“Come on,” Aidan said, “we’re not blind, okay? You two were at each other’s throats for months. You were prickly as hell around him. And now all of a sudden you’re pulling your punches with him, and not just that, but you’re telling him what a great WAG he’d make?”
“Trevor’s straight,” Lane lied weakly.
Aidan caught his arm right before they headed down to their seats. “I’m not telling you to out him without his permission. Levi lectured me about this a lot—”
“As he should,” Lane interrupted.
If it was possible, Aidan’s expression grew even more sympathetic. Not galling at all. “Don’t change the subject. I’m just saying, whatever’s going on between you is between you.”
“Oh, thanks,” Lane said bitchily.
“But if you need anyone to talk to,” Aidan said, continuing on like he hadn’t said anything, “my door’s always open. I know how tough it is to fall for someone you’re not technically supposed to. And on top of that, I don’t want this to fuck with our team chemistry right before the playoffs.”
It would’ve been a lot easier if Lane could’ve believed the second reason was why Aidan was saying anything. TheoldAidan’s motivations would have started and ended with the second reason. He’d have come down like a ton of bricks on both Lane and Trevor, if he thought for even a second that what they were doing was going to mess with the team, especially during playoffs.
But this was the new and improved, thein loveAidan, and it was obvious he was saying anything more for the former reason than the latter.
“Okay,” Lane finally said.
“That’s it?” Aidan raised a questioning eyebrow.
“You said it yourself,” Lane retorted. “I’m not going to out him without his permission.”
Aidan nodded slowly. “Alright.” He paused. “And about the film—”
“No,” Lane said in a hard voice.
But to his surprise, Aidan stopped pushing and just laughed, slapping Lane on the back. “I’ll quit it, I promise. Let’s go enjoy the rest of the game.”
The moment they retook their seats, Levi was full of a thousand questions, starting and ending with what had taken them so fucking long.
“Baby, calm down,” Aidan said. “The line was crazy.”
“Exactly why we should’ve called Ramsey,” Levi said.
“And Aidan got recognized,” Lane added.
Levi’s eyebrows crept up. “And you were nice to everyone?”
“Of course I was,” Aidan said, rolling his eyes. “Signed a shit ton of autographs and everything. Gonna tell Josh next time I see him that I’m making inroads on his fanbase.”
“Mean,” Levi said, sounding delighted by that. “You guys missed a sweet goal from Brock Jones. Ramsey got the assist, again.”
“Levi and I were thinking we should text Nate in the third. Let him know we’re here,” Trevor said.
“What, why?” Lane questioned. “So he can be pissed that we showed up and didn’t tell him?”
“No,” Trevor said, leaning in more, making Lane’s pulse accelerate unsteadily. He’d only had a single beer, had barely broken into his second, but he felt a little lightheaded. It was just how close Trevor was sitting. It was one thing for him to do at home, where it didn’t mean anything, but doing that here? It felt like Trevor was blanketing himself over Lane, laying fucking claim to him.
Lane had never imagined that would be a turn-on, butGod, it was.
“Then why?” Lane wondered.
“Obviously so he can get us in the locker room and we can ogle all the hot, naked sweaty men,” Levi chimed in.
Aidan swatted him. “Keep your fantasies under control.”
“Bro, I’mtrying,” Levi whined.
