I freeze.
He’s straight. Of course, he’s straight.
Arwen and Éowyn are the two women in the movie.
I could tell him that I think I’m gay, but I hesitate. We play hockey together, and everyone knows there aren’t any out hockey players.
I need to focus on my career. This is my shot: playing hockey at a school that feeds players to the NHL. It will be difficult, but I can do this. I have to.
I need to give Gaby a better life to repay her for everything she’s done for me.
Axel already saw me spit into a trash can and cough up a grape. Something, it occurs to me, I should probably clean.
I don’t want him to wonder if I have a crush on him, because face it, my crush on him has already started. I don’t want things to get more awkward between us than they are as we sleep a few feet apart each night.
I have a huge crush on my straight, super attractive roommate who just saved my life.
Fuck.
Axel frowns slightly, then hands me my water bottle. “Drink.”
I gaze into his piercing blue-green eyes. His eyebrows draw together, and I realize I didn’t answer his question.
“Arwen,” I say, even though I always spent more time looking at Aragorn.
I avoid his gaze and gulp down some water.
“An elf. Nice.” He bumps fists with me again.
“We’ll need to do aLord of the RingsandHobbitmarathon.” Axel’s face brightens. “I can’t wait forRogue Oneto come out in December.”
“I can’t either.”
“We need to go together.” He grins at me, and it’s all I can do not to confess the truth.
Because I definitely, definitely like men.
I liked him the moment I saw him, and my crush has only gotten stronger since he put his arms around me.
Axel’s eyes go mischievous. “So, if I saved your life, does that mean you’re mine for life?”
I know he thinks he’s joking, but he’s completely correct.
I’m his.
CHAPTER
ONE
Axel
Ten years later
Fencing. I should have gone into fencing.
I could really use a sword to wave in Enzo’s face. Maybe then he would know better than to appear in my locker room, nodding at my friends, as my coach introduces him as our newest team member.
Our team is doomed. The season will be disastrous.
