Chosen by a former Olympic swimmer to train for the 2016 Games as a pre-teen, Reed’s journey begins. Along the way, he develops feelings for two childhood friends: neighbor Cal and lifelong rival Mathias. Cal’s struggle with his sexuality brings tragedy. Mathias’s wealth makes Reed feel as if they’re from different worlds.<br><br>As Rio approaches, Mathias becomes a gay sports icon, while Reed must hide his sexuality for a lucrative endorsement deal important to his family’s future. Reed’s unresolved desires for both men remain, and so do the things that have kept them apart. Has Reed grown enough to navigate rougher waters, to find truth, pride, victory, and love?

Truth, Pride, Victory, Love

“Ahhh.” I wasn’t at the point yet to moan, but I wanted him to hear me too.


Why can’t we jack off together? What’s it going to hurt?


I got up out of bed, still fully dressed, because that was how I’d decided to sleep.


I went to the door, where I stopped. My thoughts went back and forth like the pendulum swinging behind the glass of an antique clock in Mathias’s foyer, a word he’d pronounced as if it ended in A-Y. Masturbating in a house in which I was a guest felt all kinds of wrong, but that was what also made it really hot.


In the end, I returned to my bed, where I could put my free hand on the wall part of the time, in case he could sense it there. Such dorky teenage romance. I ended up finishing ahead of him.


His Damn! That felt good!came a good minute and a half after.


I had to clean my phone off with my sock to see it. I figured I could put on my Jordans in the morning without them.


Chapter 43