

RAPID HEARTS

Rachael Ruddick

Copyright 2012 by Rachael Ruddick

Smashwords Edition

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission in writing from the author.

CHAPTER 1

Jessica Gould grabbed her bag from the luggage carousal at JFK making a dash for the inter-terminal train. Huffing much harder than any Olympic athlete should, she reached the platform in less than three minutes and managed to squeeze through the closing doors onto the AirTrain. Letting out a sigh of relief, and sneaking another look at her watch, she dropped her heavy bag with a thud by her feet and reached up to scrape her long hair off the back of her aching neck. She had lost her butterfly clip sometime during the flight and it now fell in a nest of tangles around her shoulders, sticking to her sweaty neck. Wiping her tired eyes with the back of her hands she realized that her mascara was running. Just great.

The train pulled into Terminal 7, and picking up her duffel Jessica raced to the check in counter with only a few minutes to spare. An airline attendant ushered her to the front of the line, to counter three.

A woman who looked like the real-life version of flight attendant Barbie smiled at her with blinding white, perfectly straight, teeth.

"Hi there, I'm Kiki, what can I do for you today?"

"I need to check in for an 8pm flight," Jessica said between breaths.

"Oh, you only just made it. What is the name?"

"Jessica Gould."

"Let me look you up."

Kiki started typing on her keyboard, with her long French manicured nails making a tapping noise as she went. Meanwhile Jessica bent down and rummaged manically through her red oversized handbag for her passport and itinerary that the National Association of Canoe & Kayakers had sent her. Kiki leant over the counter to see what she was doing.

"Can I see your passport and itinerary please Ma'am?"

Jessica jumped back up and bam, the back of her head connected with Kiki's nose. Jessica grabbed the back of her head and they both let out very un-ladylike curses.

"Oh crap. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry," she winced.

Kiki was holding her nose and Jessica could see her eyes watering up. She grimaced and with an apologetic shrug placed her passport on the counter.

After a few more moments, Kiki, who up until then had been sitting in painful silence, let out another curse and got up and walked away, mumbling as she went. Jessica turned around and saw a line of travelers staring at her as if she had just stolen a kids candy. Okay so right that moment she looked like a crazy woman with wild hair, panda eyes and crumpled clothes, whilst Kiki had looked immaculate and, well, gorgeous.

Eventually another lady from the airline, also a dead ringer for flight attendant Barbie, but with dark auburn hair, sat down and grabbed the passport and itinerary from the counter without a word. She started hacking away at her keyboard, throwing a few dirty looks into the mix here and there.

"Kiki is fine by the way. Thanks for asking," she said haughtily.

"Oh great. That's good. I can be a bit of a disaster sometimes." Jessica said apologetically.

"Kiki, is super nice, she would never hurt anyone. She takes in sick animals you know. Like lost puppies and stuff."

The couple standing at the next counter joined in with the dirty looks, and Jessica stared down at the floor, wondering what it would be like if the floor literally did swallow her up.

"She sounds like a really great person, but really I didn't mean to do it. It was an accident."

After some more hacking at the keyboard, the check in clerk tilted her head to the side before taking a closer look at Jessica's passport. A small evil smile reached her lips before it was brushed away. Jessica wondered what that meant. She had checked three times that day alone that her passport was in date. The itinerary was right too, so why couldn't they just issue her a ticket and put her out of her misery?

"Hmm, interesting."

"What's interesting? What's wrong?" Jessica leant over the counter trying to see the computer screen.

"Please wait a moment."

The lady grabbed Jessica's passport and itinerary and went further down the counter and started talking to a colleague. Jessica leant further over the counter to watch the conversation. The lady pointed over at her several times and then they both looked something up on a different computer. This couldn't be good.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, looking around the terminal for signs to a bathroom. Perhaps they realized she was an athlete, on her way to the Olympics and they were going to upgrade her to first class. As soon as the idea entered her head she almost snorted out loud at her wishful thinking. They were both shooting her malevolent glances. Whatever was going on, it wasn't an upgrade.

After what felt like an eternity, but according to her watch was only six minutes the lady and her colleague returned.

"I'm terribly sorry for the delay."

Then why was she smiling? Jessica thought.

"That's fine."

Jessica plastered on her best smile, but a rush of cold prickles shot up her back.

"Ma'am, this is Tony, the manager on shift."

Jessica felt her smile dim a little. This definitely wasn't good.

"Ma'am, I am terribly sorry but it appears that there has been an error made in the booking. It looks as if we only have one reservation for a JR Gould for this flight."

Jessica nodded repeatedly as horror spread through her. She had a terrible idea she knew exactly where this was headed.

"And on our list it shows that a Jake Gould has already checked in for the flight. It is likely that because you have the same initials and it was under the same booking someone in Reservations must have assumed that it was only meant to be one seat and so has cancelled the other."

"Okay, but I'm here and we are obviously two separate people. Two tickets were paid for right? So can't you just re-book me in?" She begged.

"Unfortunately it is fully booked so we are unable to seat you on this flight. There is however a seat spare on the next service which leaves in 13 hours and will get in tomorrow evening," the Manager responded.

"13 hours? There isn't anything else?"

"Unfortunately no. With the Olympics and summer vacation, all of our flights are solidly booked. There is only the one seat available on the next flight, so we need to book you on to it as soon as possible if you want to take it."

Jessica pushed the heel of her palms into her eyes and wished that when she opened her eyes they would look at their screen and a seat will have magically opened up. But no, when she blinked her eyes open they just both stood there looking expectantly at her. What choice did she have?

"Yep, sure, go ahead, book me in." Her voice was heavy with defeat.

"Great." They both replied simultaneously. Tony signaled for her to follow him to another counter whilst the lady who had replaced Kiki signaled for the next in line.

"So Jessica, I have booked you in to flight 231 leaving at 9am tomorrow morning. Unfortunately I can't check you in yet, but I can offer you some vouchers in the meantime. It is just so unusual that there were two people with the same initials and last name on the same booking. Do you know Jake Gould? Is he your brother or something?"

"No. He's my ex-husband."

The smile on Tony's face faltered. "Oh I see. Well it's a pity you didn't check in before him, then he would have been the one bumped to the next flight, and maybe Kiki wouldn't be receiving first aid right now."

"That definitely would have been preferable," Jessica agreed darkly, and mentally cursed Jake for managing to ruin her carefully laid plans once again.

*****

Jake Gould stepped out of the cold shower, shook the water from his hair, and wrapped a towel around his waist, not bothering to dry off. The city had been hit with a heat wave and the air-conditioning in the apartment was barely hanging on. Having arrived that morning after two long flights he had somehow managed to stay up all day, using the time to shop for supplies and sitting around outside letting the light help to reset his body clock.

Now as the sun dipped below the horizon he was more than ready to collapse into bed. The canoe slalom competition started two days after the opening ceremony so he needed to be rested and ready to compete.

A thump sounded outside and Jake went to investigate, his body tense. Walking into the small lounge room he nearly tripped over a large 'USA' duffel, identical to his own. The apartment only had one bed so he wasn't expecting a roommate. Wandering down the hall into the bedroom he stopped short when he saw someone – a woman - spread out face first, boots still on, in his bed. He was amazed that even after all this time the figure was so familiar to him. From the foot of his bed he could see long legs, a perky bottom and curvy hips encased in a pair of tight dark jeans.

"What are you doing in my room?"

She slowly rolled to her side and wiping the long dark hair back from her face peered up at him through puffy eyes.

"Jake?"

"Jessie," he replied.

When they had been together she'd had blonde hair. He had liked that look, but it seemed his body didn't mind either way as he felt himself react to her. She rubbed her eyes as if she were trying to decide if she was awake or dreaming. He scowled as he felt himself turn hard beneath the towel.

Shaking his head slightly he reminded himself that he didn't care for her anymore and brushed away the memories that he had worked so hard to forget. She had left him without a word, no goodbye, just a note saying she needed some time and she would be back in a few weeks. Those weeks had turned into months and eventually years. Now here she was.

"Why are you naked?"

He looked down. "I'm in a towel, and you're in my apartment Jessie."

"Nobody calls me that."

"I do."

She finally sat up in the bed, and seemed to regain some of her awareness. Looking him up and down her expression became tight. She crossed her arms over her chest, which pushed her tits up in her tank top and made him salivate.

"I was told this was my apartment."

"Obviously it isn't."

"Maybe, maybe not. You took my seat too you know."

"What?" He asked, confused.

"On the airplane. They only had one JR Gould listed."

"How is that my fault?"

Jessica stood up and strode toward him stopping only inches away. Her deep blue eyes had turned dark and stormy and he could feel her heavy breaths tickle his chest. He planted his feet and crossed his arms waiting for her response, unwilling to go easy on her despite seeing how exhausted she was.

"So what? Do you expect me to go all the way back to check in, while you just kick back and relax? I thought you were a gentleman, but obviously I was mistaken."

He removed the finger she had pointed in his chest and leant against the doorframe.

"And I thought when you said 'I do', it was for life, but obviously I was mistaken too."

Just as he expected, she didn't respond, so he kept talking. "I haven't done anything wrong here. Actually..." He looked at his fingernails, deliberately trying to portray nonchalance. "I don't even know why you kept my name. We were only married for a year. You had barely changed it in the first place. Why didn't you just change it back, since you obviously wanted nothing to do with me?"

Jake saw her face scrunch up briefly at his comments and he knitted his brow in confusion. He didn't know how she managed to make him feel like he was the one who had done her wrong.

Jessica took a deep breath and lifted her palms in surrender. "I'm not going to do this Jake. I'll leave okay. Don't worry I'll sort it out."

She sighed and Jake moved out of the way so she could walk past him, noticing her shoulders were slightly drooped. He felt a little let down that she had given in so easily, she never used to back down when he knew her. He heard her dragging her duffel towards the front door, perhaps too tired to pick it up, and panic started to wash over him.

He hadn't been this close to her since she'd left him three years ago. Even though he had moved past that long ago, he was amazed to find that he wasn't willing to let her walk out on him again like this. His gut churned as if he wanted her to come back and pick a fight with him so he didn't feel like such a bully, and his dick stirred wanting to make up with her. But most of all, he wanted answers

"Wait up. I'll come with you. Just let me get dressed. And leave your suitcase here. You will probably end up just down the hall or something, no point dragging it all around the village."

Jake pulled on a pair of faded blue jeans and an old baseball t-shirt, trying to come to terms with the fact his estranged wife was in his apartment. He had always wondered if he would ever see her again. Jake had found out that she had given up kayaking after she had left him, and had only started up again the previous year. Since her return to the sport he knew there was a chance they might be in some of the same competitions, however, women's and men's events were often on at different times so they were unlikely to cross paths.

He hated to admit it, even to himself, but on those few occasions when they had attended the same comp, although he never saw her, the thought that she might be watching had always propelled him to go harder. Jake had discovered that she had made it on to the Olympic team, but had assumed that she would go out of her way to avoid him and with nearly 20,000 people staying in the village alone what were the chances of her waltzing into his room?

The sun had set, but as they walked through the compound the heat still clung to the moisture in the air. A drop of sweat ran down Jessica's back, causing her white tank top to cling to her. The close proximity of her ex-husband wasn't helping either. He looked good dammit. A little tired like her, and a little scruffy, but in that bad boy, adventurous, rough-and-ready kind of way. Whereas she knew from her stop in the bathroom at the airport that her make up was either gone, or smudged, and her hair was hanging in tatters.

Jessica looked around the athlete's village at all the people hanging out in the shops and restaurants, or sitting out on the lawn. She listened to the cacophony of languages. The atmosphere felt electric. She wished that she could be one of them right now. Rested, and having fun. This was her first trip to the United Kingdom and possibly her last Olympics and she wanted to enjoy it.

"So do you feel like telling me where you've been for the past three years Jessie?"

She stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk, ruining any chance at aloofness.

"I've been doing. Stuff." Stuff, was that really the best she could come up with? She nearly shook her head in disbelief at her own pathetic response.

"Stuff?" He raised his eyebrows. "Interesting. What sort of stuff?"

She stopped and turned back to him. She had been afraid of the day she would see him again, and here it was. She needed to take control of the situation.

"Jake I don't want to do this right now. I understand that you are angry because I left."

"Without any warning."

"Yes without any warning. Look you have every right to be angry and I'm not going to make any excuses, but I can't take back the past. What's done is done."

"I don't want any excuses I want to know..." He opened his mouth to continue, but shut it again as a group of people passed them. She breathed a sigh of relief and quickly started walking again before he got another chance to speak. Hopefully in a few minutes she would be out of his life again and wouldn't have to face his questions.

The administration office was even busier then when she had first arrived a half hour ago, with athletes checking in and receiving their security passes. Jessica lined up in front of one of the desks. She started chatting with the athlete in front of her who turned out to be a sprinter from Jamaica. After a twenty-minute wait she was called forward. Jake stood behind her at the check in counter.

"Hi, I'm hoping you could help me," she said. "There seems to be a mix up and I've been assigned a room with my husband here." She stuck a thumb in Jake's chest to signal him out and couldn't help but notice his firm chest. Damn her libido.

"She means ex-husband," he interrupted.

It took her a moment to process what he had said. Oh my God. She had just called him her husband. Right in front of him. She hardly did that anymore, why did she have to do it right then? She felt her cheeks burn.

"Sorry, yes, of course, my ex-husband."

"Oh, right. Let's take a look and see if we can do anything."

Jessica felt a sense of déjà vu as she watched the lady type away at her keyboard. Just like at the check-in counter, she took each of their passes and went over to talk to another colleague. After more covert glances and checks of the computer they returned to the counter with the same apologetic looks on their faces that she had seen at the airport. Jessica's stomach sank.

"I am terribly sorry but all of the apartments are occupied at least for the first week. Your best bet would be to organize to swap with your team mates." She gave an apologetic smile and a shrug. Jessica opened her mouth to plead, perhaps even beg, but she was cut off.

