After I left him, I walked through the rooms but didn’t see the man who’d intrigued me. I even ventured upstairs, where couples were into public play, though I doubted he’d be there. I peeked into the first interactive room.
“Whoa,” I muttered, my feet rooted to the floor. One guy was lying spread-eagle on the bed, taking it up the ass, while another man’s cock was being fed into his gasping mouth. The smell of sweat and sex was overwhelming, and I wasn’t the only one viewing. Several people were riveted to the scene, and from their audible breathing, into it.
Not my scene at all. I backed out and glanced into the other rooms, where much more vanilla sex was occurring. My guy was nowhere to be found, and I gave up, figuring he’d left for the evening. I should return to the main salon, find the big dark-haired guy, and rid myself of this unsettling tension that had been twisting inside me all day. I knew what it was from but was reluctant to admit it.
Fallon.
God, he turned me on. That tight butt and sexy smile. Blue eyes the color of the sky. But he was off-limits. Aside from being my PA, he was a good friend to Dev, and the last thing I wanted was to mess up that dynamic. Fallon seemed to keep parts of his life closed off, but not his sexuality. He was out and had all the opportunities open to him. I wasn’t and couldn’t offer him anything but a back-door affair, which wasn’t fair. He’d want a boyfriend he could go out to dinner with and hold hands with on the street.
To find an outlet, I’d have to continue to come to Intensity, but in the meantime, I guessed I’d have one hell of a fantasy life with Fallon playing the starring role. Coach Jackson didn’t expressly forbid sex between games—he’d only given us the usual warning about no partying, drugs, excess alcohol, and smoking. No worries on my part. I had no intention of putting on a display like those guys did upstairs in the viewing rooms.
Downstairs again, I spied the man who’d made his outrageous overture earlier, and he arched a brow, giving me a look that left no doubt what he wanted. I kept walking.
I returned to my hotel suite to find it empty and laughed at my disappointment that Fallon wasn’t there.
Idiot. What did you expect?
It was close to midnight, and with a sigh, I sat on the couch to unwind before taking a shower. Texts I’d ignored all afternoon popped up, and I read Fallon’s first.
Saw two condos I think you’d like, one more than the other because it had an en suite in the bedroom for your parents. Not far from me or Dev.
I enlarged the attached photos and whistled. Yeah, the place was gorgeous. Super modern and sleek, with two large bedrooms and three bathrooms. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked theriver, and I could picture myself sitting on the balcony, watching the boats sail past while the lights came up in the buildings surrounding me.
As much as I traveled for games, one thing I’d always looked forward to was coming home. And though I’d kept the beach house, that was for getaways, not permanent living. I was ready to put down roots, and with this five-year contract from the Kings, it was likely my career would end here, in this city. I wanted to go out on top, not be forced out because I was too old or injured.
The first thing I’d done when I’d gotten to New York was ask Dev about a gym. I had no intention of getting lazy. Coach hadn’t said I’d be starting this Sunday, but as far as I was concerned, I was. No offense to Harte McKinney, the backup they’d been using this season, but I wasn’t here to twiddle my thumbs.
As I stripped in the bedroom, I noticed with a start that I’d left the envelope from Intensity on the bed. I wondered if Fallon had seen it and immediately dismissed the thought.
“No way. He worked for Dev all those years and knows to be discreet. He’d never snoop in my personal stuff.” Still, I made sure to slip it into my underwear drawer, then climbed into bed. My thoughts turned to the man I’d met earlier—not the one who’d made his intentions known that he was down to fuck. No, it was the skittish, dark-haired stranger who stuck in my mind. Oh, the dirty things I’d like to do to that sweet, sweet mouth.
I turned over and sighed. So many years I’d been living this double life. I remembered being a college student and discovering these clubs existed, after joining an online chat room and seeing the listing. The anonymity was what had drawn me to it, and then I’d met him, the man who’d given me the most intense sexual experience of my life. Even now, after so many years, so many one-night stands and lovers, I rememberedevery detail of our months together. The talks we’d shared. The searching kisses, his moans of passion, the hot clasp of him as I’d buried myself deep within his willing body—all were forever burned into my memory.
I’d been willing to take the chance with him, but he’d never given me that opportunity.
**
The next morning, Fallon met me on Washington Street in front of the high-rise, and I liked the vibe of the area. People recognized me but in that New York way, they simply gave me a side-eye and kept on walking, respecting my privacy. The expansive lobby was filled with greenery, and we were met by the real estate agent, who sported a bright smile when he saw me.
“Good to meet you, Mr. Sloane. I’m sorry you couldn’t join us yesterday. Now, your assistant seemed to think this apartment was the better of the two for you to see first. What do you think? Beautiful, yes?” The agent pointed to the bright, open space. “The building is barely five years old. The unit we’re viewing has a private elevator that opens to your apartment only. There’s a gym, swimming pool, and entertainment rooms. Everything you can possibly want under your roof.”
“It all sounds great.” I walked to the center of the lobby, where sunbeams from the atrium slanted across the creamy marble floor. “And I have a view of the river?”
“Let’s check it out.”
Fallon followed us into the elevator and it gave me an opportunity to appreciate the broad sweep of his shoulders narrowing to slim hips and that perfect ass. His golden hairwaved around his neck, and I smelled the spice of his cologne. Why was it so difficult to control my urges with him? I’d never felt this intense pull to any of the men I’d hooked up with over the past ten years.
Yesterday at Intensity was the first time I’d felt a spark of attraction to a man that came close to rivaling my mystery man from California, but who knew if I’d ever meet him again. I sure as hell did plan to return and see.
The moment we entered the apartment, the agent started his spiel on the marvelous European cabinetry and Italian marble, but I ignored him and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area, showcasing the river. Leaving him and Fallon behind, I opened the glass doors and stepped outside. Thirty stories up, I could barely hear the traffic. The gray swells of the waves in the choppy, windswept water were as beautiful to me as the blue whitecaps of the Pacific Ocean.
“It’s mesmerizing, isn’t it?” Fallon stood by the door, and I faced him with a smile. Strands of hair blew across his face as a sharp breeze passed by, and several caught on his full bottom lip.
So are you.
“I guess I should see the rest of the apartment since I won’t be living out here.”
Amusement glimmered in Fallon’s eyes. “It’s just as beautiful.”
