A Secret You Can Keep
Spencer.
Today was the day everything began for a lot of Olympians, but two days prior I had qualified with all the other snowboarders for slopestyle. The men had their semifinals and finals in slope today starting around 09:30, while mine was tomorrow at 10:30. That meant both days would be dedicated strictly to snowboarding.
I was up and hitting the pow long before the sun ever thought of rising. Sage, Shawn, Taylor, and one or two other guys joined me after the first hour and a half. I didn’t stay out with them longer than an hour, I knew they would need to do last minute practice runs and limber up before their semifinal runs. So when I turned in for my boarding this morning, I returned to the Olympic Village and to my room for a hot shower; the hot water problem had been fixed, thankfully. From there, I pulled on one of my Team USA track snow-suits and headed back to the slopes.
After the first night in the huge USA building, they moved the snowboarders to a special complex atop one of the mountains that was still, technically, in Olympic Village. My trek down to the stands was quick and simple, and I arrived just in time for the first couple runs. Taylor joined me shortly after, clean and refreshed from his post-practice shower, and our conversations consisted mostly of our biggest competition or analyzing guys’ runs.
We were thrilled when Sage won gold later that evening, hopping over the rail and jumping into an embrace of him with the rest of his team present. It was a night of celebration, but I retired to my room early with promises from the guys to be at my semifinals in the morning.
I had been so caught up in the event, I hadn’t even bothered to check my cell phone since 09:30 this morning. There was a group message Patrick had started between Jonathan, myself, and himself making sure to thank us for the invite to dinner last night… to which Jonathan replied with a simple, ‘fuck off’. There were a couple texts from Ariella, one in regard to Sidney and the other asking how the ‘movie’ with Jonathan went.
I saved two texts for last, though.
From: Tazer
Good Morning, thanks for going out with me last night. I had fun, even if it did get a little awkward at times. 9:45
Speaking of, maybe we could go out just us sometime? Tonight, tomorrow night… whenever. 13:53
From: Spencer
Shit, Jonathan! So sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I’ve basically been at the slopes all day; I was there for an early practice and then I stayed up here for men’s slopestyle.
Just moments later, a typing bubble popped up. I grinned and plugged my phone into the bedside charger before changing into some silk pajamas. Halfway through putting my little shorts on, the text tone met my ears.
I flipped the light switch off and hopped into the bed, squinting at the bright light from the phone screen.
I figured you might be doing that. Are you still out? 20:34
No, I’m not. I got back to my room maybe 15 min ago, and I’m actually in bed right now. I have semifinals at 10:30, and I need to get a decent couple of runs before anyone really gets around up there.
I’ll see you after your semi’s then, if that’s alright with you. Sweet dreams. 20:37
Can’t wait, sweet dreams.
Shawn was already waiting for me when I reached the top of the slope four hours before semi’s started. We made a couple of runs, but as the minutes fazed into hours my nerves of steel began to melt. Shawn did everything he could to help relax me, made slight corrections to my run or a minute adjustment to my form. He reminded me of the little things that would dock points and things to be more aware of than others.
With forty minutes before the other competitors would line up for the semi-finals to start, Shawn and I had just finished my last practice run. My limbs were loose and warm, and he had instilled a new confidence in me.
“Alright, I’m going to go shower real quick. Sage and I will be cheering for you,” smiled Shawn, giving me a brotherly side hug.
“Thanks, Shawn. Seriously, you’re the best,” I sighed, letting my head rest on the side of his shoulder for a brief second.
“Your run is gonna be so gnarly, Spence, don’t even worry. You’re pure spoice.”
“We’ll see.”
Shawn rolled his eyes before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I waved as he turned to head towards the men’s building, and then moving slowly towards my own. I wasn’t expecting Jonathan to be leaning casually beside the door, the faintest of smiles gracing his lips.
“Jonathan,” I breathed, lips curling more into a smile with each step he took towards me. “What’re… what’re you doing up here?”
He shrugged, standing directly in front of me now. “I couldn’t wait till after semi-finals to see you.”
I adjusted my hold on my snowboard and leaned my cheek against the top, unsure of how to respond. We stood in spot, smiling at each other for a few moments.
