Page 92 of Lucky Shot
However, the way my stomach is twisting in anticipation of seeing Demi has me pushing my worries for Max aside. Not because I’m any less concerned, but because Demi will be here.
The only reason I arrived first was because I had a non-stop flight. Demi had a layover in Seattle and try as he may, there just wasn’t something sooner, so he was stuck at the airport for over three hours.
Part of me is glad that I got here first. It means I can get into our room and settle in before he arrives.
And freak out alone.
The room is really nice. We’re almost on the top floor and the view of the city with mountains in the distance is breathtaking. It is almost enough to distract me as I stare out the window. But when I turn back into the room, the single big bed reminds me that I’m not going to be here alone. Not for very long.
It’s been a very long time since I was a virgin, but fuck does it suddenly feel like this is my first time all over again. It’s not so much the sex, as it is who it’s with. I’ve known Elixon forever. We met almost right after I was drafted for some ‘Gays Can Play’ event.
There’s a part of me that’s very aware that Demi is Elixon, even if he’s felt like such a different person for six weeks. Not because I think either person is fake, but because we’ve never had a reason to be real with each other. Not like Pretty and Demi did.
This is the moment when the two are going to really be the same person. Even in a video call, I can still feel the distinction between Demi and Elixon. Because he’s kind of virtual.
But when he gets here? He’s going to be Elixon first.That’swhat’s going to be more difficult to come to terms with. Not that I’m upset that it’s Elixon. Not at all.
If Demi hadn’t been in the picture already, I think I might have started getting interested in Elixon when we walked on the beach back on Kala. He became more real to me at that point. Then there was the teasing on the ice when we were all just fooling around. I’m positive that would have made me see him differently.
The moment that would have really had me falling for him was when he rescued me at the gala. He was my fucking hero that night.
My heart was already set on Demi, though. So while I liked that Elixon and we were becoming actual friends, it was always Demi.
Suddenly, they’re the same person.
“Okay,” I mutter to myself as I pace the length of the room again. “No reason to freak out. I’m fine. Everything is fucking fine.”
To distract myself and make the time go by, I set my suitcase on the bank of drawers and open it to find some clean clothes. Then I head to the shower. I need to wash the plane off me. I need to smell fresh.
I don’t just clean, Ideep clean. I’m not sure what’s going to happen tonight once we’re alone and in bed together. But I want to be prepared, just in case. We planned today so that we’d arrive in time to spend an hour or so alone before we have to go to the opening dinner.
We agreed on this because we thought it would take some of the pressure off us being alone. Honestly, I’m both thankful for that and dreading it. I’m not sure if I’m nervous because it means we’re going to be around dozens of other people and that alone has made me feel out of control lately? Or because I’m going to be losing my fucking mind, wanting to be back here. Or maybe the anticipation of what the night is going to bring will have me short of breath all throughout dinner.
I don’t think there’s any good answer.
When I’m as clean as I’ve been in years, I get out. Dry off. Shave and lotion myself so I’m silky smooth. And then stare at myself in the mirror.
Despite how others might interpret it, I’ve never hated my looks. I think I’m cute I just hate what my looks bring me. When the attention is for hockey or… charity or something, I don’t hate it. But only because I’m pretty? I hate it.
But right now, that’s all I can see. I’m just a pretty face.
Taking a breath, I walk through a mist of body spray and then leave the bathroom. I don’t dress in the suit I’ll be wearing for dinner; instead, I slip into a pair of underwear, pants I usually lounge around the house in, and a long-sleeved t-shirt.
Then I go back to pacing.
I check my phone again to see if Max has answered. Nothing. I send another, letting him know I’m worried about him. For the first time ever, I wish we weren’t so reliant on apps. What if he deleted the messenger app? I don’t have his number.
I’m chewing my lip, fretting over this when I hear the beep at the door and the lock pull back. I suddenly can’t breathe as I stare. This is it. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. I justknowthat it’s going to change my entire life.
I might pass out.
TWENTY-SEVEN
ELIXON
I’mtired when I arrive at the hotel. While I didn’t cross three time zones for this trip, sitting in an airport for three hours while I waited for my next flight, knowing that Pretty is just a few hundred miles away and waiting for me, had me tense and jittery the entire time.
My body is practically vibrating when I step up to the reception counter. The receptionist tells me that my partner has already checked in, which only makes the nerves erupt double time. The elevator takes too long, and I swear, it stops on every single floor until I’m finally dumped out into the hall that will lead me to Pretty.
