“We’re going to the mall, aren’t we?”
“Yes. Is that okay?”
“Sure. Can we get ‘pichotle’?” I will never not find his drunken mishap a few years ago funny, when all he wanted at 2 a.m. was a burrito.
“Whatever your heart desires.” He looks my way, and I realize what I said. “No.”
“You keep turning me down, and I’ll stop altogether.”
“Sure, you will.” The scrunch in his brows and tight-lipped scowl say he knows that I’m right. “C’mon, let’s go feed you.”
Confident Bodie is still present when he clasps my hand as we walk up to the building. It’s still early in the day on a weekday, so the mall isn’t too crowded. We eat and start to stroll through the mall—Bodie stopping in almost every store “just to look.” He comes out of half the stores with bags, which I’m now holding.
Like a kid in a candy store, Bodie sprints toward the movie theater to look at all the “coming soon” posters.
“Bryce, look.” He points toThe Wizard of Ozposter. “They’re playing our movie. Can we watch it?”
I could never deny him with that look on his face. “Of course.”
Luckily there’s an upcoming session with just enough time to get drinks. My hockey-playing boyfriend decides that even though he just ate a huge burrito, he needs two candies,popcorn, and water. I don’t know where he puts it all, but I’m sure he works it off in minutes on the ice.
“A movie isn’t a movie without candy and popcorn,” he says as he dumps the chocolate pieces into his popcorn bucket and swirls everything around.
The movie starts, and we get lost in the iconic world of Oz. Halfway into the show, Bodie finishes the bucket and grasps my hand, pulling it into his lap. At the point where the foursome is skipping up the road to Emerald City, Bodie leans into me. “The Emerald City reminds me of your eyes.”
I’m thankful for the darkness when heat rushes to my face.
“You’re like Oz, and your eyes are the capital.” His metaphor has a smile hurting my cheeks. “You’re my Oz.”
I haven’t taken my eyes off him since the city appeared, and when he finally looks my way, I’m shaken to my core at how fast I fell in love with this man. Was I in love with him the whole time too and didn’t know it either?
“You’re my everything.” I’ve never meant anything more in my entire life. His lips skate across mine with a faint sigh, and we watch the end of the movie with his head resting on my shoulder.
Walking into the Coliseum with Kasey for tonight’s game, I’m anxious. This game makes or breaks Bodie’s team going to the playoffs. He was nervous earlier this morning when he left for his game-day routine, but I know once he’s on the ice, he getsinto the zone. His game has improved a great deal over the past two seasons, and I just know he’s going to get called up soon.
I didn’t tell him we were coming tonight in hopes of not distracting him. Our seats are close enough to see the action, but still far enough away that he shouldn’t catch sight of us during warm-up.
When the team explodes onto the ice, Kasey sits upright and leans forward with wide eyes.
“Is this really your first game ever?” I wait for a response but don’t get one. “Kasey?”
“Huh? Yeah, yeah. First game ever.”
What the hell? He didn’t even take his eyes off the ice. I spot Bodie as he takes the ice and starts his warm-up—I’ve always loved watching him warm up, but I never thought it was fucking sexy as hell until now. I wasn’t supposed to think about him like that, but damn, I wish I had. Given his height, I’m amazed how he’s able to do a full split, and my mind wanders to how flexible he’d be in bed. We’ve taken it slowly, and he’s loved everything we’ve done so far, but I want it to be his decision to do more—I won’t ever try to pressure him.
“How did I not know what a great sport hockey was until tonight?”
I can’t help but laugh. “They haven’t even started playing yet, Kasey.”
“Fuck, there’s more?”
Once the game starts, Kasey can barely remain in his seat, and I can’t keep my eyes off Bodie. He’s playing like an NHL pro, blocking twelve shots on goal just in the first period. By the end of the second period, they’re leading 2-0.
With two minutes left in the third period, he sends the puck down the ice toward the empty net, and two players collide with him, knocking him to the ground. He doesn’t get back up right away, and I’m on the edge of my seat as the referees rush overto him, along with a team trainer. A scrum breaks out, his team retaliating for the collision with their goalie. The trainer seems to be talking to Bodie, but I can’t tell if he’s responding. When he finally starts to move and gets up on his skates, I release a deep breath. Kasey comforting me only works half as much as it should, but Bodie shakes it off, and the refs finish breaking up the fight to set up for another face-off.
The horn blares, Bodie’s team taking the win. I’m so fucking proud and excited for him that I run down toward the tunnels leading to the locker rooms to wait for him. Luckily, the staff know me, and nobody gives me trouble about Kasey.
“He’s okay, right?” Kasey asks.
