In Dreams He Came

by Trina Lane

  “Phil! Snap out of it. You need to get downstairs.”

  Phil shook his head and looked over at the list of events. “Oh crap! My final’s up in two events.”

  “Good luck!” Will yelled as Phil raced away. He looked over at Nick. “Tell me everything.”

  Nick laughed. “Senior at CAL. Fine Arts major. Playboy. Silly if sometimes inappropriate sense of humor. Carries himself around as a fly-by-night extrovert, which I think acts as a cover for a much deeper personality. His artwork is stunning, and I don’t think that would be possible for someone who really doesn’t care about anything other than his place in the world. Oh, and he’s an extremely loyal friend.”

  “Attached?”

  Nick shook his head. “Phil doesn’t believe in attachments of a sexual kind.”

  “Top or bottom?”

  Nick laughed. “I believe after hearing some of his exploits that he’s versatile.”

  Will smiled. “Perfect. So what do you say we all get some dinner tonight. We can celebrate yours and Gabe’s wins, and I can woo Phil Alcorn into my bed.”

  “Somehow I doubt it will take much wooing, but as long as Gabe doesn’t mind the company, it’s fine with me.”

  Nick kept his eye on the pool deck where the awards ceremony was about to take place. The announcer came back over the speaker and everyone in the aquatic center went silent. He announced the third place winner from University of Southern California. Nick recognized the name as one of the up and comers that team USA’s coach had his eye on. Next was the second place winner from Texas, who was already a member of the national team and swam a couple of the prelim races in Beijing. The announcer then went on to explain how the first place position ended in a tie.

  As soon as Gabe’s name came over the speaker, Nick started yelling and cheering along with all the other fans. Gabe was dressed in his official CAL warm-ups, and the blue and yellow really set off his dark hair. Nick watched as the official placed a gold medal around Gabe’s neck. It was Gabe’s first, to Nick’s knowledge, and it was obvious how much it meant. Gabe waved to the crowd and then lifted the medal and stared at it. All four men shook each other’s hands and shared congratulations.

  It seemed as though Gabe floated across the deck to the exit. Nick wanted nothing more than to race down into the locker room and hug his prince, but he knew that the officials would keep him out since he was done with his races for the day. Nick and Will sat down on the benches.

  “So, I take it you’re serious about this guy Gabe?”

  “Yes. We’ve been seeing each other since September. He’s by far the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “Wow. Sounds like you’re in love.”

  “I am. Everything with Gabe is so easy. There’s no stress about our schedules. He’s a pretty quiet guy, but when he smiles it’s like a sonic boom hits the room. And he’s smart. Really smart. After he graduates he’ll be starting his PhD in history.”

  The crowd started cheering for the current race, but Nick didn’t really pay much attention. He knew that Phil was in the final after this and wanted to stick around for his friend. “I’m going to hit the head before Phil’s race. Will you save my spot?”

  “Sure.”

  Nick knew by the way that Will drew out the word that he didn’t believe his excuse of having to use the restroom. Nick was going to look for Gabe, who was also done for the day and would be heading up into the stands to watch Phil. Nick weaved through the crowd and spotted Gabe quickly scuttling through the throng of swimmers from numerous universities and swim clubs.

  Nick whistled and Gabe’s head shot over in his direction. Nick walked down a hallway off to his left. Through the wall of glass he could still see into the pool area. The race was over and the awards were starting. They only had five minutes, tops. Gabe jogged toward him and Nick pushed open a door labeled Supplies. Gabe followed him in and as soon as the door shut Nick wrapped his arms around Gabe and kissed him.

  Nick’s hands went everywhere on Gabe’s body. They both smelled of chlorine and arousal. Gabe’s mouth met his, and with a greedy groan, Nick slipped his tongue past those parted lips. The sweet, hot taste of Gabe saturated his senses, made his head go light.

  Nick pulled back, breaking the kiss long before he’d had his fill, but he knew they were short on time if they wanted to watch Phil swim. Gabe’s eyes were heavy-lidded, the mossy depths hazy with unsated lust. A little pout hinted on Gabe’s lips. “Let me see it.”

