a coach who was relentless, who fought with her, not against her. He saw her potential, her drive, and pushed. That is how I feel about you. Do not mistake arrogance for confidence. It is not like that. Some days it is not pretty, but nothing is pretty that you do not work for." Kova shifted in his chair and leaned forward, tapping the countertop with his middle finger. "You are an athlete, a business that needs to be promoted, in a sense. You compete with others to get ahead. Use their flaws for your advancement and I promise you it will all fall into place."
I nodded my head, finally understanding his view. "I guess I always had the mentality that I didn't need to compete with others, only with myself to be better than what I was yesterday."
"Today you saw that is not the case." He looked me deep in the eye, and it unnerved me. "Ria, everything I do has a reason. Pulling you from the meet was not such a bad idea because you got a behind the scenes look. Am I right? It will make you better overall."
My jaw dropped. Way to kill the moment. "Kova, I realize now that your intentions were not bad when you took me out of the meet, but it was your delivery that was ultimately harsh and embarrassing. It was wrong and so cruel. You could have gone about it in a different way."
"I am not the asshole you think me to be."
"It was an asshole move, Kova. Therefore, you're an asshole."
He smiled and chuckled, and it pierced my heart. He sat back and strummed his fingers on the table. "You know, I would not let anyone else talk to me like that."
I blushed, trying not to smile. "But you let me."
He shook his head. "And I have no idea why," he said with a deep sigh. Standing up, he took two steps and stood in front of me. Glancing down, he motioned for me to get up. Confused, I did as he requested.
Kova immediately took my seat, then wrapped a strong arm around my waist and pulled me onto his lap. My heart rushed into my throat as he held me so warm and securely to him. Turning to face him, I grabbed the bill of his hat and flipped it around so his cap was now backwards. His grin hit my core and I squirmed in his lap.
Grabbing my cell phone, he opened the camera app and angled the lens toward us. I watched his thumb press down repeatedly.
"What are you doing," I whispered.
He snapped more.
"I realized earlier when you took a photo that we do not have a picture together."
My heart gave a little patter. "We shouldn't."
He eyed me. "There have been a lot of things we shouldn't have done, Ria."
My face lit up and I started to laugh. "Hey! You used a contraction."
"I know…it felt weird on my tongue." He grinned.
I adjusted in his lap and he helped me get situated. It was cozy and I didn’t want to move. We had a way about each other that was so utterly confusing. In this moment it wasn't black and white, right or wrong. There were no colors, no ages, no blurred lines. I wasn't that girl, and he wasn't that guy. We were just two people who shared the same ambitions and a connection that couldn’t be explained, only felt.
"There is one more thing I want to talk to you about."
The playfulness dropped from my face. "What is it?"
Kova placed my phone facedown the way he always placed his, then gently rubbed my thigh in soothing circles. He was staring tenderly into my eyes for a beat longer than usual and it left me apprehensive.
"Today at the meet when you saw the coach yelling? Please promise me you will never intervene if you see it happen again, not with just him, but anyone. I can see why you would want to, but it is not your place."
I looked down. He was completely right. "I know. I'm sorry."
Kova placed his knuckles under my chin and lifted it until we were eye to eye again. This time we were much closer together.
"The way he was talking to the girl, there was no doubt in my mind he would have stepped up to you and given you the same kind of treatment. Adrianna, I already cannot stand him, but I would have fucking lost it on the piece of