“Not shy,” Bouchard says. “Guarded. Like you. Except he’s not a hard-ass who scares everyone into compliance. He hides behind that golden boy image.”
“Interesting,” I say.
“I see you’re not denying that you’re a hard-ass.”
“Hell, no.” I laugh. “That’s by design.”
“I’m aware.” He hits me with his elbow again. “You big softie.”
“Fuck off.” I hit him back, then quickly turn to face him. “Wait, though. How’d you know I was going to ask you about Connor?”
“Dude. I’ve been playing with you for seven years, most of that time watching you clobber players into next week from my home in the crease. You think I don’t notice when your protective instinctskick in? Connor may as well be a puppy out there for the way you chase after him, making sure he’s alright.”
Fuck.I didn’t realize I was that obvious. But at least he doesn’t seem to think it’s anything outside of my usual treatment of my teammates.
Coach blows his whistle and signals for us to get into formation.
“Have fun chasing him,” Bouchard teases and pulls his helmet back down into place.
I skate backwards and give him the finger as I go to join the rest of the team to practice more drills.
Connor
I take a deep breath to steady myself before I exit the locker room. I know who’s waiting for me on the other side of that door and I suddenly wish I’d opted to take a longer shower. But Gavin was covertly staring at me in there and not in a sexy way. In the way he’s been doing all week where he rakes his eyes up and down my body, looking for signs of injuries I’d like him to lick and make better.
Okay. Maybe it is a bit sexy. Which is also why I needed to get out of the showers as quickly as I could. No one, especially not the gay one on the team, wants to be caught with a raging hard-on in front of all of his naked teammates. I wonder how Gavin does it? My solution is to be first in, first out. And when that’s not possible, opt to clean up back in my room. But Gavin has perfected the art of luxuriating in the shower and laughing it up with everyone else while he’s soaping himself down like he’s not one erection away from having his secret revealed. It’s maddening.
It’s also why I’m so shocked when I feel him place his enormous hands on my shoulders from behind. I hadn’t noticed he was out of the showers and had gotten changed. That’s how good I am at keeping my eyes down in the locker room.
He gives my shoulders a squeeze and my knees get weak. I stopmyself from collapsing into his hold, even though that is all I want to do.The idea of being held and supported by him is far too appealing.
“I’ll walk out with you,” he says, his deep voice washing over me like a warm blanket.
“You might want to rethink that,” I say, suppressing the sigh I desperately want to let out.
“Why? You’re afraid I’ll tell your father to kick rocks and go bug someone else for a change.”
“Actually.” I laugh. “That is surprisingly accurate.”
“Good.” He pats my shoulders, then places a firm hand across my lower back and pushes me forward. “Because that’s exactly what I intend to do.”
“No,” I say, but it’s too late. The door has been swung open, and we are met with the waiting gaze of my father and a crew of cameramen and reporters.
“Over here, Connor!” my father shouts over the fray.
“Sorry,Dad,” Gavin says with obnoxious emphasis. “But Connor’s busy tonight.”
“Gavin, please,” I say under my breath as I watch my father’s nostrils flare. One of Gavin’s hands squeezes my shoulder and the other one presses against my lower back again as he leads me away.
“Players-only dinner is on me!” he yells out as he guides me past my father and down the hall towards the players’ exit. The cameras start flashing and there’s rowdy whoops and hollers coming through the locker room door as the rest of the team follows us out.
Smiling, I look over my shoulder and watch Bouchard exit last. When he passes my father, he gives him a two-finger salute, after which he catches eyes with Gavin and nods his chin at him. What on earth do these two have up their sleeves?
Gavin
A casual dinner of pizza and beer was a great idea. It’s amazing how quickly you can get a restaurant in Las Vegas to accommodate thirty grown men and their appetites with very short notice.
As soon as we stepped off the ice and I was able to get to my phone, I called the famed pizzeria and warned them of our impending arrival. They didn’t even flinch. Said they’d set aside a large section for us and do what they could to keep it private.