  The pout disappeared, and Gabe reached under his warm-up jacket and withdrew the gold medal and then held out the ribbon that still clung around his neck. Nick saw the medal matched the one he’d won earlier, but it held a very different meaning for his prince.

  “I am so proud of you, sweetheart,” he whispered in the darkness.

  “I just can’t believe it. I’ve never won. I don’t even care that it was a tie. Top ten, that’s always my goal, but something happened in those last ten yards. I don’t know what, I almost felt like you inhabited my body and I took off.”

  “It was all you, baby. Now we’d better scoot if we want to see Phil race.”

  “Oh crap! I forgot. Let’s go!”

  They ran back toward the stands, and Nick guided Gabe over to where Will was holding their seats. “Will, Gabe. Gabe, Will.”

  “Hey, nice to meet you,” Gabe said as the whistle blew, and they watched Phil jump in the water.

  Phil turned and reached for the posts at the base of the starting block. The one hundred backstroke would only last four lengths of the twenty-five-yard course. Nick knew Phil had it in him to make the top three. The horn sounded, and Phil dove backward into the water in a perfect arch. His kick underwater was perfect, and he surfaced right at the sixteen yard mark. Five more strokes and then Phil turned to flip. Nick heard Gabe and Will cheering Phil on as he took a slight edge over the competition. Phil surfaced after his last flip with only ten yards to go. If he had enough gas in the tank he’d pull it off.

  “Go, Squirt, go!” Gabe shouted.

  “Come on, Phil,” Nick joined in.

  A few more strokes and then Phil arched back for the wall. He touched at forty-five and sixty hundredths of a second, edging out the second-place winner by only fifty-nine hundredths of a second.

  “Golds all around, boys!” Will cheered.

  Nick hugged Gabe and high-fived Will. They definitely needed to go out and celebrate after Phil’s award ceremony. Since Phil’s was the last swim of the night, the aquatic center proceeded to clear out quickly.

  Nick noticed that the other swimmers had abandoned their little section. “Sweetheart, do you and Phil have team obligations tonight?”

  “Not that I know of. I know we’re having a thing tomorrow after the conclusion of the meet, but we’re free tonight. Why?”

  “Will suggested that we all go out and celebrate. Grab some dinner together.” He leaned down and whispered in Gabe’s ear, “I think he and Phil might be crushing on each other a little bit.” He smiled.

  Gabe laughed and then took a quick peek at Will. He looked at Nick and said softly, “Really? When did they meet?”

  “Phil came up here and watched the last half of your swim with us. I swear I heard a chorus of angels singing from the skylights when their eyes met.”

  Gabe’s eyebrows rose, and Nick nodded. “Sure, sounds like fun. Do you guys have transportation? ’Cause all we have is the team van, and I doubt Coach will let us borrow it.”

  “Yeah, my coach and I rented a car at the airport. I’ll text him and see if I can use it.”

  Nick dug out his phone and sent a quick message to Greg. A few seconds later, he smiled.

  “Greg said to have fun, but not too much because we have to be back for warm-ups at 7:30 tomorrow morning.” Nick turned to Will. “Gabe and I are both swimming the two hundred back, and Phil is doing the one hundred free.”

  Will’s eyes bugged out. “You’re racing your boyfriend? Oh man, that should be interesting.�
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  Gabe chuckled. “Well, I’d have to make it into the ‘A’ final to race against him. I’m sure Nick will add another medal to the two he has accumulated this weekend. Are you racing tomorrow, Will?”

  He nodded. “I’m scheduled to participate in both the two hundred breaststroke and butterfly.”

  Gabe’s head tilted. “Aren’t those finals scheduled back to back?”

  “Yeah. The girls will swim the butterfly, after I finish the breaststroke. So that gives me enough time to get out of the pool, get to the ready room and walk back out on deck.”

  “I don’t know how you professional guys do that. I’m wiped after a final. I couldn’t imagine racing full out only to turn around and do it all over again, and consistently win like the two of you do. But then I guess that’s why I’m only a little fish.”

  “I think that medal under your jacket says otherwise. You were quite impressive from where I stood. The only recommendation I have would be to make sure you use the full length of your stroke. Until the very end, it looked as if you were shortening it up on the back half.”

