Page 18 of The Fall

“Yeah, yeah,” Max waves me off. “We got it, Coach. It was nice to meet you, Natalia. I’m sure we’ll be seeing you.”

“Yes, I hope so!”

Savannah eyes me suspiciously as she turns to leave with Max. He keeps his arm around her shoulders, but that doesn’t stop her from looking back at me over her shoulder. I wonder what exactly she’s trying to figure out.

“Are you ready?” Mom asks.

No. “Yeah.”

We head to the rink, and I lace up my skates before helping Mom with hers. She steps on the ice first and waits for me by the wall. I hesitate for only a second before stepping out.

It feels like I’m home again.

SEVEN

SAVANNAH

“I’m horny,” Max says from across the mat. We’re doing some stretches before we head out for the night.

“When are you not?” I ask before I look over at him, my eyes focusing right on his crotch to confirm that he does, in fact, have an erection in the middle of the warm-up room. “Max! What the hell?” I whisper-shout.

He shrugs innocently. “I don’t know. It’s been a while, and I’ve had my hands all over you today. It was hot.”

“You have your hands on me all day, every day.”

“I know, and it’s hot.”

“Max.”

“Come on, Sav. We haven’t fucked since like March. I’m dying here.”

I roll my eyes. He’s so dramatic sometimes. “There are plenty of other women you can call. Don’t you have a roster going by now?”

When we first started sleeping together, I made it clear that we would not be exclusive. This wasn’t a relationship. I told him very explicitly that I was completely fine with him sleeping with other people because I would also be sleeping with other people. I haven’t actually slept with anyone else, but I don’t want Max to know that and get his hopes up for anything between us. I simply haven’t had the time to find someone.

I love Max, truly. But I’m not in love with him. Unfortunately, I think he might have feelings for me. He’s always been super flirty, which is just his personality, but sometimes, I think he wants more than what I’m willing to give him.

I don’t feel like I have the time or energy to give him or anyone a relationship. My sole focus is achieving my skating goals. That’s why it was easy for us to strike up our bargain of casual sex.

“I don’t want another woman. I want you. Tonight. In my bed. Or your bed. Whichever.”

“I’m too tired.” We’ve been practicing for hours every day, doing dance lessons, yoga, and weight training. It’s nothing I’m not used to, but we’re two days away from a rest day, and I’m barely hanging on.

“Savannah.” Shit, he’s whole-naming me. He always just calls me Sav.

I bend over to touch my toes. “What?”

“When are you going to realize that we’re endgame?”

Oh, god. Not this again. “Max… I thought—I thought we both agreed.”

His head tilts back like he’s thinking before he meets my eyes again. “I know. Yeah, we agreed to stay friends.”

“Should we stop sleeping together completely?” I ask, cautiously. I don’t want to start an argument. I’m too tired for that.

“No,” he says a little too quickly, making us both laugh. “No. I don’t want that.”

“If you’re starting to have stronger feelings, then maybe we should.”