked together as we come down, foreheads pressed close, chests heaving. Calvin brushes a tender kiss to my lips, then another to the tip of my nose, drawing a sated giggle from me.

“I could stay like this forever,” I sigh, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

“Then let's never leave,” he says, only half joking. “I’ll have someone come and build a tiny apartment right inside this cubicle. We can always be wet and wild, just like this.”

“I love it.” I laugh, looking deep into his handsome face. “I love you.”

His eyes soften, that fierce light of passion giving way to something deeper, more vulnerable. “I love you too, Liv. More than I can say.”

We linger in the steamy embrace, the water cascading down like a veil around us, but slowly, reality starts to seep back in as the water begins to cool. Reluctantly, we untangle ourselves and finish our shower, taking turns washing each other with gentle hands. It's intimate in a different way, a physical manifestation of the care and tenderness flowing between us.

By the time we're dried off and dressed, I'm half tempted to crawl back into bed with him, responsibilities be damned. But a glance at the clock reminds me that I have patients waiting. With a sigh, I lean up to kiss him softly.

“I have to go to work. But I'll see you tonight?” It comes out as half statement, half hopeful question.

Calvin's arms tighten around me, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Tonight,” he confirms. “And every night after, if I have my way.”

The smile on my face grows from ear to ear—a future together, full of love and promise. It's everything I never knew I wanted until him.

“I like the sound of that,” I murmur.

With one last lingering kiss, I force myself to pull away and gather my things. Calvin walks me to the door, his hand at the small of my back, a constant reassuring presence.

“I love you,” he says again as I step into the hallway.

“I love you too,” I reply, the words spilling from my smiling lips with effortless ease. It’s literally the only sentence I ever want to say from this moment forward, but by the time I get to work—a little later than I should, whoops!—it very quickly becomes the least appropriate. I have patients to visit and coaches to plan with.

As I stride through the halls of the Fury’s training facility, my mind is still swirling with the remnants of our shower escapade. The lingering warmth of Calvin's kisses dance on my skin, and I find myself smiling like a giddy schoolgirl as I pass a few of the players. They shoot me curious glances, some teasing smirks, and I just raise an eyebrow in return, feeling a bit like I'm wearing a secret badge of honor.

“Hey, Dr. Angelo! You’re looking particularly radiant today!” a player calls out from his locker, giving me an exaggerated wink that makes me laugh.

I roll my eyes but can't suppress the smile tugging at my lips. “Save the charm for someone who actually wants your attention,” I call back, shaking my head at the answering laughter. The players might think it’s funny to tease and try to get a rise out of me, but just the thought of Calvin’s possessive grip from earlier makes any comment they say feel like a schoolyard taunt, too far removed from the reality of what I have.

As I step into my office, I’m met with the familiar stacks of files, medical equipment, and a whiteboard scattered with notes from last week’s evaluations. As the team's head physician, my day is usually packed with activity—assessing injuries, overseeing treatments, and collaborating with the coaching staff to ensure our players are in peak condition. But today, I’m met with a big, yellow post-it stuck on the outside of my laptop with the words, ‘GM’s office ASAP’

My stomach drops just a little. 'ASAP' never precludes good news in the world of sports medicine. With a reluctant sigh, I gather my things and make my way down the hallway, dodging players and staff along the way. The atmosphere buzzes with energy; laughter echoes off the walls, along with the slapping of sticks and some of the younger guys get a little too raucous while they wait their turn to get on the ice.

By the time I make it to the General Manager’s office, I’m caught between wondering what kind of disaster might await me and hoping it’s just a routine issue that can be solved with a simple band-aid—literally. I knock lightly on the door, and upon hearing a gruff, “Come in!” from inside, I take a deep breath and step over the threshold.

The GM, a broad-shouldered man with a no-nonsense attitude, looks up from his desk, his brow furrows slightly as he assesses me, and for a moment, I almost feel like I'm back in medical school being evaluated all over again. “Olivia,” he says, gesturing for me to take a seat.

Something in his tone sends a trickle of unease down my spine, a sense of foreboding settling heavy in my gut. I push it aside, pasting on a professional smile.

“What can I do for you, sir?”

He gives me a stern look. “You can sit. There’s something important we need to discuss.”