  Gabe nodded. “I know. It’s a habit. Nick’s been trying to break me of that. I think it happens because I’m thinking so hard about the next cycle that I rush the current one.”

  “Sweetheart, remember what I told you. I love your quick brain, but when you’re in the water, you need to trust in your muscles. Follow each movement to its completion, and it’ll be nothing but gold for my prince.”

  Nick’s heart tumbled in his chest when he received one of Gabe’s full smiles.

  “Jesus, you weren’t kidding,” Will whispered.

  “Nemo!”

  They all looked up and saw Phil standing in the breezeway above them. As a group, they raced up the concrete steps. Gabe and Phil latched onto each other with huge smiles and laughter. Phil swung Gabe around, much to Nick and Will’s laughter. Nick took out his phone and tapped the screen to open the camera application.

  “Hold them up, guys!”

  Phil and Gabe slung their arms around each other and held out their medals. Nick snapped the photo and then sent it to both Gabe and Phil’s phone and e-mail addresses. He went over and gave Phil a hug. “Way to go, Alcorn.”

  Phil took a peek at Will and then stretched up to whisper in Nick’s ear. “I had to look good, you know?”

  Nick laughed. “No worries, Michelangelo. Archer already had designs on your person for later.”

  “Yes,” Phil said under his breath.

  Gabe chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Let’s go, Squirt. We need to get back to the hotel and clean up before I unleash you onto your prey.”

  “We’ll get cleaned up and meet you in the lobby of your hotel, say 8:30 p.m.?” Nick asked.

  “Should work. As long as Phil doesn’t primp too long.”

  “Hey! Works of great art take time.”

  Will came up to them and looked into Phil’s eyes. “I’ve always appreciated fine art. Think I could get a private showing before the night is through?”

  Phil started to take a step toward Will when Nick saw Coach Meran standing at the end of the hallway.

  “Alcorn, Mason! Van’s leaving in two minutes with or without you!”

  Phil and Gabe spun around. “Coming, Coach!” they yelled together.

  After Meran turned away, Nick took a peek around and then gave Gabe a soft kiss. “Later, my prince.”

  NICK stood on the swim deck loosening up his arms for his last event of the meet. He swung his arms around in circles several times, adjusted his swim cap, and made sure his goggles were solidly in place. When the announcer called his name, he raised his arm in acknowledgment to the cheers of the crowd. It was extremely tempting to peek down the width of the pool and look at Gabe, who’d managed to qualify for the ‘A’ final but was seeded eighth. Nick knew that he couldn’t let his focus wander, though. He and Greg looked at these National Championships as a warm-up for World Short Course Championships in Dubai in two weeks. It was the perfect opportunity to iron out any kinks in Nick’s form and swim strategy.

  The whistle blew, and all the swimmers jumped in. There was nothing like that brief moment of weightlessness when you first sank beneath the water. Nick reveled in the sensation for a few brief seconds. When he surfaced, Nick gripped the posts at the base of the starting block. The metal was cool, and Nick shook off the excess water on his hands to get a solid grip. He braced his toes on the touch pad that was connected to the pool’s automatic timing system. The announcer came over the speaker, calling them to the ready position. Nick pulled himself up into a crouch.

  The horn sounded, and Nick launched himself off the wall. His back arched, stretching for the water. He sank beneath the surface and started his dolphin kick. His legs pumped, firmly held together by determination, practice, and strength. Nick kept his eyes trained on the lane lines. He saw the little yellow pod signaling the fifteen yard mark, at which regulations stated he had to surface. He angled his body upwards. As soon as Nick’s face broke through the water he took a breath and began the first cycle of arm movements. Nick always preferred to start with his left arm. He had a tendency to drift right after his start, and the left push phase corrected this. Nick spied the vertical girder in the ceiling that he’d use to keep himself in line down the lane. He stretched back into each cycle. Arm over arm. All his upper body training was critical to building speed and endurance, but the yoga he did kept him limber and allowed his joints to move with ease.

