Pairing Off (Red Hot Russians #1) Read Online Free Page A

American and Russian. Becoming citizen here normally takes long time, but our government can be most accommodating when dreams of gold medals are at stake. Now then, shall we get to work?”
    Carrie stared. Her hands fell to her sides. These two weren’t talking cruise ships. “Lake Placid is in less than seven months! You can’t be serious.”
    But the Russians looked dead serious. Anton shrugged. “Not ideal situation, but neither of us is beginner. I am World medalist. You were U.S. champion.”
    “Only because my partner slept with a judge!”
    “Is that what you think?”
    She gave a bitter laugh. “What difference does it make? Everyone else thinks so.”
    “Maybe you have something to prove, then?” His deep, exotic voice sent a shiver up her spine.
    God, it was tempting. She’d been so close to her dream of competing at the Winter Games, only to see it snatched away. Here was another chance. Maybe, if she could salvage her career and restore her reputation, she could finally hold her head up. The public would forgive her. Dad would forgive her.
    Was this the opportunity of a lifetime...or a disaster waiting to happen?
    Just as she had skating dreams, Dad had political dreams; to win Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat this fall...then in a few years, maybe run for president. The Cody scandal had embarrassed him, and as much as it hurt that he’d done nothing to defend her publicly, she understood. His political opponents had slobbered over images of Les Parker’s cheating daughter like dogs with new bones.
    Imagine how they would react to her turning Russian so she could compete in Lake Placid.
    And suppose Anton suddenly remembered their night in Amsterdam? True, she’d had jet-black hair at the time, and been hidden behind those silly sunglasses she and the other Silverettes wore when they snuck out after curfew. Back then, she’d still talked like Scarlett O’Hara too. But hey, it could happen. How would he feel about skating with a girl he’d deflowered, even if it meant nothing?
Nothing to him, anyway
.
    Besides, who was she kidding? She didn’t belong here. The Russians ruled figure skating—especially pair skating—like the popular kids ruled the school cafeteria. She’d been the queen of that lunch table in high school, and if you didn’t belong there, you didn’t try to sit down. She’d lost her seat in spectacular fashion and now the quarterback wanted to take her to prom.
    This was too weird for words, and she’d had enough weird to last a lifetime. “I’m sorry. I can’t do it.”

Chapter Three
    Her suitcases, piled by the rink’s front door, seemed to mock her. Some fresh start.
    A slim girl with a skate bag slung over her shoulder came in, gave Carrie and her luggage a passing glance, then waved to a friend lacing up by a locker. “Katya!
Privyet
!”
    The girls’ laughter and unintelligible conversation echoed in the quiet lobby. Were they competitive skaters or simply teenagers dropping in for an afternoon lesson? Maybe they were part of a synchronized skating team, like she’d been back in the day. At a place like this, it was hard to tell.
    The rolling skate bag at Carrie’s feet held two pairs of custom skates, each worth about a thousand bucks. Harlick boots and John Wilson blades. Any skater would be thrilled to have them. Maybe she should offer them to the girls. A warm gesture of goodwill and generosity, to go with her retirement announcement. If this fool’s errand proved anything, it was that the time had come to move on. Top-level pair partners didn’t grow on trees, especially when one’s reputation was...sullied. But as she thought about it, the girls left and the moment was gone.
    She dragged her stuff to the curb.
    She sat on a suitcase and took out her phone to call a cab, tilting it away from the bright glare of the sun. The little screen suddenly went black and the low battery signal appeared. Perfect. Just perfect. She tossed the useless thing in her