7. Lucas
Lucas
Ryder might’ve been good-looking, but he was a bore.
And an asshole, too. He treated his cameraman like garbage.
When they wanted footage of me waking up, I told them ‘Hell no,’ and pushed them out of my room.
Cassandra scolded me for that and then conspired with Ryder to stage my wake up.
It was ridiculous. I wasn’t showing my junk on national TV, especially when it wasn’t on my terms. You know, like Celebrity Big Brother or something.
In the end, it looked as if I slept fully dressed, but it was the shot they wanted, though I thought it was silly.
Ryder asked inane questions as the car service took us to the arena.
When Coach gathered us together and I saw Cam’s crew, I was definitely jealous.
Iris seemed so pleasant and Xavi, her camera guy, created a few feelings.
The familiar snake of jealousy wrapped itself around my heart in no time.
I couldn’t help but wonder if he filmed Cam waking up, or if it was just Ryder’s weird fantasy.
Does Cam still sleep naked?
More so than usual lately, I was pissy this morning, and Cassandra was her bossy self. Do this, do that. And all with a camera in my face.
I wasn’t a fan even though I should’ve been used to it.
That’s how they were at competitions. But Ryder kept asking us for certain shots, and then some needed to be re-done, and by mid-morning I could tell even Cassandra was getting annoyed, though the cameraman seemed unaffected somehow. He was probably used to the bullshit.
So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that Coach was getting in on the charade.
He invited all of us to a team dinner that night.
Something like that wasn’t unheard of. In fact, it probably should’ve happened days ago.
After all, we did things like that in Brisbane.
But maybe Coach didn’t know what to do about the rift between me and Cam.
It certainly felt like we were playing characters for this film crew, but Ryder and Iris seemed happy so far.
Then again, there was a distinct possibility that I was being cynical.
The rest of the afternoon and dinner were genuinely pleasant, with only a few hiccups.
I found out Alex and Colton’s families were flying in the next day and Cam’s mom and O’s family the day after.
When asked about mine, I lied and said they were coming in two days like the others.
Truthfully, I didn’t know when they were coming.
I hadn’t heard from them other than a few random texts.
I had a moment alone with Cam too, but I didn’t think the bathroom was the place to have our conversation.
I had just finished washing my hands and was about to leave when he walked in, and the first thing that came to my mind was to cover my crotch and ask him, ‘They didn’t follow you in here with the cameras, did they? ’
Because that was so smooth.
It did get him to laugh, which was promising, though that was the most I’d said to him all day.
Damn it.
I hated it was this awkward, and it was my fault. He didn’t glance my way when he sat back down at the table.
And pretty soon, dinner was over. The guys headed back to the village with Iris and Xavi with them, and Cassandra and I got into a shiny SUV for the ride back to the hotel with Ryder and the cameraman. Ryder started asking me questions again.
Fucking relentless.
When he asked why we were in a hotel instead of the village, Cassandra answered for me. “The village has too many distractions.”
After a few more, I started thinking how the whole day went by and no one asked the camera guy his name. I couldn’t wait anymore.
Ignoring Ryder, I said, “Hey, what’s your name? I’ve been meaning to ask.”
“It’s Kaleb,” he answered, smiling.
“Nice to put a name with a face.”
I was thrilled when Ryder finished with the questions and they filmed my nightly toothbrush and skin care routine. Then I performed getting into bed with most of my clothes on.
Ryder thanked me and said goodbye to Cassandra, and he and Kaleb left. I went over to lock my door and go to bed for real, stripping everything off and tossing it on the floor, hoping for some normalcy the next day.
I asked for normal and I got it.
Cassandra was in a mood. The filming must’ve pushed her there because she was riding my ass throughout practice. And I did not particularly enjoy a woman doing that, especially when Cam was a hundred feet away and nailing every one of his vaults.
Not what I wanted him to be nailing.
I was literally celibate for four years and after a few days in Cam’s proximity, my dick was practically slapping me in the face for a ticket to his mouth.
I needed this sorted, so I could concentrate.
It would only get worse. He would either take me back, or we’d move on.
