His eyes shone with a look that made my dick twitch. Winding a finger through my chest hair, he said, “Then I guess we’ll have to stop at the airport long enough to give them another picture.”
I groaned, then scooted down until I was looking straight into his eyes.
He smiled. “Want something?”
“Fuck,” I said as my heart took off. “We’re doomed.”
“Probably.” He shifted, and his dick brushed my belly. “So we may as well have some fun.”
I got wicked hard while he sucked at the hollow of my throat. “We have to leave for the airport in a few hours.”
“More time than I thought,” he said. “We can get in at least two rounds, a nap, and a shower. Together.”
The flight from Quebec to Buffalo felt longer than it was. When I finally stepped into my house, everything was still. The quiet made me realize how important Nix had already become in my life. I wanted to hear his voice, enjoy his laugh. When I told myself I was glad to be home, I almost believed it.
Monday was cold and snowy. The Warriors had spent the weekend on a short road trip, and Criswell gave the team today off. While I sipped my coffee, I sent him a mentalthank-you. No morning skate, no locker room jokes, no chirp-fest. There was only me and my thoughts.
I spent the morning rotating between lifting, cardio, and eating everything in sight. I also made up my mind not to check my phone. Of course, I looked at it constantly.
There were more posts than ever. TikToks, stories, reels, and photos were everywhere. Slow-motion edits of shared smiles and shoulder bumps were always captioned with variations oflook how in love they areand a mountain of hashtags. Every time Nico and I exchanged a look in public, someone turned it into foreplay. After watching too many heavily manipulated edits, I swore I’d never touch him in front of a camera again.
And in private?
There was no denying we’d had a lot of fun. Strike that. It had been the best sex of my life. But what did it all mean?
The “straight” thoughts wouldn’t leave me alone, as in, “I’ve always been straight.” Like every other man on the planet, I’d wondered what sex with a guy would be like, but a sex-filled weekend with Nico didn’t magically rewrite my identity.
We’d been closer than brothers in college, and seven years of hating each other had kept us orbiting the same emotional space. The math was easy: mix one gay guy with one horny straight guy, add years of history, and throw in forced proximity. Hell, it’d be a miracle if sex hadn’t broken out.
The solution was obvious. I’d call what happened weird but okay, and then make sure it never happened again. Nix and I could be friends. No more complications, and zero confusion. I’d start dating again. Before “Packo,” my teammates had tried to set me up with women, and I’d take them up on it next time.
That afternoon, I made tea and looked out the kitchen window while it brewed. Snow was piled high, but the landscaping crew had cleared a path around the garden. I considered building a snowman. Nico and I had built some massive ones in college, so?—
Nope. No thinking about him.
I carried my mug of Earl Grey to the TV room but hadn’t taken a sip when my phone buzzed. I glanced down and…Fuck!
NICO: How’s it going today? Miss you bad. Jerked off looking at pics of us. big time.
PACKY: Miss you too. That’s hot.
What the hell? I started typing what I meant to say: “That’s cool. I’ve got to run, late for an appointment.” But somehow that isn’t what I sent.
PACKY: I jerked off this morning thinking about my cock in your mouth. So fucking hot.
I stared at the screen in horror. What the hell? That was not what I’d typed, was it?
Another message came in before I could fix it.
NICO: Want to get on FaceTime? We can do it together. Want to hear you moan.
PACKY: Don’t know. Brody sent me a clip of us whispering at a presser. It looked like I was nibbling your ear. He also sent a GIF of a slow clap.
NICO: Could be worse. Thompson texted me a blushing emoji, a peach, and a hand. Nothing else.
While I was translating those emojis, my phone buzzed again. FaceTime request. I stared at it and decided one more time wouldn’t hurt.
20/
