Page 31 of Hate You Most

Fuck.

Viktoriya stepped out of the shower and barely dried off before she put her clothes on and headed out the door.

She stood in front of room 1909 before she knew it. As her hand rose to knock, the image of Dakota’s hands sturdily gripping her hips and thighs came to mind. She pushed the thought away and hesitated for just a second. A second too long. What the actual fuck was she doing outside of her hotel room?

She had won gold, and she was guaranteed a spot at the 2014 Olympics. Viktoriya should be out celebrating her victory, not stood in front of her rival's door too scared to knock on it like a complete loser.

What if someone saw her standing in front of that door like a dumbass with her hand hovering in the middle of the air? She knocked fast, before she managed to convince herself she should go.

The handle turned and as soon as the door was opened Viktoriya rushed inside and pulled the door closed behind her.

Dakota was just standing there, dressed in a black lace bra and grey sweatpants. If Viktoriya didn't know any better, she'd say Dakota looked a little surprised to be seeing her here. But there was a certain smugness to it that made Viktoriya's blood boil, even as her heart was beating out of her chest.

This was insane.

“Volkova,” she greeted her, tilting her head with an infuriating half-smile.

“Sanchez,” Viktoriya replied, crossing her arms as she leaned against the back of the door. "What's wrong? Didn't expect to see me here?”

“Maybe I did—maybe I didn't," she replied. “Certainly not 16 minutes after the medal ceremony ended, that's for sure.”

“You invited me here.” This was a colossal mistake. She should just be polite, turn her ass around and leave.

“Yeah, I did.” Dakota’s voice was low and teasing, like she knew exactly the effect it would have on her.

“Why?”

“You missed me,” Dakota said, smirking. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She brushed her fingers against Viktoriya’s arm—just a touch. “Else you wouldn't be here. Clearly you missed me a lot, too. I mean, 16 minutes after the ceremony ended—I haven't even taken a shower yet.”

She leaned in, close enough that Viktoriya could feel the warm air against her cheek, could smell the faint scent of sweat. “I’ve missed you too,” Dakota whispered. “Seeing you across the ice just isn't enough anymore.”

Viktoriya blinked, furious and flustered at the same time. “I haven't missed you,” she managed to sputter out, well-knowing it was a massive lie. A lie she couldn't keep telling herself but had to, for the sake for everyone that depended on her.

“Shut up,” Dakota muttered, shaking her head. “You talk too much for someone I’m supposed to hate.” A moment later, she added, “Come join me in the shower. The water's already warm.”

Viktoriya let her rival raise her shirt over her head. Dakota placed a hand on her chest and pressed her firmly up against the wall, discarding her own T-shirt on the floor in the process. Viktoriya spread her thighs, and once again Dakota's knee moved in between then and applied deep pressure. Viktoriya just about moaned right there, still with her pants on.

Viktoriya had kissed plenty of boys before and they had all been fine. Kissing Dakota was entirely different though. Dakota was only slightly taller and a little more muscular than Viktoriya. There wasn't an imbalance between them—they existed alongside one another so long as they were off the ice and completely alone.

Uncertainty flooded her mind and the pressure from Dakota’s knee pressed against the gap between her thighs almost made her see stars.

What the fuck was she doing?

She pushed Dakota backwards and away from her—created space for her mind to just breathe for a moment. Her mind struggled to comprehend what exactly it was she was doing here.

“Was it too much?” Dakota asked as genuine concern flashed across her eyes.

Viktoriya shook her head. It was too much, definitely too much, but Viktoriya still craved it. Her thighs were shaking to her own disbelief—that’s how badly her body wanted what her mind couldn't accept.

“We can take it slow.”

Viktoriya nodded.

Tangled together, they moved to the hotel room's shower. It was large, with two shower heads and one already turned on, warm steam filling the room.

Viktoriya closed her eyes and let herself stay engulfed in the water for a moment. Let herself be held in place, warm and wanted and almost unafraid of what came next.

“Volkova,” her rival whispered in her ear as she held her from behind. Her fingertips trailed up and down Viktoriya's abs, stopping every so often to trace the prominence of her hip bone or the opening between her thighs. “You are irresistible.”