Cheater: A Summer Games Short Read (Going for Gold) (6 page)

I
woke
up that morning with a smile on my face, and pep in my step. The night before had proved to be amazing. Both Bryn and Collette had shown their true colors. Bryn’s hue was saturated with darkness, whereas Collette emanated warmth and sunshine.

When I entered the kitchen, Wade was already there. His skin was pale, and sweat dripped from his brow. I reached around him and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

“Are you going to pretend I’m not here?” He doubled over and clutched his stomach.

“That would be hard to do if you collapse in the center of the floor.” I picked up a banana from the fruit bowl. It was a nice welcome basket from the committee. “You look like shit, man. Maybe you ate some tainted pussy.”

Wade ran from the room, and by the sounds of it, he just made it to the bathroom before his stomach emptied itself.
He better pull his shit together, or he’ll miss day two of the qualifying rounds
, I thought. Maybe I could eventually forgive him for Bryn, but I’d never forgive him if he got us eliminated from the all-around.

* * *

C
ollette was competing
today for Canada’s all-around berth, and I decided to sneak in to catch her on at least one apparatus.

The crowds were insane at the arena. Thankfully all I had to do was flash my pass and point to the men’s locker room. After putting my stuff in a locker, I slipped into the arena and took a seat where I could see the floor routine. Team Canada was just walking over.

With about thirty minutes to spare until Nick wanted us in the locker room for his motivational, tough-love speech, I got comfortable and analyzed the women’s routines. The women’s performances weren’t so different from ours, except that theirs added music, lasted ninety seconds instead of seventy, and focused more on dance and tumbling than flexibility, strength, and balance. For both men and women, though, timing was the key to a good floor routine. Mine was four passes with a double-double finale; I was eager to see what Collette could do, and it turned out I didn’t have to wait long.

“Collette stood up to take her turn. Her red and white leotard hugged her tight body like a glove. She was all muscle and attitude. With her hair pulled back into a ponytail, she didn’t look twenty-one. I would have carded her at a bar.

She glanced toward the judges’ table. Once the green light was turned on, she gave the obligatory salute and started her routine.

The music thrummed through my veins. I didn’t recognize the piece, but it had a powerful beat that was emphasized with the completion of each pass. On her final leg, she stepped into the corner. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled. After a bounce she jetted across the mat and finished her routine with a double-double, whip-triple, full-in.
Impressive.

Her score would be high enough to qualify for individuals. Collette took no prisoners. She appeared to be all-in and committed to her task, whether it was gymnastics or budding relationships.

We had shared a handful of kisses last night, but we hadn’t pressed each other for more. I sure wouldn’t have argued if things had gone further, but the pace we’d been moving at seemed to suit us.

The pace had been way different with Bryn. I’d watched her my whole life from afar. She trained at the same gym and dated one of the former Team USA gymnasts. One day when I was leaving the gym, she asked me out. That night I received my first blow job, which included some deep-throat action and swallowing. How could I not fall for her?

The announcer called Gabby’s name, breaking my train of thought. I stood on my seat and shouted at her. She gave me an enthusiastic wave. Next to her was Bryn, whose demeanor matched that of a serial killer. How she could be mad at me was beyond me.

Gabby bumbled her second pass by stepping outside the line. My heart broke for her. She had too much forward motion to stop. When she finished her routine, she smiled, but I knew she wanted to cry. Her score wouldn’t keep Team USA from making the finals, but it might prevent her from qualifying for the individual round. With competitors like Collette nailing their routines, Gabby didn’t have much of a chance.

Bryn was next, but I was expected in the gym. Besides, I had no desire to cheer for her anymore. I could still support Team USA without rooting for Bryn individually.

When I entered the locker room, it smelled like perspiration and defeat. Hundreds of athletes would rotate through, but few would emerge victorious. I wasn’t leaving Rio without at least one medal. I wanted gold, but the color wouldn’t define me. What defined me was the journey.

Wade sat on a bench with his head cradled in his hands. Nick paced around him. “Damn it, Wade, if you have Zika, I’ll kill you myself.”

Wade lifted his head. “You’ll have to wait in line. I’m pretty sure Alec is in front of you.” Several of our teammates snickered, letting me know the truth had already spread through the team.

I took in a deep breath and glanced around the room, daring any of them to say something. The first one that mentioned my dick in the same breath as Bryn’s name would find his teeth in his stomach. Understanding looks were all I saw on the faces of my team. They surrounded me and clapped me on the back.
Camaraderie.

Coach pressed a bottle of water into Wade’s hand. “Drink up. You’re up first.” Coach wasn’t an uncaring man, but this was his chance too, and Wade was his golden goose.

“I’ll be all right. I ate seafood outside of the village, and I think it might have been bad.”