"If you don't have any luck, perhaps just stop by again in a few days and we will have another look for a spare apartment. You could always look for a hotel nearby, but the rates are very high at this time and finding one will be difficult."

She signaled to the next athlete in line. Jake thanked her and gently guided Jessica away from the counter. He hadn't even tried to help her find another room. Instead he was pulling her towards the door as if everything had been sorted out. Nothing was sorted out! She didn't have the budget for a hotel room. Where was she going to sleep? Certainly not with her ex-husband. She sighed. Surely this much bad karma was only reserved for people who stole old ladies' handbags, or beat puppies or something.

"Jessica, you look as if you are about to faint. I think you need some rest."

"Are you offering your apartment?"

"No, just my bed."

Jessica snapped out of her stupor and turned to face Jake. Her mouth opened and shut like a puffer fish. She was beyond exhausted, rattled and just plain over traveling. She wanted a bed. Her own bed.

"Look, settle down, you can have the bed, I'll sleep on the couch. For tonight at least. Let's just go back to the room and get some rest. I have to compete in two days, I don't want to stay up all night arguing with you, or worrying that you are sleeping in a gutter somewhere."

Jessica looked around in a panic, her first thought was that she didn't know how on earth she was going to get any rest with her ex-husband lying only a few feet away from her. Her second thought was a realization that she felt all warm and gooey inside from his kind offer and her third thought was an override of her second. She took a deep breath and waited for common sense to prevail. She needed sleep and Jake was offering a bed. It was only for one night, she'd survive. Well, hopefully.

Giving a small nod, she started towards the apartment. Once there, Jake went to the bedroom and came out with a spare pillow and blanket whilst Jessica tried to look busy sorting through her luggage in the lounge room. She felt awkward being around him again. She'd always thought that the next time they saw each other she would waltz in looking fabulous with a great career and perhaps a family. Instead she looked like a run over alley cat and definitely wasn't giving him any reason to regret her leaving him.

She had a quick shower, changed into her favorite t-shirt in the bathroom and brushed her teeth. When she came out Jack was laying on the couch his legs hanging over the end. He had changed into boxer shorts and the blanket was draped over his thighs.

Jessica couldn't help but look as his gorgeous body. His upper body was still a pillar of strength, not just from canoeing, but also countless hours sanding and working with tools at his furniture workshop. He had a powerful but lean frame. With wide shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist and a butt that she used to take every opportunity to get her hands on.

His eyes were closed and she felt a strange desire to reach out and push the lock of sandy blonde hair off his forehead. He had always let his hair grow out longer than need be and she remembered how she had enjoyed running her fingers through it and washing it each day when they shared a shower. They had stopped doing that in the last month of their marriage and she missed moments like those, even now.

After leaving she had never been able to find someone whom she connected with as she had with Jake. Looking at him now, a few years older, she wondered how he had changed. She definitely wasn't the same person anymore. The last few years had been a tough lesson.

"Jessie, go to bed."

She tensed as she realized he had opened his eyes and caught her staring at him.

"Thanks, for letting me stay. You didn't have to."

"Of course I did. Go to bed, we are both jet-lagged and tomorrow is going to be a long day."

They held each other's gaze for a moment before she tore herself away and went to bed. She crept under the covers, but soon woke up sweating. She thought of the other athletes who would have to compete in this heat. There were definitely some advantages to water sports. Thinking about water, she realized she was thirsty.

As quietly as possible she crept to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She could hear Jake breath in and out as he slept. He had always been able to sleep on demand. Jessica smiled, forgetting for a moment how this man had hurt her, how she'd hurt him, and all the things that had gone wrong in their relationship.

CHAPTER 2

Jake stood in the tunnels, waiting for the U.S. team to be called into the stadium. The noise surrounding him was deafening as everyone chatted excitedly with new and old friends. He had already caught up with some of the other canoeist on the American team, as well as Todd Knight, a diver, and his roommate from his first Olympics eight years ago. He tugged at his collar to try and get some air. He hated wearing suits, much preferring jeans and a t-shirt.

It was in the tunnels, waiting to enter the stadium for the Opening Ceremony four years ago, that he had met Jessie for the first time. She had walked straight up to him and introduced herself. Pulling out a camera she had asked a guy next to them to take a picture and then slid her arm around his waist. He had automatically done the same to her, feeling his fingers brush the smooth skin beneath her blouse. She had been so close he could smell the coconut in her shampoo. He was too consumed by the feel of her in his arms to smile at the camera. Instead the photo, which now sat in the bottom of his drawer at home, showed him looking down, wide eyed at the woman who had just captured his heart. From that first meeting they had become inseparable.

Jake scanned the crowd looking for Jessica, whom he hadn't seen since that morning. He had snuck in to the bedroom before breakfast to collect some clothes for the day and she had been lying on her stomach, her arms folded under her jaw. Her smooth skin and slightly parted lips had looked so inviting.

Her curvy figure always made him hot and ready. She had hips you could hold on to and tits that fit perfectly in his large hands. He had been with a couple of other women since she had left, but none had held his attention, in or out of the bedroom.

Walking with the team out into the arena his breath caught in his chest when he felt the rumble and roar of the crowd reverberate through his body. The familiar thrill of adrenalin started to pump through his veins. Canoe slalom wasn't a very popular sport by any means, and it was rare for him to experience a stadium full of people. He didn't know how other athletes could concentrate with thousands of eyes watching their every move.

He caught sight of Jessica's dark hair about 20 feet behind him. She looked beautiful. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, emphasizing her cheekbones and full mouth. He had always thought that the dimples that framed her mouth were cute. But now she was older and had grown into her body those dimples weren't just cute, they were sexy as hell.

He slowed his pace, letting the other athletes pass him as they waved to those on the stands and to the thousands of cameras that streamed the footage all around the world. Falling in step with her, he noticed her jump slightly when she realized he was beside her.

He leant in, talking close to her ear so he could be heard and went for honesty. "I missed you today. It's hard to believe we are back here again. Talk about history repeating. I had almost convinced myself that I had just built everything up in my memory, but it truly is breathtaking isn't it?" He was only watching her profile as he said it. The camera flashes made her eyes dance and sparkle.

"Yeah, my heart is pounding. It's spectacular."

She clutched her chest to emphasize her point.

"It's just like last time isn't it. Actually I've been thinking about our last Opening Ceremony all day. How about you?"

"No, I haven't really thought about it at all," she stammered.

He might have believed her if she didn't look so damn uncomfortable and if her neck and face weren't flushed red as she pulled at her neck scarf.

"I did try to find another place to stay though," she continued.

His chest felt tight

"Any luck?"

"No. Everywhere was either fully booked or way out of my price range and no on else in the village really wants to take in a stray."

The tightness eased. He would still have time to get some answers from her. Jake wanted to know if all these feelings she was dredging out of him were still there for her too. He needed to know if she regretted leaving him. Was she happy or miserable, and did she still think about him?

"So I guess you and I will be sharing a few more nights together then."

The corner of his mouth turned up when the color rose in her cheeks. She was definitely affected by him too.

She bumped into him as someone pushed her from behind. He wrapped his arm around her to keep her steady and couldn't help but notice how well she fit by his side. He let go quickly, as if she had just sent an electric shock through his body, but immediately he wanted to touch her again. An idea formed in his head. The couch had been damn uncomfortable last night. Could he convince her that sharing a bed for the next two weeks was the best way to go? Then when the Closing Ceremony finished he would fly back home and out of her life. And this time, he would make sure that she was the one left wondering what the hell had happened.

She peered up at him, as if she was trying to work out his agenda, but the stiletto heel of her shiny black pumps caught in a crack. She rolled her ankle, losing her balance and he grabbed her elbow to steady her. She'd always been adorably clumsy, but never on the water. When she was competing, she was graceful as a dancer.

"Thanks."

"No problem," he couldn't help but chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'd forgotten just how awkward you are on solid ground. You were definitely made for the water."

She extracted herself from his arms, giving him a nudge in the ribs for good measure and he couldn't help but chuckle again. The noise in the stadium rose to a crescendo as the last athlete walked out on to the field. It was impossible to carry on a conversation, so Jake grabbed her hand. She tried to pull away but he laced his fingers through hers and held on.

Eventually they took their seats to watch the remainder of the ceremony. He never let go of her warm soft hand. Watching Jessie as she stared in wonder at the fireworks ripping through the sky he was reminded of how potent she was to him, and how difficult it would be not to forget that.

The Opening Ceremony was over and Jake still held her hand as they made their way back to the village. Jessica hated how much she loved it. She especially hated how right and natural it felt to be with him. She had kept her heart carefully stowed after leaving him, unable to trust herself not to completely lose herself again in the name of love. Following him through the door of the apartment she removed her blazer and threw it on top of his on the kitchen counter. She made her way to the cozy lounge room whilst he poured them both glasses of water. They needed to stay hydrated to maintain their performance.

She sat up against one end of the three-seater couch with both her feet up on the pillows. She had never been designed for pumps and she let out a sigh as she kicked them off.

Jake passed her a drink, which she drank greedily. She peered at him through the bottom of the glass as he sat down at the other end and turned on the TV.

She couldn't fathom why he was being so kind and thoughtful. After his initial bite yesterday when she had showed up at the apartment, he had turned back into the man she first met. It would have been easy to keep her distance and remember what was done was done if he didn't keep acting like the man she had fallen in love with. She had to try and keep her head, not show him how much he was affecting her.

"I can't let you sleep on the couch again though, you need proper rest. We'll swap tonight."

"Fair enough."

He took her empty glass and returned it to the kitchen before sitting back down. He switched to the news where they were playing highlights of the Opening Ceremony. After a while they tentatively fell in to conversation. At first chatting about the ceremony and everything they had seen, and then moving on to the competition and their hopes and expectations. Jessica had only just managed to qualify for the competition after taking a year off when their marriage broke up. Leaving only one year to get back in to shape and to qualify. Although with nothing, and no one, to distract her she'd come back stronger then before.

Jessica tried to avoid any questions about why she left, but got the feeling that he was simply biding his time. Jake had always been a man of patience, chipping away at things bit by bit, until he got what he wanted.

She pointed and flexed her feet trying to work the cramps out. Jake, still caught up in the news, absentmindedly reached for her legs and lifted her feet on to his lap. She contemplated protesting, but that was quickly wiped from her brain as his strong and capable hands massaged her tired feet.

She groaned in delight and sank further into the couch. How could she have forgotten how good his hands felt on her? He was a furniture maker, a man who worked with his hands, shaping and carving wood into beautiful creations. He'd had similar talents working with her body.

As he kneaded her feet and worked his way up her calves Jessica wished that he would keep on going. She couldn't stop her body responding to his touch. All the energy from the evening's events was still zinging through her and she needed to make sure she didn't get caught up in the night and do anything crazy.

Jake was the most handsome man she had ever met. She stole glances at him, noticing small changes here and there. His hands didn't feel as rough, for one. Did that mean he wasn't working as much? Maybe he had found some work-life balance since she left. There was a small scar on his cheek that she didn't remember and he seemed to have filled out more and grown into his body.

Jessica closed her eyes, willing away the regret that welled up inside of her. She had loved this man more than anything, or anyone, on earth. He was always kind and generous, and funny, but moving to Glenwood Springs to be with him had ruined almost every other aspect of her life, including her career plans, and she just couldn't see past her own selfish needs and wants.

Before she drowned in memories she pulled her feet out of his grasp and leapt up from the couch and went in search of a snack. She peered into the small cupboard, rummaging around for something to satisfy her sweet tooth and fill her remaining calorie requirements for the day. An energy bar? No she definitely didn't need anymore of that right now. She settled on a packet of choc chip cookies. As she stood up she felt a wall of muscle behind her.

"Jessie. I've missed you so much."

How could those whispered words cause such pain in her heart?

"I went looking for you, you know. Your family wouldn't tell me where you were."

"You stopped looking though."

"You sent a pretty clear message."

He was right. She had made sure he wouldn't find her. But every single night, she wished that he would. Wished he would save her from herself.

"I guess I did. But you moved on. Are you happy?"

He ran his strong hands over her hips and secured them around her waist pulling her against him. She closed her eyes and inhaled his familiar earthy scent a combination of wood and water. As much as she wanted to pull away, she had never been able to resist him, had never really wanted to, even now.

He whispered in her ear, "I still want you Jessie, after all these years."

"Don't say that."

"It's true."

He nibbled her ear and she felt a shiver travel through her nervous system. She felt herself come alive under his exploration of her body.

"Please don't say that. I was too young and it all happened so fast. I wasn't ready for that sort of commitment."

"Are you ready now?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do. Don't lie to yourself, or to me. I know you still want me and I'm going to prove it to you."

He nipped her neck and kissed along her jaw, coaxing a response from her. She tilted her head to the side to give him access. He ripped open her blouse and slid his hands across her ribs. This man didn't play fair. She'd only had sex four times in the last three years and not one of them had been the 'earth shattering, planets aligning, seeing stars' kind of love making. She hadn't had that since she'd left Jake. In fact she hadn't had the 'can't hold back, can't get enough of you', rushed quickie sex or the 'tender, slow, coming together of two souls' type either. It had been more like the 'wham, bam, would you like me to call you a taxi ma'am' sex. There was almost no way she could resist him if he kept going like this.

His hands shook slightly as he ran them over her body and she knew he was barely in control. Jessica reached up and curled her fingers through his hair, drawing his mouth down to hers. She was both saddened and delighted to discover that she reacted to his kisses as strongly as before. Their mouths became frenzied, trying to catch up on what they had missed. Her hands explored his chest, his arms, his back, memorizing every part of him all over again. With each kiss she tried to right all her wrongs. To say sorry for how she had hurt him so callously.

Jake moaned as she brushed her hands over his zipper and felt his erection. He unbuckled his belt whilst she undid his button and fly. They followed with her skirt, leaving both in puddles on the ground. She was left wearing her underwear and thigh high stockings.

Jessie laughed as Jake nearly fell over taking off his socks and shirt, but the laughter died in her throat when she saw him standing in all of his glory in front of her.

