A cozy sensation of pure joy flowed over Braxton, surrounding him like a blanket straight out of the dryer being wrapped around him on a cold winter night. He’d been worried about bringing up anything that sounded too long term, even though Ryan seemed open to the idea of dating. There was starting a relationship, and there was “I never want to leave your side.”
As much as his intense feelings for Ryan had him leaning toward the latter, he knew better than to voice those words. If this was going to last, he couldn’t rush things. He’d hit his quota of acting crazy already.
Ryan tightened his grip on the back of Braxton’s neck. “You will tell me what suddenly has you looking so serious.” He glanced toward the door at a knock. “After I get the pizza.”
The warm, mouthwatering scent of fresh bread, melted cheese, bacon, and spicy sauce filled the room as Ryan carried the pizza in, waiting for Braxton to set all the towels in the basket before placing the box, along with two cans of root beer, on the table.
Opening the box, Ryan considered Braxton for a moment. “I’d feed you, but I’ve found that rather difficult to do with pizza. Hot pizza sauce on your naked chest wouldn’t be as sexy as it sounds.”
“That does not sound sexy at all.”
Pulling a piece of pizza free, Ryan shot him a crooked grin. “I’d lick it off and make you feel all better.”
“I don’t think I should be eating naked. Ever. This is starting to sound dangerous.” He gave a fake shudder at the idea of hot pizza sauce anywhere else, but his dick was not thinking of the potential pain. Groaning, he shifted as it hardened. “Do not consider this interest.”
Bursting out laughing as Braxton pointed at his dick, Ryan nodded toward the pizza. “Eat. You’ll need your energy. I promise not to eat anything off of you that will give you second degree burns.”
“That should be much more reassuring than it is.”
“Mhmm.” Ryan took a bite of pizza, watching Braxton do the same. He put his piece of pizza on the lid of the pizza box and opened his can of root beer, taking a few gulps before he spoke again. “I will never do lasting damage to you, pet. If it’s too hot to go on my own body, it’s not going on yours.”
Fuck, now he was thinking of licking things off Ryan. He ducked his head, taking a big bite of pizza, wincing as the sauce burnt his tongue.
“Slow down. I won’t put up with you hurting yourself either.”
Braxton swallowed and took a sip of soda. “Then you probably don’t want to watch my games.”
“I won’t be missing a single one.” Ryan smiled and reached out, wiping a bit of sauce off of Braxton’s chin with his thumb. “I avoided any mention of hockey after I met you. You were hard enough not to think of without dealing with constant reminders. Now…I think I’ll enjoy them.”
If his heart swelled any bigger, he was going to pass out once he hit the ice. He polished off two slices of pizza before Ryan’s expectant look had him wondering if he’d dazed off and missed something.
Ryan picked up a napkin and cleaned the grease off his fingers. “You had a very serious expression before. Was something bothering you?”
Damn, Braxton had hoped he’d forgotten about that. He shook his head and grabbed his soda. “I was just thinking about how things will be once I get back. Being here this long is awesome, but obviously we can’t do that all the time. I mean, I got my own place.”
“Yes, you do. And I work long shifts and wouldn’t feel comfortable with you being here alone.” Ryan held up his hand when Braxton’s lips parted. “Not because of you. I wouldn’t have continued sleeping when you got out of bed if I didn’t trust you in my home. My life can be dangerous at times. I won’t put you at risk.”
“I can take care of myself, Ryan.”
“Under normal circumstances? Sure. Against bikers with guns?” Ryan gave him a level look. “Be reasonable. I want to see you as often as we’re both able. And I have no problem going to your apartment now and then.” His lips quirked. “But after what you told me, you’re buying new towels.”
“Deal.” Braxton grinned, grabbing another piece of pizza and leaning against Ryan’s legs as he put The Office on. His eyes drifted shut as Ryan began stroking his hair and everything was just…so fucking good. He couldn’t really explain it.
