Elevator Pitch

by A.M. Johnson, Christina Lee

What do you do if you’re stuck in a hot, dark space in Vegas with a hunk of a closeted, professional athlete? Offer him one hell of an elevator pitch.





Graham doesn’t know what he’s in for at his best friends’ Vegas wedding, but when he steps inside an elevator with a gorgeous stranger, he doesn’t expect to lose power and get trapped together.





Caleb is amused that Graham doesn’t know who he is let alone follow professional hockey, because Caleb sure as hell is familiar with Graham and his online cooking show.





With nothing but time on their hands, talking leads to confessions, touching, and kissing, and suddenly the minutes they have left just doesn’t feel like enough.





PLEASE This short story was first featured in the limited edition print version of the Vegas, Baby Anthology.

Genres: M M Romance, Novella, Romance, Forced Proximity, Hockey, LGBT, Sports Romance

50 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2024

About the author

A.M. Johnson lives in Utah with her family where she works as a full-time nurse. If she’s not at the hockey rink with her kiddos, you’ll find her buried in a book or behind the keyboard. She loves romance and all things passionate. Amanda enjoys exploring all genres and bringing life to the human experience.

Reviews

[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this little story more than I expected. The premise might not sound that original – two people get stuck in an elevator and stuff ensues.

However, I liked Graham and Caleb right from the start and I really enjoyed their conversations. There's also a little something that keeps it from being just instant attraction, something I love, and I appreciated that.

It reads more like a prequel than a completed short story and I'd be very interested in a full-length novel in the near future, which the authors hinted at.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*** stars


Sweet, short and hot, literally.

But I don’t get. The authors ”hope to revisit their story in order to expand it”? If they aren’t already writing their whole book, what’s the point of this 50 pages kind of prequel? Because, to be honest, this is no good as just a standalone short story.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noooo why was this all we got??? I needed more time with them... But the authors' note alluding to the possibility of a full length novel in 2025 has me mollified (somewhat).

Sweet and sexy novella about two strangers being stuck in an elevator together. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed it.

Thanks Snjez for the rec! ❤️

3,75 stars.

[Elisa Glendenning (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instant hook ups rarely work for me, but I really enjoyed this 🥰 … I want more 🤞🏻🙏🏻

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaah I need more of Caleb and Graham!! Looking forward to a whole book of them!!!

[Emna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I.NEED.MORE.👹👹👹

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the whole “we’ll revisit this later”, I gather that this novella is just a teaser. Still, it was good even if it was too short. Will probably read it if it comes out as a full book.

[taylor :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute. would like to see it expanded to a full length book

[itskimmiescorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want more! Give me a whole book please.

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet short to what is hopefully the beginning of a full length story! I really hope we get more!

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

see the insta-love in a novella I totally get and have no gripe with but tell me why the love interest goes from 'oh I'm closeted I don't share personal stuff' to 'so this is my life story from birth till now if you even care' in two pages flat...I mean...just get some dick and get out of the elevator?

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh maaaan, that was such a TEASE!
I was instantly hooked by this cute little short, that reads more like a prequel to a bigger story. Please let it be the prequel to a full length novel, because I definitely want more of Caleb and Graham🤞

Thanks Snjez and Angelika for putting it on my radar 🫶🫶

[Liya · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's more of a prologue than a short story, but a very good prologue that makes you instantly curious to read more. Hopefully, it will come

[ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little shortie
If there was a full length coming later, I’d probably read it.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This Vegas quickie was just what I needed. I’ve been struggling with my reading time and books the past few months, but this two-cuties-stuck-in-an-elevator story was perfect!

Caleb and Graham's meet up is light, short, and sticky. :) The “let yourself have a little joy” ending was my favorite part.

A sweet and sexy read that might cause a daydream or two on your next elevator ride.

“Maybe you want to kiss a stranger in an elevator too?

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

QUOI ?? I NEED MORE OF THEM!!!

[Eva Gachus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very likeable characters!

[Erica | · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was enjoyable, and I'm going to need more of these two!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
Very brief, very cute, love the escalation both literally and figuratively. I hope we get to see more from them as readers, lowkey feeling friends to lovers with them.

[☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

"That’s one hell of an elevator pitch.”
“Well, I told you I’m a good salesman."

I enjoyed this premise, though I did find the balance to be a little off - I was starting to tune out of some of their story sharing in the first half. I do like how the famous goalie recognized the online cooking show chef! I would be interested in reading a full story from these guys - I'll have to do some research now and see if it exists under either author!

[Dea · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun novella!

What a cute story! I really hope the authors follow this up with a full length novel - I want to know more about both of them!

I’m only 50 pages they packed feels, characters and some spice!

[mich ⚘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute!!! Definitely hoping for a full length one or at least a bit longer version one day tho

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Consent is sexy

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was included in an anthology and is a quick little novella. It was a bit too insta-lovey, fast-paced and unrealistic for me. Based off of how this was written, I'm not sure that I'd want to continue this story if the authors were to continue it.

[molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very cute (love the characters!), but it felt like a prequel or intro - not a novella. I hope they do actually write the whole book like it says they plan to in the author notes!

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was incredibly short and sweet. There is something about being stuck in the dark with a stranger that makes Caleb confide his secret. Sports guy, goalie man Caleb is lonely, he’s been hiding who he is for as long as he can remember and he’s been watching Graham’s channel as a guilty pleasure and Graham who knows nothing about sports was struck by his attraction to the hot stranger in the elevator before it all went dark.

This bite sized novella was absolutely adorable, tightly holding the plot together as we see sweet and hot romance develop between these two. Even in this short read these authors who are a favourite of mine, manage to bring in a ton of vulnerability, emotion and create a lovely chance encounter between strangers whose connection promises so much more. I love how they tied it up at the end. I mean I already went in expecting the story to be good because of the collaboration that wrote it, but now I really really hope we see more whenever the authors can give it to us.

Highly recommend reading it if you’re looking for a perfect teeny tiny novella with a bit of spicy spice.

[Alexus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a cute and short read by some of my favorite authors. This is about Caleb and Graham getting stuck together in an elevator at a Vegas resort and losing power and with nothing better to do get to know each other on a deeper level.

Caleb is a professional hockey player and due to this he gets recognized pretty much everywhere he goes so he was wary at first towards Graham worried that he would recognize him and he would have to be on his A game and not let his mask fall.

Graham is currently at Vegas to attend his best friends wedding and be the best man. He forgets the rings and needs to go back up stairs to get them and in the process gets stuck on the elevator with a handsome stranger.

Turns out that Caleb had nothing to worry about cause Graham doesn’t recognize him and by a twist of fate he ends up recognizing him due to his YouTube channel. This does make things less awkward and breaks the ice between them.

I enjoyed the time we got with them together getting to know each other and opening up. We even get a very steamy first kiss and sexy time which was so good. We do get to see them afterwards when they leave the elevator and go their separate ways and I love that Caleb message Graham and wanted to spend more time with him while in Vegas and it pretty much wraps up like that we them agreeing to have a almost friends to benefit thing while there and no strings attached situation.

Though I loved my time with them and the writing was fantastic between these two authors I would have liked more time with them and to see how things went for them in Vegas and afterwards. I really hope the authors come back and do a full length novel for these two cause they deserve their own book. With that said still a cute and short read and if you’re a fan of these authors or just want something quick to read I’ll give this a try.

[Capreacula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unsure about the rating.

MM “Elevator Pitch” is a very short story (only 50 pages): an insurance broker/amateur chef and pro hockey goalie get trapped in an elevator in Vegas.
Imagine – it gets hot, so shirts are shed and love at first elevator incident erupts. Grrr. To me it seemed like a prompt to make two strangers have sex in an elevator and FALL IN LOVE. In the very long time of 2 hours?? Of those 50 pages too many were on the sex for my taste.
Also – why did one of them have to be a hockey goalie?
Yes, because hockey stories are the big thing right now.
The jumping-on-the-hockey-bandwagon was done too heavy handedly for my liking. I love hockey stories, but really, ANY profession where being out is still a taboo would have worked.
And sorry, but I rolled my eyes fearing they might get stuck when the pro athlete so deep in the closet that he’s a celibate outs himself to a random if hot stranger in an elevator AND tells him his name, profession and everything unprovoked! Sure path to some career catastrophe unless you’re the MC in this novella – here it leads to a potential HEA.

[Shelby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well...that was lackluster af

Why is Caleb, someone whose a pro hockey player and in the closet, opening up to Graham instantaneously? Yeah, I get that he knows him from his Youtube channel but...it just still felt so jarring. He's deprived himself of any intimacy in an effort to conceal his sexuality from the world...and he just gives Graham everything. His full name, what he does for a living...the whole shebang. I almost would have preferred it if the elevator was a meet cute without any spice, and they bumped into each other later or something? Maybe Caleb doesn't tell Graham who he really is and what he does for a living? That would make a lot more sense, and actually give us some angst and, you know, maybe a bit more of a plot?

I get that this is a novella but man...the sheer amount of shortcuts and missed opportunities on this one...

And at the end, the authors mentioned potentially expanding on the story in the new year. Okay...but why publish this if it's not truly finished?

So no. Not for me!

[J.E. Benoit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caleb and Graham meet when they're trapped together in an elevator in a Vegas hotel. Caleb, an NHL goalie, is amused that Graham doesn't recognize him but he recognizes Graham from his online cooking show. Caleb is closeted because of his career but being trapped in a small, dark space with his online crush seems like a good a time as any to indulge in the things he never allows himself. But what'll happen when they're finally rescued?

I loved this short story! It was only 6 chapters but it was packed with loads of romance goodness - a fun meet cute, heartfelt confessions, and steamy encounters. Caleb and Graham were unsure of each other at first but they really hit it off after a few shared confessions in the dark.

It was a bit of an open ending but I hope that the authors end up revisiting these guys to expand on their story! I'd love to see Caleb finally pursue the life he wants. But even if this is all we get, this is still a really great short story!