She took a deep breath, reached for his hand and led him to the bedroom. There he took control again and picked her up so that her legs encircled his waist and his penis rubbed against her silk panties. Jake made her feel like the sexiest woman alive. The way he looked at her and touched her body went straight to her heart.

He pushed her up against a wall for leverage, and his rough kisses became slow and seductive. One hand cupped her bottom whilst the other reached between them and pulled down the cups of her bra. He ducked his head to capture a pebbled nipple between his teeth, causing a rush of pain and pleasure.

"Jake." She panted. With every touch and lick and nibble she could feel the hurt that she had caused him being poured back into her own soul and she cried out.

"I want you, Jake."  
He growled in response, turning and laying her on the bed. He pulled her panties off, throwing them behind him and ran his hands up her thighs, over the lace tops of her stockings, to her juncture. He pushed her legs apart and kissed first one thigh then the other. He looked up at her and smiled before dipping his head between her legs and licking along her sex. She bucked in response, but he showed no mercy, holding on to her waist, securing her in place.

Jake draped her legs over his shoulders and started licking and sucking her pussy. He nibbled at her clitoris eliciting a string of moans. Her pussy was wet with her juices and she could feel her toes curl as a climax started to roll through her body. His fingers dipped inside, stroking her g-spot and her hips rocked as she tried to control the orgasm building inside of her. Her muscles clamped down on his fingers and she rode them as it finally hit and she breathed his name.

Jake climbed over her, looking at her with such intensity.

"You're so beautiful."

She bit her lower lip, "I don't deserve you Jake."

He slid his cock inside her to the hilt in one thrust in response, but he was too close to climax himself. He stilled, gritting his teeth, as she wiggled her hips, to accommodate him inside of her. She wanted to give him pleasure. To show she was sorry and ease some of the pain.

"If you keep that up I'm going to come right now."

She stilled her eye's widening. He leant down for another kiss and slowly started to thrust in and out. She grabbed on to his butt pulling his hips even closer to hers. The feel of him moving inside of her was exquisite. She tensed up realizing her mistake.

"Stop."

"What?"

She pulled away from him, scooting up to the end of the bed. All the lust that had been surging through her and fogging up her brain suddenly cleared away.

"We can't do this."

"What? Why? Jessie it's okay."

He crawled towards her on the bed but she gathered a pillow to her chest.

"You aren't wearing a condom."

He looked down, only just realizing himself.

"Shit. Are you on the pill?"

"I am, but it's not full proof."

He pulled a foot towards him and started massaging it again.

"I'm clean. I had a full blood work up before I came here. You?"

"Yes of course I'm clean too. But I won't have sex without a condom."

"Why?"

"Just drop it okay. I said no."

Jessica dropped the pillow, got up and gathered her clothes to her chest, retreating into the bathroom. She ran the shower and sat down in the bottom of the tub, letting the water flow over her head, berating herself for being so careless and for letting things go so far. She was always careful about protection. She had only just managed to get her life back on track in the last two years. She couldn't let herself get caught up in the moment again the consequences could be devastating.

When she finally got out of the shower, the bedroom door was shut so she quickly retreated to the lounge room like the coward she was. After the pleasure he'd given her so generously, she felt terrible to have left him wanting. She made short work of setting out the sheets and hopping into her makeshift bed.

She lay down facing the closed bedroom door. Her body ached to go to him and explain her overreaction, but it would be selfish so close to his competition, and she knew that if she did, whatever it was that might be happening between them would be over once and for all.

For the one-millionth time in the last 24 hours she wondered if their meeting had been fate and if maybe there was a chance for her and Jake to be together again. Was there some way he could ever forgiver her, because she already knew that when the two weeks were over she would have trouble letting him go.
CHAPTER 3

It was Sunday afternoon when Jake pulled on his regulation life vest and bib with the number 14. He had competed at the White Water Center last summer at an invitational event, and so was familiar with the course. He would have two runs and he needed to be in the combined top eight fastest times, to make the semi finals, if he could just keep his head in the game. Reflexively he glanced to the stands, hoping foolishly to see Jessica's long dark hair.

Pulling on his helmet and spray skirt Jake grabbed his custom built Vajda Supremo II canoe and entered the water. He watched as a competitor from Japan started the course. Securing his equipment he ran through a final check.

"Helmet, lifejacket, bib, paddle, spray skirt."

He was ready. He peered out into the crowd and caught sight of Jessie cheering, along with a couple of others from the U.S. canoe and kayak team. He smiled and she waved to him.

Yesterday the team had spent the morning at the venue, walking through the course, going over the schedule, procedures, and checking their equipment. In the afternoon he and Jessica had gone to lunch at an Italian restaurant in the village followed by a last minute training session at the gym.

Jake had kept his hands to himself all day although they had itched to touch her to make sure she was real. He felt confident that his plan of seduction was coming along as planned, despite the earlier setback, when she'd freaked out and left him aching and alone in bed. She had looked so damn uncomfortable when he sat on the couch beside her the next morning and he took pride in watching her start to relax around him throughout the day. Now he needed to focus on the competition, not his estranged wife. Besides, he thought, abstinence would build up her need as much as his own. When he finally took her she would be begging him to stay and he would get that little bit of payback he'd always craved.

His countdown started on the clock. He took a deep breath before heading out towards the head of the rapids. The time clicked over 3, 2, 1 and he was off.

He focused on his every move, always thinking a few steps ahead. He passed downstream through each green gate and upstream through the red gates. Missing a gate meant a time penalty, so he needed to hit every single one. Each second passed quicker than the last and he was amazed as he saw the last gate come in to sight.

The cheering crowd registered in the back of his mind but it wasn't until he crossed the line that he snapped out of the zone and took in his surroundings. His time flashed up in front of him, the third fastest of the day. He pumped his paddle in the air and made his way to the exit point. One race down for the day, one more to go.

The heat wave was pushing temperatures outside to well over 100 degrees so Jake spent the time in between races in the athlete's lounge. He ate a protein bar and guzzled down an energy drink. The hour passed comparatively slowly as he tried to focus on the next race.

"Jake Gould, you are on in ten minutes" one of the officials called.

He made his way back down to the head of the course searching the crowd for Jessie as he walked but she wasn't sitting with the rest of the team. He was still scanning the bleachers when he walked straight into an oversized terracotta pot. He tripped and landed on the hard concrete with his right knee. A stab of pain shot up his leg. He grunted a curse before hobbling back to his feet, feeling like a fool. He pulled out a few pebbles that were embedded in his knee and rubbed his palm over the kneecap. It hurt like hell, but he didn't have time to deal with it. He needed to get his canoe and get ready for his second race. It was his own stupid fault. He had been distracted trying to search Jessie out in the crowd. Why did he really care if she was there or not? Jake wanted to know the real reasons she had left, but he was here first and foremost to race in the Olympics. She was a distraction he could do without right now.

As he hopped back in his canoe he went through his routine, which helped to bring him back in to focus. Entering the top of the rapids a second time he positioned himself straight down the middle of the course. At the fifth red gate he came in slightly low and had to fight mercilessly to paddle back up through it. He knew he had lost some time, he just didn't know how much.

Rounding the last gate he waited anxiously for his time to come up and his overall position.

"Jake Gould's time for the second run of the day is 105.54, with an overall time of 204.26, placing him in fifth place overall," the announcer called over the speaker.

The crowd cheered and he threw his paddle in the air, catching it. With only two more competitors to go, he was guaranteed a spot in the semi-finals. He dropped his head in relief, and tried to shake off his poor effort in the last race. He had made it to the next round, that was what counted.

After cleaning up his wound and a quick warm down, Jake spoke briefly with a journalist from ESPN and made his way from the white water centre back to the village. Walking into the apartment he noticed the silence that greeted him. He dropped his bag in the entranceway and pulled up the hem of his khaki shorts to inspect his sore knee. It looked red and swollen, and was painful to touch. He hoped he hadn't done any real damage. He had stopped by the convenience store at the village, however, and picked up an ice pack, to help bring the swelling down as quickly as possible. He needed to be at the top of his game for the rest of the competition. If he couldn't kneel in his canoe without pain, he would struggle to keep his focus on the course.

Jake ate another protein snack and settled on the couch with the ice pack strapped to his knee. He turned on the television to watch some of the games when the door opened. Jessie came in wearing a denim miniskirt and a singlet top with the American flag on the front. He noticed her shoulders were tinged pink and that she had a temporary tattoo of the American flag on her cheek, which he found insanely cute. She plopped down a few shopping bags and dropped down on the arm of the couch.

"You raced well today. Congratulations."

She smacked a kiss on his cheek and gave him a squeeze on the shoulder for a hug.

"Yeah? I didn't see you for the second race." He hoped she didn't hear the disappointment and agitation in his voice. After all if she had been sitting in the stands with the rest of the team he wouldn't have been searching her out, and tripped, and got injured.

"I left a little early, it was really hot out there and I could feel myself getting sun burnt."

She noticed his knee and tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Why have you got an ice pack on your knee?"

"It's nothing. I just tripped over a stupid plant and my knee is a bit sore."

"Why don't you let me have a look?"

Jessie kneeled down beside the couch and removed the ice pack. Her long hair brushed his thigh as she inspected his knee and he was transfixed by the swell of her breasts beneath her top.

"Ouch. It looks really swollen and painful. Have you taken anything for it?"

She looked up and caught him staring. He gave her a sheepish grin. He couldn't be sorry for looking at such a pretty sight.

"I'm fine Jessie."

She prodded around the injury, her delicate touch soothing his pain. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, or if she even knew what she was doing, but it felt nice to feel her fingers on his skin.

"Why don't you let me check you out properly? Make sure that it's nothing more than a few cuts and bruises."

"I'm sure icing it will be fine."

"How long have you had it on for?"

"Only a few minutes. Jessie I'm fine. Really. Stop worrying."

"Okay well keep it on for twenty minutes and then I'll take another look."

Jessica got up off the floor and went into the kitchen with the ice pack. She returned with it wrapped in a tea towel and placed it back over his knee.

"This will stop you getting an ice burn."

She left him and headed into the bathroom. Soon he heard the shower start. He leaned back against a cushion and draped his arm over his eyes. His second ride had been tough with his sore knee, but he was determined to work through it. He didn't think he had done any real damage. He hadn't even bothered to see a medic. He figured so as long as he iced it, he should be fine.

Jake heard Jessie's voice coming from the other room. She was singing in the shower. A smile curled his lips. She had a terrible voice, but had always loved singing along to the radio. They had taken a few drives down to Rocky Mountain National Park when they had been married, and as soon as they hopped in his old FJ Cruiser she would switch on a country music channel and sing along with the tunes.

He guessed some things didn't change. Then again some did. He certainly wasn't the same person he was three years ago. He wondered what was different about her.

Jake's knee started to go numb so he pulled off the ice pack and placed it back in the freezer. His knee felt a bit better, not as sore, but it was getting stiffer by the minute. The shower had turned off and eventually the door opened and Jessie came back in to the lounge room.

"Let me take a look at that knee now." She knelt back down beside him and asked him to explain exactly what had happened again whilst she compared his knees. Her voice slipped into professional mode and he felt like he was back home at the doctor's office.

"Where does it hurt exactly?" He pointed to the most painful spot and she started testing different points around it. "Can you describe the pain?"

"Bruised I guess. It is tender when I put pressure on it. Feels a bit stiff now."

"Uh-huh. I see. How is this?"

She prodded and poked a bit more and he answered her questions as best as he could. He had never seen her like this outside of her kayak. She was focused and intent on solving the issue, and she seemed to be quite an expert on injuries, he realized.

"Have you had problems with your knees?" He asked.

"No, why?"

"Well, you seem to know what you are doing."

She sat back on her haunches, rubbing her hands up and down her thighs. She squinted her eyes as if she was trying to decide what to say next.

"I went back to school a couple of years ago."

"Yeah. And?"

"I've just finished up my Masters in Physiotherapy. Graduation was last week."

Jake nodded, dumbstruck. Jessica had only just finished a Bachelor of Science degree before the last Olympic Games. She had been enrolled to study Physiotherapy on her return to Oklahoma, but had flown back to Glenwood Springs with him instead and they were married within a month. Shortly afterwards his father had died, leaving Jake in charge of the family business. His younger brother and mother had been relying on him to survive. Jessica wasn't able to find a job with the financial crisis causing many local businesses to shut down. She'd been miserable and wanted to return to Oklahoma, but he couldn't just leave, and he kept telling her that soon things would get better, even when he hadn't been so sure.

"So is that why you left, to go and study? Had you enrolled in your Masters course before you left me?"

She shook her head not looking at him, and he wondered if it was as simple as that. Had she left because she wanted her career more than she wanted him? He pulled her up beside him and placed a finger beneath her chin, raising it till she looked him in the eye. Her blue eyes were clear.

"No, I didn't even enroll until a year after that. But yes that was part of it. I always wanted to finish my study. It was part of my plan. I left because there were things I wanted to do that I couldn't have if I stayed."

Her stare never wavered. She was telling the truth, even if he didn't want to hear it. He reflected bitterly, that leaving him seemed to have been the best thing that had ever happened to her.

She stood up and he noticed the wall she had erected around herself. Her voice turned professional and detached. He wouldn't get any more answers out of her for now.

"I think you just have some bruising, your range of movement is good and you just have point pain, which I would expect with blunt trauma. Just keep up the ice, twenty minutes at a time and you might want to pad out your knee for the semis, but I think you will just have to put up with a bit of pain. Try not to move it too much after you ice it, if it is stiff, let your muscles warm up a bit first."

"Thanks Doc."

"No problem."

They stood, looking at each other for a few moments before she walked over to the shopping bags she had placed on the counter and pulled out some vegetables and herbs. She opened the fridge and removed two porterhouse steaks. Turning back to the bench she knocked off her keys. She rushed to pick them up and he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Let me get that for you."

She halted and looked at him again. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her soft hands. Wishing he could tug her down on top of him and kiss away her frown.

