25. Lucas
Lucas
I thanked the driver, wished him a good night, then climbed the steps to enter the hotel. Once I was safe inside the lobby, I pulled out my phone.
Luke: Safely inside the lobby. You can breathe again.
Cam: So sorry I care! Love you and sleep well.
Luke: Love you too. You’ll be great.
I shot O a text, asking how he was holding up, and made my way to the elevator. While I was waiting, one of them popped up beside me.
“All alone tonight, handsome?”
I nodded.
“Is the athletic couple, you know, the Black guy with the huge dick and his smaller twunk of a boyfriend…are they still around?”
I shook my head. “‘Fraid not. Family emergency.”
“Damn.” The guy seemed to consider that for a minute.
What the fuck was taking the elevator so long?
Then he asked, “You got plans for the evening?”
“Look-”
“Sam.”
“Sam, I’m flattered, but I have a boyfriend. We’ve always been faithful, and I don’t intend to change course now. Even for someone like you.”
“Like me?”
“I have eyes. You’re not unattractive.”
“Wow, there’s a ringing endorsement! I guess I should be flattered considering you’re a cross between Edilson Nascimento and Marlon Teixeira.”
“Thanks?” I knew who neither of those people were. “Good night,” I said, the elevator finally having arrived.
“Night, Lucas. Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Wait, how did he know my name?
As soon as I closed the door to my room, I sent Cam another text.
Luke: Porn star hit on me already. He knew my name…
Cam: I’m on my way!
Luke: Easy, killer…I told him to stand down.
Cam: Pic of your empty bed to ease my shoulder devil.
Luke: He doesn’t trust me?
Cam: He’s a shoulder devil, he doesn’t trust anyone.
It didn’t take long for me to strip, set up my little tripod on the bedside table, and take a glorious full ass shot for my needy boyfriend.
Cam: Fuck! I’m coming over anyway.
Luke: You are not. Coach’s orders! Go to bed.
Luke: You have a big day tomorrow.
Cam: Something’s big right now.
It didn’t take long for the dick pic to come through. Even in poor lighting, it was still a blessing to mankind. Well, just me…because I was not a sharer. Even if I was a world-class flirt.
Cam: Wish you were here.
Luke: I bet you do.
My phone started ringing, so I answered. “I bet you wanna shove it down my throat, don’t you?”
“Not really, no…but thanks for offering?”
“Jesus fuck, Ty, I thought you were Cam.”
“I kind of figured. I can call back later if it's not convenient for your dick right now.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“I should be grateful I didn’t video call.”
“I’m decent, you can make it a video call.”
“Well, I don’t know how decent you are.” Ty laughed at his own joke as his goofy smile filled my screen.
Luke: Okay if I talk to Ty? He just called.
“Tell Cam I said hi!”
Cam: Yeah. Like you said, I should get some rest. Love you.
Luke: Ty says hi. Love you more.
“What’s up, cage boy?”
“Not that.”
I had to laugh. “I bet you won’t be complaining on your wedding night. Is this the longest you’ve gone?”
“That’s a very personal question, Lucas Rivera.”
“Bullshit. We share everything, and I’m guessing it’s not. I bet when Declan was in Australia last year he had that shit locked down.”
“Maybe, but I didn’t call you to get drilled–shut it–about our kinks. I’m calling to check in on you. You doing alright?”
“Oh yeah, I’m good.” I flopped back against the pillow. “Is it weird that part of me’s relieved I don’t have to compete in the Olympics again?”
“No, it’s a huge load taken off your back.”
“Because I certainly didn’t feel like this a few days ago.”
“Well, that means you’re processing it a lot quicker than I did,” Ty answered.
“I think it’s because I was already helping Cam process it.”
“That makes sense.”
I asked if he had heard about Josh yet and explained what happened, which led us into discussing the security for his wedding, and if there was anything I could do to help that wasn’t security-related.
“Hey babe, your lips ready for some action?”
“Dec! I’m on a video call!” Ty turned the camera away, but I had already seen Declan’s hard body.
“Hopefully not with your mom?”
“It’s Luke.”
“Eh, he’s seen it before.”
“Well,” I interrupted, “I’m going to let you and your lips go enjoy themselves.”
“Sorry about that, bro.”
“It’s fine. He’s right, I have seen it before. Not that impressive!” I yelled loud enough that hopefully Declan heard me.
“You’re cute when you lie. Night, bro.”
“See you tomorrow, Ty.”
I fired off a text to O because I hadn’t heard from him all day, and because I felt like shit for not even thinking of it until now.
I didn’t expect a response, and I didn’t get one.
Despite flirting with Cam and the obvious nudity present in Ty’s hotel room, I was tired and decided to ignore my dick for once.