Cole walked by him. “It’s great that you’re holding back to give the rest of us a chance.” Cole knew that Wade was driven by competition. If he wound him up enough, Wade would find the energy to compete at his best. He might be dying in bed tonight, but he’d never let anyone best him if he could help it.

After we changed and stretched, we began our walk into the arena. Nick grabbed Wade’s arm and one of mine to hold us back. “I’ve heard enough to know what’s going on. Bury it. You two are the glue of the team. Without glue, we fall apart. When you get home, I’ll supervise the blood match, but for now you’re brothers.”

“It’s under control, Coach,” I said, and I meant it. I’d had some time to think about the situation. We were all at fault.

I’d chosen poorly when it came to girlfriends. Bryn was simply scratching an itch she couldn’t control. And Wade was thinking with his dick. I wasn’t ready to hug and sing “Kumbaya,” but I could table my feelings until after the Games.

Nick nodded and let go of us so we could join our teammates. As the captain, Wade took his place at the front of the line, and I fell into step behind him.

It was painful to watch Wade compete. To the common eye, he moved through the rotations with ease, but those of us who knew him could see he was holding on by a thread.

The day’s events finished on the floor. In one of the strength components, Wade dipped slightly. Although he recovered, it would cost him at least a tenth of a point. That meant I had to step up my game on my worst event.

Before it was my turn, I searched the arena for Collette. I needed to see her smile. How I’d come to depend on her strength in such a short period of time, I couldn’t say. All I knew was that her presence fortified me. I’d about given up, and then I saw her arms flailing left and right. She blew me a kiss, and I was ready to conquer.

Seventy-seconds later, I had secured an all-time high score for myself and a future at the Games for Team USA. With renewed energy, I ran for the locker room. All I wanted was to pull Collette into my arms. She was my reward for a job well done.

W
hen the team
emerged from the arena, Collette was leaning against the wall. Dressed in shorts and a tank top, she made my mouth water.

“Hey, Grumpy.” She pushed off the wall and slid into my arms.

The team whistled and hooted, and I responded by flying the good old all-American bird. Wade walked by and nodded as if his acknowledgment meant something. I didn’t need his approval. I knew what Collette was. She was better than gold—she was platinum.

She grabbed my gym bag. “Which one is your roommate?” She scanned the men who were stepping onto the return bus.

I pointed to Wade.

“Hey,” she called to him, “can you take this back with you?” She didn’t wait for an answer. She flung the bag at him and smiled. Wade stepped onto the bus lugging both of our bags. “Your chariot awaits.” Next to where she had been standing was a bright pink scooter.

I looked at the motorized Barbie bike. “No way.”

“Yes way.” The helmet that hung from the right handlebar was pushed into my palms. “Cover your melon, we’re going on a field trip.”

“You’re taking me on a date, Snow?”

“No, I’m taking you on an adventure.” She pulled on her helmet and straddled the bike.

“You expect me to ride bitch?” I stood in front of her, calculating how long I wanted to yank her chain.

“Do you have a problem with taking a backseat to a woman?” Her right brow lifted and disappeared under her bangs.

I walked around the back of the bike to analyze her ass. It was tight and firm-looking, and my hands burned to cup her globes. Nope, I’d ride bitch to get close to that. “I’d follow your backseat anywhere.”

She slapped her own ass. “Snuggle up and hold on tight.”

And I did. I spread my legs and pressed myself against her bottom. My dick rose in bliss.

Collette wound through the streets of Rio and turned toward Corcovado Mountain. At its peak sat the famous Christ the Redeemer statue.

We stood in the parking lot under the shadow of Christ and removed our helmets. I felt guilty for having a boner in such a holy place. My shame worked like a kick to the nuts, killing any arousal I had.

“I’d wanted to come up here.” I pulled her helmet from her hands and hung it next to mine on the bike.

“Can I have your phone?” She held out her hand, and I placed it in her palm.

After choreographing the perfect photo op, Collette snapped several photos of me with the statue in the background. “For your mom.”

I was touched by her thoughtfulness. She was truly a selfless person. Most people would have dashed to the escalator and rushed to the top, but not this girl. She thought about my mom.

Every minute I spent with her was a moment I cherished. She held my hand and my heart as we took the stairs to the top. Rio sat below us under the setting sun. Even though there were many people around us, it was like the world had silenced itself and allowed this moment to be exclusively ours.

My lips needed to be on hers. My hands needed to cup her ass. My dick begged for me to make her mine. Under the arms of Christ I kissed this woman with everything I had. I poured my heart and soul into her lips. By the time we stopped kissing, the sun had set. Somewhere between the first kiss and the last, I’d cradled her ass and pulled her into my arms. She was a perfect fit next to me. Her legs gripped my waist. Her arms circled my neck. And her passion nearly ruptured my dick.

“Let’s go back and make you work on your happy.” Her whisper sent a shiver through my body. Not since I was fourteen and in the pool house with Jennifer Crane had I been so excited.

