Page 24 of Lucky Shot
It serves him well on the ice. Somehow he gets down and just speeds along. Like a speed skater. As if being short makes him extra agile, he’s like a fucking acrobat on the ice.
And a demon off the ice.
Still, I’m slightly self-conscious. Very aware of eyes on me. It takes a lot of self-discipline not to play with the necklace around my neck. Despite seeing no less than a dozen men around me wearing a necklace of some kind too, I’m insecure about wearing one. As if I’m being judged.
“Get out of your head, No-No,” Max says as he pulls me along to a table. His tray is piled with food, and I swear, he’s going to have to work three times as hard to get back in shape when we head home. “We’re here for a good time.”
I like the Isle of Kala. It’s a six-island chain in the Pacific that boasts being LGBTQ+ welcoming. It’s not just friendly. If anything, it’s that anything outside of the rainbow is tolerated while this is the home of Pride life.
Yet, I still feel uneasy. But it’s not because I’m worried about being judged for my sexuality or whatever. That’s reserved for the real world.
It’s because I never feel like there’s anywhere I can be me. After talking to Demi last night and the way he dressed up my character, something inside me has snapped and Icravebeing able to do that on a very deep level. I want to be able to live freely.
If there was ever a place to do that, it would be here. I won’t go so far as to say it’s a judgment free zone. I don’t think those places truly exist. Even if opinions are kept to themselves, they’re still made. But here, I could be feminine, and I don’t think anyone would care.
“Noah,” Max says, and I turn my attention back to him. He slides me a paper boat of rice and stuff. It smells divine. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
I give him a wry smile. “Just thinking,” I say.
“You don’t have to think here, man. Just have fun.”
“If it were that easy,” I say quietly and pick through the rice. It’s good, so I end up digging in and polishing it off.
“Noah!”
I look up as Roux comes towards us, grinning. He leans over the chair between Max and me with a wide smile. “Hey.”
“Having fun?” I ask.
Roux nods. “Yep. This place is like… a different world.” He looks around, eyes glimmering.
“How’s the summer fling coming?” I ask.
He laughs, shrugging. “I don’t know. Now it feels like there’s too many to choose from. I’m overwhelmed.”
“Max says it’s about having fun. Don’t overthink it,” I offer.
Roux looks at Max, who gives him a wide, food-filled grin before turning back to his meal. Apparently, eating trumps flirting. Good to know.
“Yeah. I guess.” Roux’s expression turns distant as he looks around.
“Where’re you headed?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I have no destination. I bailed on Lix when he told me someone was too old for me. Maybe I’m into a May-December romance.”
I chuckle. “Protective older brother.”
Roux grins. “I don’t mind. Though I think it would be too awkward to, you know, hook up with my brother hanging around. He didn’t seem to be offended when I said as much. He told me to wear a condom and then wished me luck.”
Max snorts.
“Which part of that do you disapprove of?” I ask.
“The condom part, right?” Roux asks.
Max smirks, his dark eyes flashing to Roux before he grins at me and returns to his food. I half wonder if Elixon warned Max off his baby brother. I’ve literally never seen him act so aloof and indifferent to someone.
Anyone. The man has zero standards and is open to anyone who breathes.
