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vladi

T his is the first morning I have woken up in this hotel room not sweating my ass off due to the temperature.

But the warmth in my heart, with my Magdalina curled up next to me, is enough to melt the coldest ice.

The war we had over the temperature this week has been the reflection of what’s been happening between us for God knows how long.

Have we finally settled on something in the middle?

I watch her sleep, a lazy smile tugging at my lips—her adorable snore still buzzing, her hair a beautiful mess from our night of passion.

We went from nearly attacking each other when we came into the room to exploring every inch of one another.

I think I’ve memorized every piece of her.

She’s the artist, but I am confident I could draw a map outlining her with my eyes closed.

The way her hips curve just before dipping back toward her thighs.

The way one of her breasts is just the slightest bit bigger than the other.

The way her waist has the slightest softness to it.

Most women obsess over having a tiny waist, but that doesn’t interest me at all. My Magdalina is… perfect .

“Mmmm…what time is it, Wolfie?” she croaks without even opening her eyes.

“Good morning, lisichka ,” I say, pressing a kiss to her head, our naked bodies still curled together. “It’s almost eight.”

“Ugh… eight? Why are you awake so early?” she mumbles into her pillow, and I can’t help the smile that crawls up my face.

“Can’t shake the hockey routine.”

She rolls over to face me as a sleepy smile spreads across her face. “You’re still here.”

The unspoken words linger between us. I left her.

My heart sinks at the poor decision I made that night.

The continued agony of choosing to avoid her for months.

To never reach out to her, even just to pay for the dress I ripped to shreds.

But last night was amazing. And I don’t want to get into my fears today. I just want to be with her .

“Where else would I be, Magdalina?”

As the words leave my mouth, she leans up to gently press her lips to mine. My chest doesn’t feel tight this morning. Instead, something flutters inside it. What would it be like to wake up to her kisses every morning?

“Can I ask you another question, Wolfie? Wait…two questions actually.”

I chuckle at her request. “Why do I feel like we keep interrogating one another? We’ve discussed I am not an actual spy, yes?”

“I’m still not convinced,” she says with a wink. “But…okay, my first question. Why didn’t you pack any condoms this week?”

I run my hand over my face as she giggles next to me. “I didn’t think I would need them.”

She tilts her head, her brows narrowing. “Why not?”

“Because I thought you hated me. I figured I’d messed things up too much.”

“Well…I did kinda hate you,” she says, playfully running a single finger down my chest, stopping to play with the metal bar she’s enamored with. She has no idea I got it because of her.

“I’m aware.”

“Wait, you didn’t think you’d get some hot piece of action while you were here? You’re kind of a catch, Vladi.”

“No.” I say a little sharper than intended. The insinuation of me being with anyone but her makes my stomach clench. “No one outside of this room has my interest.”

And no one ever will.

Her eyes widen, bright as the sun peeking out over the horizon, her chest rising and falling.

“What’s your second question?”

She blinks fast, caught between shock and curiosity. “Umm…yeah. Second question. Why did you bring my panties with you on this trip?”

I shake my head as she laughs once again, and I can’t help but crack a smile at the way she knows she’s getting to me. I could lie. I could tell her it was just an impulse grab when I was packing. But the way she’s looking at me, I can’t tell her anything but the truth.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes, refusing to be embarrassed about getting caught, then open them to look directly into hers. “I take them everywhere.”

Her jaw drops open and suddenly my thoughts focus on her lips wrapped around the morning erection I have. Maybe I can distract her from this question with something we’ll both enjoy more. But she’s too quick and finally musters out, “ Everywhere? What do you mean everywhere?”

“I don’t ever travel without them.”

“Wait…wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me my panties are like those cheesy American Express commercials? You never leave home without them? But you said you didn’t have a panty fetish. ”

I close my eyes and shake my head, already knowing where this is headed. “I don’t.”

