o l i v i a
Putting a hand over my mouth, I try my best to stifle my laughter. Under the dark night sky, Parker and I crouch behind a bush. "We're going to sneak around the corner of the building, but remember to avoid that camera right over there." He points to the camera facing the parking lot.
He grabs my hand and we rush over to the entrance. "Okay, be my watch guard while I open the doors," Parker instructs. Adrenaline rushes through my veins. I feel like I'm about to rob a bank or commit a home invasion.
While he fumbles with the keys to unlock the doors, I nervously glance around the premise, hoping no one finds us. "Got it." He slowly pulls on one of the doors open and holds it for me.
Parker takes my hand again and offers me a comforting smile. "We're going to get caught!" I whisper.
He smirks down at me and kisses my nose. "No we won't," he reassures.
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one hour earlier...
I stare up at the ceiling in a daze, one hand resting on my sixteen week baby bump. My chest is still heaving from my intense make out session with Parker. He comes back from the kitchen with a glass of water in hand and passes it to me. "Thought you might be thirsty."
I'll never get used to how much of a gentleman Parker is. "Thank you," I smile brightly.
He lifts up the bunched up comforter that covers only the bottom half of my body and slides in next to me. I peer over at the alarm clock that sits on Parker's nightstand. 1:35am. "Wow, I didn't realize how late it was."
"I'm still wired even though I had practice early this morning and spent the last hour eating your face," he says.
"Me too. Well, except for the practice part," I giggle.
Parker stares at me thoughtfully for a few seconds. "What?" I ask. "Is my lipstick smeared all over my face?"
He smiles. "No, I just remembered the times Greyson and I would sneak into the ice rink late at night. We'd take turns in the crease and skate until the sun was about to rise then sneak back into our houses. Even if we had practice earlier that day, we weren't satisfied."
I place my palm on his cheek and rub circles with my thumb. "You were such a daredevil. Correction, you still are a daredevil. Remember last week, when you climbed that super tall tree in Central Park, then proceeded to jump down from it."
Parker chuckles. "I'm guessing you were a goody two shoes."
"You'd be correct. I mean, I did go through this rebellious phase when I used makeup and crop tops to school," I tell him.
"You call that rebellious?" He teases.
I scoff, mocking offense. "Have you met my parents? If I did anything remotely bad, they would have my head."
"Touché," he agrees. Then, his eyebrows immediately lift and his eyes sparkle. It's like a lightbulb clicked in his head.
"Your parents aren't here," he states matter of factly.
My forehead creases. "And?"
"You need to live on the edge a little. Let's sneak into the Blaze arena," he says.
I give Parker an incredulous look. "That's a federal offense! Are you out of your mind?"
He stares blankly at me. "Absolutely not! We aren't breaking into the arena!"
When I don't budge, he gives me puppy dog eyes. "C'mon, Golden Babe. Channel your inner dare devil," he pleads.
I have to admit, the idea seems thrilling, but definitely risky. "What if we get caught? Don't they have guards?"
"Not at this hour." His tone nonchalant as if we were just going to get some ice cream.
"What if someone finds out? Can't you get in trouble from the team manager or your coach?" I don't want Parker to jeopardize his career just so I can be a "dare devil" for one night.
"Calm down, Ollie. They won't find out," he insists.
"It's still a bad idea. What if this somehow makes the press?" I ask worriedly.
He brushes a hand through my hair. "Then, the world will know what a dare devil you are," he teases. I can't contain the laugh that slips from my lips.
I contemplate for a second. "I don't even have skates."
"There's definitely an extra pair that'll fit you," he resolves.
I chew on my bottom lip. "Okay." Parker's lips turn up. "But, we are definitely not staying until sunrise."
He jumps out of the bed with renewed determination. "My daredevil."
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present...
The cold air tickles my cheeks, causing a red tint to appear. I have on one of Parker's Blaze beanies and a pair of knitted gloves. The arena is completely dark and very much eerie. I grab my phone out from my purse and turn on the flashlight as we navigate to the front office. Parker opens the electricity box and flips on the light switches, immediately illuminating the entire building.
"Wait here, I have to get my gear from the locker room and find you a pair of skates," Parker says. He disappears into the dimly lit hallway, and comes back a few minutes later with two pairs of skates in hand.
As we walk to a side bench near the rink, I realize how large the arena is without people occupying the seats. The infrastructure is very intimidating, and I can't believe Parker is able to play with the hundreds of eyes watching his every move. That takes real talent.
Once Parker has his skates on, he assists me with mine, tying the laces tightly. "All set," he says as he stands up.
I'm a bit wobbly and reach for Parker when I stand from the bench. "I got you." He winks and grabs my hand.
He opens the gate to the ice rink and glides onto the ice. "Milady," he says with a slight French accent. He holds out his hand and I intertwine our fingers. I can't believe I snuck into a hockey arena past midnight, I inwardly think.
When I first step foot on the ice, I feel my knees buckle a little. "I'm going to hold on to you until you find your balance. Can't have you or the baby getting injured," he warns. His freehand finds my stomach and rubs in a circular motion. My heart flutters at the gesture, but that could also be from my paranoia that we're going to get in trouble.
Despite our slow pace, I'm still nervous that I'll sprain my ankle or fall right on my ass. "I can't believe you can skate really fast let alone with a puck and stick."
He chuckles. "You'll get the hang of it soon enough. When's the last time you skated?"
"Probably high school," I smile sheepishly. "Once my modeling career got more serious, I never had the time or the guts to skate without getting injured."
A guilty expression forms on Parker's face. "But, I realize now that I confined myself into a box by not taking any risks," I quickly add.
"Don't worry, you will not get injured on my watch," he firmly states.
After a few loops around the rink, I finally get the hang of it. For safety purposes and for comfort, my hand remained in his. Parker twirls me around a couple of times, and of course, I squeal loudly every time I spin. My heart is pounding with so much anxiousness and excitement. This might sound depressing, but I've never felt more alive. Right now has to be one of the most riveting moments of my life.
Parker leads me to the center of the ice and surprises me when he grabs the sides of my face with his gloves hands. "I love your rosy cheeks," he kisses the sides of my face then my nose. My knees weaken at his delicate touch.
He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a firm hug. I nuzzle my cheek into his chest. "Thank you for bringing me here," I mutter softly.
"Of course, my little daredevil Golden Babe." I giggle at the new addition to my nickname.
"You're right. Living on the edge is so much better. But, I'm not sure we should repeat this—sneaking into the arena," I say.
He chuckles. "Ahhh, there's the goody two shoes that I know and love," he jokes. Love? I question in my head. I shake the thought before I begin overanalyzing Parker's words.
"We'll find other thrilling alternatives. Maybe sex backstage at one of your fashion shows," he proposes. Oh, boy. What am I going to do with this man?
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
hi, friends! i hope you all are having a blessed day. for context, this olivia is about sixteen weeks in this chapter. i apologize for adding more chapters in between the story, but while i was editing, i realized how inconsistent the timeframe of the story was.
i am endlessly grateful for your continuous support. for those of you celebrating thanksgiving, let me know what your favorite thanksgiving dish is! mine would have to be pumpkin pie :)
xoxo,
moony