"Thanks. I'm going to start dinner. How about you go and rest that knee."

"Are you sure you don't want any help?"

"This kitchen is too small for both of us."

He nodded and dropped her hand.

They ate their dinner on the couch. Conversation was light, but he noticed her relax little by little as the night went on and he smiled.

"Hey Jessie, you should sleep on the bed tonight, you have to compete tomorrow, I don't want you to have a kink in your neck or something. And don't worry about the dishes I'll sort them out."

"Thanks."

She smiled at him, looking almost relieved. Jessica got up from the couch and moved into the bedroom. Twenty minutes later when he saw the light go out beneath the door he turned off the television. He lay there in the dark, watching the moonlight shine through the window and listening for sounds of her.

He still believed that Jessie was the only woman that he ever wanted to be with and seeing her again these past few days had only confirmed it. This time however he wouldn't be stupid enough to trust her to stick around. But if he was going to be sentenced to a life of misery, then why the hell shouldn't he make sure that she felt even a part of that? He was more determined than ever to reach into her heart and soul and then walk away, just like she had done to him.

He planned to punish her, but he would keep things light until they were both finished competing. When the final race was run he would launch a full frontal assault on her heart and body. He had even gone out and brought a box of condoms so there would be no more excuses. He would have until the Closing Ceremony to remind her of how great they had been together, and what exactly she had given up so thoughtlessly.
CHAPTER 4

The next morning Jessica awoke to the sun shining through the window onto the bed. She had barely slept, waking nearly every hour. She had finally fallen into a deep sleep at about three in the morning only to dream that she was in her race. She slipped out of the bedroom and quietly moved through the kitchen preparing a breakfast of apples, blueberries, oats, yoghurt and honey. Dropping the bowl in the sink when she had finished, she picked up her small duffel, with a change of clothes and her I-pod, and popped out the door before Jake woke.

Jessica headed down to the main gym in the village and spent a couple of hours warming up and stretching. She needed some space to put all the other thoughts out of her head and get into her racing mindset. After finishing her warm down she sat on a Swiss Ball in the stretching area. Wiping the sweat from her forehead with a towel she looked around the gym and was inspired to see athletes from all walks of life, all here to compete for their own Olympic dream.

Jessica had nearly given up kayaking after leaving Jake. She had needed time to recover, but she was here and she knew that she was a better athlete than she had been four years ago. Tougher and more disciplined. She had grown into her body, which meant she had more upper body strength to add power to her strokes.

A few hours before the start of the women's solo kayak competition was due to start she headed out on the bus to the white water facility, meeting up with her countrymen competing in the men's double canoe slalom.

By the time she had eaten another smaller meal and completed her final preparations she was shocked when a race official announced the 20-minute warning.

Her first round went off without a hitch. She made a decent time and was able to relax a little while she watched everyone else go through.

Sitting on the sidelines in the shade, she ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Looking down she realized a blob of jelly had slid out of her sandwich on to her bib.

"Oh come on."

She tried to wipe it off with her finger but there was a clear pink stain over her number.

"Bonjour Jessica, long time no see."

Ariella, a long time Canadian kayaker approached and gave her a kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside her.

"Ariella, it's good to see you. How have you been?"

"Well. And you?"

"Good, I'm glad to make it here."

"Me too. There are lots of young guns here this year. I feel ancient."

"Hey you aren't even thirty yet," Jessica pointed out.

"Yes, but half the girls here aren't even twenty. They still live at home. Now that I am a mother I just feel like I can't relate to them as much."

"You're a mom?"

Jessica hated that she was so envious of Ariella who was only a couple of years older, but she seemed to have it all together.

"Yes I had twins, two years ago now." Ariella's face lit up and she leant in as if telling Jessica a secret. "They're lots of trouble, but I can't get enough of them." she bragged.

Ariella pulled a small plastic covered picture of her husband and two baby girls out of a pocket in her lifejacket. The girls, a spitting image of Ariella down to the curly black hair and big brown eyes, were dressed in matching wetsuits and wide brimmed flowery hats, sitting in a canoe with their father behind them paddling. Jessica's chest squeezed involuntarily as she remembered that she had once imagined Jake and her own child in a similar scene. Jessica smiled and handed the photograph back hoping Ariella didn't notice her hand shaking slightly.

"This is my last competition," Ariella stated. "I'm planning on starting work again in October and I can't keep up a job, kids and training too, something has to give. How about you? What are your plans?"

Jessica wish she knew.

"I'm not sure. I have just finished up my Masters degree, which was on sport scholarship. I haven't accepted a job yet, but I have a few offers. I guess I will have to wait and see if I will be able to keep up training and a full competition schedule alongside working too."

"How about your husband, how is he? I saw you cheering him on yesterday," Ariella said.

Jessica looked out in to the crowd as if he might appear if she only looked for him.

"He's no longer my husband. We separated."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You must still be close though, to watch him race."

She didn't know what they were. Close wasn't a word she would have chosen though.

"We get along."

Her cheeks went pink as she thought back to after the Opening Ceremony when they had nearly slept together. Jessica hadn't wanted to want Jake again, but she did. Not only did she crave a close physical connection, she had also enjoyed his company the last few days, even though he kept pressing her for answers about the past that she didn't want to answer.

Ariella stood up beside her and Jessica snapped out of her thoughts.

"I've got to get ready for my race, it was good to talk to you Jessica."

"You too Ariella, good luck."

They waved goodbye to each other.

"You too."

She didn't need luck, Jessica thought, just persistence and hard work, like her coach was always telling her. It would have been nice if he could have made the trip over but his wife was due to give birth any day now.

Her next race was as good as her first and she placed fourth overall. Her only issue was her own clumsiness when she dropped her kayak on her toe pulling it out of the water. It hurt like hell, and would certainly bruise, but it wouldn't affect her racing. The semifinals and finals weren't for another two days. She needed to make sure that she kept hydrated and well fed, so that she would be in peak form. The rest was up to fate.

Jessica walked back into the apartment shortly after seven o'clock. She dropped her bag at the door alongside Jake's and wandered into the kitchen to see what was cooking.

"Hi there. I watched you on the television today, you were great." He leant in and gave her a kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"Thanks."

"Take a seat, I have dinner ready to go. I assumed you would be hungry."

He guided her to the couch and pushed her down on to the seat, before wandering back into the kitchen. She raised her voice to be heard, even though the apartment was so small she needn't have worried.

"I'm starving. What's on the plate?"

"Chicken bake with potatoes, carrots and onions."

"Sounds delicious, smells delicious too."

Jake came out with two plates piled with food, smiling as if she had just proclaimed he was the most talented cook in the world. Male pride she guessed. They both dug in and she answered a couple of questions about her race.

"How is your knee?"

"The swelling has gone down, and a bruise is coming up where I hit the concrete, but it is feeling much better."

"Great, I'll take another look at it later if you like. See what we can do before your finals tomorrow."

"I'd appreciate that."

Another night of easy conversation flew by, although tonight Jessica couldn't help but notice Jake's subtle flirting and seemingly innocent touches. After all every brush of his skin sent electricity through her body. She was hyperaware of his every movement. Something was building between them again. Just like four years before, Jessica couldn't stop the flutter of excitement building in her heart, no matter that her brain was trying to tell her it all might be a bad idea.

The next morning Jessica rolled off of the couch onto the tiled floor, pulling the white bed sheet that was twisted around her legs with her. The heat wave had started to abate with a cool change forecast to come through in the next few days. Jessica gathered a change of clothes and walked to the bathroom. As she passed the bedroom door it swung open and there was Jake standing butt naked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Jessica instantly regretted dropping her eyes as she caught sight of the giant erection he was sporting.

"Morning."

Her cheeks colored and she squeaked out a reply.

"Morning. I was just going to have a shower."

"Me too. Why don't you join me, baby cakes?" His tone was teasing.

"No. I can wait." She caught her gaze dropping back down to his penis as she backed away. "You go ahead. No problem."

She bumped into the wall behind her and a white lace thong fell from her grasp. Jake bent down and picked it up, idly turning it on his finger.

"Why don't you just join me? It won't be a problem at all. And really with this heat wave we should be conserving water." The corners of his mouth lifted in a teasing grin. "Do the right thing Jessie."

She huffed, which sent her bangs fluttering.

"Jake you... I..." It was too early to come up with some witty response. All she could come up with was "the heat wave is over. It was on the news."

"Oh well," his grin turned down in disappointment.

Even though Jessica had managed to turn down the shower, she wasn't so cruel as to deny herself the pleasure of watching his tight tush as he sauntered past her into the bathroom. He caught her staring from the reflection in the mirror and signaled for her to join him, but she just shook her head and headed away from the danger zone.

In the kitchen Jessica got busy cooking up a big breakfast for Jake. His semi's and final's which were later that day, followed by hers tomorrow. Nutrition was one of the most important aspects of increasing performance so it was important to start the day off right.

Jake, wearing a pair of light blue boxer shorts, eventually joined her on the couch and they dug into their fruit, porridge and protein smoothies.

"Thanks Jessie, this is really good," he said between mouthfuls.

"That's okay. I thought I'd return the favor and I enjoy cooking anyway."

"I remember. You're a good cook too. I miss your special Macaroni Cheese and that meringue thing you made with the fruit and cream. That was my favorite."

"You mean the Pavlova"

"Yep that's the one."

He smiled at her and she felt pleasure and pride flood into her. Why did she turn to mush from a simple compliment?

"So what are you going to do today?" He asked.

"Just take things easy, rest up for tomorrow."

"Are you going to watch me on television? Cheer me on?"

"Mmm. I don't know. I'll definitely watch, but I might just go for Cody. He might not have beaten you in the heats but he's looking pretty strong and there is just something so sexy about Canadians. Plus he always smells faintly of maple syrup which just really turns me on."

"Really?" Jake raised his eyebrows at her as she tried to keep a straight face.

"Really." She nodded solemnly to emphasize her point.

"Interesting." Before Jessica could reach for another strawberry he grabbed her and tackled her to the ground. Straddling her hips he nicked the honey bottle from the coffee table and squirted a dollop between her breasts. She laughed out loud, but the laughter caught in her throat when he dipped his head, pulled her tank top down and licked a trail across her breasts. She sucked in air as he spread honey kisses over her nipple and up to her collarbone. When he pulled her in for a kiss she could taste the sugar on his lips.

"You are so sweet," his husky voice whispered in her ear.

His crooked grin looked so sexy and endearing. She couldn't help but giggle. She loved Jake's humor and playfulness. It had always put her at ease.

Jessica grabbed a strawberry and fed it to Jake. In turn he placed a chocolate bud in her mouth and they kissed, enjoying the way the flavors blended, melting together.

They continued combining food and kisses, recounting stories of their one and only disastrous adventure with chocolate body paint. Jake could barely talk through his laughter as he reminded her of their trip to the emergency room for a bad burn on her bottom. She had mixed in some caramel, which was Jakes favorite, and melted it all in the microwave. He had started to apply it to her butt without checking the temperature.

"You nearly kicked me in the nuts you got up so quick. Then I came into the kitchen and there you were stark naked sitting in the sink with the water running over those sweet ass cheeks."

Jessica hid her face in her hands shaking her head, if she had lived the rest of her life without hearing that story again she would die a happy woman. Jake kissed the backs of her hands then rolled her over and planted smacking kisses on the scar, kneading her other cheek with his hand. The massage felt wonderful on her tight glutes and she let out a groan of pleasure. In an instant Jake lifted her in his arms onto the couch and yanked down her shorts. Grabbing onto her hips he pulled her to the edge of the couch and planted a row of kisses up her thighs.

"I bought condoms yesterday Jessie. So you don't have to worry anymore we're protected."

He looked up at her as he kissed her thighs and then her hip, awaiting her response. She let out a shaky breath. She wanted him, even if she knew this time around that it was not forever with Jake, she would deal with that later when she returned home. For now she just wanted to do what felt right.

She nodded her head in acknowledgement, not able to find any words to express what she was feeling. She saw his eyes light up at her consent. Passion, desire and lust filling their depths.

His head disappeared between her thighs as his tongue licked between her folds. Her eyes shut and she concentrated on the feelings washing over her. Her skin was ablaze where his hands rested across her thigh and on her abdomen. A whirling heat was building up in her legs, slowly rolling up to her core. She lost herself in her feelings, all thought erased from her mind.

As Jake continued to stimulate and tease her, Jessica reached for him. She needed to touch him, to share the pleasure equally between them. He must have sensed her needs because he bit a slow trail down her inner thigh before pulling her down to sit in his lap. In their kiss she could taste herself mixed in with Jake's own flavor. She pulled away from him, gasping for breath.

"I don't want to wait any longer," she said.

"You don't realize I couldn't wait even if I wanted to."

He picked her up and strode into the bedroom. Dropping her next to the bed he pulled out a condom from the packet in the chest of drawers.

Jessica crooked her pointer finger and signaled for Jake to come to her.

"Come here."

His eyes went wide as he saw her. Her sly grin quickly disappeared as he closed the distance between them in two quick strides. He kissed her, letting out a groan that she caught on her breath. Their hunger blazed and she grabbed the packet from him as he shoved down his boxer shorts. She sat down on the side of the bed and he stood in front of her so that she could slide the latex down his shaft. She sucked in a breath as she felt the size of him in her hands. Looking up, she saw an almost feral grin stretched across his lips. She trailed a finger up his snail trail, across his six-pack and up to his shoulder then lay back on the bed her hands stretched above her head and smiled up at him.

"Take me Jake."

His eyes turned dark with desire and in one short movement he braced himself above her and ploughed into her wet heat. Both groaned in satisfaction. Instead of building a rhythm he stilled above her and her eyes flickered open. He was gazing down at her, looking for an answer she wasn't sure she wanted him to find. He kissed her on the lips, his eyes still staring intently at her.

"I haven't been the same man since you left, you know?" His voice was raspy as if it was painful for him to say the words.

