Page 26 of Floored By Love

Ryder might’ve been good-looking, but he was a bore. And an asshole, too. He treated his cameraman like garbage. When they wanted footage of me waking up, I told them ‘Hell no,’ and pushed them out of my room. Cassandra scolded me for that and then conspired with Ryder to stage my wake up. It was ridiculous. I wasn’t showing my junk on national TV, especially when it wasn’t on my terms. You know, like Celebrity Big Brother or something. In the end, it looked as if I slept fully dressed, but it was the shot they wanted, though I thought it was silly.

Ryder asked inane questions as the car service took us to the arena. When Coach gathered us together and I saw Cam’s crew, I was definitely jealous. Iris seemed so pleasant and Xavi, her camera guy, created a few feelings. The familiar snake of jealousy wrapped itself around my heart in no time. I couldn’t help but wonder if he filmed Cam waking up, or if it was just Ryder’s weird fantasy.

Does Cam still sleep naked?

More so than usual lately, I was pissy this morning, and Cassandra was her bossy self. Do this, do that. And all with a camera in my face.

I wasn’t a fan even though I should’ve been used to it. That’s how they were at competitions. But Ryder kept asking us for certain shots, and then some needed to be re-done, and by mid-morning I could tell even Cassandra was getting annoyed, though the cameraman seemed unaffected somehow. He was probably used to the bullshit.

So, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that Coach was getting in on the charade. He invited all of us to a team dinner that night. Something like that wasn’t unheard of. In fact, it probably should’ve happened days ago. After all, we did things like that in Brisbane. But maybe Coach didn’t know what to do about the rift between me and Cam. It certainly felt like we were playing characters for this film crew, but Ryder and Iris seemed happy so far.

Then again, there was a distinct possibility that I was being cynical.

The rest of the afternoon and dinner were genuinely pleasant, with only a few hiccups. I found out Alex and Colton’s families were flying in the next day and Cam’s mom and O’s family the day after. When asked about mine, I lied and said they were coming in two days like the others. Truthfully, I didn’t know when they were coming. I hadn’t heard from them other than a few random texts.

I had a moment alone with Cam too, but I didn’t think the bathroom was the place to have our conversation. I had just finished washing my hands and was about to leave when he walked in, and the first thing that came to my mind was to cover my crotch and ask him, ‘They didn’t follow you in here with the cameras, did they?’

Because that was so smooth.

It did get him to laugh, which was promising, though that was the most I’d said to him all day.

Damn it.

I hated it was this awkward, and it was my fault. He didn’t glance my way when he sat back down at the table.

And pretty soon, dinner was over. The guys headed back to the village with Iris and Xavi with them, and Cassandra and I got into a shiny SUV for the ride back to the hotel with Ryder and the cameraman. Ryder started asking me questions again.

Fucking relentless.

When he asked why we were in a hotel instead of the village, Cassandra answered for me. “The village has too many distractions.”

After a few more, I started thinking how the whole day went by and no one asked the camera guy his name. I couldn’t wait anymore.

Ignoring Ryder, I said, “Hey, what’s your name? I’ve been meaning to ask.”

“It’s Kaleb,” he answered, smiling.

“Nice to put a name with a face.”

I was thrilled when Ryder finished with the questions and they filmed my nightly toothbrush and skin care routine. Then I performed getting into bed with most of my clothes on.

Ryder thanked me and said goodbye to Cassandra, and he and Kaleb left. I went over to lock my door and go to bed for real, stripping everything off and tossing it on the floor, hoping for some normalcy the next day.

* * *

I asked for normal and I got it.

Cassandra was in a mood. The filming must’ve pushed her there because she was riding my ass throughout practice. And I did not particularly enjoy a woman doing that, especially when Cam was a hundred feet away and nailing every one of his vaults.

Not what I wanted him to be nailing.

I was literally celibate for four years and after a few days in Cam’s proximity, my dick was practically slapping me in the face for a ticket to his mouth. I needed this sorted, so I could concentrate. It would only get worse. He would either take me back, or we’d move on. I wanted it to be the first thing. The thing where we could do terribly sexy things to each other. I could always find someone else, but I didn’t want to. I wanted him.

“Concentrate, Lucas!” Cassandra yelled.

Oh yeah. Right. Gymnastics.

I restarted the rings routine I had been in the middle of, hopeful that she would accept this attempt as enough for today.