Read Online Fighting to Win (The Elite Book 1) by Nicole Flockton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nicole Flockton
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breaking the glass-like surface with perfectly timed dives. Being a 200m event, she had four laps to sit through, less than the eight laps for the 400m but no less nerve-wracking. He would use a different strategy tonight. He’d pace himself through the first 100m, then start to put the pedal to the metal during the third lap.
“C’mon, Mitch, you’ve got this,” she muttered, her hands clenching and unclenching.
As she suspected, halfway through the third lap Mitch made his move. Brett had half a body’s lead on him, but by the time they turned for the final lap, Mitch had caught up. As they came out of the turn, Mitch surfaced a fraction behind Brett, but with a couple of strokes he’d edged in front his opponent.
What unfolded before her was a skillful display of a master in his sport at play. With less than ten meters to go, Mitch now had a half a body’s lead over Brett, and the other competitors were tiring while it looked like Mitch was swimming at half pace. Julia knew different. His lungs would be burning as they tried to expand enough to supply the oxygen he needed to finish the race. His arms and legs would be starting to feel like dead weights.
Then it was all over. Mitch slapped his hands on the wall and had a new Olympic record to go with his gold.
“He won,” she screamed to no one in particular as everyone around her cheered.
Drake’s arms engulfed her and lifted her in a big hug. “Woohoo! Told you, you had nothing to worry about. He was just messing with everyone in his semi.”
She laughed. “I guess you’re right.”
“Or, alternatively, his new pre-race regime is going to prove to be a winner for him.”
Julia knew she blushed again, but she didn’t care. That Mitch had won was all that mattered. While it had been wonderful being in Mitch’s arms again, it couldn’t happen again. Their relationship, if they had one, was something they would talk about after they’d both finished competing in their respective events. She’d worked so hard to get on the team that, no matter how tempting it was to ignore the past, they had to face it before a future could be possible between them.
“Someone’s looking for you?”
Drake’s voice broke through her thoughts. She looked down at the pool deck—there was Mitch at the bottom of the stands, looking up at her. He had a huge grin on his face.
Doing the right thing sucked. She’d start doing the right thing tomorrow.
With no thought for how the media would portray what she was about to do—and she didn’t worry about what Anabel thought either—she planned to let Mitch know how happy she was for him.
She pushed past Drake and made it down the stairs. Mitch met her at the bottom and pulled her into a tight embrace. The fact he was wet from his swim didn’t matter to her.
“Congratulations. I was so worried,” she whispered.
Mitch’s response was to plant his lips on hers. Even though she said she didn’t care what the media would do, she was still conscious of everyone watching them as she pulled away quickly.
“Why were you worried?” he responded as he released her.
With the rest of his teammates surrounding him, she shook her head. “Later. I’ll tell you later.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” He leaned toward her and gave her another quick kiss on the lips before he allowed himself to be swallowed up by his team.
Seeing him so happy, she knew that her feelings for him hadn’t died at all. In fact during their time apart, they’d somehow grown stronger.
Julia looked around at the people milling nearby, Ah there was Anabel. She had tears in her eyes. Through everything, Anabel had stood by his side. Her reasoning for wanting Julia to put some distance between her and Mitch made sense. Without conscious thought, she walked over to the other woman.
“Congratulations, Coach,” Julia said before giving the other woman a hug. “You must be so proud.”
For a moment Anabel seemed to hold herself stiff before
“C’mon, Mitch, you’ve got this,” she muttered, her hands clenching and unclenching.
As she suspected, halfway through the third lap Mitch made his move. Brett had half a body’s lead on him, but by the time they turned for the final lap, Mitch had caught up. As they came out of the turn, Mitch surfaced a fraction behind Brett, but with a couple of strokes he’d edged in front his opponent.
What unfolded before her was a skillful display of a master in his sport at play. With less than ten meters to go, Mitch now had a half a body’s lead over Brett, and the other competitors were tiring while it looked like Mitch was swimming at half pace. Julia knew different. His lungs would be burning as they tried to expand enough to supply the oxygen he needed to finish the race. His arms and legs would be starting to feel like dead weights.
Then it was all over. Mitch slapped his hands on the wall and had a new Olympic record to go with his gold.
“He won,” she screamed to no one in particular as everyone around her cheered.
Drake’s arms engulfed her and lifted her in a big hug. “Woohoo! Told you, you had nothing to worry about. He was just messing with everyone in his semi.”
She laughed. “I guess you’re right.”
“Or, alternatively, his new pre-race regime is going to prove to be a winner for him.”
Julia knew she blushed again, but she didn’t care. That Mitch had won was all that mattered. While it had been wonderful being in Mitch’s arms again, it couldn’t happen again. Their relationship, if they had one, was something they would talk about after they’d both finished competing in their respective events. She’d worked so hard to get on the team that, no matter how tempting it was to ignore the past, they had to face it before a future could be possible between them.
“Someone’s looking for you?”
Drake’s voice broke through her thoughts. She looked down at the pool deck—there was Mitch at the bottom of the stands, looking up at her. He had a huge grin on his face.
Doing the right thing sucked. She’d start doing the right thing tomorrow.
With no thought for how the media would portray what she was about to do—and she didn’t worry about what Anabel thought either—she planned to let Mitch know how happy she was for him.
She pushed past Drake and made it down the stairs. Mitch met her at the bottom and pulled her into a tight embrace. The fact he was wet from his swim didn’t matter to her.
“Congratulations. I was so worried,” she whispered.
Mitch’s response was to plant his lips on hers. Even though she said she didn’t care what the media would do, she was still conscious of everyone watching them as she pulled away quickly.
“Why were you worried?” he responded as he released her.
With the rest of his teammates surrounding him, she shook her head. “Later. I’ll tell you later.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” He leaned toward her and gave her another quick kiss on the lips before he allowed himself to be swallowed up by his team.
Seeing him so happy, she knew that her feelings for him hadn’t died at all. In fact during their time apart, they’d somehow grown stronger.
Julia looked around at the people milling nearby, Ah there was Anabel. She had tears in her eyes. Through everything, Anabel had stood by his side. Her reasoning for wanting Julia to put some distance between her and Mitch made sense. Without conscious thought, she walked over to the other woman.
“Congratulations, Coach,” Julia said before giving the other woman a hug. “You must be so proud.”
For a moment Anabel seemed to hold herself stiff before
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