“Are you sure?” I didn’t want to rush Collette into anything. Many of the guys that came to the Games had two collections in mind: One was medals, the other was girls. But she was more than an international medal to hang around my neck.

She raced me down the steps to the scooter. Speed demon was stating it lightly. The woman could’ve been a track star as well as a gymnast. We returned the scooter and rushed to her dorm. In her room, she asked me to turn around. I never would’ve considered Collette to be shy, but if she wanted me to turn around, I’d comply. Somehow I knew the payback would be huge.

“Ready?” Her voice dripped with sex appeal.

I spun around, and my mouth hit the floor. Collette wasn’t naked. She was in her leotard. My head couldn’t wrap around why she was pulling her sweats on. Wasn’t she supposed to be nude and waiting for me?

“Collette?” I adjusted my pants.

Her eyes caressed me from my eyes to my straining erection. If I didn’t get these jeans off soon, my cock would turn purple and fall off.

“Alec, we’re going to the gym to work on that floor exercise.” She eyed my crotch. “Perfection will be rewarded.”

She led me to my dorm. I didn’t ask her to turn around when I stripped. I let her look at every straining inch I had. When I tucked myself into my shorts, I groaned. “You’re killing me, Snow.”

“Alec, this isn’t going to kill you. It’s going to make you stronger.”

Few people were in the gym when we arrived. I had the floor to myself. There was a Russian on the rings, and a Chinese gymnast on the uneven bars, but in my head Collette and I were alone.

“Show me what you got.” She sat cross-legged on the edge of the mat.

“I already showed you everything, and you shuffled me to the gym. I’d say you weren’t impressed.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Perfection earns rewards. Show me your routine.” She relaxed back onto her elbows.

I started in the first corner and began my routine with a triple full and stepped out of bounds on my landing.

Pissed at myself, I walked back to the start.

Collette jumped to her feet and walked to me. “You don’t appear to be properly motivated.” She pulled my shoulders down, licked my lips, and trailed her tongue to my ear. “Hit it this time.”

I glanced down at my happy dick and shook my head. This was tumbling, not pole-vaulting.

A sprint followed by a triple full had me praying I’d land in the zone. When I did, I smiled like an idiot.

Collette walked to me and laid her hand on my chest. “Not perfect, but better.”

“And my reward?”

“How much do you want me?” The little seductress rubbed her body against mine.

“More than I want a medal right now.”

She stepped back and laughed. “You’re a fickle man, Alec. The only reason you’d choose me over a medal is because you don’t see a medal in your future. I’m the easy choice. That’s a big mistake.” She tapped me on the head. “You’ve already failed in your head. It’s time to retrain your brain.” She pulled my hand to her lips and drew in one of my fingers. Hot, wet, and smooth, she sucked and pulled until my finger released with a pop. My body shuddered.

“Who are you?” The words rasped from my throat.

She stretched her petite frame to its max height. “I’m Collette Lamont, and I’m good for you.”

Her words rang in my ears. Wasn’t that what my mom had told my dad? I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but I liked it.

“How did I get so lucky?”

“Luck is just opportunity and preparation colliding.”

My heart nearly exploded in my chest. This girl felt like home.

“You sound like my mom.”

She ran her hand down my chest, grazing my hardened nipple. “I promise you, when we make love, you won’t be thinking about your mom.” She pointed to the corner. “Again.”

It took every bit of control to not lay her down on the mats and make love to her here, but I’d follow her rules. Something told me the reward would be worth it.

We worked on each section of the routine until my legs burned. Every time I hit something perfect, Collette rewarded me with a kiss, a stroke, or a whisper. The woman was a vixen.

At the end of her mandatory practice, she challenged me. If I beat her to the opposite end walking on my hands, she said she’d sleep with me. Every muscle in my body hurt, but I knew I’d beat her. My arms were longer and stronger, and that in and of itself gave me the edge.

Once in position, she shouted, “Go!” She moved out of my peripheral vision, and I thought I’d passed her. When I got to the end, I jumped up in triumph, only to find her already at the end with a smug look on her face.

“Shit. How the hell did you do that?”

“I’m tricky like that.”

My shoulders rounded in defeat. “You won fair and square.” There would be no sleeping with Collette tonight. “You get to choose the prize.”

She laughed, which made me think it wasn’t a legitimate win. It didn’t matter to me. Sure, I wanted to sleep with her, but I liked the chase almost as much as the capture.

“If you won, I was going to sleep with you. Since I won, we shall sleep in my bed.” She whipped around and walked out the door.

“We’re still sleeping together?” There was a little boy still trapped inside me that wanted to high-five every man around the village.

She let me catch up and wrapped her arm around me. “Yes, Alec. But ‘sleep’ is the word you should focus on.”