“I saw a little bit of your… routine? It looks really good,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes flickered briefly to the slope behind me.
“Shawn made a couple adjustments and hopefully they’ll help my score,” I replied, squinting in confusion when his brows pulled together slightly.
“Wouldn’t it be a bad idea to make changes to your run a couple hours before…?”
“Nah—I mean, with some sports it would be. Not with snowboarding, people do it all the time so much that it doesn’t even bother us. Besides, they were really small adjustments like correcting my form,” I shrugged, smirking a little up at him. “Don’t worry, Toews, it’ll be fine.”
Jonathan rolled his dark eyes and nodded toward the building.
“What do you say we get out of the cold for a little bit?” I nodded, lifting my board as he pulled the door open and held it with his foot. “Here, I’ll take that.”
Before I could say anything, he had taken my board in one hand and the other ghosted down my back, starting between my shoulders and resting in the small of my back. If my cheeks weren’t already pink from the cold, I would have blushed furiously at the action. I allowed Jonathan to lead me over towards the roaring fire in the center of the room, and when he moved to prop my board against the wall I began shedding my snow-spattered layers.
I was in a thin long sleeve shirt, navy blue with white accents, and a matching pair of thick, cold-gear Under Armur compression capris, crouched in front of the fire when I heard his soft spoken, “Come here.”
I stood slowly and moved around the table towards his open arms. My arms slipped around his middle, inside the unzipped jacket with my cheek pressed against his black v-neck clad chest as his arms folded around me tightly. His body was warm and the shirt smelled like a soft cologne. Jonathan’s cheek was pressed against my hair as his hands rubbed my arms and back, trying to help warm me up quickly.
“Thanks,” I murmured with a deep inhale and soft exhale. His large hands ran over every muscle, gradually slowing down in a way that could easily be classified as sensual. And it definitely would have been, if my nerves weren’t on end and I wasn’t competing in half an hour.
“Don’t mention it,” he mumbled back.
“Jon, I’m so nervous,” I sighed, nuzzling my face deeper into his chest and his arms tightened significantly around my small frame.
“Why, baby?”
My heart fluttered exponentially at not only his new pet-name for me, but also the softness in his voice. That alone could have made my heart melt, were circumstances different and I’d be seeing him after we left Sochi. I had to keep a check on this… thing between us, or mostly my feelings towards him.
Neither of us were here for a relationship. We were here for gold.
“Just… this is my first Olympic run. I didn’t do all that well at the last X-Games, and I’m only in right now because one of the other girls got injured pretty badly a couple months ago and will be out till mid-spring. I just- I’m not sure I have what it takes…”
“Spencer,” he murmured, sending a slight shiver through my body when I felt his lips move against the outer shell of my ear and his breath fan across my exposed skin. “You have what it takes. The fact that it’s your first Olympic run means nothing. You deserve to be here, and I don’t think any single person in Sochi or in America doubts that.”
I pulled back a little to look up at him, taking in every inch of his striking features from his dark eyes to his strong jawline. There wasn’t even the slightest clue he was fronting, and he held all of the calm confidence of an experienced competition athlete; of a captain. In that moment, I understood exactly why no one ever doubted a word that came out of Jonathan Toews mouth.
“I believe in you, Spencer. If you have half the amount of faith in yourself as I do for you, you’re going to blow this out of the water.”
A small smile graced my light pink lips, pulling the softness back into the foreground of Jonathan’s expression. His right hand moved to cup my neck as he bent his head slightly, placing a delicate kiss to my forehead before removing his lips all too soon in order to check his watch.
He cleared his throat a little before giving me a smirk, “let’s, uh, let’s get you ready and head back over.”
Sage and Shawn hoisted me onto their shoulders as cheers rose up throughout the living area of the USA house. I punched the air triumphantly, screaming along with everyone else over the roar of blaring music.
“We are so fucking proud of you!” yelled Taylor as he approached, high fiving me. “Fuckin’ killed it out there!”
“I expect you to kill that halfpipe!” I retorted and he laughed in response, promising to do just that. As quickly as he arrived, he scampered off. I giggled upon seeing Patrick Kane and T.J. Oshie shoving their way through the crowd, Ariellafollowing close on their heels as to not get lost within the sea of people.