I wanted it to be the first thing. The thing where we could do terribly sexy things to each other.
I could always find someone else, but I didn’t want to. I wanted him.
“Concentrate, Lucas!” Cassandra yelled.
Oh yeah. Right. Gymnastics.
I restarted the rings routine I had been in the middle of, hopeful that she would accept this attempt as enough for today.
She did not. Coach let Colton and Alex leave early since their families were coming and O finished soon after they left.
Cam was still working on the vault with Noah and Ty, and Cassandra was pushing me on the high bar now.
Coach was watching us. My arms were burning, but I knew if I nailed this one, I’d be done for the morning.
I mean, she’d have to let me leave soon, anyway.
There was another country using the gym at noon.
When I landed the dismount without a hop or a step, she congratulated me. Coach walked up to us. “You’re looking great, Luke. You’ve got a shot at the all-around this time. I’ve got a good feeling.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
It was nice to hear that Coach had confidence in me, but I’d have better feelings if I had a boyfriend again.
Speaking of, I looked over at the vault and Cam was gone.
He must’ve gone to the locker room already.
Cassandra said she’d meet me by the shuttles, so we could take a car service back to the hotel.
I grabbed my bag and jogged past Noah and Ty, hoping that Cam was still in the locker room.
I heard the shower running, so I knew he was still in here. I just had to figure out what to say to him. I had no good ideas.
Hey, I was a total fuckknuckle four years ago. How about we forget that and start over?
Or I could go with what my penis wanted.
Hey, wanna fuck me?
Or something with less ‘fuck’ that was genuine and totally something you could say to someone naked in the locker room showers after your parents made you dump them at the last Olympics.
I’m sorry. Do you think you can give us another chance?
Ugh. I was hoping for an amalgamation of the three, as I flipped my sandals into the locker and disrobed quickly. Grabbing a towel, I headed to the showers. I heard the water shut off.
Shit.
I quickened my pace, trying to catch him before he left the stall. I rounded the corner of the row of lockers and made a left.
“Oof!” Cam grunted as I slammed directly into him, chest to chest. I dropped my towel.
His towel that had been wrapped around his waist fell to the floor, and we were both naked, our bodies only a foot apart.
I immediately dropped to my knees to grab the towels.
Cam went to do the same thing, but I beat him to it and he let me get them.
While I was down there, I realized pretty quickly that my head was even with his dick and I couldn’t help but glance at it.
Instinctively, I licked my lips and bit my bottom lip.
I noticed he was starting to harden. Almost in slow motion, I could see the veins pop and imagined the blood rushing into them as his balls tightened.
And like magic, the flaccid cock of my dreams that had been dormant was rising majestically in front of my very eyes.
I heard Cam clear his throat. “My eyes are up here, tiger.”
Christ, he remembers. He hadn’t called me that since Brisbane. I couldn’t help but smile and stand, handing him his towel, and quickly covered up my also-on-the-upswing member. For once, I was the one blushing.
“Thanks.”
Shit. Say something. This was my big moment, and I was struck speechless by...well, the world’s most perfect schlong.
I was not remembering what his cum tasted like. Nope, not at all.
“Uh...you’re welcome.”
Smooth, bro. Oh god, now I’m Ty. Shut up. Just forget it.
I went to go around him, but he tried to go the same way as me and we bumped chests again, and this time we weren’t a foot apart.
Cam stayed close, and I froze. I didn’t know what was happening, but I watched as he slowly turned to look into my eyes.
Our lips were inches apart. I could feel the heat coming off his body.
I licked my lips again and noticed he looked down at them.
His eyes, taking in the details of my face, eventually traveled back up to mine, and I saw him lean in, so I closed my eyes and waited.
My heart was racing. This was it. We would kiss and then I could apologize and try to explain.
“Sorry, I should go,” Cam muttered, and I felt his shoulder brush past me as I opened my eyes and watched his back disappear around the corner of the lockers.
I stood there in shock for who knows how long before I realized I should chase after him. But when I made it around the corner, there was only a towel on the floor.
He was gone.