“Yes. Next year you will be the winner. You’ll get the cup.”
“Trophy.” I can practically feel his eye roll.
“That’s what I said.”
“Next year you’ll come watch right?”
“Yeah. Wouldn’t want to miss it. Next year, you’ll win it for sure.” I unlock the door to our apartment as I finally arrive. “Are you really okay, though?” It’s silent for a beat before I hear a sigh.
“Nah. Not right now, but I will be.”
“Good. What time will you be back tomorrow?” I have an idea forming at the back of my mind, but I need some leeway to make sure I can get it done on time.
“We have an early flight. So I think I’ll be back around two-ish.”
I smile into the phone. “Can you meet me at our bench when you get back?”
“Hey, what’s all this?” Tyler’s rugged handsome face comes into view upside down, blocking the sun from where I’m lounging on our bench.
“I thought maybe some sun and surf would cheer you up,” I answer with a happy grin, glad he’s back. It’s warm and sunny today. According to my friends, it’s still cold. But they don’t know The Netherlands in January. This? A solid sixty degrees? It’s practically t-shirt time for me.
Of course Tyler is huddled in a sweater.
He eyes the gear I brought,hisgear. “You grabbed the full body suits from my parents’ place?”
I heave my upper body up to sit and give him a shrug as he comes around the bench to stand in front of me, a lopsided grin on my face. “Well, I had to call your brother if he could help me, I couldn’t barge in at your parents unannounced. But to do that I had to call Lamar first. Turns out I didn’t have Lamar’s number either, so Missy called actually to get Jason’s number and–”
Before I can finish my rambling, he grabs ahold of my face and plants one on me. My hands find his wrists, holding on as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, giving me one, languid kiss before he lets his forehead rest against mine.
“Thank you,” he says, dark eyes, full of lust, burning into mine. “This is exactly what I need.”
I smile as he drops his gorgeous butt on the bench next to me, throwing his arm around my shoulders. “That’s why I did it. What’s better than some sun and surf to make you feel better?”
“Sandwiches!” he declares as his grin spreads when he eyes the paper bag with his family's diner logo on it. “You brought sandwiches from the diner?”
“Your mom's idea actually. She called to your aunt at the diner when I picked up the surf gear and made me–”
His lips find mine once more, and I give a happy grunt before I lose myself in another tongue-tangling kiss.
“You know what’s another great word that starts with an S which will make me feel better? Sex,” he says against my lips before biting my bottom one.
I grumble again. “You know we’re in a very public place, right?” I incline my head to the sand, where indeed, people are milling around. Picnicking, walking, and playing beach volleyball. Even a couple of students who are not as whiny as most of the people here dare a swim.
“That’s a shame. You know what isn’t, though?”
“What?”
“Us losing last night.”
I frown at him, but he gives me a soft smile. “I wasn’t going to declare for the draft anyway. And it gives me something to fight for next year. Ineedthat trophy, you know? And we can enjoy a lot of time without media attention as well…”
I cock my head, liking the last part. “The story hasn't been picked up in the media, right? At least I haven't seen anything since New Year’s…” Since he came out. Not that he came out that spectacularly. He justdancedwith me, maybe kissed a bit. He did inform his team officially the day after, but nobody batted an eye. Like expected, they already knew.
He gives me his charming smile and winks. “Nope. The media doesn’t seem to be the wiser. And with me not entering the draft? The focus is on other players for now. So let’s just enjoy the quiet while we can.”
Scraplikingthat idea, Ilovethat idea. He was so worried about it, about all the attention, that this may really be a blessing in disguise.
“So touching in public is okay?”