I tapped Shawns shoulder once, and he knew immediately to set me down. The moment my feet touched the floor, Patrick picked me up again and spun in a circle.
“That was so fuckin’ cool!” he screamed in my ear as he set be back down. Patrick’s smile stretched for miles and I thanked him earnestly, kissing his cheek once before T.J. wrapped a thick arm around my neck and pulled me into his chest, ruffling my hair in the most annoyingly endearing of ways.
“You actually pulled it off, short shit, congratulations!” T.J.’s laughter was booming and contagious, pulling laughs from all of us. I playfully shoved him off me, fixing my hair before giving him a teasing glare.
“I’m not sure if I should be insulted or say thank you,” I replied, earning a wide grin and wink from the man.
“You never know.”
“Whatever Teej; okay, move over now,” chirped Ariella, pushing past him to stand in front of me with a beaming smile. “Congratulations, Spence, you earned it—truly.”
I couldn’t help but revert back to a young school-girl again with my cousin, and commenced to jump up and down squealing with her- much to Patrick and T.J.’s enjoyment.
“I can’t fucking believe it, Ari!” I gushed, hands moving to grasp the silver medal dangling from my chest. “Like, I don’t even care that it’s not gold. I just—I fucking medaled!”
“I know! I’m so proud of you!”
My lips were parted to say something back to Ariella, but was interrupted by a smooth voice behind me.
“I hear congratulations are in order.”
I spun around to face Sidney, who laughed when I threw my arms around his neck for a brief hug. Damn, I was hugging everyone tonight. “Sidney!” I squeaked.
“You had a great run, congratulations on the medal,” he smiled, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. “Someone is absolutely beside himself trying to figure out a way to congratulate you properly.”
My eyes were wide as saucers staring back into Sidney’s own amused honey-colored orbs. A chuckle left his lips before his eyes flickered over my shoulder, undoubtedly to Ariella, before they returned back to me. “He’ll be here any moment.”
I nodded, a new nervous excitement filling my body. I stepped off to the side, allowing Sidney to move past me towards my cousin, and looked towards the door.
“Looking for me?”
I didn’t hesitate to throw myself into Jonathan’s awaiting arms.
“What’s with you Canadians and sneaking up on people?” I inquired, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest.
“Sorry, babe. This is technically enemy territory; I have to be a little sneaky.”
“Thank you so much for coming, Jonathan,” I said, pulling away.
He quirked one eyebrow at me, pursing his lips to the side for a brief moment before shrugging it off. “You did so damn wonderful today, on all of your runs. They were flawless, and so beautifully executed. That medal should be gold instead of silver.”
I smiled shyly underneath his beaming gaze and high praise, “I’m just happy I medaled, honestly. It could be bronze and I’d still be ecstatic.”
“I’m ecstatic every time I get to see you,” he said, his voice so soft I could barely make out the words. I deadpanned, unable to form a response as my cheeks turned a maddeningly deep shade of pink. “You’ll have to let me take you out to celebrate soon.”
“Y-yeah, sure,” I stuttered, grateful when he pulled me back for another hug.
“I’ve got to get going; we have an early practice in the morning but Sid and I just wanted to stop by and congratulate you.”
“You didn’t have to,” I laughed, and he gave me one of his signature smirks.
“I know, but you really were amazing out there and I wanted to tell you that, myself,” he smiled, brushing a piece of my hair back. “Plus, you should have figured out by now that I’m always looking for an excuse to see you, Spencer.”
“Well, I’m glad you do,” I said, placing one of my hands on his shoulder and pushing onto my toes to kiss his cheek. “Now, go get some rest.”
I felt a twinge of satisfaction when I rocked back on my heels to note the feint pink scattered across his high cheeks and slightly dazed look in his eyes.
“Right…” he trailed, nodding awkwardly and making me giggle. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you, um… I’ll see you soon.”
With those words, Jonathan turned and headed towards the door- pausing there, to throw a look back over his shoulder at me. We each flashed a quick smile, before he disappeared into the cold Sochi night.
I jumped when Ariella appeared, wrapping her arm across my shoulders with a smug smirk.
“Just kiss the guy already, Spencer.”
