Perfect.
I sauntered over and plastered on a cheerful grin, which I had been told once was more unsettling than my scowl.
Jill outdid herself. A whole roasted chicken, perfectly sliced, sat at the center, accompanied by roasted potatoes, sautéed spinach, a macaroni salad, aregularsalad, and an entire pitcher of lemonade.I certainly won’t starve here.I laughed at how hard she was trying. If only she knew she cooked this entire feast for me to turn around and sully her perfect little son.
We sat in awkward silence for quite some time. Finally, Jill said, “So, are you settling in, Rafael?”
I’ve been here for all of twenty-four hours, babe.“Absolutely,” I responded. “Thank you again for welcoming me on such short notice.”
That one got them. Both Jill and Hank smiled like they had Vaseline smeared on their teeth. A little more charm, and Operation Destroy Cody would commence. I wanted them to think I was a good boy, so the shock of shattering their little angel would hurt even more. “And this food is delicious. I haven’t had a home-cooked meal like this in ages. Rita is so busy with her work.”
Actors call this “chewing the scenery.” I was mugging with a capitalM. Jill looked happy enough to sprout wings and take flight. Even Hank chuckled. Cody looked ashen. I cursed Jill in my mind for not cooking kielbasa or hot dogs—something shaft-like.
But there was still fun to be had.
I inched my foot closer to Cody, searching for his as I tapped about.There he is. Our feet met, and I lifted my foot to caress his ankle. The look on his face was priceless. Confusion evolved into horror when he saw the look in my eyes.Nope. Not an accident, Golden Boy.
Hank cleared his throat. “You took a nice, long nap. Hope the room is comfortable.”
God, could this conversation get any more mundane? What’s next? The weather?
I nodded my approval of the room. Luckily, I had Cody nearby to torture, or I would have died of boredom. How could anyone possibly expect me to get through a dinner like this sober?
My foot inched up Cody’s leg, whose breath hitched the tiniest bit. I found his knee and sat my foot on the top of his thigh. His eyes bulged and his forehead turned shiny.This is what makes life worth living.
Jill took the conversation baton. “I hear you’re a big fan of hockey?”
I nodded with forced excitement. “Yes. I love hockey. I’m hoping the school here has a team I can join.” Cody’s leg trembled under the table.
“Well, how about a traveling team? Cody plays with the Vipers!”
I knew all the traveling teams in the Northeast, and the Vipers were no joke. Their tryouts were notoriously rough, and the coach had a reputation for cutting the weak without a second thought. It kind of pissed me off that Cody played for such an elite team. I bet he’d already met a few college scouts.Fucker.
I looked into Cody’s eyes, daring him to make a sound about the goings-on beneath the table as I pressed my foot into his crotch and kept it there. To my delight, a bulge grew beneath my foot. So, I didn’t imagine what I saw upstairs. Cody Bramble, my mother fucking stepbrother, had a boner for me.
Cody looked so red I thought he might have stopped breathing. Then I noticed my bulge. I hadn’t expected that.Fuck, watching him squirm is really doing it for me.
Cody cleared his throat and tried to speak, but all that came out was a garbled mess of syllables.
“Cody, maybe Rafael could join the Vipers? You’re down a man, aren’t you?” Hank asked. “Thompson moved to California.”
I ignored the sting of Hank knowing members of his stepson’s hockey team while never giving a shit about mine and focused on the performance. I widened my eyes to the size of flying saucers and gave my best gee willikers routine. “Really? Do you think there’s room on the team?” I looked to Cody for an answer while pulsing my foot against his raging hard on. I gave it a good press, and he almost yelped.Moan for me, baby.
Cody didn’t answer. Heaping droplets of sweat poured down his face. God, the boy was fun to fuck with.
“Well, hon? Do you think the coach would let him try out?” Jill asked.
Hank chimed in. “I’ll call him tomorrow and explain the situation. He’s a hardass, but I’ll wow him with some of your stats, Raf.”Don’t call me Raf. And how do you know my stats?
“Is it hot in here?” Jill questioned. “You look flushed, Cody.”
It’s hot all right.Cody finally spit out a coherent sentence. “We’re having tryouts, but he’s already picked his top six. A lot of guys have waited a long time for that opportunity. I don’t think a new player would get much time on the ice.”
Oh, I liked that. Already trying to create distance.No way in hell, Golden Boy.“I understand that some guys have waited a long time for their moment. I don’t need to be in the top six.” Make no mistake, I would be in the top three. I was a fucking work of art on the ice and any coach would kill to have me. “I just want a shot, you know?” I fluttered my eyelashes like Bugs Bunny in drag.
“That’s a fine mentality to have, Raf.”Don’t call me Raf, asshole.“Plus, you’re a bruiser on the ice. I’m sure you’d do just fine at tryouts.” Hank beamed with pride, and I clenched my jaw to stop my snarl.
“Thanks,” I replied. No matter how much of an act this was, I refused to call him Dad.
