Mo shrugged. “I was traded, but why I wanted to come back here? Yeah. Aidan’s my guy, you know? We’ve always had each other’s backs. Forever.”
“That’s really cool.”
“You’ll get it too, someday, but for now? Whoever’s over center? Pay attention.”
Trevor nodded.
“And,” Mo added, when Trevor turned to head back to the bench, “cut Lane some slack, okay? He’s trying to be a good . . . uh . . . friend? Teammate? To you.”
Trevor nodded, but Mo’s words stuck with him as he rejoined the huddle. Wes called out the play—and it was frustrating that instead of running routes, he seemed to be relegated to blocking. It made sense, if the Giants’ pass rush wasn’t giving Wes enough time to throw the ball, but it frustrated him anyway, because Trevor had things to prove.
Things he wanted to show not just his coaches and the other players on his team. Not even the rest of the world. But actually, Lane most of all.
I’m not stupid,he wanted to say to Lane.I know I’m a rookie, but I’m more than that, too.
Chapter 5
“Fourfieldgoalsanda touchdown,” Lane said, glancing over at Trevor as he drove them back to his condo after the game. “Nothing to be ashamed about.”
“We lost,” Trevor muttered. He’d been quiet in the locker room after the game and even quieter on the ride home. Lane kept wondering if the next time he opened his mouth, Trevor was going to tell him the experiment was over. That they were going back to the way they’d been before.
Lane didn’t know if he would just accept it, or if he’d attempt to tell Trevor thathecould go back, but Lane couldn’t, because that platonic situation had never existed for him in the first place.
“Hung in there almost til the end,” Lane said, which was not just him hyping Trevor up, but the truth. They’d only lost by a field goal, which considering that the Giants had played all their starters and half the Thunder’s players had been backups, was pretty damn impressive.
“Not good enough,” Trevor said, staring out the window into the darkness as Lane pulled into the garage under his building.
“Hey, there’s gonna be plenty of time to beat yourself up for the next two weeks, no need to do it tonight,” Lane said, even though he had no intention of letting Trevor do that.
Despite the loss, they’d nabbed the top seed in the AFC, which meant no game next Sunday. But that didn’t mean no football—they’d be working hard, preparing for whoever they’d face in the second round of the playoffs.
“Sure,” Trevor said, not sounding particularly convinced.
Lane parked the car and huffed out a frustrated breath. “Seriously,” he said, “you being pissed at yourself and pissed at me doesn’t get anyone anywhere.”
“I’m not pissed at you,” Trevor said, putting his hand on the door like he was going to open it, but before he could, Lane leaned over, grabbing it.
“Come on.” Lane tried for his most persuasive tone. Hoped he was at least a little better at it than Trevor was. “Don’t be like this.”
“I thought we were always like this. Demon twins, remember?” Trevor said, glancing over at him.
Their gazes stuck together like two magnets—unavoidable and inevitable.
“We weren’t two nights ago.” It was so stupid to bring it up. If he brought it up, it would be the perfect opportunity for Trevor to say the thing he was dreading to hear. That the experiment was done. Finished. Over. That he’d figured it all out, so he didn’t need Lane anymore.
But Lane neededhim.
Trevor let out a rough noise, and the next thing Lane knew, their mouths were crashing together. Their first kisses had been hesitant, like Trevor hadn’t been sure, and Lane had let himtake the reins because that had been the whole point of the experiment, right?
Lane alreadyknewwhat he liked—Trevor on top of him, Trevor underneath him, Trevor next to him, Trevor half a step behind. Always close enough to touch—but he’d wanted Trevor to figure it out for himself.
It seemed too good to be true that maybe they were on the same page about this, but Trevor’s lips were pressing eagerly to his own, as he angled his body over the center console. Like he didn’t want to be so far away.
Trevor groaned in the back of his throat before pulling back barely an inch. “I like that better,” he admitted in a low, rough voice. His eyes were soft and hot, honesty blazing in their depths.
Lane felt shaken. Couldn’t help but meet Trevor’s honesty with some of his own. “Me too.”
Maybe after hiding it for so long, it should’ve been harder to admit it, but it was the easiest thing in the world to say.
