Page 83 of Home Ice

He nods. “Coolest sport in the world.”

Then he digs the last of the ice cream out of the cup, slides off the hood, and moves back toward the door. “I need to get home.”

This time, I give him the one-word response. “Right.”

I don’t want to go yet. It feels like we’re close. So fucking close to something real. There’s an ache behind my sternum begging me to stay, but Kasen climbs inside the car, and it’s not really a choice anymore.

I follow him, setting the trash in the cup holder before leaving. The drive back to his place is silent until he pairs his phone with my car and puts his music on.

The moment is slipping away from me, and the last thing I want to do is to let it pass and have everything reset. To see him at training again and have him barely say a word to me.

So when I pull up, I grab my phone before he can climb out. “Here.”

“What?”

“Put your number in it.”

“Why?”

Oh, look, he’s making it hard, what a surprise. “So that I don’t have to put Barrett in a shitty position by asking him for it.”

Kasen almost rolls his eyes. “Why do you want it?”

“Oh, I don’t know, to signal fucking aliens.”

“Funny,” he deadpans. Then he types his number in and calls himself. “Can I go now?”

“Ice cream makes you a shithead. Got it.”

He gives in and actually rolls his eyes as he opens the door. “I’m a shithead always. Now you know.”

He jumps out and slams the door, but before he can disappear, I put down the window and yell after him, “And it’s not going to scare me! Now you know.”

He pauses when he reaches the front of the house, his key out, and throws a look back at me.

Then he’s gone, and I … think that might have gone well.

Chapter Twenty-Six

TAI

Being friends with Hawke is a whirlwind.

One day, we’re coaching kids.

Another, we’re catching up for coffee at the cafe.

The next, he has me in a back room at the rink during a rare break with my pants around my ankles.

When I said we should have sex whenever we want to have sex, I didn’t think it would be all the damn time. Not that I’m complaining. It’s been forever since I had a regular sex life, and I can’t say that having my best friend suck my cock whenever the mood strikes is an inconvenience.

That said, all our times together have been sneaky and quick, with the risk of being caught, so he hasn’t actually fucked me yet. And it’s starting to be all that I can think about.

So when my friends message me about going out in Montreal, I immediately invite him to come.

“Hello,” his mom says as soon as I knock on the door. “Come on in. I made muffins today. Are you hungry?”

I’ve been preparing all day for tonight, and no matter how good they smell, I’m not going to get sidetracked now. “Damn, I just had a big dinner,” I say. “I’ll make sure I have room tomorrow.”