“Do you play soccer?” the taller boy asked. Aaron was pretty sure that was Cyrus.
“No, I don’t. I’m just here to cheer for your uncle.” He gave a thumbs-up, immediately realizing how awkward the gesture was.
“Do you play video games?” the other boy asked.
“Uhh, not really.”
“Do you work with computers like Uncle Jahan?”
“Sometimes.”
Wow, he was worse at this than he’d realized. The boys took turns asking questions, unperturbed by his boring answers.
“Are you boyfriends?” Darius asked, his face the epitome of innocence.
“No, not boyfriends. Just friends.” Aaron cast about for a new topic of conversation. “Look, they’re about to start.”
The boys rushed back to their earlier spot, as close to the action as possible. When Aaron warned them not to run out onto the field, they responded with two identical eyerolls. He sighed and sat right behind them, close enough to keep them in sight.
Watching over children was a panic attack waiting to happen. Aaron had a sudden surge of respect for parents everywhere, resolving to send his mom and dad something nice as a token of gratitude. Maybe one of those luxurious gift baskets or a new dishwasher.
The sharp blast of a whistle cut through the air, pulling Aaron’s attention back to the present. Without Jasmine’s interrogation, he could really focus on the action—specifically, on Jay. He’d been invited here to cheer him on, after all, and that required close observation.
Jay stood out as one of the better players, moving with an effortless grace. Quick bursts of speed sent him darting far ahead of his teammates and opponents, always a step ahead.
His deliciously defined muscles flexing with every stride were mesmerizing. When he pivoted to take a shot, the tension of his poised body was palpable, and Aaron’s muscles tensed in solidarity. He held his breath as Jay glided in slow motion, intensity etched into every movement.
Others may have followed the arc of the ball as it swept into the net, but Aaron’s eyes were glued to Jay’s legs, tracing the corded muscles up his thighs and under the shorts. He allowed himself to imagine Jay’s raw power and brute strength directed at him, those animal instincts taking over as he towered over Aaron, still wearing his uniform.
He banished that mental image from his brain, saving it for later. For when he was alone on his bed, writhing on his largest dildo and yearning to taste Jay’s skin.
Jay gave him a quick wave as he ran past, and Aaron smiled, determined to cheer for his friend on instead of picturing him naked.
By the end, Jay had scored five goals—his personal best, according to his teammates’ loud hooting. The relaxed atmosphere lingered past the game’s end, no one seeming to care about who won and who lost. The players meandered around, high-fiving each other and planning future matches.
“Sorry it took so long.” Jay came up just as Aaron considered pulling a book out of his messenger bag and settling in. “Everyone wanted to talk to the MVP.”
“Oh, so you had to wait in line for a while?” Aaron faked a look of concern.
“Ouch.” Jay clutched at his heart and dropped down to his knees to hug his nephews.
“Did you guys have fun?” he asked, staying at their eye level.
The boys burst into overlapping chatter, exciting plans of being future soccer stars entwined with equally exciting plans of pizza for dinner. Jay nodded solemnly, agreeing with everything they said.
He had painted himself as the fun uncle in earlier conversations, but he was so much more than that. Supportive. Nurturing. A real role model.
“You’re welcome to join us for pizza,” he offered, but Aaron shook his head. This was Jay’s time with his nephews. They would find their own time later.
“I’m going to roam around the park for a while, I think,” Aaron said. “Maybe find a nice dinner spot nearby.”
“You really love parks, don’t you?” Jay cocked an eyebrow at Aaron. “You’ve mentioned it before, but I figured it was more of a passive ‘parks are nice’ thing, not a whole ‘spend time in the park for the sake of spending time in the park’ thing.”
“You truly have a way with words.” Aaron chuckled. “I love being surrounded by nature. Living in the city is fun, but being surrounded by high-rises and honking cars starts weighing on me after a while. The smell of grass, trees everywhere you look, little squirrels running around… It’s soothing.” He hadn’t meant to go off on a tangent. “Let me walk you to your car first.”
They moved at an easy pace while the boys raced ahead. Aaron enjoyed the companionable silence, punctuated only by the soft, rhythmic sounds of Jay’s breathing and the dreamy, golden light of the setting sun painting the sky.
Jay clicked his key fob when the small parking lot came into view, letting the boys climb into the backseat. Stopping a few feet away, just out of their earshot, he turned to Aaron.