The sex was amazing, but moments like this were what made him believe their crazy schedules and lifestyles and living situations wouldn’t get in the way of what they were building. Ryan was becoming his Dom, but they could still discuss things. He’d never been so happy just being around someone.
He was a bit sleepy again and his eyes kept drifting shut, but he tried to force himself to stay awake. He didn’t want to miss out on any time with Ryan, even if they were only lazing around, watching TV.
Movement behind him had him sitting up as Ryan stretched out on the sofa, then patted the cushion. It was a tight squeeze, but Braxton managed to lay down on his side, his back against Ryan’s chest. The blanket Ryan pulled over them both wasn’t going to help him stay awake, but he realized it didn’t matter.
Ryan had been thinking about how things would be between them too. He’d be watching Braxton play. They’d find a way to keep in touch while Braxton was on the road. Maybe meet for lunch when Ryan had long shifts.
When he left tomorrow it wouldn’t be the end of what they had together.
They were still at the beginning.
Brushing his lips along Braxton’s throat, Ryan spoke softly. “No more stripping on stage. And no more fucking your friends. Understood?”
Eyes closed, Braxton nodded. “I’m good with that. Made me feel like shit anyway.”
“That’s a shame.” Ryan kissed behind his ear and let out a soft laugh. “But I still want details.”
Chapter 14
The last day off. And his last day with Braxton for the near future. Ryan sat at the kitchen table, enjoying a cup of coffee his boy had made for him perfectly, and observed the other man moving around his kitchen in nothing but an apron. Fuck, but he could get used to this. Using a YouTube video, Braxton was making French toast with a side of bacon and hashbrowns and it smelled amazing. His tight ass on display under the thick, dark blue apron tie made Ryan hungry for something other than food, but if he indulged now, the food would burn.
And Braxton was trying so hard to please him. Hell, since yesterday, aside from laundry, he’d cleaned and dusted almost everything. The peaceful expression on his face, the way he smiled at Ryan’s praise, meant so much more than the convenience of having a few less chores to do.
He’d tried, several times, to make plans to enjoy Braxton’s presence here more often, but news of one of his bigger cases being botched by the prosecutor and the perp walking free was like a bucket of ice water over them all. The reality was, it just wasn’t fucking safe.
But he’d go to Braxton. Make sure there was no way to connect them until the worst threats were gone. Then...hell, if they were still together by then, he’d consider a more permanent arrangement.
“Your breakfast is served, sir.” Braxton laid the plate in front of him with a bit of flourish, his graceful movements making it obvious why he’d drawn so much attention on that stage. After filling Ryan’s cup with coffee in a French Press Ryan hadn’t even known he owned, the man wiggled his hips and went to his own seat, the perfect image of a sub tempting their Dom in a way that would either earn them a spanking or a hard fuck.
Ryan arched a brow at him. “If I have to put you in your place and my food gets cold, I might not be able to keep my promise about what I do to you not impacting your play.”
Braxton cocked his head, mischief in his eyes. “Might be worth it.”
“I’d make certain it wasn’t.” Ryan cut into his French toast and took a bite, moaning at the perfect balance of flavor on his tongue. He’d had some doubts about YouTube being useful for cooking, but not anymore. “This is delicious.”
Digging into his own food, Braxton nodded. “I like cooking, but
I was always worried I wouldn’t be any good at it. Using videos helped me make some really good stuff, so I have a few cooking channels I follow to learn from.”
“Clever.” Ryan added some cream and sugar to his coffee, studying Braxton over the rim. “Do you cook for yourself a lot?”
That gave Braxton pause. He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Not really. Now and then if I want to try something, but it’s not the same eating by yourself. When I hang out with other players, someone’s usually ordering pizza.”
“You don’t have friends who aren’t on the team?”
“I…” Braxton took a deep breath and sat back. “No, I guess I don’t. I mean, I had some on my junior team. And back home, but we drifted apart. Hopefully I can stay on this team long enough to really get to know people in the area. Over the summer or something.”
