“A win-win.”
Russell’s snide tone disgusted him, and Armi couldn’t wait to get the hell away. He rose. “You’re the loser this time. Because you don’t have me, and you’ll never own the team. You know what’s funny? At one point I was thinking it was all too much and maybe you should take over. Then Hayden told me to prove everyone wrong and show what I could do.”
Russell snorted. “That little bitch?”
“He’s more of a man than you’ll ever be.” Armi regretted the words the moment they came out of his mouth. The last thing he wanted was to give Russell any ammunition against Hayden.
Russell’s eyes lit up. “You two are fucking, aren’t you? I knew it. He’s been sniffing around you since he first got here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Hayden is a professional.” But his face grew hot, and he damned his lack of self-control and how easily he blushed.
“He went with you this weekend. Is that who replaced me in the bed?”
Armi lifted his chin. “I don’t have to explain anything to you. I hope you heal quickly. I have to go.”
**
Later on, in Hayden’s apartment, they lay on the couch, and Hayden fumed when Armi relayed the conversation. “That bastard. I knew it. From the first I didn’t trust him. He wants the team, and he figured he’d get it through you.” As if realizing what he’d said, Hayden stopped ranting. “I didn’t mean that he couldn’t want you anyway. You know that.” He sat up and pulled Armi close. “I’d want you even if you had nothing.”
Armi cupped Hayden’s cheek and brushed their lips together, loving how Hayden’s breath grew short at his touch. “If I have you, I have everything.”
For a second, Hayden rested his brow to Armi’s. “I never meant for this to happen.”
Armi didn’t speak—he couldn’t. Hayden’s damp hair hung over his brow, and Armi pushed away the strands to see his eyes. They stared back at him, full of longing and disbelief. As if they held a secret he was on the verge of revealing. Armi traced the generous pout of his lips, the cut of his cheekbone, then lightly trailed his fingers down Hayden’s neck to follow the patterns of all the tattoos on his shoulders and biceps. Hayden’s chest rose and fell rapidly, and Armi moistened his lips.
“You’re so beautiful.” Armi pressed his lips to the curve of Hayden’s shoulder, licking a path along his collarbone. Hayden sighed, his dick hardening, and Armi continued, teasing the tight point of his nipples poking through the thin fabric of his shirt. Armi hiked up the shirt to reach his bare skin, while rubbing the bulge at Hayden’s crotch.
“Fuck, that feels so good. Harder.”
“Not so fast.” Armi kept up a steady but light motion on Hayden’s dick until he squirmed.
“Goddammit, more.” Hayden moaned. “Need you.”
Armi slid his fingers past the elastic waistband to grip Hayden’s straining cock. The smell of Hayden’s desire rose around them, sending Armi spinning into a lust-filled haze. He started to inch the shorts past Hayden’s hips, when the buzzer from downstairs sounded.
“Fuck it. I’m sure it’s nothing.” Hayden lifted his hips. “Suck me. I need your mouth on my dick.”
Armi pulled the shorts to Hayden’s knees, his hungry gaze latched on to the sticky, leaking head of Hayden’s erection. The buzzer had stopped ringing, but Hayden’s cell phone vibrated over and over.
Hayden flopped back on the couch. “Shit. I have to get that. It won’t take long. Get naked.”
Armi shucked his shorts and pulled up his shirt, but he heard Hayden’s panicked voice and stopped.
“Mom?… What?… Here? Now?… You’re in the elevator?”
Reversing course, Armi frantically pulled on his clothes with fumbling fingers.
“Okay. Yeah. Be right there.”
“Someone let them into the building.” Hayden fixed his shorts. “Nothing like hearing your mother’s voice to drive all thoughts of sex out of your mind.” With a rueful smile, he pressed his hand to his rapidly softening cock. “We’ll have to wait until later.”
A little shaky, Armi smoothed his hair. “Do I look okay? I’ve never met anyone’s parents before.”
Hayden kissed him. “You’re perfect. My parents will love you.”
Armi wasn’t so sure why that would be the case. His own father barely acknowledged he existed.
Chapter Twenty-Three