I turned the TV on, found The Office, and watched a few episodes before falling asleep with it running.
Cam was in training all morning, so I invited Heather to a late lunch and from there, we headed to the arena together.
Cam had been a popular topic, as was my recovery, Austin’s stalker, Erika’s baby, Ty’s wedding, and even Preston’s expulsion from the team.
After all, the event finals were here, and some were competing because Preston had been disqualified.
“I’m sure it’s out of everyone’s mind by now. They’ve gotta be focused on other things.”
“Oh, I know that, Luke, but it’s hard to shut my mom-worry off.”
“We’re aware,” I teased.
She shot me some side-eye, then said, “If you’re referencing the time I couldn’t get a hold of either of you and came to the house only to find you-know-what, that was only because I just saw that report about carbon monoxide dangers in old renovated houses on the news the night before!”
I smiled, but kept walking. We were almost to the main entrance where I had suggested we meet up with Ty and Declan.
“Luke!”
I turned to see Cecilia Ellis, O’s mom, hurrying over to me. O’s sister, Nia, was keeping up behind her…with a much larger man.
“Hi, Cecilia. You remember Heather, Cam’s mom?”
“Of course, sweetie.”
“Did you hire security too?”
Cecilia’s exquisitely drawn eyebrows quirked for a second before she realized I was talking about the man with Nia. She laughed for so long that Nia had to step in and save me from the awkwardness. “This is Warren, my boyfriend.”
Warren held out his hand, so I offered mine while Nia introduced me. It was hard to say if he was taller than Zeph, but I felt like a kid next to him.
“Thank you for not crushing my hand,” I said, eliciting a smile from Warren, then introduced Heather, whom he called ma’am while tipping an imaginary hat in her direction.
Cecilia finally recovered enough to say, “Being in the spotlight is a messy business, and if we did need protection, you can bet your ass Warren would’ve handled that bastard!
I just hope those boys can finally get some quiet.
That piece of garbage should be staying behind bars this time, if I have anything to say about it. ”
“And I heard his coach is going to be okay,” Heather said.
“Well, I could’ve told you it’d take more than an asshole to take down Joshua ‘The Cannon’ Gannon. He’s got reflexes like a panther.” Cecilia demonstrated her panther impression.
Once Heather and Cecilia started chatting about the stress of being the mother of an Olympian, that was my cue to shuffle closer to Warren and Nia.
Nia was engrossed in her phone, but Warren kept me politely engaged in conversation.
I inwardly scolded myself for not knowing Nia even had a boyfriend, but it was natural for people in relationships to spend less time with others.
O and I hadn’t been speaking as much as we used to and we lived in different time zones.
Warren seemed a little too interested in my muscles and how much gymnasts could bench, but I reminded myself not everyone’s gay. He was probably just addicted to the gym and wanted to bro out.
“Bro!”
I turned to see Ty, bundled in a hoodie, hand-in-hand with Declan, who was only wearing a t-shirt.
“Aren’t you cold, Dec?” I asked.
“Not when I have this little cutie to warm me up!”
Ty grabbed my shirt and leaned in to whisper, “The closer the wedding gets, the more he’s like this.”
“How tragic.” I pushed him back into Declan’s arms, and introduced them all to each other before we snagged Heather and Cecilia and headed into the arena.
I managed to sneak through the crowd without getting recognized.
The dreary weather might’ve been a factor, but Warren and Declan were also rather imposing…
or eye-catching, if I was being honest with myself.
Even as an underwear model and world-class gymnast, I had to admit some days it would’ve been nice to be over six feet tall.
“That was sweet of you, Luke, to let Noah have one more day at the Olympics with Cam,” Heather said as we weaved through the crowd to find our suite.
“Well, since they changed the rule for the event finals and are only allowing one coach per athlete, I felt it was only fair. Cam wouldn’t be where he is today with Noah.”
“He wouldn’t be here without you-”
She was being sweet, then awkwardly stumbled into the reality of my injury.
“I’m sorry, Luke. I didn’t mean-”
“I know what you meant, Heather. It’s okay. We mean a lot to each other.”
She gave my hand a squeeze as we approached the large number on the wall that matched our ticket.
A suited arena employee asked us to show our tickets to proceed further.
USA Gymnastics had splurged after both teams won the gold and bought out a suite for the rest of the games for family and friends to watch the competition.
Only Cam and O were competing today, so as soon as we entered, I saw Miles and Ezra standing next to each other.
“That better be water, Ezra,” I teased.
“Oh, don’t worry, Luke. Zane’s here. I’ve been warned already.”
“Good boy,” I said, giving him a pat on the head, before making my way through the food and drink area so I could see the floor below. It looked like the athletes were still warming up.