I’m going to tell Elliot that I’m in love with him, and soon. Nothing worth having ever comes easy, and Elliot Raine Baker is worth the risk.
The next morning, I’m blending up some frozen mangoes, Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla protein powder for breakfast while Scarlett laps her kitty mush on the floor and Elliot sits on the counter next to the blender. I’ve got morning skate and he has practice, so like most mornings, we’re getting ourquality time in before taking our breakfast smoothies to go.
Today, however, Elliot is glued to his phone, tapping away while kicking his heels against the cabinet below him.
“You’re awfully into your phone this morning, El. Got a new boyfriend you need to tell me about?” I ask, then wince. I hit the pulse button on the blender once more, hoping the sound of tropical fruit being shredded to smithereens will dull the insinuation that I am the old boyfriend.
“Yeah, actually. He’s the goalie for the Knoxville Bearcats. We’ve been having an affair, I didn’t want you to find out this way,” Elliot swoons in an old-timey, transatlantic accent while placing the back of his hand dramatically against his forehead.
“Okay, I might have started the joke, but now I don’t like it,” I grumble in response.
“Relax, Goat. It’s my mom. She’s yelling at me for booking her flight so early in the morning. I have to remind her that just because she uses my credit card for the plane tickets doesn’t mean I chose the flight times. She did this to herself.”
“Oh right, Mama Baker is coming out today! Are you excited to see her?” I ask, popping the lid on the blender and dividing the yellow smoothie into two insulated to-go cups.
“I am. Actually, I wanted to ask you something,” he says, running a hand over the back of his neck. “I wanted to bring her to the Hockey Cares game tomorrow night, if that’s okay with you?”
“Are you kidding me, El? Of course that’s alright! I didn’t even know you were still planning to come to Hockey Cares!” The event is one the NHL does every year, in which two teams are chosen to play a charity game. We pledge money to different causes—this year, it’s the American Cancer Association—and all proceeds from ticket, food, and merch sales go to the charity of the year. Donors also pledge amounts based on goals scored and other game-time bets. Since the Thunder has partnered up with the rest of the San Francisco sports teams for the holiday events this year, we’ve included them in Hockey Cares night, too. Before the game, there’s going to be an auction in which memorabilia from the teams and athletes is sold off to the highest bidders. I know Elliot has donated a few signed jerseys and helmets, but we haven’t talked about him attending Hockey Cares since we first became friends.
“Baby, I finally have an excuse and a chance to see you all geared-up and playing the sexy goalie of my dreams in real life, do you really think I’m going to miss that? I don’t have to bring Mom if it makes you feel weird. She’ll be more than happy to spend hernight flirting and getting tech bros to buy her overpriced shots of Fernet down on Broadway.”
“No!” I practically fly out of my skin at the suggestion. “No, bring her! Please. I want to meet your mom. I want you both there. I love that you even thought of that, Elliot. I love…I love that idea.”
Elliot’s nostrils flare, his eyes lighting up as he cups my cheek and pulls me in close for a kiss.
“And I’ll bring Franny, like we talked about. She deserves a chance to see her Daddy in action, too.”
I can see it all so clearly. Elliot and his mom in the stands, watching me play. Both in Thunder black and gold, Elliot with my name across his back and my favorite fanny pack around his waist. The man I love cheering me on, the way I’ve always yearned for someone to do. The image is almost too much, I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from shedding a tear.
“Tell Mama Baker to bring her hockey lungs, she’s gonna need them cheering for me. I can’t believe you and Franny are finally going to see me play for real. My whole family watching me from the stands. Hey, maybe you could even sneak in…”
Elliot cuts me off with another quick kiss.
“I’m not sneaking the cat into the arena, baby. Don’t even think about asking.”
He hops off the counter, pulling his cropped t-shirt over his head while sliding his feet into his slip-ons by the door.
“Hey El, can I ask you something?” I say, leaning over to give Scarlett a goodbye scratch between her ears.
“Goat, Scarlett is a kitten. Even if I could somehow get her into the arena, she’s way too small for the cold ice rink. Her beans would turn to icicles.”
“No, it’s not that. I was just wondering…what we did last night…”
“You want a repeat? Fuck, me too. I feel so deliciously sore still. I’m going to have a tough time focusing at practice when all I can think about is how good you felt filling me up.”
Elliot growls low in this throat, pulling me close by the hip. That alone is enough to have my cock thickening, and now he’s the one fucking with my focus.
“Yes. No. I just…yes. I want a repeat. But I was hoping we could try it the other way around.”
“You want…”
“I want to bottom for you. I want you to fuck me. I want to know what it feels like to have you inside me.”
I want every piece of you, and I want to give you every single part of me. I want to love you, and I want you to love me back.
“Jesus, baby,” he sighs, lowering his forehead to my shoulder. I wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him close, drinking in the smell of my shampoo in his hair, my soap on his skin. I can feel his growing erection pressing against my hip, and while it arouses me, it also soothes me. Makes me think that the effect I have on Elliot’s body can somehow transfer to the rest of him. Like maybe he can love me back, too.
“I know it’ll take some time to work up to. Maybe you can help me with finding a plug or something to?—”
