For a second, Braxton’s gaze went to Ryan. When he inclined his head, Braxton exhaled slowly. “That’s the plan. I was given a choice to try to make it back sooner, but if I take the whole summer to get back in top shape, it’s less likely I’ll have setbacks. I want to have a long career and rushing things...yeah, definitely won’t help.”
“Good.” Luke glanced over at Ryan as he came back from the kitchen once he’d ordered the pizza and gotten everyone’s drinks. “Speaking of ‘rushing things’, you two are living together now? Word is you went and picked up most of Braxton’s stuff from his place.”
Protective, much?
It would be easy to get defensive, but Ryan wanted this for Braxton. People who cared enough to check up on him. To make sure he was being treated well. After avoiding Braxton for so long, Ryan had earned the wary scrutiny. Rather than push back against it, he’d welcome it. Earn the trust of the people who mattered in Braxton’s life.
Ryan set the drinks on the coffee table, lips curving as Casey grabbed hers and Luke moved fast to keep her from spilling it all over both of them. “I did. Braxton is keeping his name on the lease for at least another three months so his options are open. But I want this to feel like home for him in every way possible, no matter how long he decides to stay.”
“I’m not leaving.” Braxton rested his head on the arm of the sofa, a smile tugging at his lips when Ryan lifted him up to put a thick cushion there. “I’ve been spoiled rotten.”
“You should be. You’re a great guy, Braxton.” Tyler’s expression softened as he looked between Ryan and his teammate. “Laura’s always bragging about how awesome her brother is. I didn’t see it until now.”
Breathing became a bit easier after that. Ryan finally understood how the team was like one big family. He hoped to meet Braxton’s parents one day, but until he did, these were the people he had to impress. And so far, he seemed to be off to a good start.
The movie Casey had put on drew everyone’s attention while they waited for the pizza. Ryan lifted Braxton again to let his lap take the place of the cushion, enjoying the feeling of all the tension easing out of his boy as he lay against him.
When the doorbell rang, Casey leaped to her feet and ran over to answer. After carefully sliding out from under Braxton, Ryan joined her.
“That’ll be fifty-seventy-five.” The young delivery man, who’d been here before, held out his hand to Casey as Ryan took the pizza.
Casey’s eyes went wide. “I don’t have any money.” She dug into the pocket of her jeans and held out a few shiny rocks. “But these have to be worth something?”
Ryan crouched down beside her. “How about you keep those, because they do look valuable.” He pulled out his wallet and handed her his credit card. The order was already paid for, but the delivery guy had made the whole thing into a game for Casey. Ryan was going to make sure she had fun with it.
With a serious nod, Casey considered the card, then handed it to the young man. “I’d like a receipt, please.”
“Of course.” The young man pretended to swipe the card in the reader, then printed out the receipt. “Sign here, please.”
Tongue between her teeth, Casey scribbled her name, then handed Ryan his copy. “Thank you, and keep the change. Mommy says a twenty percent tip is good. You got thirty. I’m good at math.”
Looking at the receipt, Ryan blinked. He’d added what he thought was a good amount, knowing it was more than expected, but not calculating anything. Smart kid, she was absolutely right.
The delivery guy gave a quick nod and grinned. “Thank you, miss. And enjoy your meal.” He bobbed his head again. “Have a nice evening, sir.”
In the kitchen a few minutes later, Ryan let Casey help him get plates and napkins for everyone. Children had never been on his radar, except when trying to comfort victims, but he couldn’t help look at her and wonder what it would be like—a very long time from now—to raise a child with Braxton. He was so attentive and gentle and patient. He’d make an amazing father.
He wasn’t the only one thinking that way by the bit of conversation he caught when he went into the living room with Casey.
Head buried under the cushion, Braxton let out a laugh cut off with a groan. “I know. If I had ovaries, they’d be bursting. Or...ugh, that’s bad to say, right? But...the feels!”
Practically choking on his rootbeer, Scott gave Ryan a look that said he knew he’d heard plenty, but would pretend otherwise. “Well done, tiny. Come sit in front of the coffee table to eat. Do you want me to cut it for you?”
“Yes, please, Demmy.” Casey leaned against Scott’s side as he sat next to her. “Kids at school think it’s weird to cut up pizza, but I burn my lips otherwise and I don’t like that.”
“It’s good to be firm about what you like or don’t like, no matter what other people think.” Scott gave a nod of thanks when Ryan got him a fork and knife. “I usually let mine sit for a bit to cool down, but with all the playing you did in the park, this will get the food in your belly faster and you need a refill.”
