“Just trying to imagine you in goalie gear,” Lo comments. “I think it’d swallow you.”
“I’m really not small,” I retort, frowning.
Ethan laughs. “It wouldn’t swallow him. He’s no smaller than Azure.”
The three of us turn to look at Azure. Noah’s beside him now and Azure’s expression is almost comical. I swear, it almost looks like he’s trying to figure out what makes Noah tick.
His eyes flicker this way when he feels us watching him. There’s no question when he looks at us. He just returns our stare.
I shiver and bring my focus back.
“Pacific, Atlantic. When you’re ready, this way,” a man calls as he steps into the door.
Lo and I get to our feet and follow the crowd out. The first stop is photographs. Not like we haven’t taken a bunch, but most of those were back home. Now that we’re together, we can take some as a division, and as individual All Star teams, plus some competing poses that really play up the drama, etc.
The room we’re led into is large with one end set up with benches where we file to take seats. I’m sitting between Ethan and Lo. At least when we’re pressed this close together, I can imagine that Lo’s leg against mine is a necessity because of the space and pads. After all, my other leg is pressed against Ethan’s.
There are two clothing racks set up off to the side, one with teal jerseys and the other with maroon.
“Captains first,” a man says.
Ethan gives me a wink and gets to his feet. The Pacific captain is Brian Teethis of Calgary. We watch as they take shots together. Ethan always has a smile because that’s just who he is. Something that Brian doesn’t share, although he does give Ethan an amused look from time to time.
“Is he always happy?” Lo asks.
I nod. “Always. Unless you’re pushing one of his husbands out of the way—then he’s a bear.”
“I saw that,” Lo says, shaking his head. “How did that idiot ever think it was a good idea to shove Creed out of the way? How did he not think that was going to go unanswered?”
“Mmm,” I agree. “People are crazy. Then he had the audacity to get fired up because Ethan hit him and then sued him.Andwon.”
Lo grins. “The world might have been upset about the whole thing, but they also love Buffalo’s Wildman.”
“Yep.”
We watch the goalies for a while and honestly, no one is as extra as Lamar Gibbon. The man does a fucking handstand in his gear and tries to convince the other four to join him. None ofwhich act entirely impressed with his handstand, though I don’t see them trying.
I bet Azure could do it, though. He’s just too cool to prove it.
After a while, we’re paired up to take some shots. I get paired with Mattias Jönsson first, which I love because I’ve missed him. I don’t miss the flashes of the camera when we hug after we perform their scripted poses.
“Dinner later,” Mattias says. “And Ethan. Yes?”
“Definitely. Creed and Jakub are here too.”
“Yes, good. All Buffalo.”
He sits with us when Lo gets up to have his shot with Noah Kain. Noah is a fucking pretty man and Idon’tget jealous when I imagine Lo admiring this about him. I definitelydon’tsee that he thinks Noah is hot. And I certainlydo notstare the entire time they’re posing.
I think perhaps one of the guys orchestrating this entire thing must have misinterpreted my expression because he keeps Lo up there and calls me to join him. As I move toward him, my heart races. His incredibly light eyes are trained on me, his ever-present smirk on his lips. Lips I’ve kissed. Lips that have been wrapped around my cock.
Swallowing, I stand beside him. There are flashes as they capture whatever they see between us. Fuck, I hope I’m not giving myself away right now.
“Back to back.”
I turn my back on Lo, thankful to be out of his stare. His back presses against mine and I keep a stoic face as much as I can as I stare straight ahead. When instructed, I turn my attention to the camera. And then glare at Lo over my shoulder when he taps my thigh, the one not facing the camera. Even though he’s not looking at me, I can see his smirk as he stares into the camera while I continue to glare at him over my shoulder.
“Good. Face each other.”