Jessica could only nod. Her throat had closed up from reading the sadness in his eyes. She started to move her hips, to try and distract him from his thoughts, and her own. She didn't want to think about the fact that she was the one who had caused him pain. Relief washed over her when he started moving above her and she saw the sadness disappear. He pulled her legs up over his hips and took control of her, grinding his hips into hers, pushing himself deeper.

Jessica could feel that climax build itself back up again at a feverish pace. She wasn't going to be able to hold back for long. Jake leant down and kissed her nose, bringing her gaze back to his. As he built a rhythm that propelled them both into ecstasy Jessica wanted to know what was running through his mind beyond a serious case of lust.

"Jessie, baby, I can't hold on much longer. You look so sweet and you feel so damn good, you're pushing me straight over the edge."

Her muscles quivered around him in answer. She wasn't going to hold on very long either.

He kissed her again, and he increased the pace, pistoning in and out. His strong athlete's body was tireless. Her inner muscles clenched down on him as her orgasm burst inside of her. Her body arched up to meet his and she buried her head in the crook of his neck. He cried out her name as his climax spilt inside of her.

He rolled to the side, and pulled her against him. Even though the heat was already building for the day, and they were both covered in a sheen of sweat, she didn't for a second want him to let her go.

Jake felt their heartbeats slowly drop down to a normal rate. After minutes lying there in silence he let his mind start to fill once again with noise. Immediately his brain cried out to him that he was stupid. How could he have thought he was seducing her, to teach her a lesson? When he had gone and fallen headlong in love with her all over again. Everything they had just shared seemed more intense than he remembered. Perhaps it was because this time he knew that it wasn't to last. There wasn't going to be a forever with Jessica.

He cursed himself for hoping that she would magically change her mind and come back to him, that this time it would be different. Jake pulled away, going into the bathroom to take care of the condom. He shouldn't be thinking about this now anyway. He had to compete in a few hours. He needed to get his mind off of Jessie and back on the job.

Padding back into the bedroom he pulled on his boxer shorts again and sat down beside her. He kissed her forehead and tried not to fall a little deeper in love when he saw the contented smile it drew from her lips.

"I..."

"You know there a gazillions of people out there who believe you shouldn't have sex before competing. That it zaps your energy," she interrupted.

Jake let out a deep belly laugh. Whatever he had been planning to say had completely blanked from his mind.

"Well we can't really undo what's been done."

She looked thoughtful, resting her pointer finger against her cheek.

"True. But perhaps if we do it again, it will cancel out the first time."

He couldn't help but laugh again, and at the same time felt his body start to stir and his dick harden, ready for another round.

"Lordy girl, you are going to kill me."

"I guess you're right." She nodded. "We shouldn't. You need all your energy."

"Yes I do," he replied running his palms down her arms. "How else am I going to get you to come for me again?"

In one deft move he pulled Jessie across his hips and twisting his fingers through her hair drew her to him for another kiss. Whatever plan he might have had in the bathroom just didn't seem as good as having her in his arms again.
CHAPTER 5

Jake couldn't wipe the grin off of his face as he hopped into the apartment elevator. He jabbed at the button for the seventh floor eager to get back. He wished Jessie could have been there to see him race. As it was, he couldn't wait to get her in his arms and hold her, and then to spend the rest of the night celebrating.

He shot out of the elevator, going down the hall at a half jog.  Jake reached the front door and knocked, surprised that it was locked. He nearly suffered heart failure when Jessie opened it wearing a short black silk robe with a lacy bra and thong.

"Shit, Jessie."

He checked the hall to make sure no one had seen her before ducking inside. He put his hands on her hips and stood at arms length taking her in from head to toe.

"Hey Mr. Olympic medalist."

She kissed him on the cheek and his mouth turned down in a pout.

"What? Is that all I get?"

"No. You get a shiny medal too."

His full lips spread into a wide grin. "Do you want to see it?"

"Of course."

"It's under my jacket."

Jessie reached around his neck and slowly pulled out the Silver medal. His skin sizzled beneath her touch. They studied it together, noticing the detail and recounting the event.

"I was so nervous watching you. I wish I could have been there," she confessed.

"Me too." And he meant it. Not as a chance to show off to her, or as some sort of revenge to show how successful he had become, but because sharing this with her meant the world to him. As he had received his medal and the crowd had cheered, he looked up for a second, hoping that she would magically appear. But she didn't.

"Really?" She sounded as if she didn't believe him and his stomach tightened.

"Yeah. Because then I could have done this."

Jake reached down to claim a celebratory kiss. His eager mouth possessed hers and he poured all his feelings into his kiss and feeling her joy at his success in return, his tightness faded. He broke the kiss, taking a step back and looking his fill of her as he tried to catch his breath.

"I am going to have to contact the IOC and convince them to put the Olympics on every week, if this is the sort of reception I'm going to get. You are smoking hot."

She did a twirl for him and he pinched her on the butt, which sent her running.

"Hey! Come back here."

"Make me," she called over her shoulder.  
He tackled her to the floor in the lounge room and starting nibbling and licking every inch of her body.

"Take your clothes off," she demanded.

He didn't need to be asked twice. She lay back propped up on her elbows and watched him as he dragged his t-shirt over his head and shoved his team sweats down to his ankles, nearly falling over himself to get them off. He knelt down between her legs and crawled over her, leaning down to kiss her soft lips.

He laughed as she wrestled him to his back, straddling him. She rested her butt cheeks against his dick, which was hard as a rock and casually rocked her hips. Running her fingernails down his chest she bit her bottom lip, looking devilish and excruciatingly sexy. He could already feel his balls tightening.

"Jessie. You got a plan up there?"

"To send you crazy."

"You're already there babe."

She smiled again and he pulled her down for a soul-searing kiss.

"I want you to fuck me Jake," she whispered in his ear. "Where is the closest condom?"

"Bedroom," he grounded out.

She jumped off and ran to the bedroom, coming back a few moments later, foil packet in hand. He was sitting on the couch and she climbed back on top of him, sliding on the protection.

Jake sucked in breath, and the moment protection was on he pulled her panties aside and plunged his cock into her with primal need. He wanted to claim her, to remind her that she had been his and still should be. She let out a cry, arching her breasts towards him. He pushed the robe off of her shoulders and reached around to unclip her bra and drag it down her arms. He suckled her breasts licking the hard peaks of her nipples.

Jake thrust in and out of her watching as her deep blue eyes glassed over and her face went soft. She felt so tight, hot, wet, around him and her soft mewling noises were making him lose his control.

"You're the most beautiful woman in the world to me," he said.

"Yeah?"

There was that questioning in her voice again and here he was about to blow a gasket he was so consumed by her. He needed to leave no doubt in her mind, that she was exactly whom he wanted. He ran his hands up her thighs and his thumb rubbed lightly against her clitoris. Her hips started to move in a more frenzied rhythm, and her hair fell around her flushed face. He pushed up on to his hands so he could reach her mouth and kiss her puffy pink lips.

Desperate to get more leverage Jake rolled them over so that he could be on top. He forgot that he wasn't at home in his king sized bed, instead he was trying to maneuver around on a couch. The both fell in a bundle of limbs to the ground and simultaneously burst out laughing.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, hit my funny bone though," she said, sitting up lifting her arm to show him.

He kissed her elbow, before they both broke out in another fit of laughter.

Jessie buried her head in his shoulder, as she continued to giggle. He ran his fingers through her hair brushing it off her neck and licked a trail from her collarbone up to her earlobe. Massaging her scalp whilst he nibbled her neck, quickly turned her laugh to a soft purr. Jake gently lowered her to the floor and turning her on to her side he ran his hands from her shoulder down to the thigh and then pulled her back against his chest.

He entered her from behind, slowly relishing the sensation of his dick rubbing against her g-spot. Jessie arched her hips and they moved together. He reached around and rubbed his fingers over her clitoris until he felt her start to quiver in his arms. He couldn't see her face and he wanted to see her when she flew apart, and then again when she came back together, whispering in her ear he told her what he wanted and Jessie rose to her knees till once again she was on top. Laying back he let her take control of the pace. Sucking in a breath, Jake tried to stay with her, to pace himself so that they would hit their climaxes together.

Jessie leaned back and ran her fingers through her long hair. As his eyes scanned her body, he felt himself start to slip, he couldn't hold on much longer.

"Come with me," he ordered her softly

"I'm there."

He sat up, leaning on his hands behind him for leverage, and drove into her over and over. Jessie leant forward and kissed him as her muscles clamped down on him drawing his seed deep into her womb. Stars went off behind his eyes and he held on tight, not wanting to let her out of his grasp.

When the world stopped spinning and settled back on its axis Jake pulled her to the ground, running his palms up and down her spine, as he listened to her breathing even out.

"Was it always like this?" He said almost to himself.

She smiled up at him and he was caught up in her hooded eyes and easy smile. She looked so damn adorable he wanted to sink back into her right then and there.

He ran his tongue over her neck, tasting her salty sweetness. A small moan escaped her lips and he felt himself start to go hard again. Jake wanted to capture this moment to store in his memory forever. He wasn't sure there could be a better memory the rest of his life. He had just won an Olympic medal and Jessie was here to share and celebrate it with him.

For the first time since seeing her again his thoughts weren't filled with any sense of revenge of bitterness, instead he felt... He couldn't put his finger on it. Sadness? He wasn't sure.

He started to kiss her again, and within seconds of her kissing him back they took on an edge of desperation. He wanted to end this game. Wanted her to tell him that it had all been a mistake. To ask him to forgive her and to say that she would do anything for them to be together again, because like him, she couldn't bear to think of a life apart. But then again if he wanted another chance with her he would have to let go of the bitterness that he still felt on occasion for her leaving him in the first place. He would have to let go of all of that and trust her to stick it out a second time around.

Jessie broke the kiss, he saw her chest heaving as she sucked in the air that seemed to have fled the room. Looking in her eyes he saw they were filled with trepidation as if she could sense the turn in his thoughts.

"Jake are you okay?"

"Why'd you leave me?"

She leant her forehead to his and released a long sigh. He could tell that she was thinking things through so he gave her some time. After what felt like an eternity she started talking.

"You must have known how unhappy I was. My whole life I had worked hard at school, then university and in sport. I had this plan that I had lived out to the letter since high school and suddenly I was thrown off that path. I was just too focused on that one story for my life that I couldn't see any other way of achieving the same goals. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Not really. "Kind of."

She wrapped her small hands around one of his and pulled it to her chest.

"I didn't want to leave you."

He held in a smirk and a smart response, knowing it wouldn't get them anywhere.

"It was just that I had been living with that mindset for so long, it was harder to break out of than I thought. I was totally out of my comfort zone. But I loved you, that was why I married you."

His heart tore as she spoke in the past tense. What he would give for her to say those words to him anew.

He sensed her hesitating to go further. She was holding onto her thoughts, guarding them carefully. He wanted her honesty, not for her to tell him what she might think he wanted to hear.

"Tell me everything Jessie. Everything you were thinking and feeling."

"Four years ago I fell for you. It was just instant, I met you and I fell in love. When you proposed I never took a second to think what it all meant, I just knew that I loved you and wanted to be with you."

It wasn't until I had settled in to Glenwood Springs that I started to realize all the things in my life I had just given up. It was the first time I had lived away from my family, and you know how close I am to them. It took a while for me to get used to not seeing them all the time. I missed my friends too. Living away from them, I lost that daily interaction I was so used to."

He gave a short nod to encourage her to keep talking, not wanting her to stop, now that she had started.

"The thing is I didn't mind all of that too much, your mother and brother were always so nice to me and made me feel like I was part of your family, but it was just something that added to the growing list in my head."

Neither could look the other in the eye as she spoke but Jake's thumb drew lazy strokes over the back of her hand as he listened to her.

"Tell me what else was on that list," he prodded.

"Well Todd was based in Oklahoma, so it wasn't practical to keep him on as coach. It's not that my new coach was bad, it is just that it took years to build that relationship and there I was having to start all over again," she took a deep breath and ploughed on.

"I had also always intended to study physiotherapy after the last Olympics, but that wasn't possible in Glenwood Springs. Instead I thought I would try to find a job either coaching kayaking, or in a Physiotherapy office, until we could move to somewhere I could attend college. But I realized that you wouldn't be able to just get up and move when you were in charge of the business. After months and months when I still couldn't find a job I just didn't know what to do with myself."

"I offered to hire you," he said immediately.

"I know but that just felt like giving up another piece of me to fit into your life. I didn't feel like we were building something together at all. You already had your life sorted and you expected me to just sort of slot myself into it."

"You could have told me all of this back then," he said. Frustration evident in his voice even as he tried to stay calm and hear her out.

She shrugged. "I did in bits and pieces."

"Look, I'm sorry for not seeing how miserable you were. But yes, we weren't in any position to move at the time. I was only just getting the business back up and running after Dad died. With my mother and brother also depending on the income from it too, it wasn't an option to just walk away. I probably would have told you we needed to stick it out for at least a few more years and then I guess you would have just been more miserable than you already were."

She grabbed his hands that were now tightly clasped in his lap.

"I wasn't miserable Jake. Not around you." She lifted his chin, forcing him to look at her. "You made me happy, you really did. But I was too young and selfish and couldn't see past my own needs. You love carpentry and designing things, I can't imagine you ever giving that up, and I would never have asked you to. I felt like I needed the opportunity to find my own thing, but I felt, trapped, suffocated."

"So when you left did you ever intend to return?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "I just didn't think I could come back, until I had myself sorted, or things wouldn't change. I don't think that way now though. I learnt my lessons over and over. I can't live my life by a plan I came up with when I was fifteen is just stupid. I realized that I was closing myself off to so many opportunities that I couldn't have even conceived when I was younger. My wants and needs changed over time and I needed to change with them. It took longer then I expected to get all that through my head I guess."

Jake sat up straighter and ran a hand through his hair.

