Page 55 of Back Outside Edge

Stefan

October

New York, NY

Evan and I have managed to squeeze in four too brief visits, countless text messages, and as many video chats as possible. For the first time since the World Championships, we’re both going to be at the same competition. It’s the first of this year’s Circuit Championships series, Circuit America, and I’m beyond excited. To see Evan, and to show off my hard-won skills.

The problem is, in the six months since we started doing this thing, we’ve managed to keep our relationship secret.

It was the plan, of course, and I should be grateful we've succeeded so far. I haven't had to deal with any fallout to my sponsorships, and we haven't had to fight with International Competitive Skating or either of our home countries. It's one thing to be falling for a man. It's another thing for the entire world to have an opinion on that fact.

I've kept my parents clueless. Part of me wants to open up and tell them, hopes that when I do so, they'll be supportive. The rest of me is terrified they won't be.

The problem is, Evan and I are in the same place at the same time and I can't do anything about it. I want him in my hotel room. Right now. All week. For the first time, I want a roommate. A very specific roommate, yes, but a roommate. And I can’t come up with a single excuse that will make it happen.

The neighbors on all sides of me know me too well. Dad's in the room next door. I can't bring Evan to me. He'll have a roommate, so I can't go to him.

Stupid hotel, not screwing up this time.

So, I have to figure out a way to spend time with him, in a hotel full of gossipy figure skaters, without anyone noticing. Right. Because that's easy.

Evan arrives a few hours after me. The moment he texts me he's arrived and gives me his room number, I’m off. Sneakily. I creep down a few flights of stairs until I’m on his floor. Do I have a good excuse for me to be on the fourth floor? Nope, but I'm here anyway, in a hallway reeking of burnt microwave popcorn.

Me

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

A few seconds later, his head pops out of his doorway. "What are you doing?" he stage whispers at me.

From about twenty feet away, I grin at him. It's been well over a month since I've seen him in person, and all I want to do is wrap him up in a hug. Well, no, I'd much rather wrap him up in a hug and kiss him until we both pass out from lack of oxygen. But we're in public. "You know that stage whispers carry further than just talking, right?"

He shakes his head, and the laughter lighting up his eyes is obvious, even from as far away as I am. "I should go to bed. I'm beat."

I nod solemnly. "Me too."

"Then what are you doing outside my door?"

I gave him a look of wide-eyed innocence. "I'm not outside your door. I'm outside this random person's door. Just because you happen to be two doors down... "

Yeah, I’m shit at sneaky.

Evan appears to get the memo because he holds a single finger up and goes back into his room, saying something to his roommate. A moment later, he’s back outside the door, in the hallway with me, door closing firmly behind him. After giving an exaggerated look over both of our shoulders, I pull him into the hug I've been craving.

Evan, being Evan, laughs into my shoulder while he hisses, "You're about as subtle as a rhinoceros."

"I missed you."

His voice softens. "I missed you too, baby. But if we want to keep this quiet, this is not how we do it." A gentle click back down the hall has me jumping, then looking over his shoulder. Just his door, closing. We need to find somewhere less conspicuous.

"I know," I huff. "Come on, I've found where the snacks are." Which is both a true statement and a very good excuse for getting him away from his room for a minute. Because I can be sneaky. Kind of.

We keep our hands off each other all the way down the elevator, even though we have it to ourselves. We manage to stay separate as we walk down the endless corridor to the hotel’s breakfast area. Even if my whole body is tingling in his presence.

Thank fuck, nobody is in the dimly lit area. It also smells better than the hallway outside his room, if still overpowered by food. There’s a basket with some microwave popcorn and granola bars, but I ignore them.

Instead, I pull him around the half wall closing off a section of the dining area and kiss him senseless. I need him like I need air. And after an initial half-baked protest, he gives in, kissing me back just as greedily.

I'm ready to drop down to my knees then and there, fingers tucked behind his fly, about to undo the button. But Evan, ever the voice of reason, stops me. "I don't think getting arrested for public indecency is going to help our cause. You've already been barred from one international competition. Do you want to chance another?" His voice is breathless. He wants it as much as I do. But he’s annoyingly correct.