Page 28 of In His Skates

“Where do you think you’re going, Santori?” the coach barks.

My body quivers with each cramp. I keep a hand on my belly as if trying to hold it all in. “I… fuck. I don’t feel well. Sorry.”

I rush down the tunnel with my skates on and bump into the rest of Keanu’s teammates, who are making their way to the ice. Some of them greet me, but I can’t say anything. I’m in too much distress. There are bathrooms in the dressing room, but honestly, things are getting dicey with each second, and I’m not sure I’ll make it. If I shit my pants, I’m going to kill Keanu.

By the time I burst through the dressing room doors, I can barely walk straight. I’m glad I was here yesterday and am familiar with the place. The churning intensifies. I start tugging at my clothes in earnest, but hell, with the protective gear Keanu made me wear, there are far too many things in the way.

I almost kick the door to a bathroom stall open, and before it shuts again, my pants are already down. This is like attempting to hold a waterfall in a colander, impossible no matter how hard you try. Blazing slush pours out of me. It’s a volcanic eruption, disgusting and, at the same time, satisfying.

I’m glad no one is around, because the symphony of farts and splashing is loud as hell. My forehead is clammy, and I feel weaker with each cramp that expels everything I have in my bowels. When I think I’m done, another wave comes. After endless minutes of torture, it’s pretty much just hot liquid now.

I can’t feel my legs anymore, but at least the cramps finally stop. I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting here. Soon I deem it safe to wipe my ass and get off the throne. The bathroom reeks, but there’s nothing to be done about it. I flush without looking at what came out of me and finally get out of here.

I stare at my reflection. My face is ashen—well, Keanu’s face is. Despite that, the son of a bitch is still attractive.

For fuck’s sake, Leigh. Why are you thinking about Keanu’s good looks after he just put you through hell? I wash his huge hands for at least a minute, scrubbing them vigorously.

I’m so ready to go home. I wonder if Keanu left or if he stuck around. Ugh. If he left, I’ll need to order an Uber. I knew I should have driven my own car.

I get all worked up about it, but then I find him waiting for me in the dressing room, looking amused as shit.

“How are you feeling?” he asks. His eyes are filled with innocence, but the corners of his lips are curling up. He looks so fucking smug, and I want to smack that look off my own face, which is really disturbing. Then it dawns on me.

Heat rushes across my cheeks. “You heard everything, didn’t you?”

He smiles, and mirth shines in his gaze. “Oh yeah, every squirt, splash, and moan.”

Fucking hell.

Kill me now.

12 KEANU

Ican’t believe my plan to get Leigh out of practice worked. I didn’t expect the laxative to take effect that fast. Thanks to Simon, who went to check on her after she ran out of the rink, she didn’t have to talk to any of the staff. He took care of that. She will have to speak to both Coach and the team’s physician at some point today, though.

I glance at Leigh, who has refused to talk to me or even look me in the eye since we left the arena, and chuckle. “Come on. You can’t still be embarrassed.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” she grits out. “I’m pissed.”

“Honestly, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your… explosive symphony. It’s not my fault you were so loud.” I laugh, and she punches my arm. “Hey! Watch it. You’re stronger in my body.”

“Ugh! I can’t even punish you properly.”

“Definitely not, unless you want me to explain to Trina Tucker why I’m covered in bruises.”

She rubs her face. “Fuck. I forgot about that damn interview. You’ll need a crash course about my life.”

“Come on…”

“Don’t ‘come on’ me. Yes, we grew up next door to each other, but you know nothing about me or what I’ve been doing since graduation.”

She’s wrong. I do know a few things about her that I heard from Mia or read online. Although, any intel I gained from the media is probably untrue. But I don’t want to admit that I’ve followed her career and watched her movies.

“We have plenty of time until the interview. I’m hungry. Let’s stop somewhere to eat.”

“Sure, let’s do that and risk getting our picture taken together.”

“I get that you don’t want to be linked with me, but it might not be terrible if we pretend to be dating.”