I was up and hitting the pow long before the sun ever thought of rising. Sage, Shawn, Taylor, and one or two other guys joined me after the first hour and a half. I didn’t stay out with them longer than an hour, I knew they would need to do last minute practice runs and limber up before their semifinal runs. So when I turned in for my boarding this morning, I returned to the Olympic Village and to my room for a hot shower; the hot water problem had been fixed, thankfully. From there, I pulled on one of my Team USA track snow-suits and headed back to the slopes.
After the first night in the huge USA building, they moved the snowboarders to a special complex atop one of the mountains that was still, technically, in Olympic Village. My trek down to the stands was quick and simple, and I arrived just in time for the first couple runs. Taylor joined me shortly after, clean and refreshed from his post-practice shower, and our conversations consisted mostly of our biggest competition or analyzing guys’ runs.
We were thrilled when Sage won gold later that evening, hopping over the rail and jumping into an embrace of him with the rest of his team present. It was a night of celebration, but I retired to my room early with promises from the guys to be at my semifinals in the morning.
I had been so caught up in the event, I hadn’t even bothered to check my cell phone since 09:30 this morning. There was a group message Patrick had started between Jonathan, myself, and himself making sure to thank us for the invite to dinner last night… to which Jonathan replied with a simple, ‘fuck off’. There were a couple texts from Ariella, one in regard to Sidney and the other asking how the ‘movie’ with Jonathan went.
I saved two texts for last, though.
From: Tazer
Good Morning, thanks for going out with me last night. I had fun, even if it did get a little awkward at times. 9:45
Speaking of, maybe we could go out just us sometime? Tonight, tomorrow night… whenever. 13:53
From: Spencer
Shit, Jonathan! So sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I’ve basically been at the slopes all day; I was there for an early practice and then I stayed up here for men’s slopestyle.
Just moments later, a typing bubble popped up. I grinned and plugged my phone into the bedside charger before changing into some silk pajamas. Halfway through putting my little shorts on, the text tone met my ears.
I flipped the light switch off and hopped into the bed, squinting at the bright light from the phone screen.
I figured you might be doing that. Are you still out? 20:34
No, I’m not. I got back to my room maybe 15 min ago, and I’m actually in bed right now. I have semifinals at 10:30, and I need to get a decent couple of runs before anyone really gets around up there.
I’ll see you after your semi’s then, if that’s alright with you. Sweet dreams. 20:37
Can’t wait, sweet dreams.
Shawn was already waiting for me when I reached the top of the slope four hours before semi’s started. We made a couple of runs, but as the minutes fazed into hours my nerves of steel began to melt. Shawn did everything he could to help relax me, made slight corrections to my run or a minute adjustment to my form. He reminded me of the little things that would dock points and things to be more aware of than others.
With forty minutes before the other competitors would line up for the semi-finals to start, Shawn and I had just finished my last practice run. My limbs were loose and warm, and he had instilled a new confidence in me.
“Alright, I’m going to go shower real quick. Sage and I will be cheering for you,” smiled Shawn, giving me a brotherly side hug.
“Thanks, Shawn. Seriously, you’re the best,” I sighed, letting my head rest on the side of his shoulder for a brief second.
“Your run is gonna be so gnarly, Spence, don’t even worry. You’re pure spoice.”
“We’ll see.”
Shawn rolled his eyes before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I waved as he turned to head towards the men’s building, and then moving slowly towards my own. I wasn’t expecting Jonathan to be leaning casually beside the door, the faintest of smiles gracing his lips.
“Jonathan,” I breathed, lips curling more into a smile with each step he took towards me. “What’re… what’re you doing up here?”
He shrugged, standing directly in front of me now. “I couldn’t wait till after semi-finals to see you.”
I adjusted my hold on my snowboard and leaned my cheek against the top, unsure of how to respond. We stood in spot, smiling at each other for a few moments.
“I saw a little bit of your… routine? It looks really good,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes flickered briefly to the slope behind me.
“Shawn made a couple adjustments and hopefully they’ll help my score,” I replied, squinting in confusion when his brows pulled together slightly.
“Wouldn’t it be a bad idea to make changes to your run a couple hours before…?”