"You guess?" He shook his head in dismay. "You left me without telling me any of this. I never stood a chance." He stood up and pulled on a pair of shorts. Pacing, he tried to contain the overwhelming desire to get the hell out of there and get some space to think. "I don't know what I would have done, but you never even gave me an opportunity."

"I know. I wasn't fair to you. You have every right to be angry at me."

Her voice became strained. He didn't want them to fight, and he didn't want her to shut down. But he needed her to think about how what she had done had affected him too.

He stopped pacing. "I'm not angry Jessie." He let out a deep breath. "Well I was angry, but I got over that a long time ago. Now I'm just...disappointed, or sad. I don't know." Jake started pacing again.

"Look I'm not saying these things to excuse my behavior, I just want you to understand where I was coming from, " she said.

"I understand better then I did before."

He knelt in front of her and holding her hands in his leant in and kissed the corners of her mouth. Tentatively he pressed his lips against hers, coaxing her to open her mouth. As her lips parted he licked her bottom lip. The kiss was a reconciliation. A small step towards a possible future together.

Jake sat up on the couch and pulled her on to his lap, bringing her close, to hold her for a while. His mind raced with all of the things she had just told him. Wondering why she hadn't been able to talk to him like this three years ago. Why she had felt as if she had to face all these things alone.

Replaying her words again he started to wonder that, if she had left because she was unhappy with her life's direction and not because of him, perhaps they weren't a completely lost cause. But even after all that she had said he still felt like she was holding something back. What it was he could only guess.

After a long silence Jessie stood up and held out her hand to him.

"How about we drop this discussion for now. We can talk later but I don't want to ruin your day, we should be celebrating. I propose we go have a shower and then dress up and go out for a walk around the village. You can show off your medal and I'll even buy you a drink at the bar."

"What about your race tomorrow?"

"Well I'll stick to juice, and I can't stay out too late, but I think we need to get out of this apartment and soak up some of the atmosphere. We might never get to go to the Olympics again so we have to live the dream whilst it's still alive."

She pulled him off the couch and led him to the shower. Afterwards as he pulled on jeans, a white shirt and boots he watched as she slinked into a tight sequined dress.

"Do we have to go out? I would be happy celebrating, just me and that little black dress of yours."

Her red lips curled up in a smile as she pulled up her thigh highs and slipped on a pair of sparkly silver high heels. He wondered if there was enough time for him to jump back in for a cold shower.

"Of course we have to go out. I want to see some of your moves on the dance floor cowboy."

"Can we slow dance?"

He ran a hand down her bare spine then pulled her back against his chest and ran his hands over her seductively swaying hips. She turned in his arms and kissed him on the nose. God she smelt so good and felt so good beneath his hands. She skipped out of the room, and he followed her without thinking. Heck he would follow her anywhere and he knew it, if only she had known the same three years ago it might have saved them both a whole lot of trouble.
CHAPTER 6

Jessica woke up late the next morning to an empty bed. The sun was shining in the window, warming up the room. She rubbed her eyes trying to wipe away the sleep-induced fog from her brain. She was definitely not a morning person.

She heard a noise in the kitchen and searching the floor grabbed one of Jake's t-shirts to put on and ducked into the bathroom. She hoped that Jake hadn't seen her yet. She nearly jumped back in fright when she saw her own reflection in the mirror. Her hair was stuck to her cheek on one side and sticking straight out on the other, she also had a bad case of panda eyes. Grabbing a bar of soap and turning on the tap in the sink, she quickly washed the residue make up from her face and pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail after unsuccessfully trying to brush it into submission.

They had gotten home by midnight, and having kept to water and juice, she didn't feel any worse for wear. After leaving the apartment they'd eaten dinner at an Italian style café in the village sitting at a table with a few guys from the Korean basketball team, and two girls competing in the long jump. They then stopped by one of the nightclubs and danced till her feet hurt. To cap off the night Jake bought her ice cream from the convenience store and they lay down on the grass in the centre compound to eat their dessert. She felt a delicious heat curl low in her belly as she remembered him licking a spot of ice cream from her lips. All in all, it was the perfect night.

Jessica stretched her arms above her head then rested them on her hips. She put on her most serious game face, pointing a finger at her reflection.

"Today is your big day girl. Olympic finals. You have to give it everything you have. 100 percent. Don't leave anything in the tank. No regrets."

"Did you say something," she heard Jake yell.

Jessica headed into the kitchen, following the delicious smell that radiated through the apartment. Her smile turned into a mega watt grin when she saw the man that was making her feel so good. Jake strode over to her, frying pan in hand, and gave her a morning kiss that instantly put her body on alert.

"Morning Jessie, were you saying something?"

Jake wore nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms and bed hair. Jessica ran her hands down his bare chest and contemplated dragging him back into bed so that she could start an exploration of his body all over again. If only she didn't have her Olympic final's today.

"Just giving myself a pep talk."

"Ahh. You still like your eggs sunny side up right?"

"Sure do. How long have you been awake?"

"Not too long."

"What are you doing?"

"Making you the breakfast of champions."

Jake moved back over to the stove and she stood behind him sliding her hands around his waist. Snuggling into his back she inhaled a deep breath.

"I'm nervous," she confessed.

He stopped moving the eggs around in the fry pan and wrapped his hand behind him, pulling her body closer to his.

"Honey, you're going to rock. You are a talented kayaker and a strong competitor."

"Damn straight," she retorted. "I just better not do something stupid."

"Good plan. But you are on fire right now, I saw you in the heats." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Actually I've watched a few of your races in the last couple of years and you are getting stronger and stronger."

Jake switched off the stovetop, turned around in her arms and lifted her off the ground for a proper kiss.

"I wish I could have got a ticket to go and see you today."

Jessica just shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know if his being there would make her more, or less, nervous. Plus she was more than a little interested to find out that he had been keeping tabs on her, just as she had him.

Over breakfast, which she ate sitting in his lap, Jake listened as she talked through her race strategy. They recreated the course with their fruit bowl, using strawberries to represent the red gates, gooseberries for the green ones, and the other fruit to represent different obstacles. Together they talked, step by step, through each point of the course and he helped get her head into the right mind space

A few hours later at the White Water Center the nerves that Jake had somehow kept at bay, had arrived with a vengeance and seemed to be compounding by the minute. The crowd felt noisier today, more boisterous and the white water appeared to be flowing faster and more furious then she remembered. Jessica headed into the change room and started going through her normal pre-race routine, although she kept catching herself falling into daydreams of Jake and having to snap herself out of them to stay focused on the task ahead. The semi finals were first up and she was second in the lineup.

Wading into the water with her kayak she recalled the course, going through her previous two heats and the strategy she had talked through with Jake, remembering where to go hard, and where to let the water lead her. She reached into the pocket of her life jacket and pulled out her wedding ring. She kissed it before securing it back in the breast compartment. For the past few years it had represented the need to take control of her life, instead of just letting things happen to her.

At last her time came and she paddled through the course without making any big mistakes. As the other competitors went through behind her she slowly saw her time fall down the leader board, but was happy when the last kayaker went through and she finished in fifth place over all, qualifying for the finals.

The men's double canoe teams went through next giving Jessica time to prepare for her last race. She took a few minutes to sit back and look around. She had always felt so privileged to find a sport that she excelled in and that gave her opportunities she could never have otherwise imagined. Looking around the venue at the other competitors and all the spectators she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the whole event.

Four years ago Jessica had felt as if all of this was owed to her. Fast forward to the present and she returned humbled, grateful to be part of something so special. Jessica knew that there were no guarantees that she would make it back a third time. She would be 32 by the time the next Olympics came around, and there were sure to be plenty of younger women, coming through the ranks eager to win her spot. Full time work would also impact on her ability to train and compete in the number of races required each year.

Jessica shook out her muscles revving herself up and getting ready to take on the finals. She would be the third competitor of eight and needed to pull out her best effort if she was going to stand up on the podium and become an Olympic medalist.

Wading in to the top of the run she thought of Jake and the pride that had radiated from him when he had showed her his medal. She wanted some of that for herself and in the next few minutes she would get the opportunity to do just that.

The timer counted down to her start and as the buzzer went off she made a strong stroke to get her off the line. The white water carried her down the course at a speed that barely gave her time to react, no matter think. She made it through the first four gates without hesitation. Her mind was honed in on every detail. All at once she was seeing where she was placing her paddle, looking at the orientation and angle of her craft, spotting the currents and the route she planned on taking and counting the gates. She was intensely aware of each breath she drew into her lungs, and she read the clock with her time in her peripheral vision. The crowd became a distant noise.

It was at that point as she became conscious of everything coming together in perfect harmony that she started to think through how well things were going, not only in this final's race but also the last few days with Jake and her life in general. She could feel a blush crawling over her just thinking of his hands upon her and the sound of his laughter tickling her ear. Through her grimace of determination a smile broke through. Everything was falling in place and it all just felt perfect.

Suddenly the tip of her kayak was sucked a few inches beneath the current and went slightly askew. Jessica immediately leant all of her weight to the left to get between the poles of the fifth gate but she barely made it through. It put her on an uneven keel and dropping down into the next series of rapids she rolled, and was trapped in the current.

Jessica held her breath and tried to flip back up only to get pulled straight back under. On her second try she grasped for breath as she broke the surface, but didn't quite make it upright. Pushed under the current once again she made a desperate attempt to roll back up. This time she made it.

Gasping for breath she peered through bleary eyes for the next gate. It came up to soon for her to re-orient herself and she missed the gate, having to paddle back up-stream to try again. She shook her head as she passed through the gate. All her hopes of winning had just been washed downstream.

She reached the end of the run without any more errors, but that damage had been done, she would go home empty handed. She wiped the water, and a few tears, from her eyes and slapped the surface with her hand in frustration. All the work she had put in the past few years had come to nothing. How could she have let her mind wander to Jake in the middle of one of the most important races of her life? She had let him distract her at a crucial moment and the consequences had been disastrous.

Jessica dragged her kayak out of the water and headed back to the change room to grab her gear. Standing under the shower she let the warm water sluice over her tired muscles and contemplated how long she could stay there. She felt ashamed. She knew she could have done so much better. She didn't want to face the reporters, or go back to the apartment where Jake would be waiting for her. She didn't know if she could put up with his sympathetic words.

She ran her hand over her face. If she were completely honest with herself, she had always been a slim chance for a medal and blaming Jake for any of it was unjust. After all she had proved just as big a distraction to him and he had done just fine. Excuses were in the end, just that, excuses. The thing was, she would have liked a clean run, to know that she had done her best and been able to see how she measured up. But by crashing out she could never be sure if she had had it in her to win.

By the time Jessica dragged her butt through the door later that evening she was exhausted from analyzing every move of her race over and over in her head and trying to find peace with it all. Jake was sitting on the couch in the living room with a movie playing on low in the background. He had a series of drawings laid out in front of him. She kicked off her flip-flops and curled up on the far end of the couch.

"I guess you saw it?"

He nodded and she nodded back.

"Jessie..."

"Please don't say anything right now." She couldn't trust herself not to lash out at him, for things that weren't his fault.

He nodded again. She picked up one of the drawings and studied it. It was a sketch of a rocking chair. She was amazed at the detail he included in his drawings. She felt like she could almost reach out and touch it. She could imagine the feel of the chair beneath her.

"Who are you building this for?"

"No one. Just me."

"Oh."

She continued to study it, picking up more and more detail. She could imagine it sitting on the porch of their old house, one of his mothers summer quilts draped over the back. She pictured him sitting down after a hard day's work, drinking a beer and watching the sunset over the Colorado River. He had always been able to relax and sit still as if he had all the time in the world, something she could never do.

"Do you want me to cook you up some dinner?"

"No. I'm not really in the mood. My stomach still feels all twisted." As did her heart.

Jake cleared the couch of his work and edged toward her. He pulled her into his lap and gently massaged her back as she leant her head into his neck.

A solitary tear ran down her cheek and she wondered how she had any tears left after the day's debacle. Jake stroked her hair and she wished for the millionth time that things had been different between them. If only they had taken their time. As if he could hear her every thought Jake spoke soft words into her ear.

"Jessie, I want us to have another go of things. I've been thinking about everything you said and I believe that we could work things out. Business is going well for me and I have more freedom. I can move if you would like, and I have the flexibility to pick and choose work, so I can do as much or as little as would suit us."

Another tear slid down her cheek, although this one was a tear of a different kind.

"How could you trust me not to walk out on you again when the going gets tough?" Her voice was small.

"I would do this all over, even with the possibility that you might leave again."

"Why would you put yourself through that?"

"Because you are worth it Jessie. I love you."

Jake peeled her from him and cupped her face with his hands. Looking in to his eyes she could see only love reflected in them. Perhaps this wasn't the worst day of her life.

"I love you too Jake. I'm so sorry about everything I put you through." She felt good saying the words aloud. "I think it was right person, wrong time."

"And now?"

"Right person, right time."

"Good," he said with a smile. "How about we put the past behind us? From this moment on, we are starting a new life together okay?"

She nodded, as her throat closed up and her heart swelled. Only one small corner still lay encased in ice.

That night Jessica and Jake sat up late into the night and watched reruns on television. She didn't think she could bear to watch any more Olympics just yet. Jessica tried to keep the conversation light, and not obsess with what reconciliation with Jake might mean. Instead she brought up her plans for the rest of their free week. She had a long list of tourist sites that she wanted to visit, and the busier she was, the less time she would have to think. Jake had also managed to secure some tickets to the men's handball and women's wrestling competitions. She thought they were about as different as you could get from kayaking, so hopefully she wouldn't spend the whole time comparing it to her own performance. Nevertheless she was definitely going to cheer for the underdogs.
CHAPTER 7

They wandered hand in hand through a dinosaur display at the Museum of Natural History. Over the past week they had mainly slept in and hung around at various cafes sampling the local food, but today she had managed to drag Jake to a museum for their culture fix.

"I can't believe we are going home tomorrow night."

Jake looked down at Jessica and smiled as if he had only just realized she was there. He hadn't said much since they had gotten up that morning and she wondered what was going through his head.