“There’s a very active local kink community that could be good for that as well.” Ryan hadn’t become involved much himself, not wanting to risk the guys at the station knowing more about his life than he cared to share, but he wouldn’t mind showing Braxton off a bit. The idea had him caring less about what anyone else would think. “Maybe when we both have time, we can go to some of the events.”
Wide eyes met his. “Really? I’d love that!”
“Good, I’ll look into it while you’re on your road trip.” He gave Braxton’s shoulder a nudge when his smile faded. “This will be our first test of how we’ll manage with weeks apart. I’m not worried, so you shouldn’t be.”
With a slow nod, Braxton squared his shoulders. “Okay. And phone sex could be hot as fuck.”
Ryan chuckled. “I wouldn’t know.”
The mischief was back in Braxton’s eyes, he took another bite of French toast, leaning forward once his mouth was clear and licking a droplet of syrup from his bottom lip. “Think about it. I get back to the hotel after a game and lock myself in the bathroom since rookies have to share with a vet. Gotta be quiet so no one knows what I’m doing. I turn the camera on so you can see me...and make me do whatever you want.”
All right, that did sound hot. Ryan’s lips slanted. “I could torture you and bring you to the edge for days. Refuse to let you come until you return to me.”
Face flushed, pupils dilated, Braxton swallowed hard. “Yeah, you totally could.”
“Finish your food, boy.” Ryan smiled as Braxton stared at him like he’d spoken a foriegn language. “It won’t be quite as fun if you anticipate all the terrible ways I could twist remote access in my favor.”
Wetting his lips with his tongue, Braxton looked both fascinated and a little afraid. Perfect. He’d probably be very worked up by the time he was able to make the call. Eager for anything Ryan planned, his mind going over all best and worst case scenarios. It would definitely help keep the power exchange going while they were apart.
By the time he’d finished the amazing meal, Ryan’s thoughts had drifted to another matter they hadn’t discussed at length. Braxton mentioning locking himself in the bathroom sounded like something he did regularly. Of all the lessons he’d taught Braxton over the past few days, this one would be the most difficult to implement.
But also the most satisfying.
Leaving Braxton to tidy up the kitchen—despite his own typical need to clean when someone else cooked, as his mother had instilled on him—Ryan went to his room to get what he’d need. When he returned Braxton was hand washing the dishes. Unnecessary, since there was a dishwasher for the task, but he seemed like he was in the zone. Their time was running out and he was soaking in every last bit of submission he could. Offering his Dom all he could think of with his limited knowledge of the lifestyle.
It was beautiful to watch. That sweet, serene look on his face. The way his eyes shone when he looked over at Ryan.
And the little smile on his lips as Ryan came up behind him and kissed the back of his neck. He continued washing the dishes, a plate slipping in his hand before he tightened his grip. His breaths came out in little pants when he heard the top pop on the lube. He began to press back, anticipating Ryan’s next move…
Then caught on when Ryan moved away. Held still. And waited.
He was everything. This journey with him would be incredible, no matter where either of them were. They’d find a way to keep this connection between them growing stronger.
But he’d use every last moment that remained to solidify the foundation they’d built.
He let out a soft laugh and whispered in Braxton’s ear. “Do you know what it means to be mine?”
Chapter 15
Part of Braxton was already missing this time with Ryan, but his Dom brought him back to the present with his touch. With his way of grounding him with his tone, until all he had to let go and follow his command. That would be true no matter where he was.
But he was here. Now.
“I didn’t tell you to stop.”
Sucking in a breath at the warning in Ryan’s tone, Braxton retrieved the plate he’d dropped. Almost let it slip from his grip again as Ryan reached around him, securing a cock ring under his balls and at the base of his cock. God, the way the man took ownership of his body pushed all the right buttons. How he assumed control as though it was the natural order of things. The headspace Braxton found with him, the pure bliss of surrender was unmatched by anything short of a winning goal at the final moments of a tied game, and even then…
The faint apple scent of the soap reached him with every quick inhale as he braced himself, while scrubbing the plate more than it needed. He rinsed it off, lips parting as Ryan pressed into him, his dick stretching him open, bit at a time, not shifting him enough to disrupt his task. One hand on the edge of the sink, he tipped his hips back, needing that fullness to take him completely.
