Page 41 of Game On
“When you go up,” Ash adds, tapping Hudson, “remember to keep your right elbow in. Don’t flare it. Got it, QB?”
Hudson gives him a two-finger salute. “Loud and clear.”
Luke chuckles, stepping back to give us all some space. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got, Fox.”
With Ash acting as our spotter, I’m confident we’ll be okay. Hudson looks at me, his eyes serious but with a hint of the challenge that I’ve come to expect. “Ready?”
“Whenever you are,” I say. We position ourselves, and I place my right foot in Hudson’s hands, just like we practiced.
“On three,” Ash counts down for us. “Down, up!”
Hudson’s arms extend, lifting me into the air. The world spins as I execute the full up, relying entirely on Hudson’s grip and my own muscle memory. It’s a quick pop-up before I’m standing above him, arms raised in a high V.
“Hell, yeah,” Ash calls from the ground enthusiastically, and then, “Hop down.”
It’s not perfect, but when my feet hit the mat, Hudson’s grin is wide, and there’s a cheer from the guys beside us. The relief on his face is clear, and he actually laughs—a sound of genuine delight.
“Not bad for a rusty old man,” I tease, punching him lightly on the arm.
“Not bad at all,” Hudson agrees, his earlier confidence fully restored. “So, what’s next?”
Ash, already scrolling through his phone for a videotutorial, looks up with a smirk. “Oh, we’ve got plenty more to show you. Hope you’re ready for a long night, Fox.”
“Bring it on,” Hudson says playfully. “I’m just getting started.”
We spend the next hour moving through more variations of full ups, from a bump and go all the way to the top, Hudson’s arms immediately pushing me through to platform. There are a few bobbles here and there, but for the most part we keep nailing it.
His hands are extra careful, gripping me firmly, lingering even after I’ve safely dismounted, as if he’s afraid I might slip right through them. Each touch is electric. A tight grasp here, a prolonged hold there. It reminds me of the last time his hands were on me—steady and unyielding. A night when we both let ourselves go.
That memory isn’t one I can easily forget. It was the first time I felt so completely in sync with my own body. The last time I orgasmed with a partner. After years of steady—albeit mildly dissatisfying—sex, that sort of heat is hard to ignore.
I’m exhausted by the time Ash and Luke suggest peg leg full up. It’s a multi-base stunt that requires a little more finesse than I think I’ll possess in this moment. So instead, I collapse onto the mat behind me, catching my breath.
“Why don’t you three go for it.” I wave my hand in their direction, eyes closed, not bothering to spare them a glance.
When Hudson’s low laugh echoes throughout the gym, I push onto my elbows to take a look. Ash and Luke are sizing him up, trying to decide if he’s light and limber enough for them to push into the air.
“Hey.” Hudson holds up both hands in his defense. “I never said I was a flyer.”
Ash tosses a wink in my direction. “Oh, anyone can do it. Isn’t that right, El?”
I sigh. “Has anyone told you lately that you’re a piece of shit?”
Ash’s laugh rings out in the open space. “Only daily, but who’s counting?”
I push myself to stand, brushing off my shorts as they get ready for the peg leg full up. Luke, who’s decided he’s the lightest—and therefore the least likely to cause a catastrophic injury—steps forward with an enthusiasm that’s as infectious as it is misplaced.
“Down, up!” they chant, lifting Luke into the air. His legs kick out wildly before he comes crashing down amid a tangle of limbs. The mat thuds under the impact, and a collective wince ripples through the gym.
“Maybe a little less kick, more control?” I suggest, trying to swallow my amusement.
Luke stands up, dusting himself off. “Yeah, no kidding.”
They try again. And again. Each attempt ends in a similar mess of arms and legs and laughter, each fall slightly more controlled than the last, but it’s clear they’re nowhere near pulling it off. After the tenth tumble, I’m half convinced they’ll end up in the emergency room if they keep at it.
“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” I finally declare, stepping forward to halt their next attempt. “Before one of you breaks something. And by ‘one of you,’ I mean all of you.”
“Aww, you really care about me, don’t you, Ella?” Luketeases, his grin wide as he rubs at a burgeoning bruise on his forearm.