"I think we got everything done on your list though right?" He finally responded.

"Yep. Are you sure there isn't anywhere you would like to go? We still have all afternoon."

"No, I'm good. I'm just happy to hang out with you."

Jessica stood up on her toes and kissed his freshly shaven cheek. The gallery was full of families on holidays and she felt a pang low in her belly as she watched a little toddler, probably three years old, chase his older brother around the exhibits. Jake draped his arm over her shoulders and drew her close to his side so that he could whisper in her ear.

"So are you going to give me any of your nature commentary? I love it when you talk about all that sexy biology stuff."

She tried to keep a straight face. But the feel of his warm breath on her neck was making it hard to retain that cool, calm persona.

"I don't know that much about dinosaurs."

"Make it up, I'll never know."

Jessica laughed and he joined in. As she started in on a very naughty dinosaur story a trill pierced the air. They both reached for their cell phones, but it wasn't hers that was ringing. Jessica had been desperately trying to reach the airline to make sure that her return trip tomorrow night after the Closing Ceremony had been reinstated by the airline. So far she hadn't been able to reach them and she was getting worried.

Jake checked the caller ID on the screen.

"Sorry. It's my brother I should get this."

He answered the call and walked towards a quiet corner. She couldn't hear any of his conversation, but he didn't look particularly happy when he glanced back at her. She wandered over to study the remains of a Triceratops, giving him some space. It was her favorite dinosaur, although she didn't know why. She had always been interested in anatomy and physiology, not only of humans but all animals. As an athlete she was particularly interested in movement and harnessing power and efficiency. Looking at these massive dinosaurs she wondered how they could maintain their energy and be so agile. It also amazed her how paleontologists were able to discover so much from just a pile of bones.

A warm hand squeezed her shoulder and she looked up.

"Hey Jessie, I'm sorry, but I have to head back to the village. My brother told me that a client wants a design and quote in ASAP so I need to get to a computer."

Jessica stood up from the seat, but even in her heeled shoes she only reached up to his chin.

"That's okay."

He reached out and touched her arm, ducking his head a little to look into her eyes.

"No it's not. I'm really sorry. It should only take a few hours. Why don't you keep going and I'll meet you back at the apartment later tonight. We'll have dinner."

"You don't have to." She waved her hand dismissively.

"I want to."

He leant in and kissed her on the mouth. His lips were soft and tender and Jessica was surprised by how much such a simple thing could affect her. His touch lit a fire in her soul and Jessica clutched on to the front of his shirt as a delicious shiver slivered up her spine. His mouth caressed hers, his tongue tracing her lips till she parted them and let him in. At his first taste of her the kiss changed and became more urgent. Jessica felt that same tension build within her. She reached underneath his t-shirt placing her palms flat against his hard abdominal wall. She needed to feel her skin against his and this just wasn't enough. She let out a breath and he pulled away resting his cheek against hers. He pulled her into his arms.

"Jessie I want you. You totally overwhelm me."

"Ditto," she whispered in return.

"I've really got to go."

"I know," she said. She pulled out of his embrace and smiled.

"I'll see you tonight okay," he said. "I should be back at the apartment about seven. Will you be there?"

"Yes. I'll be there."

"Good." He turned to go but stopped short. "Hey Jessie when you drop your bag at the admin office for the airport delivery service can you take mine too? I think the note under the door said they had to be there by six tonight."

She nodded and he kissed her lightly on the temple before finally heading for the exit. After another half hour, Jessica gave up pretending that she was interested in bones, when all she could think about was seeing Jake again.

Her cheeks were still flushed and a pleasant tingle coursed through her body. It was, she realized, as much a tingle of remembrance as one of anticipation. She decided to go home to finish packing and get the cleaning of the apartment out of the way. That would leave them with all of tomorrow free, before the Closing Ceremony.

The apartment looked sterile and empty without all the little knickknacks that had managed to permeate the living spaces over the last two weeks. Jessica had started in the lounge room and kitchen, and they were both cleared out except for a magazine from the airplane on the coffee table. Next she moved to the bathroom where she checked all the cupboards and behind the mirror. All she left behind were their two toothbrushes and paste, sitting side by side, on the sink.

The last room Jessica searched through was the bedroom. She did the required checks under the bed and behind the chest of drawers. Standing back up she noticed Jake had left a picture on top. She immediately recognized Jake's mother and brother. The three of them were crowded around a beautiful woman with dark olive skin and jet black hair who was cradling a baby wrapped tightly in a pink blanket. They all sported silly grins and looked as if they were fighting over who would get to hold the baby first. Jessica brought the picture closer to her face to try and get a closer look at Jake.

She wondered for the millionth time what it might have been like to have a family with Jake. He had wanted to start a family straight away but she was more interested in starting a career and working towards the next Olympics. She remembered as clearly as if it were yesterday when he had found out that she was secretly taking the pill. She hadn't had the heart to tell him she wasn't ready to have a child, when he was so keen. So she had started taking it behind his back, just hoping to hold it all off for a few years, stupid enough to think he wouldn't notice. Nowadays she was ashamed of her behavior, unbelieving that he could have forgiven her so easily.

Jake rubbed his eyes with his palms. He hated staring at computers for hours on end but he had needed to work through a return client's request for a new ornate study desk. He had scanned in the sketches and provided some feedback and ideas, as well as a quote, so that they could decide if they were going to go ahead. Jake knew that if he waited till he returned to work the client might choose to go elsewhere and he really wanted the job. He hadn't built a desk in a few years, and looked forward to the challenge of something different.

The business had grown substantially since Jessica had left him. Shortly after returning from Oklahoma City to look for her he was contacted by a big Hollywood director who had just purchased a house in Glenwood Springs. He'd wanted to remodel the house to look like an old-fashioned log cabin and commissioned Jake to build a cabinet centerpiece for the main room out of rare timber. The cabinet held the numerous awards that the director had won, including an Oscar, and was subsequently showcased on a television show and in numerous design magazines.

Almost overnight he had become a sought after craftsmen and had shifted from residential work to custom design unique pieces. He received requests from all over the country, even overseas. His brother, since graduating from the University of Colorado, had moved to Aspen and married a woman who worked on the ski patrol. He owned a small guiding company and had agreed to help out by also taking care of the business side of things for Jake, so that he could concentrate on design and creation.

Jake enjoyed his life, traveling around to meet with clients and to source timber and other materials for his projects, and he was lucky to be able to pick and choose his work. People paid way too much for it in his opinion, but that meant he had been able to accumulate more than enough wealth, and was able to work as much or as little as he desired. He had used his spare time mainly to train for canoeing, but even that wasn't enough to fill his time nowadays.

As he approached and knocked on the apartment door he wondered what Jessie would think of his success. He glanced at his watch and let out an oath. It was nearly eleven. He sucked in a breath expecting Jessica to throw open the door and start screaming at him, just like she used to.

The door opened in a whoosh and he noticed that some of her hair had been pulled out of her ponytail and her mascara was slightly smudged around her eyes like she had been crying.

"Jessie I'm..."

"Where have you been?" She shrieked, her hands thrown up in question.

Shit. He was definitely in for it, he quickly walked through the door closing it behind him, so perhaps the whole floor wouldn't have to listen to them fighting. Just as the door shut she launched herself at him. He braced himself expecting her to give him a whack on the arm, instead she jumped on him so that her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck till he couldn't breath. He heard a cracked sob escape from her mouth that was deeply buried in the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her, holding tight as her wet tears spilled down his t-shirt. He had no idea what was going on.

After a minute trying to fathom what had just happened Jake ran his hands up her arms and gently untangled them from behind his neck. He pulled away so that he could see her face.

"Sweetie what's wrong? What happened?"

She hit her fists against his chest.

"Where have you been? Why didn't you call me? I didn't know if you were dead, or beaten, or God knows what might have happened to you."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize the time."

"I couldn't find you. I looked all over the village for you, all the computer labs, everywhere."

"I'm so sorry."

He pulled her against him again, making soft calming noises as he pulled her hair from its ponytail and ran his fingers through the silky strands. He had never seen her react this way before. He had expected her to be angry, not upset. Jake felt like an asshole for not contacting her. His phone battery had been used up talking to his brother and he hadn't even thought of calling her.

He could hear muffled sniffles and his heart cracked in two at the thought that he had done this to her. He placed gentle butterfly kisses on her forehead and her tear jeweled eyes. Jessie sighed and he caught it with his own mouth, burying it deep in his gut. He would do anything to make her feel better.

He broke the kiss and she looked up into his eyes.

"I'm so glad you're safe. I was so worried about you"

"I promise, I won't ever do that to you again."

This time it was Jessie who stood up on her tippy toes to kiss him full on the mouth. He could feel an edge of desperation to her kiss. She ran her hands over his body, as if needing to make sure for herself that he was all right. Picking her up and carrying her into the bedroom, he lowered her on to her feet by the bed. Jake turned her around and slowly unzipped the back of her dress, then pulled it down and she stepped out of it. He draped it over a nearby chair and stripped off himself. She looked so vulnerable and he quickly drew her back into his arms. What the hell had happened to her whilst they had been apart to elicit this reaction?

Pulling the covers down they climbed into bed and he drew her back against his chest. Laying in the dark he listened to their mingling breaths. Jake heard her breathing eventually even out and thought she had gone to sleep until he felt her squirm beside him.

"What's up?"

"Jake. There's something I need to tell you," she said in the dark.

"What is it?" He asked as he stroked her silky hair.

She withdrew from his arms and sat up against the headboard, tucking her legs up to her chest.

"When I left you three years ago I was pregnant." She rushed out.

Jake felt like he had just been slammed in the gut with a fist. He sat up, his legs planted on the floor and ran a hand through his hair, whatever he had been expecting, it hadn't been that. His mouth moved but no words came out, then he dropped his head into his hands. After a long while he trusted himself to talk.

"Are you saying you had a kid with someone else?"

"God no. Jake. No."

Jessica's put her hands on his shoulder, but when he flinched involuntarily she quickly withdrew them.

"I don't understand. How did you get pregnant? Were you trying to? Did you stop taking the pill?"

Not waiting for her answer Jake got up off the bed, unable to sit still, and flipping on the light switch searched the floor for his jeans and yanked them on. He felt like bugs were crawling under his skin. Looking out the window at the village life below him, he tried to concentrate and think, but his brain felt like mush. He couldn't get past the bombshell that had just been dropped on him. Peering over his shoulder he noticed the tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and puffy. Jake hated watching Jessie cry, but this time he couldn't move to comfort her.

"No. I was still on the pill."

He stared at her as he tried to process her words. He felt so freakin' confused.

"So how did you get pregnant then?"

She threw her arms up in the air.

"I don't know, I just did."

"So you're telling me, you were carrying our child and you just left, without telling me. What happened? Did you have it?"

"No. Jake. I didn't have It. I had a miscarriage a few weeks later."

"Where were you?"

"Florida."

"Florida? Why were you there?"

"I just needed some time to think about us and a friend from college had a small holiday bungalow on the coast that was sitting empty so she let me stay there. About two weeks after I got there, I was miserable and I was ready to come home."

"Yeah? Really? So why didn't you?"

"It was a stinking hot day and the house was like a boiler room, so I went down to the local shopping mall to sit in the air conditioning, get some lunch, and buy some music to listen to on the drive back to Colorado."

"What has this got to do with anything?" He cut in.

"I had finished my lunch and was heading back to the bungalow. I was walking on an overpass, reading the back a CD case and I lost my balance and fell down the steps. I wasn't hurt too badly, just cuts and bruises, but later that day I noticed I was bleeding. I went to the hospital and found out that I'd had a miscarriage, it was the first I knew that I was even pregnant. They said it was most likely because I was still taking the pill."

She took a deep breath and hurried on. It was like she had been waiting to get this out of her system for a long time and now she had started she just couldn't stop. Although she didn't have to worry about him cutting in, he couldn't find the words to say anyway.

"My little sister was pregnant at the same time only a few more months along then I was I didn't want to scare her, so I just stayed in Florida until I was better. By then I couldn't bear the thought of coming back to you. I knew how badly you wanted kids and I just wasn't ready for that. I mean I felt relieved that I wasn't pregnant, how bad is that? Like I told you before I was so obsessed with following this path I had set for myself, the pregnancy would have just been another thing that took me away from what I had set out to achieve. That was when I knew I couldn't return to you. It wouldn't have been fair to stay with you when we wanted such different things. You deserved better."

"If you had decided you weren't coming back you should have had the decency to call and tell me, rather than just leaving me wondering what the hell had happened to us."

Even as he spoke a wide chasm opened up in his chest. They had, for a short time, had a child together. A child she hadn't wanted, but that he had, more than anything. Perhaps if she had been with him he would have picked up on some of the signs she hadn't, then they might have discovered she was pregnant and everything would have been okay. Then again he guessed it wouldn't. She would have felt even more trapped and unhappy and that wouldn't have been good for their child. Three years ago they were both at different points in their lives and he had never given that the attention it warranted.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before."

He nodded in acknowledgment of her words, but didn't look at her.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asked.

"I didn't want to cause you anymore pain then I already had. There was nothing that could have been done. I thought it was for the best, but I was wrong. I was really just a coward. Everything I have done is unforgivable and there isn't really anything I can say to make up for what I've done to you."

Jake let out a string of curses and stalked out of the room. Pacing around the small apartment he felt as if all the emotions running through his chest could burst out at any moment. He searched for the words that he really wanted to say to her, but they just weren't there and at some point he gave up trying.

CHAPTER 8

After going over and over in his head a million times what she had said, Jake knocked on the bedroom door then opening it peered inside. He didn't know how long he had been pacing around but Jessie was still sitting on the bed. She had put on her silver beaded dress that she'd worn earlier. Sitting down beside her Jake reached for her hands and held them in his own, placing them against his heart. Jessica opened up her mouth to speak but he put a finger against her lips.

"Please let me say this first. I forgot that you had a whole life before we met and being with me didn't mean that you wanted to give up all of that."

