(rivals to lovers, small town, sports) (Season 2 ongoing) After a devastating Olympic loss puts her career in a downward spiral, an aging skier returns to her laid-back mountain hometown to rediscover her love of her sport and instead finds herself...
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Summer woke up in the stillness before her alarm. She only had to turn her head a little to see the engagement balloons Juniper had bought for her not-so-surprise party. They bobbed and danced in the warm air blowing from the heat vent in the corner.
She smiled, then giggled a little, then buried her face in her pillow and kicked her feet into the mattress.
Yesterday had been so unexpected.
No one called her beautiful. People talked about her skiing or called her a role model. They didn't see her as someone to be desired. They didn't tell her she was gorgeous.
And, yes, pet names had always given her second-hand embarrassment, but when Juniper had called her sweetheart in that low voice, it had just about destroyed her. In a good way. A brain-melting, life-changing kind of way. Just thinking about it made her squeeze her thighs together against the sudden rush of heat.
Maybe the most surprising part was her orgasm. When she was alone it often took so long that it started to feel like a chore. This hadn't felt like a chore. It had felt like a revelation. Juniper had made it so... easy. And so good.
Maybe that was the difference when you were with a partner. She wouldn't know. She'd never made it that far with Elliot. Not that she hadn't tried. He had always been more than happy to receive, but if she asked for what she wanted, he would accuse her of killing the mood. Later, he'd say, but later never seemed to arrive.
It had been a little humiliating, but everything with Elliot had been a little humiliating. How hard she'd fallen for him. The way he had acted supportive in public but turned mean whenever she won a race. When she had qualified for the World Cup before him and he said he would miss her, and she had believed it. Had almost made an unbelievably stupid career decision over it.
Juniper was a better lover as her friend with benefits than Elliot had ever been as her boyfriend.
She let herself feel the excitement out before she put the pillow down and took some deep breaths. This morning they were skiing, and she needed to focus. She couldn't handle a repeat of yesterday.
A repeat of the falling part, that is. She absolutely wanted to have sex with Juniper again. As soon as possible, preferably.
Her alarm rang, and she herded her thoughts into line as she got dressed.
The fall had left her sore and stiff in a hundred places, but her real concern was whether her mind would stay stuck on yesterday. The whole point of this arrangement was that it would only be a distraction when she wanted it to be. Meditation would be the first test. Alone together in the studio, Juniper might flirt with her, or Summer might spiral over yesterday's memories.
Summer arrived first to a dark, cool room. She set out her mat and got settled, preparing herself.
When Juniper came in a few minutes later, she didn't say a word, just crossed her legs and gave Summer a small smile. A normal, friendly smile, not suggestive at all. Then she closed her eyes.
