by Eden Finley
He laughs and shakes his head at me.
Jacobs gets in my face. “We did it.”
“We fucking did it,” I scream back at him.
Winning the Frozen Four?
Just an everyday thing. No biggie.
Only the most surreal moment of my life.
Drinks flow at the hotel bar, and we’re all a little messy.
It was a long game and an even longer celebration, but when Zach looks at me with his sober green eyes while he bites his lip, I’m ready to call it a night.
I’m supposed to stay with the team, but screw having a roommate when my boyfriend is here.
I follow him into the elevator, and he hits the button for his floor.
I’m all hands as soon as the door closes, and Zach laughs.
I grab his ass and pull him against me.
He laughs more. “Hang on, big guy. We’re almost there.”
“Mm, I am a big guy. Your big guy. Big … everywhere.”
“Big also goes on the list of words that have no meaning anymore.”
“’Kay.” I kiss his neck, but I get the feeling I’m more into it than he is.
When the doors open again, I realize he’s got his arms around me but not in an affectionate way. More in a trying to hold me up kind of way.
“I’m good at walk. Feet move that way.” I point.
“Yes. You good at walk, caveman. Come on. We’re going to bed.”
“Damn right we are. I’m gonna love you so good.”
Zach bursts out laughing. “Sure you are.”
As soon as we reach the room and Zach puts me to bed, it’s lights out.
Literally.
I wake up to light streaming through the hotel curtains, still wearing my suit pants and shirt from last night, a killer headache, and my arm trapped beneath the most gorgeous guy I could ever ask for.
His dark hair is messy across his forehead, his high cheekbones prominent in this light.
I’m tempted to wake him by climbing on top of him—finishing what I couldn’t even start last night in my state of inebriation—but I need to feel human first.
I slip out of bed and take a quick shower, but when I get out, Zach’s standing in the middle of the hotel room, his eyes all squinty while he talks into his phone.
No wait, that’s my phone.
“He’s right here.” He hands it to me. “It’s your agent.”
“This is Foster.”
Zach smirks at me, probably because Seth always gives him shit for answering the phone the exact same way all the time.
“Great game last night,” Damon says.
“T-thank you.” Yeah, I still haven’t learned to talk to him without being awe-struck.
“I have some … news for you.”
“Should I be worried you didn’t say good or bad in front of that?”
“It’s all good. Relatively.”
I take a deep breath. “What is it?”
“The B’s are willing to send you to Providence.”
My heart sinks. The farm team. AHL. Better than nothing, but I’ve already had an offer from San Jose. Providence is closer, but San Jose is the NHL. It’s also on the other side of the country.
“I know you wanted Boston, and Providence is a good path to take to get there eventually, but there’s another offer on the table. The money is a little more than San Jose, and it’s on the East Coast …”
“With who?”
When he speaks again, I have to ask him to repeat himself.
He chuckles and says it again.
My eyes meet Zach’s. He’s waiting with anticipation and nerves shining in his eyes.
“I’ll fucking take it.” I wince at the swear word slipping out. “Sorry. Again.”
“We might have to get you some PR lessons. As soon as possible by the sound of it if we’re going to do a press conference announcing you’ve signed with a team. Try not to drop any F-bombs then, okay?”
“I won’t.” I won’t do anything to f—screw up this opportunity.
“I’ll get the ball rolling. You’ll sign contracts in a few days. Talk soon?”
“O-okay.”
He ends the call.
“What did he say?” Zach asks.
I still can’t believe it myself.
“Foster, what did he say?”
“M-Montreal,” I murmur.
“Montreal? Really?” His face is passive as if he’s in shock or doesn’t want to get his hopes up.
“I’m only gonna be two hours away. Two. Hours.”
He finally breaks into a smile. “I could come to home games!”
“You could. I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I’d love for you to be there. You don’t even have to be in the team box.”
“We could have weekends together. Well, when you’re not at away games. We could—”
I laugh.
His face suddenly falls. “Shit, can you speak French?”
“Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? Does that count?”
“No.”
“Damn. But I can speak Canadian, eh. I’ll fit right in.”
“What about Boston or New York?”
“New York wasn’t interested, and Boston only offered a spot on their farm team. But even if they offered me more … Montreal is a better fit.”