  Nick turned over, did his tumble turn, and pushed off the opposite wall. Another fifteen yards underwater allowed him to catch a glimpse of the competition. He appeared to be in good position. Swim his race. Don’t worry about the wall. Don’t worry about the other swimmers. Greg’s voice echoed in Nick’s head.

  Two lengths down, six to go. Nick was comfortable in his pace. His body rolled with each stroke. The water splashed over his face. His hi-tech goggles prevented any fogging or prisms to obscure his vision. The water slid over his smooth body, and the advanced design of his racing suit allowed the water to wick away so he was able to slice through the pool as an arrow would the air.

  Four down, four to go. The pool wasn’t as deep as some of the more elite complexes so there was a bit of turbulence in the water surrounding him. He shifted into a higher gear to get away from the wash. The moment he pulled away from the other swimmers he immediately noticed the change. What was a churning whirlpool became smooth as silk sliding against his skin. The flags overhead signaled he’d reached the twenty yard mark, so Nick turned and flipped once again. This time he really made use of his dolphin kick to surge ahead before surfacing. Nick knew he’d accomplished his goal when he saw that the closest swimmer’s stroke was even with his hips.

  Two and half lengths to go. His breathing was stable. His arms pulled for every yard before pushing his body away from the competition. Nick’s legs beat horizontally to the surface, providing the stabilization to keep him centered in the lane and the roll on his axis even.

  Home stretch. Nick poured on the gas the moment he surfaced from his flip. He thought he had the race won, but refused to give up one single ounce of speed. He knew every single hundredth counted. The five-yard flag passed him by, and Nick stretched for every last millimeter. His fingers skimmed the wall, and it was done.

  He lifted his goggles and looked over to the scoreboard. His named flashed in the number one spot, and he fisted the air directly above the water. His time was one minute, thirty-seven and twenty-two hundredths of a second. Nick did a quick and dirty calculation from short course yards to short course meters in his head. If he swam that in Dubai, he should be in medal contention. He’d have to watch his pacing, though, because he was scheduled to race in six events over the four-day event. That was three more than he’d done here.

  Nick scanned the board and was thrilled to see Gabe’s name in the fifth place spot. His prince should be thrilled with that result. It looked like Gabe would be taking home two medals f
rom these championships, since the CAL team had won the silver in the two hundred freestyle relay on the first day of competition.

  Nick accepted congratulations from the other swimmers and then climbed out of the pool. The deck volunteer handed him a towel, and Nick dried off. Greg stood over by the coaches’ area and Nick headed in that direction.

  “Well done! With times like that we should kill them in a couple weeks. Maybe even set a record. How did it feel? Any tight spots or rhythm faults?”

  “No. Actually, it all flowed pretty well. My shoulder feels great, no more tension. That last massage seemed to do the trick.”

  “Good, good. You let me know immediately if you feel anything pulling. No sense in risking a rotator cuff injury because you’re being macho, hear me?”

  “Yeah. I promise.” Nick pulled on his warm-up jacket.

  “Good, now go congratulate your man. He did fantastic. I think being with you has rubbed off on him a little bit. He’s really put on a showing at this championship.”

  He sat in the chair next to Greg and slipped his legs into his pants. “He’s worked really hard, but I know he thinks the true test of his mettle will be at the NCAAs in March.”

  Greg held out his hands for Nick’s towel, cap, and goggles. “Hmm, well, his strong results here should help his confidence at least.”

  Nick slipped his socks and trainers on. “That’s what I think too. Gabe is a natural swimmer, but he gets tense during competition. He has really high expectations of himself, and gets frustrated when they don’t come to fruition. This is his last season, so I’m doing everything I can to help him reach his goals.”

  “He’s not racing after college?”

  He stood and pulled up his pants, tightening the drawstring till they remained on his hips. “No, he’s starting his PhD next fall. He never intended to make a living in the water. He loves the adrenaline and the sport, but he’s a bookworm and dreamer at heart. He’ll be as much at home in the classroom as he is in the pool.” Gabe leaned down and placed his lips at Greg’s ear. “He even has a pair of sexy little reading glasses that drive me nuts. I just want to rip them off and ravish him on the library tables every time I see them.”