“Nah—I mean, with some sports it would be. Not with snowboarding, people do it all the time so much that it doesn’t even bother us. Besides, they were really small adjustments like correcting my form,” I shrugged, smirking a little up at him. “Don’t worry, Toews, it’ll be fine.”
Jonathan rolled his dark eyes and nodded toward the building.
“What do you say we get out of the cold for a little bit?” I nodded, lifting my board as he pulled the door open and held it with his foot. “Here, I’ll take that.”
Before I could say anything, he had taken my board in one hand and the other ghosted down my back, starting between my shoulders and resting in the small of my back. If my cheeks weren’t already pink from the cold, I would have blushed furiously at the action. I allowed Jonathan to lead me over towards the roaring fire in the center of the room, and when he moved to prop my board against the wall I began shedding my snow-spattered layers.
I was in a thin long sleeve shirt, navy blue with white accents, and a matching pair of thick, cold-gear Under Armur compression capris, crouched in front of the fire when I heard his soft spoken, “Come here.”
I stood slowly and moved around the table towards his open arms. My arms slipped around his middle, inside the unzipped jacket with my cheek pressed against his black v-neck clad chest as his arms folded around me tightly. His body was warm and the shirt smelled like a soft cologne. Jonathan’s cheek was pressed against my hair as his hands rubbed my arms and back, trying to help warm me up quickly.
“Thanks,” I murmured with a deep inhale and soft exhale. His large hands ran over every muscle, gradually slowing down in a way that could easily be classified as sensual. And it definitely would have been, if my nerves weren’t on end and I wasn’t competing in half an hour.
“Don’t mention it,” he mumbled back.
“Jon, I’m so nervous,” I sighed, nuzzling my face deeper into his chest and his arms tightened significantly around my small frame.
“Why, baby?”
My heart fluttered exponentially at not only his new pet-name for me, but also the softness in his voice. That alone could have made my heart melt, were circumstances different and I’d be seeing him after we left Sochi. I had to keep a check on this… thing between us, or mostly my feelings towards him.
Neither of us were here for a relationship. We were here for gold.
“Just… this is my first Olympic run. I didn’t do all that well at the last X-Games, and I’m only in right now because one of the other girls got injured pretty badly a couple months ago and will be out till mid-spring. I just- I’m not sure I have what it takes…”
“Spencer,” he murmured, sending a slight shiver through my body when I felt his lips move against the outer shell of my ear and his breath fan across my exposed skin. “You have what it takes. The fact that it’s your first Olympic run means nothing. You deserve to be here, and I don’t think any single person in Sochi or in America doubts that.”
I pulled back a little to look up at him, taking in every inch of his striking features from his dark eyes to his strong jawline. There wasn’t even the slightest clue he was fronting, and he held all of the calm confidence of an experienced competition athlete; of a captain. In that moment, I understood exactly why no one ever doubted a word that came out of Jonathan Toews mouth.
“I believe in you, Spencer. If you have half the amount of faith in yourself as I do for you, you’re going to blow this out of the water.”
A small smile graced my light pink lips, pulling the softness back into the foreground of Jonathan’s expression. His right hand moved to cup my neck as he bent his head slightly, placing a delicate kiss to my forehead before removing his lips all too soon in order to check his watch.
He cleared his throat a little before giving me a smirk, “let’s, uh, let’s get you ready and head back over.”
Sage and Shawn hoisted me onto their shoulders as cheers rose up throughout the living area of the USA house. I punched the air triumphantly, screaming along with everyone else over the roar of blaring music.
“We are so fucking proud of you!” yelled Taylor as he approached, high fiving me. “Fuckin’ killed it out there!”
“I expect you to kill that halfpipe!” I retorted and he laughed in response, promising to do just that. As quickly as he arrived, he scampered off. I giggled upon seeing Patrick Kane and T.J. Oshie shoving their way through the crowd, Ariellafollowing close on their heels as to not get lost within the sea of people.
I tapped Shawns shoulder once, and he knew immediately to set me down. The moment my feet touched the floor, Patrick picked me up again and spun in a circle.
