Title: The Winner Takes It All
Series: Virginia Is for All Lovers, Book Two
Author: Ivy L. James
Cover Art: Neimy Kao
Cover Design: Jaycee DeLorenzo
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 10/29/2024
Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex
Pairing: Female/Female
Length: 64900
Genre: Contemporary, contemporary, romance, rivals to lovers, bisexual, lesbian, interracial/intercultural, humorous, competition/competitive leads, athletics, gym, tennis, family issues, grieving, anxiety attacks
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Description
“After surviving the car accident that killed her parents, Yelena keeps a tight control over her life. She holds success close and any possible relationships at arm’s length; she certainly can’t let any potential partners close enough to lose them too. Her competitive spirit sends her to the top of her gym’s leaderboard, or rather, to a tie for first place. Tied with her least favorite person at the gym. With a 1,000-dollar prize and her pride at stake, Yelena will do whatever it takes to beat out her rival, Embry. If only Embry weren’t so damn pretty.
Embry needs to be the best. Despite her wall of diplomas and awards, it’s the gym leaderboard she has her eye on lately, but her number-one place has somehow become tied for first. Unacceptable. Worse, when her tennis partner gets hurt, the only person who can step in for the upcoming pairs competition is the last person she wants on her team.
Yelena and Embry begrudgingly team up for the tennis competition. As they spend time together, though, they find they’re more similar than different, and deeper feelings blossom. But will their fears—and the leaderboard—get in the way of what they both truly want?
The Winner Takes It All is a rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance.”
The Winner Takes It All
Ivy L. James © 2024
All Rights Reserved
Embry arrived an hour early to run on the treadmill before the next tennis doubles class. If Yelena was doing pre-workout workouts, Embry needed to step up her game. The place was busy, though, and she had to search for an empty treadmill. None along the left-side walkway. None along the right, facing the free weights. But there in the middle—ah, hell. A familiar strawberry-blonde ponytail swung right next to the only available machine on the whole stupid floor.
Not about to change her plans just because of Yelena, Embry strode over and dropped her water bottle into the holder. Yelena glanced at her and away reflexively, then did a double take when the recognition registered. Embry arched an eyebrow, daring her to comment. Yelena only turned up the speed on her machine and returned her attention to the video playing on her phone.
Embry took up a brisk warmup pace. She looked at Yelena’s treadmill screen—out of sheer boredom, of course, not interest. Speed: 5.0 mph. Ha. Nice jog. Once she was warmed up, Embry upped her own speed to 5.5.
With a sidelong frown, Yelena increased her speed to 6.0. Those long legs flexed with each quick stride…not that Embry cared about Yelena’s legs. She bumped her mileage to 6.5.
Yelena’s clicked up to 7.0.
So did Embry’s. They were full-on running now, side by side.
Yelena’s incline increased to 1 percent.
Embry scowled but increased her own to 2 percent. Yelena’s ticked up to match.
Their feet thundered in tandem, legs stretching and reaching for the next stride. Embry kept her breaths even, measured, in time with her pounding feet. Her arms sawed the air as she flew. Yelena raced beside her, ponytail swinging. Embry passed a mile and kept going, refusing to break first. Refusing to lose.
Mile two.
Mile three.
Embry’s calves ached from the punishing pace. Her throat burned as she panted. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and she dared to glance over at her rival…just in time to see Yelena press Cool Down. The treadmill slowed, and so did she. Embry blasted past, still running an 8.5-minute mile.
Only when Yelena stepped off her machine did Embry press Cool Down too. She’d won—sort of, since Yelena had been running before Embry started. A dubious victory, perhaps, but she was going to claim it anyway.
Embry took her time on the cool-down walk and then headed for the tennis courts, water bottle in hand (which she refilled on the way). Klaus was supposed to meet her there as usual, and he really ought to already be here since she’d dallied on the treadmill…but as she studied the players standing around chatting, he was notably absent.
“Embry!” Instructor Ximena flagged her down.
Embry trotted over, and they met in the middle. “Hey, how’s it going? I’m just waiting for Klaus.”
Ximena’s face fell. “I’m afraid I have bad news. Klaus broke his arm. He had to withdraw from the tournament, and he won’t be in class for probably two months.”
Embry’s stomach dropped. “Oh my God. Is he—is he okay? I mean, obviously not. Stupid question. Do you know what happened?”
“He fell off a ladder.”
“Oof. That sucks. I hope he heals quickly.” Unease twisted in Embry’s stomach. “Uh, not to make this about me, but I don’t have a backup partner for the tournament. Do you know anyone who’s interested in teaming up who doesn’t already have a partner?”
Ximena nodded, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I do have one person available, but you’d have to switch from mixed doubles to all-female. Is that okay?”
“That’s fine, sure.” A male partner, a female partner, it didn’t matter as long as they could play.
“All right. I need you to keep an open mind though.”
Embry made a face. “Of course.” What does that even mean? I’m pleasant.
Ximena waved someone over.
Along came…fuckin’ Yelena, who met Embry’s gaze with matching surprise and disdain. “Hi, Ximena. Embry. What’s up?”
“Embry’s partner is no longer able to participate in the tennis tournament. I thought, since you’d expressed interest in joining, you might take his place.”
Yelena turned wide blue-gray eyes on Embry. “You?”
“Her?” Embry blurted at the same time.
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Ivy L. James wrote her first story on Post-it notes as a child. Since then, she has graduated to regular paper and enjoys writing inclusive, heartwarming romance as a way to counterbalance the negativity in the world. She lives in Maryland with her wife and their corgi, cat, and two snakes.
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