Going for Gold (An Olympic Medal Romance Book 1) by LV Lewis Page A

through the air that made him feel superhuman, like he could do anything as long as he kept moving.
    It was a sensation that was hard to explain unless you lived it, and that’s what he wanted to do in the trials. He wanted to live it. Conquering it would be a bonus. If he won, he’d finally get a chance to see her .
    Mia Orlán had been his friend all through high school and college. Through all the things that had shifted in his life, she had been the one welcome and constant thing in the craziness.
    The two of them had never met in person, since she lived in Rio de Janeiro. If he made it in the top finishers, he could actually see her, and that both thrilled him and scared him at the same time.
    “Gunnar!” a voice called out.
    Gunnar turned in time to see Nate running to meet him. They’d both been recruited for and competed on the track and field team and had just graduated together that spring. Now, they were going to compete with the best in the United States in a matter of days.
    “Hey, man,” Gunnar said without slowing his pace.
    Nate ran in step next to him. “I see you still made it out here early.”
    “Why wouldn’t I?”
    “After you went home with that cutie from the party, I figured you’d be dragging yourself into practice this morning.”
    “No chance,” Gunnar said. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
    Nate and Gunnar had represented the University of Michigan for four years and had trained together under the same coach. They were friends, but they still had a congenial rivalry that kept them competitive.
    A few short days later, Gunnar’s entire team converged on the quaint campus of The University of Oregon in Hayward. The Wolverines took to the track and field stadium as if it were an old friend, feeling it out in practice as one might rekindle a friendship. This would not be the first time the coaches had Gunnar and Nate double-down on their focus, each in their own unique way, preparing for the Olympic track and field trials with more intensity than they had for any other competition.
    On the final day of trials for his event, it didn’t take long until the other athletes and staff filled the field for warm-ups. A few people had trickled into the stands, and before long the bleachers would be filled with supporters. His parents would be among them.
    Gunnar blocked out everyone else but his coach and Nate. If he thought about everyone else, it would throw him off his game. He needed a clear head.
    Speed wasn’t a problem for him. The challenge was planting the pole at the right time to have him make the best clearing of the bar. Coach had trained him to work harder on his plant techniques. Today, he would see if it paid off.
    Thankfully, he wasn’t the first to go up.
    He kept his headphones in his ears to block out the noises from the crowd, but he still watched as each competitor did their jump. Only the best three would go through to Rio. Since he had the highest height at nationals, he got to go last.
    Gunnar held his breath as Nate did his run. Nate barely cleared the bar height, and his friend had the highest jump. Now, Gunnar had to beat it. Coming in second or third wouldn’t work. He wanted first place, and he was going to get it.
    Adrenaline coursed through his veins and rushed in his ears as he stepped up. Muscles bunching in a manner that was all too familiar, he took the position that had become rote, he’d practiced it so much. The chalk on his hands felt like silk as he welcomed the soft pressure of the sunlight on his skin. He thought he could hear his family screaming his name, but his primary focus was the path in front of him.
    Air filled his lungs as he took deep breaths and sprinted forward. The best part was the soaring. That peak was what they all went after, catapulting through the air and falling on the other side.
    When he finally hit the mat, he stayed there for a moment, just enough time to enjoy it but not too much that people would think he