Back with Braxton, Ryan helped him sit up, keeping the blanket around him. There were still times when he got the chills, but it was hard to tell how much of that was fear setting in. Yes, he’d been diagnosed quickly, and had the best care, but Ryan had been there when it hit Braxton how serious his condition had been. How many people didn’t make it. Recovery wasn’t only physical, it was mental, and Ryan was here for both.
Right now, his man seemed absolutely charmed by the little girls, his eyes bright with wonder, as though exploring brand new territory. If they were going to start setting long-term goals, Ryan had a feeling kids were going to be part of it.
And he didn’t mind the idea at all.
His parents were going to love it.
“I want more soda.” Tone changing from the sweet, enduring one to something more irritated, Casey left Luke and went to Scott, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her head against his neck. “Uncle Luke won’t give me any. It’s not fair.”
“You know mommy only lets you have two a day, and you talked Tyler into giving you one at the park.” Scott rubbed Casey’s back. “You tired, pipsqueak? Maybe we should get going.”
Casey shook her head without lifting it. “No, you gotta stay with Uncle Braxton. Can he be uncle now too?” She sniffled. “I’m really tired. Can I take a nap?”
Nodding, Scott cradled the little girl in his arms. He met Ryan’s eyes. “I was hoping to talk to you more, but she still does better with naps. Some think she’s too old for them, but her doctor says it’s fine because it doesn’t disrupt her sleep schedule at night and to let her set the pace.” His cheek reddened. “Ah, yeah, so more than you needed to know, but I’ve been at parent-teacher meetings and heard Becky deal with all kinds of judgment.”
“Becky is a strong advocate for her daughter from what Laura’s told me. I respect that.” Ryan motioned toward the hall. “You can bring her to our room to rest. It makes sense that all kids wouldn’t develop the same way. She’s old enough to say when she needs a nap. I can’t see that as anything but good.”
Shooting him a grateful look, Scott carried Casey to the bedroom, coming back a few minutes later as Ryan had taken over and fed Braxton the last few bites of his pizza.
A tender smile on his lips, Scott brushed his hand over Braxton’s hair before he sat in the armchair again, helping himself to another slice of pizza. “You two look good together. We were prepared to issue some warnings, but I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” Scott grinned at Ryan’s brow raise, then winked at Braxton. “Looks like you’re in good hands.”
“The best.” Braxton took a sip of rootbeer, giving Scott a curious look. “But what do you mean by warnings? Ryan’s a cop, you wouldn’t threaten him?”
Luke’s lips slanted over the rim of his glass. “Not directly, no. We’d just make sure it was understood that you either got treated well or we’d get creative. We’re very good at th
at.”
I’m not sure I want to know what that would mean. After having to save Raif’s car from the antics of the ‘Trouble Triplets’, Ryan prefered not to have their ire aimed in his direction. He wouldn’t use his position against them, no matter what mischief they caused in defending Braxton, but he’d rather stay in their good books because he was making their teammate, their friend, his lover, very happy.
Tone firm, Braxton held Luke’s gaze. “Don’t. I don’t care what happens, I’m telling you now, I won’t appreciate you getting involved. I can speak up for myself and if I ever have any issues, I’ll deal with them.” He huffed out a laugh. “If I ever get my ass beat for bratting out, though, I’ll welcome your advice on recovery for my ass.”
“That we can definitely do.” Finishing off his slice of pizza, Tyler sat back against the corner at the other end of the sofa. “But you get all the free passes now.” Concern shadowed his eyes as he looked Braxton over. “How are you, seriously? You look better than you did before the game last week, but Oriana said it’s going to take a while before you’re a hundred percent.”
Arm around Braxton’s shoulders, Ryan did his best to lend his boy as much strength and support as he could, knowing how hard the reality of all this was for him. He still had a long road before he could go back to doing what he loved.
But for the first time that the subject was brought up, Braxton was calm. Even managed a smile, though it was a little sad. “It will, but like I said, there’s always next season. I love hockey, but it’s taken up so much of my life, I’ve never gotten the chance to think about doing anything else. I’m gonna take this time for, like, self-discovery or something. Do some volunteer work when I’m up to it. Maybe take a few classes.”
“You’re a smart man, Braxton.” Scott’s encouragement seemed to relax Braxton even more. “And hey, if you need any suggestions on places that need volunteers, don’t be shy. I have a full list from when I was trying to redeem myself to the team.”
“I’m going to take you up on that.” Braxton settled into Ryan’s side. “It was really cool of you guys to come over. And being able to be open about everything in front of you is...awesome. I can’t even remember why I was so scared to own who I am, except...well, things with the league are still...you know.”
All three men nodded their understanding. As open as the players were with one another, reality was, the sports world had a long way to go to be as accepting as it should be. Coming out could still be a risk for their careers and Braxton was more vulnerable than most.