“But Boston was your dream.”
I step closer to him, and his gaze heats as he realizes I’m only wearing a towel.
“This is a better dream. Hockey and you.”
“You’re the dream I never thought I’d have.”
I grin. “What’s that concept you were struggling with again?”
His green eyes meet mine. “Symbiosis.”
“Right. Two completely different organisms coming together to mutually benefit each other. That sounds like us.”
“I’m still trying to work out what you get from this deal.”
“Don’t. You never have to question what I get out of my relationship with you.”
“It’s the sex, isn’t it?”
I laugh. “For a start. There’s also comfort and that really gross feeling in my chest when you tell me you love me. It makes me go all warm and fuzzy, and while it’s eww, it’s also amazing. Oh, and I can’t forget the array of nerdy underwear. I get a lot out of that.”
“Foster—”
“Wait, I’m not done. You make me laugh, especially with your quirky observations about other people. You support me and my dreams. And, I like—no love—spending time with you.”
“I feel the same way. I think I love you more than research.”
“Now that’s saying something.”
“Right?”
I cup Zach’s face. “I love all of you. Every quirk. Every blush.”
“I love the way you take care of me without babying me. And I’m envious of your confidence and your ego even if they sometimes need to be taken down a peg or two. You’re everything I wish I could be, and I know you bring out the best in me.”
I shake my head. “Baby, that’s all you.”
Zach smiles. “See? You’re doing it right now—making me feel like I could be anyone and do anything.”
“You are.”
“Right now, all I want to be is yours.”
“Mm, we’re gonna get our symbiosis on.”
Zach frowns. “You can’t make that dirty.”
“Sure I can. I can make anything dirty. Starting with you. I feel like your skin needs to be covered in cum.” Yay, there’s the blushing I love so much. I push him toward the bed. “We need to celebrate. Next year is going to be a lot easier with me being so close.”
“It will still be difficult at times.”
I lay him down and cover his body with mine. “I know. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. Because you’re not only mine for now, Zach. I want you to be mine forever.” I swallow hard.
Zach’s lips flatten. “The idea of forever is scary.”
“Nah.
Not when it comes to us. But we’ll take this one year at a time. There’ll be moments where we’re apart, but I never want you to doubt what we are. We’re in this for the long haul.”
“The long haul …” Zach’s smile is blinding. “Long haul it is.”
Thank you
Thank you for reading Power Plays & Straight A’s. This was Eden and Saxon’s first venture into cowriting, and they hope to publish more in the future. Maybe find out why Jacobs hates Beck so much. *wink wink*
If you’d like to keep up to date with either of us, here’s where you can find us:
Eden’s Facebook Group:
www.facebook.com/groups/absolutelyeden/
Saxon’s Facebook Group:
www.facebook.com/groups/saxonssweethearts/
* * *
Alternatively, you can subscribe to our newsletters here:
Eden: http://eepurl.com/bS1OFH
Saxon: www.subscribepage.com/saxonjames
About Eden Finley
You can follow Eden on any of the following platforms:
https://www.facebook.com/EdenFinleyAuthor/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/absolutelyeden/
https://amzn.to/2zUlM16
https://www.edenfinley.com
* * *
OTHER BOOKS BY EDEN FINLEY
FAMOUS SERIES
Pop Star
Spotlight
* * *
FAKE BOYFRIEND SERIES
Fake Out
Trick Play
Deke
Blindsided
Hat Trick
Novellas:
Fake Boyfriend Breakaways: A short story collection
Final Play
* * *
STEELE BROTHERS
Unwritten Law
Unspoken Vow
* * *
ROYAL OBLIGATION
Unprincely (M/M/F)
About Saxon James
Follow Saxon James on any of the platforms below.
www.facebook.com/thesaxonjames/
www.amazon.com/Saxon-James/e/B082TP7BR7
www.bookbub.com/profile/saxon-james
www.instagram.com/saxonjameswrites/
* * *
OTHER BOOKS BY SAXON JAMES
* * *
Bet on Me
Calling Your Bluff
* * *
And if you’re after something a little sweeter, don’t forget my YA pen name
S. M. James.
These books are chock full of adorable, flawed characters with big hearts.
www.amazon.com/S-M-James/e/B07DVH3TZQ