“No.” Ryan chuckled, using the spatula Braxton had just washed to smack his thigh hard enough to leave a little sting. “This isn’t for you to take, my boy. This is me giving you as much or as little as I choose to. We’ll see if it’s enough for you.”
A test. One Braxton would pass, no matter how hard it was. He thought back on their conversation and had to bite back a groan. Would Ryan really edge him until he came back from the road trip?
Holy fuck, that’s...kinda hot. If torture can be considered hot. There was no way he wouldn’t feel Ryan with him every moment of every day if all the relief he’d get would be withheld until he returned to him. He groaned as Ryan took him deeper, dragging in and out at a languorous pace, stimulating parts of him the man already knew better than Braxton knew himself. He’d be able to bring back this sensation with a thought.
With a word.
During a call when Ryan would give him only enough to remind him of what was waiting for him.
“I can see you understand.” Ryan gripped Braxton’s hips, driving in hard, kissing his shoulder when he let out a rough, desperate sound. “Being mine won’t always be easy, but it doesn’t need to be. Not for you. You enjoy a challenge and I’m going to give you one.”
Another dish, this one a cup, the handle the only thing that kept Braxton from dropping it as he struggled to wash it while Ryan fucked him in long, hard strokes. The way the man used him was a rush, just knowing he’d find pleasure in Braxton’s body, that he knew he could take that and it would be enough. The satisfaction didn’t come from reaching some kind of end. There was no end. That was the point.
Once the last of the dishes were washed, Ryan finally let him hold on to the counter, slamming into him over and over, the sound of the hard smacks he landed on Braxton’s thighs, the slap of his pelvis against Braxton’s ass, filling the kitchen along with the faint sounds of the morning outside. Cars passing. Birds, the rustle of the wind. The pressure within coiled, tighter and tighter, and pleasure played through him like a melody bringing it all together on a loop.
“There we go.” Ryan pistoned in and out, his voice rough as he came closer to finding his own release. His grip on Braxton’s hips was bruising, giving him another
mark he could use as a reminder when the space between them seemed too much. He was giving Braxton everything he’d need to believe they could make this work. “Being mine means you’ll always have this, my boy. The feeling of me with you. It won’t always be easy. But it’ll be worth it.”
Panting, Braxton let himself go, not needing to come to take everything Ryan gave him and lose himself to it. He hovered a bit above himself, his body jerking as his body tried to take more, grateful that Ryan had cut off the option. The ache within was a bit painful, but nothing compared to the satisfaction when Ryan pressed close to him, kissing his shoulder and his neck, heat spilling deep within.
Ryan stroked Braxton’s thigh, easing away before removing the condom and disposing of it in the trash. “You’re going to keep that cockring. Put it on whenever we’re on a call that’s long enough to get...interesting.”
His whole body jerking as Ryan unclipped the length of leather, Braxton nodded. “Yes, sir. I can do that.” His cheeks heated as he tried to picture being quiet while having phone sex with Ryan, edging for over a week. “Focusing on the game while I’m dying to get back to you is going to be tricky.”
Washing his hands, Ryan glanced over and arched a brow at him. “You do know I’ll be watching you, yes? Consider wanting to impress me more than how horny you’ll be.”
“I will, sir.” Braxton closed his eyes as his Dom rewarded him with a deep kiss. Relaxed in the strong arms that wrapped around him. “Besides, you being distracted could be dangerous. Now that I think about it… Yeah, no losing focus. We can have this and...and everything else.”
Drawing back, Ryan cupped his cheek. “We can. But I’ll miss you. I’ll be looking forward to our calls. Don’t think I don’t understand that I’m asking a lot of you. If I didn’t think you could do it, I wouldn’t even consider taking this thing between us any further.”
Neutral Zone Trap: The Dartmouth Cobras ~ An Off Ice Novel Page 11