He saw a gleam of hope in her reddened eyes that hadn't been there before.

"Sadly that was exactly what my mother said to me when you first left, but I was too angry to listen to what she was saying. If I had..."

He broke off. If he had then they wouldn't have been apart all this time that they should have been together.

"If I had, then maybe we would never have gone through all of this. You know she always stood up for you. Told me I had been the fool."

A smile crossed her lips.

"I always loved your mother."

"And she has always loved you too."

Jake smiled at her now. Feeling like they had both reached the truth. That they had finally admitted to all of the things that should have been voiced a long time ago.

"Jessica I think we both totally screwed this thing up between us. But we still have our whole life's ahead of us and I know that I want you in mine."

She opened up her mouth with something that looked like hesitation.

"We don't have to live in Glenwood Springs, we can go wherever you want, I could move to Oklahoma."

"It's a big step Jake."

"It's the right step. Anyway, just think about it okay."

She nodded.

"I will."

Jessica woke as soon as the first ray of sunlight hit the window the next morning. She had barely been able to catch a wink the previous night, too excited about the Closing Ceremony and a new beginning with Jake. Finally giving up she decided to go and have a shower. The temperature had swung from hot to freezing cold in the last few days and her toes, which had been poking out of the bottom of the covers, felt half frozen.

When she returned Jake was still out like a light, now sleeping on his back, one arm draped over his chest and the other outstretched on the bed. She felt relieved to finally have told Jake about why she had never returned. He deserved someone who could give him what he wanted, and back then she was sure it wasn't her.

She put on her suit for the Closing Ceremony. It was all she had besides the dress from the night before that she had ended up sleeping in. The rest had been packed up and dropped off, along with Jake's bag, at the athlete's village remote airport check in service the previous day. The bags would be taken to the airport where they would pick them up that night when they were ready to check in for their flight home.

She picked up her handbag that she had packed for the airplane. It contained the rest of her things including her passport and purse. She hadn't been able to reach the airline since she arrived in country and had no confirmation that her flights back had been sorted. She wandered into the lounge room but with each step out of the bedroom the bars on her cell phone disappeared. She huffed when the last bar dropped from the screen. Realizing that she wasn't going to get a good signal in the apartment and would probably end up waking Jake anyway she slid out the door and went down to the foyer.

Dialing the airline's number, which by now she knew by heart, she cried out in frustration when she got nothing but another busy signal.

"Come on it's only six in the morning, how busy can you be. Damn airline. Pick up."

"Morning Ma'am."

She turned around to see a uniformed man with bright orange hair and a big bushy moustache, a clipboard in hand.

"You trying to get on to your airline?" He said in a thick nasal accent. Pointing at her cell.

"Yes I was. Why?"

He walked towards her, taking in her uniform.

"American hey. When are you flying out?"

"Well tonight hopefully, but my bookings were cancelled coming here and I haven't been able to confirm that they have been re-issued since I arrived here."'

"Oh dear. What a muck. Well look I'm headed there right now."

"Where?"  
"Airport of course. I'm dropping off the athlete's bags." He pointed at the logo on his shirt. "Is that where you are meant to be flying out of? If so I could give you a ride there, then you can sort it all out in person."

"Oh that sounds like a great idea. So when did you say you were going?"

"Right now. Actually I'm already a few minutes behind schedule. So are you coming then?"

Jessica peered at his identification tag. It said right there in bold letters airport courier.

"Umm, how long will it take?"

"I'm due back here by 8:30 for the next load."

"That quick. Umm. Sure. Can I just run upstairs for a second?"

"Sorry, no time."

Jessica looked down at her cell phone. She hadn't been able to get onto the airline all week, this was probably going to be her best chance. Plus Jake had been waking up later and later each morning, so it was likely she would be back before he even got up. She would text him, so that he knew where she was, and try and call him later too.

"Okay thanks."

They headed to his van discussing the Opening Ceremony, the upcoming Closing Ceremony, and everything in-between.

The road to the airport was bursting with traffic.

"So Jessica, what sort of athlete are you? Do you mind if I guess?"

"No not at all. Go ahead." She said laughing as he studied her intently.

"Well you are too short to be a basketballer. Sorry if you are one." He hunched his shoulders as if he might just have insulted her but she just chuckled and he kept going. "Hmm. Too big to be a gymnast, again sorry if you are one."

He peered over at her again when they were stopped at a set of lights, looking for hints. She splayed out her hands in front of him so that he could see all the calluses. There wasn't very much else that would give away a kayaker.

"You're a tough one. I guess no ball sport is going to do that to your hands. You must be a rower."

"Hey you're pretty close. I do slalom kayaking."

"Oh that's an exciting sport. I went white water rafting once, but it scared the life out of me. Never again. Do you get scared in the water?"

"No, not anymore. The place where I train I have been playing in for years. I am sure I know every pebble in that river. Plus you get really good at reading the water over time. Learn what to avoid and where it will be safe."

"So how did you go, do you mind me asking?"

"I got into the finals, but I didn't do very well in my last race. Actually I really sucked."

"Well that is relative don't you think. You made it to the Olympic finals and that's a massive achievement in anyone's eyes." He stroked his moustache. "You know I was into tennis growing up, but I was never really any good, would have loved to be though."

"Yeah? I guess you are right, it is a big achievement."

"Damn straight. Plus it gives you a good reason to come back next time hey."

"Exactly." That was certainly one way to look at things.

They fell into a comfortable silence as he navigated through the horrendous traffic. Once they arrived at international terminal she organized to meet William for the return journey and tried again to reach Jake on his cell phone but it went straight to message bank.

Jake woke up the next morning and noticed that the other half of the tiny bed was vacant and cold. He could tell that he had slept in much later then normal because the sun was up so high that it was no longer shining in through the window. It was their last day, and he was surprised that Jessie hadn't woken him earlier. He rubbed his eyes and searched for his watch on the nightstand only to realize that it was all packed in his bag, ready to leave.

He called out to Jessie, but there was no response. Diving through his bag for his watch he read the face and not believing it to be true ran into the kitchen to check it against the microwave. Yep it was one o'clock. He ran back into the bedroom and pulled out his cell phone but it was dead and too late he realized he had packed the charger into his large suitcase that had been dropped off yesterday for the airport.

"Shit. Jessie, who's worried about who now?"

He walked back into the bedroom and noticed that her bag was gone too. He wandered through the house and realized nothing of hers was there. It took him a few moments for the penny to drop. She had left him. Again. He kicked the wall leaving a small dent in the plaster before dropping down on to the bed. His heart pounded in his chest and he wanted to scream and tear the room to pieces. He had thought they had sorted everything out. He had also thought she loved him. What a fool.

Jake pulled on his blazer and straightened his tie in the mirror. He just couldn't seem to get the knot right. It looked tight. It felt tight. He was due to meet the rest of the US Canoe/Kayak team for a late lunch before heading over to the stadium for the Closing Ceremony. Right now though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He would much rather just head straight to the airport and back to his life.

The Olympics for him was tied so intrinsically to Jessie that with her gone none of it felt right. He wished that he had talked to her more last night, rather then just held her. He assumed they would have all day to talk, before heading home to the States. But then again he knew from experience that she ran out when things were a little tough, he should have known better.

The afternoon thankfully passed quickly. First he handed in the keys to the apartment back to the administration office, then there was the team lunch and finally he headed over to the Olympic Park. Jake took his place amongst his countrymen ready to walk back out into the stadium. He looked around at all the smiling faces and flashing cameras. Everyone was here living their dream and somehow he felt like he was living his nightmare.

Everyone started moving forward, as one by one they moved out in to the arena. There was a sense of déjà vu. Here he was, standing in the tunnels about to go out into the arena and instead of thinking about how he had come to be here and what he had achieved the only thing that could sustain his mind were thoughts of Jessie.

As the bright lights of the stadium hit him he heard his name being called off in the distance. He stood on the threshold peering back into the dim tunnels, trying to locate the person who had called out to him.

Searching the crowd he didn't see anyone he knew, but someone grasped onto his arm and he looked down beside him.

"Jessie. What are you doing here?"

He pulled his arm from her grip. He couldn't figure out if he was angry with her, or relieved or what. Her brows drew together in confusion before she launched into her answer.

"I can't believe I'm so late. I nearly missed everything."

"Where the hell have you been all day?"

She took a step back, her eyes a little wide as if she had just cottoned on that he wasn't happy.

"The airport."

"You were going to leave?"

He took a step away from her. Whatever game she was playing he wasn't interested anymore. He entered the stadium, whilst she stood still, too stunned to move. Did she expect that he wouldn't stand up for himself?

"What? No. Wait."

Jessie finally started running and she tugged on his arm again trying to stop him. He waved to the crowd and tried to ignore her and take everything else in.

"You know my tickets were cancelled and that I hadn't been able to get on to the airline since I got here. I ran into a courier, who was taking the luggage to the airport for the athletes. He offered me a lift so that I could go and get everything sorted in person. It just took a lot longer then I expected. The airline obviously has something against me. Anyway I got it all sorted, but then the van broke down on the way back and we got stuck in peak hour traffic."

She held out her hands in front of him so he could see the black streaks on her hands, proving that she had been helping fix the car. "I've been trying to call you all day, but your phone was switched off. I even tried to call the restaurant where the team met for lunch but they wouldn't pick up either."

Jake had to admit, it sounded plausible. His phone had been switched off after all, so he couldn't blame her for that. He took a deep breath and waved at the spectators in the arena. He tried to get rid of all the anger and frustration that had built up in him through the day. He laced his hand through hers and looked into her eyes.

"You didn't leave me?"

"No Jake. I love you," she said against his ear so he could hear her above the crowd.

He let the statement wash over him, a smile spreading across his face.

"There's one more thing though."

He blew out a breath. What now he thought with frustration.

"What is that Jessie?"

"I changed my ticket. I'm not going back to Oklahoma. I'm going back to Glenwood Springs with you. I want to come home with you and build our life together."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed the only woman he had ever loved and he felt all the cracks that had formed in his heart since she had left him fit back together. The crowd roared as the fireworks lit up the night sky, but Jake was too busy holding Jessie to care about anything else.
EPILOGUE

Jake pulled Jenna down onto his lap. He had let her buy some pink fairy floss and now she was jumping up and down on the chair and shouting out to her mummy out on the arena floor. He had had to do her hair that morning and by now it was nothing more than a scraggly blonde halo around her face. Her face was painted with a 'Go Mom' on one chubby cheek and the American flag on the other. Jenna and her cousin Lucy, who was sitting between Jake and his sister-in-law, Melody, were both wearing matching bright orange, pink and green dresses. Jessica had picked them up from the Olympic village on the first day and neither had worn anything else since.

"Is mommy going to race now?"

Jake nodded.

"This is the last race."

He laughed as his daughter's eyes went wide and she turned back to watch her mom at the start of the course. He held his breath as the clock counted down to zero and he watched Jessie put in her first paddle stroke. She had worked harder than anyone he had known to get back into racing form after Jenna was born so that she would be ready for this day. Jake was constantly amazed at all his wife managed to achieve, he could understand now how difficult it must have been for her to be so idle that first year of their marriage.

Jessica moved through the course with such precision and focus. Her apparently effortless paddling made it all look so simple. Jake knew, however, that she was operating on a level all her own today, she had come back to the Olympics and blown the competition out of the water in the semi finals. She was the last competitor in the finals and if she ran anything like she had in the last race she was guaranteed victory. Jenna grabbed a hold of his hand and he squeezed it in return. His daughter seemed to understand how important this race was to her mom.

The crowd watched as she passed through the last few gates. Jessica had been worried that she would end up bombing out in the finals as she had in the previous Olympics, but she needn't have worried. When she finally made it to the bottom Jake wiped the sweat from his brow. Only then that he could breath again. He felt as worn out as if he had been racing himself.

The time flashed up on the board as well as a bold number 1 in front of her name. A loud cheer erupted from the stands and Jake whooped in delight, pumping his fist. He jumped out of his seat and lifted Jenna up into the air.

"She did it baby. Your mom won."

Jake kissed his daughter and gave his sister-in-law and niece each a hug in turn. As Jessica hopped out of the water she dropped her kayak and ran towards them. Jake edged his way to the end of the stand and ran down the stairs to meet her at the bottom. He pulled her into a kiss and heard the crowd respond.

"You did it Jessie. You got the Gold."

"I can't believe it," she gasped, still trying to draw air back into her lungs.

A tear rolled down her cheek and he wiped it away.

"I'm so proud of you sweetie."

She pulled him in for a hug and leant down to kiss Jenna who had run down to greet her too. Jake watched as Jessie pulled their daughter over the barrier and carried her back to the kayak. Jessie gave Jenna the paddle to carry whilst she hauled the vessel over to a stand.

An hour later Jake, Jenna, Melody and Lucy all had tears in their eyes as they watched Jessie stand up on the top podium to receive her medal. The anthem began to play and Jake felt his chest explode with pride for her. Melody reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You guys are getting quite a collection aren't you?"

He grinned and shrugged his shoulders as she laughed. He felt a tug on his shirt and looked down at Lucy.

"Uncle Jake. I'm going to be a kayaker like Auntie Jessica. Mom said I can start my lessons next year and that I can have Auntie Jessica's first boat. When I grow up I'm going to win a gold medal too."

Jake ruffled her hair.

"I think Auntie Jessica will be so happy to hear that Lucy."

"Me too daddy."

He peered at his daughter, who was still chomping away at the fairy floss.

"Well I think you will both be brilliant kayakers, you were born for it."

As the anthem came to a close and Jessica stepped down from the podium she couldn't help but thank her lucky stars for whomever had cancelled her flights and accommodation last Olympics, and thrown her and Jake back together. Although the weight of the medal around her neck reminded her that she had finally achieved a life dream, she was more excited about getting back to her husband and child.

A grin split across her face. She had finally reached the end of the life plan that she had set out when she was a teenager. The rest of her days were an open book full of possibilities, and that was exactly how she intended to keep it.