Her mouth opens and closes a few times as she scrunches her face. “Okay, explain this to me like I’m five. Why do you take my panties with you everywhere you go?”

I look up to the ceiling, wishing it were the ice, something cold and familiar. My hand drags over the stubble on my chin. I’m on my own with this one. “After that night, I took them home. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. It was honestly the best sex I’ve ever had.”

She looks at me, fighting back a smile with fully blushed cheeks. “Agreed.”

“I was headed out of town for a two-game road trip the next day, and I threw them in my bag on a whim. And…we won the first game. Then we won the next game.”

Her eyes go wide as she tilts her head to the side, fighting a teasing grin. “Wait a minute… my panties are-”

“My good luck charm,” I mumble, placing my hand completely over my face. But she grabs my arm, pulling it toward her chest and placing both our hands against her skin. Over her rapidly beating heart.

“In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined I’d be lying in bed watching Vladimir Volkov blush as he confesses that my panties are his good luck charm.” She snorts, a wicked smile on her face. “I have a lot of questions.”

I let out a growling laugh as she rapid fires her curiosities at me faster than pucks come at me during warmups.

I go on to explain to her the uniqueness of this good luck charm and the precautions I feel compelled to take.

I inform her that they don’t go anywhere near my gear bag, which she claims probably smells like ‘death and armpit’, and that they are safely tucked in my toiletry bag, inside another black silk bag I purchased specifically to transport them.

And that the rest of the team does not, and will not, ever know about my superstition.

Ever. They can keep thinking it’s Bougie sitting next to me on the plane, although my superstitions also won’t let me change that routine up either.

“I’m happy to know our night had that effect on you. I felt the same way. But the way you left, the way you didn’t talk to me afterward, I assumed I did something wrong,” the corners of her lips falling flat as her voice trails off.

“Magdalina, you did nothing wrong. After I left, I assumed you didn’t want to talk to me either. You hated me.”

Her face softens, a spark of something in her eyes hinting at forgiveness. “I don’t hate you, Wolfie.”

“You did.”

She shakes her head. “I never really hated you. Was I pissed? Yes. Did I want to kick you in the shins without your goalie pads on? Absolutely. At first, I wanted to kick you in the balls, but I decided I would kick you in the shins instead because you would be expecting me to kick you in the balls, so…surprise! Now you have shin splints,” she says as she pretends to karate chop me.

I can’t help but let out another laugh. God, this woman makes me laugh.

A warmth fills my lungs—relief knowing she didn’t actually despise me.

“ But I never hated you. I just thought that night was…” She pauses, trying to find the words I know she’s about to say.

I know because I feel it too.

“It felt like more than sex.”

She closes her eyes as she nods slowly, her lips pursed together.

“ Lisichka , look at me.” I whisper, as I pull her chin up to face me fully.

A pit forms in my stomach, locking my jaw before I can tell this woman I want her to be mine forever.

Before I can confess the darkness of why I can’t be with her.

Before I can admit she is all I want. The tightness in my chest is back, stealing my breath as the edges of the room dim.

I’m not enough for her. I can’t bear to lose her, but I fear I’m going to anyway.

Sucking in a ragged breath, I finally let the only words I have spill out.

“It was.”

I lean in to kiss her, the warmth of her body, her heart, her everything, melting into me once more.

“Then why…”

Our phones both buzz on the nightstands on either side of our bed, pulling us out of the lazy morning.

The group text for the weekend is now in full swing, messages coming in faster than I can keep up with.

I don’t know why Bougie insists on saying good morning every day.

I also have a string of texts from Larsy asking me what the hell happened last night, and I’m sure Maggie has the same from Olivia.

My jaw clenches at the thought of our friends seeing the scene we caused last night. Goddammit.

“Holy shit, that is a lot of texts from Liv,” she says, swiping her phone furiously. “Looks like they want us all to meet for breakfast soon. Soooo…what the hell are we going to tell everyone?”