Page 16 of Lucky Shot
“No. I think that’ll get Gabe at least painted.”
“The next day will tell us whether or not he tried to get it off,” Azure agrees.
* * *
It takesthree days until the others realize the paint doesn’t come off easily. Three days and Gabe, Sylvester, and Ethan are painted. It’s Ethan who finally realizes the paint isn’t as temporary as we thought it would be. He looks at me with narrowed eyes when he comes out the morning after he was painted.
“Have you tried to take that off?” he asks, gesturing to my still blindingly white torso with the Vegas crown on it.
“I have. A lot.”
“And you didn’t think to warn anyone that it’s fucking permanent?” he asks.
I shrug. “After the razzing I received for wearing Azure’s jersey? No. Just be glad you’re wearing your own.”
Ethan glares at me for a minute longer, but he can’t hold on to his anger. The corner of his lips tick up and then he’s rolling his eyes. “Fuck, Noah. I didn’t realize you were vindictive.” He laughs.
“I’m not, though I get tired of hearing ‘poor pretty boy’ when I complain about something. I figured this was a decent enough payback until the secret was out.”
Ethan mimes zipping his lips. “Secret is safe with me. How many more do you think will get painted before someone else catches on?”
“I’m honestly a little concerned about hygiene. Has no one washed?!”
He laughs again and then scrunches his face. “I will let it pass because we’re all in and out of water all day long, but yeah… ew.”
And thus, the secret expanded as a few more people figure it out. I’m not sure if the others were trying not to wash it off or maybe they were just running through the shower without actually washing, but the secret remained unshared by those of us who did discover it.
Meanwhile, I am sidetracked when we receive a new passenger whoisn’tan athlete. We pick him up at a stop on the California coast before heading toward the Isle of Kala.
It didn’t take much to figure out that he is Elixon’s brother. They look like clones, although I think the new guy, Roux, is probably a decade younger. My age.
He’s not as hard and lean as Elixon, though his features are the same. Light blond hair and very light eyes, ringed in what I imagine is a navy halo around his irises. It’s only as I look at him that I realize Elixon is hot. This younger version of him is like looking into the past.
If Elixon was ever soft and without abs, thick, muscular legs, and constant stubble on his jaw. Huh. I’ve never noticed the way he wears his tight bathing suit that frameseverythingjust right.
Before I can get carried away with that, though, I turn and head for the hammam so I can float around away from the sun for a while. It’s difficult to determine if I’m getting burned when I can’t see my fucking skin. The last couple days, I’ve been trying to stay out of the sun as often as possible, so I’m not constantly harassing Azure to lather me in sunscreen.
Anyone else would gladly help, but his hands don’t wander, and he doesn’t flirt after. It’s the small wins.
Poor pretty boy.
The hammam is basically a room that’s water from wall to wall. There are arches throughout that I’m pretty sure are for decoration and the water changes temperature depending on where you are within the public bath. The idea is that the hammam boosts the immune system, rejuvenates the body, invigorates something or other, and will apparently relax my mind and body.
Does it do all that for real? I’m about to find out.
Thankfully, the section I step into is warm. I’m not all about the cold water so while I move around the pool, I note which sections I plan to stay away from. Then I sink down to my colored shoulders and close my eyes to relax.
The scent is certainly relaxing. If I had a float, I’m pretty sure I could fall asleep easily. And even though it’s still technically morning, I wouldn’t mind a nap at all.
It isn’t long before I hear the door open, though I don’t shift to look. I assume they’ll peek in and go away. Apparently, they don’t.
“Mind some company?”
I look up to see young Elixon standing at the edge of the hammam. Unlike most people on the ship, he’s wearing trunks. And they’re loose. I’m kind of amused.
“Sure,” I say and watch as he steps into the water.
He sighs and like I had been, he sinks to his shoulders and closes his eyes. “This is probably the best thing I’ve found so far,” he muses.