“That was so fuckin’ cool!” he screamed in my ear as he set be back down. Patrick’s smile stretched for miles and I thanked him earnestly, kissing his cheek once before T.J. wrapped a thick arm around my neck and pulled me into his chest, ruffling my hair in the most annoyingly endearing of ways.
“You actually pulled it off, short shit, congratulations!” T.J.’s laughter was booming and contagious, pulling laughs from all of us. I playfully shoved him off me, fixing my hair before giving him a teasing glare.
“I’m not sure if I should be insulted or say thank you,” I replied, earning a wide grin and wink from the man.
“You never know.”
“Whatever Teej; okay, move over now,” chirped Ariella, pushing past him to stand in front of me with a beaming smile. “Congratulations, Spence, you earned it—truly.”
I couldn’t help but revert back to a young school-girl again with my cousin, and commenced to jump up and down squealing with her- much to Patrick and T.J.’s enjoyment.
“I can’t fucking believe it, Ari!” I gushed, hands moving to grasp the silver medal dangling from my chest. “Like, I don’t even care that it’s not gold. I just—I fucking medaled!”
“I know! I’m so proud of you!”
My lips were parted to say something back to Ariella, but was interrupted by a smooth voice behind me.
“I hear congratulations are in order.”
I spun around to face Sidney, who laughed when I threw my arms around his neck for a brief hug. Damn, I was hugging everyone tonight. “Sidney!” I squeaked.
“You had a great run, congratulations on the medal,” he smiled, leaning in close to whisper in my ear. “Someone is absolutely beside himself trying to figure out a way to congratulate you properly.”
My eyes were wide as saucers staring back into Sidney’s own amused honey-colored orbs. A chuckle left his lips before his eyes flickered over my shoulder, undoubtedly to Ariella, before they returned back to me. “He’ll be here any moment.”
I nodded, a new nervous excitement filling my body. I stepped off to the side, allowing Sidney to move past me towards my cousin, and looked towards the door.
“Looking for me?”
I didn’t hesitate to throw myself into Jonathan’s awaiting arms.
“What’s with you Canadians and sneaking up on people?” I inquired, a soft chuckle rumbling in his chest.
“Sorry, babe. This is technically enemy territory; I have to be a little sneaky.”
“Thank you so much for coming, Jonathan,” I said, pulling away.
He quirked one eyebrow at me, pursing his lips to the side for a brief moment before shrugging it off. “You did so damn wonderful today, on all of your runs. They were flawless, and so beautifully executed. That medal should be gold instead of silver.”
I smiled shyly underneath his beaming gaze and high praise, “I’m just happy I medaled, honestly. It could be bronze and I’d still be ecstatic.”
“I’m ecstatic every time I get to see you,” he said, his voice so soft I could barely make out the words. I deadpanned, unable to form a response as my cheeks turned a maddeningly deep shade of pink. “You’ll have to let me take you out to celebrate soon.”
“Y-yeah, sure,” I stuttered, grateful when he pulled me back for another hug.
“I’ve got to get going; we have an early practice in the morning but Sid and I just wanted to stop by and congratulate you.”
“You didn’t have to,” I laughed, and he gave me one of his signature smirks.
“I know, but you really were amazing out there and I wanted to tell you that, myself,” he smiled, brushing a piece of my hair back. “Plus, you should have figured out by now that I’m always looking for an excuse to see you, Spencer.”
“Well, I’m glad you do,” I said, placing one of my hands on his shoulder and pushing onto my toes to kiss his cheek. “Now, go get some rest.”
I felt a twinge of satisfaction when I rocked back on my heels to note the feint pink scattered across his high cheeks and slightly dazed look in his eyes.
“Right…” he trailed, nodding awkwardly and making me giggle. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you, um… I’ll see you soon.”
With those words, Jonathan turned and headed towards the door- pausing there, to throw a look back over his shoulder at me. We each flashed a quick smile, before he disappeared into the cold Sochi night.
I jumped when Ariella appeared, wrapping her arm across my shoulders with a smug smirk.
“Just kiss the guy already, Spencer.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Whew. So fucking long, sorry 'bout that, y'all.I just love Tazer, and I can't stop writing when he's involved.
So, uh yeah...
We'd love to hear your thoughts, likes, and dislikes!
xx-brin.