Page 151 of Arctic Titans of Northwood U: Volume 1

“Okay,” I said with rising determination. Then, as we walked, I told him everything he needed to know about the trust necessary for ditching condoms. I told him about PrEP, then reminded him that it only affected one kind of sexually transmitted bug, with all the others still being a threat, even if much more easily treated and with far less stigma. I told him about the advances in medicine and then I told him about the ease of access to the necessary tests. As we walked, Beckett listened, nodded, commented, and asked questions when I went too quickly over something.

At the end of it all, still a few streets away from campus, Beckett put a finger on his chin. “Are you sure about hockey? You seem more interested in medicine.”

“Hey, when you’re closeted, you have to learn this shit on your own,” I replied. We stood at the corner while the city around us still slept. “Are you sure you want to go take that step?”

Beckett feigned a doe-eyed expression as though I had proposed to him. “Yes, Caden, yes. A million times yes. I’m ready to take things to the next level.” He paused. “Creampie me.”

I punched him in the shoulder instead and he laughed, then dragged me toward him. It didn’t escape me when he glanced around to make sure we were alone before he kissed me. Call me weird, but the smell of the beer we had shared on his breath turned me on and the sweet flavor on his lips made me hungry for his kisses.

I whimpered, rubbing myself against him and wishing I could have him right here and now.

“Holy shit, I knew it,” the voice came from a few paces away, just down the street we had passed. It chilled my blood and made Beckett jerk back from me.

We both turned to see Sawyer strolling down the street at the crack of dawn.

“Why the hell didn’t I think to start the bets?” he thumped himself in the head playfully. “I told you, Caden. Didn’t I tell you? Same story every time.”

At that moment, I thought Beckett was going to rip him apart. He leaped toward Sawyer, but wasn’t quick enough for the Bugs Bunny of ice hockey. “Don’t you dare tell a soul about this,” Beckett growled.

“Whoa, easy, Captain,” Sawyer snapped, evading Beckett’s clutch.

My temper boiled and I jumped at my frightened lover, pulling him back. “Jesus, fuck, Beckett. Give the guy a minute.”

Sawyer’s humor disappeared as he looked at Beckett like he was seeing a deranged man with a knife. “What’s your problem?”

“It’s complicated,” I said tersely, so that Beckett wouldn’t.

“If you wanna keep it a secret, just say so,” Sawyer said, more to Beckett than to me. “I don’t need your fists to remind me, thank you very much.”

“What are you doing out here? Stalking us?” Beckett sounded unhinged, so I didn’t blame Sawyer for pulling back.

“You’re nowhere near that interesting,” he said calmly. Then something battled on his face. He weighed it, then spilled the truth. “I’ve got a secret of my own.”

My heart dropped. “You didn’t,” I told him almost pleadingly. “Don’t tell me you did.”

Sawyer blinked. “Did what?”

“Cheat on Noah,” I accused him. An abrupt sob of despair and disappointment nearly choked me. I used anger to combat it. “I swear to God, Sawyer, I’ll help him dispose of your dick when he cuts it off.”

Sawyer laughed out loud with apparent relief. “Cheat? Christ, Caden. I would never. Not on Noah. Do you even know us at all? I’m moving in with him.”

Beckett and I gaped. The reality around us was shifting way too quickly. “Wh-what?” That was Beckett.

“You’re moving out of the house?” I asked, dumbfounded.

Sawyer shrugged. “Yeah, we found a place. It’s right around the corner. I spend most nights in his room anyway. We figured we needed a bigger place. We spent this month searching for a place nearby and we got lucky. I’ve been sleeping there the last few nights. I have been waiting to grow a pair and finally tell you all.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell us?” I asked.

Beckett was still stiff after getting caught. I could feel his anxiety in my bones. It worried me.

Sawyer looked between us, then away. “I guess I don’t want to lose you guys.”

“Other guys have places of their own,” Beckett pointed out.

Sawyer shot him an accusing glare. “And how close are they to us? Sure, we’re the same team, but we are the core. I’m worried that I’m basically leaving my team, but I love Noah so fucking much, you can’t even imagine.” He looked at me, then at Beckett. “Or maybe you can.”

Both Beckett and I squirmed. That was one hell of a statement. I didn’t want to touch it with a hockey stick. But Beckett was quicker this time and he shifted topics. “You’re not leaving the core, asshole, unless you want to.” Then, more quietly, he added: “And unless you speak about what you saw, then I’ll have to do the cutting and disposing myself.”