He had a space where he could be himself. For now that would be enough. In the long run, Ryan couldn’t be sure what would happen, but as he enjoyed some quiet conversation with his boy and the other men, it felt like at least one goal had been reached.
In this space, Braxton was safe and cared for. He didn’t have to question his worth, wonder if his performance made him useful. There were no brand deals, no stats on the ice, nothing except him.
What he gave was his friendship. His truth.
And more than anything, there was a special kind of freedom to that. One Ryan would make sure he’d always have.
Knowing who he was…
Was more than enough.
Chapter 19
Sweat trailed down Braxton’s spine as he ran up the incline, loving the burn in his muscles and the way his blood pumped, the rush of finally being able to push himself this hard again without his body begging him to slow down. Even with the air conditioner blasting cool air, the summer heat was merciless, but he didn’t care. He was made for this.
And so much more.
“All right, Rocky, that’s enough.” Standing in the doorway, arms folded over his chest, Ryan chuckled. Already dressed in his leathers for their first trip to the local BDSM club tonight, he’d gone from being Braxton’s handsome, loving Dom to a powerful Master with an edge that sent a shiver up Ryan’s spine with his every command.
The way Ryan looked at him made it clear he intended to use that power in some wicked ways.
I can’t fucking wait.
Grabbing a towel, Braxton wiped the sweat from his face even as he slowed the treadmill to a slower pace, then stopped. He got off to cross the room, resisting the urge to steal a kiss because he didn’t want to ruin his Dom’s perfectly smooth black shirt—which had taken Braxton days to build up the confidence to take an iron to.
Look at me go.
Hand framing Braxton’s jaw, Ryan stopped him before he could pass. “What’s that little smile all about? Are you excited for tonight?”
“Very.” Braxton stared up at his Dom, not moving a muscle, settling into the security of his hold, his mind calm in a way it only ever was when Ryan claimed full control. “I was thinking about your shirt and how happy I was that I managed to iron it perfectly for you. And that I don’t want to ruin it.”
“Ah.” Ryan chuckled when Braxton’s gaze dipped helplessly to his lips when his Dom wet them with his tongue. “You did very well. But neither of us is making it through this night without getting a little...messy.”
A delicious shiver went over Braxton and he inhaled roughly. “I’m good with that.”
“I bet you are.” Ryan brushed a chaste kiss over his lips. “But let’s try to make it to the club as presentable as possible. If you keep tempting me, I’ll have to punish you, and we wouldn’t want that, would we?”
Braxton quickly shook his head.
Which got him a nod, then a light patt on the ass once Ryan waved him on. “Go take your shower, then. Don’t rush through it, I want every bit of you perfectly clean. You’re lucky I waxed you yesterday or we’d have to delay your fun even more to get that done.”
Cheeks heating, Braxton had a hard time keeping to the even pace Ryan expected him to walk around the house, his mind immediately going over the waxing and how painfully hard his confused dick had been by the end of the scene. Getting Ryan off with his mouth gave him the fulfillment he’d needed, but he was still really bad at not begging to find his release when Ryan toyed with him like that.
Thankfully, Ryan never kept him waiting for more than a day. Braxton couldn’t help having a one track mind when he was that horny, which made it hard to do anything productive. Hard, not impossible, which Ryan proved by giving him small tasks and rewarding him by...making him even more turned on.
His Dom was evil.
And I fucking love it.
After scrubbing down from head to toe, in and out the way Ryan had taught him, Braxton dried off completely, then went to the bedroom to stand in ‘wait position’, still naked. The bedroom was kept warm for this very reason, though it didn’t take much in the summer, just the central air not being on high.
On the bed, Ryan had already laid out Braxton’s outfit for the night. Forgetting the position, Braxton trailed his fingertips over the leather straps, smiling up at his Dom as he came into the bedroom.
“That’s what I like to see.” Ryan returned the smile, coming up behind him, kissing his shoulder before landing a solid smack on his bare ass. “You happy, not you moving when you’re supposed to be waiting. Let’s try that again, pet.”
Ass stinging, Braxton drew his shoulders back, squared his feet, and latched his hand to his wrist behind his back. He managed not to lean into Ryan when his Dom moved close to his side, cupping his cheek, then trailing his fingers down Braxton’s chest.
“Much better.” The warm approval in Ryan’s tone was like another touch, one Braxton craved more than anything. Reaching out, Ryan picked up the straps. “Let’s get you set up, I’m finding myself impatient to show you off.”
The subtle reminder that Braxton would be in front of other people like this—even some of his teammates, who were regulars at the club, which was owned by The Dartmouth Cobras upper management—sent a shiver up Braxton’s spine. He wasn’t shy, but this was different. Exposing a whole new side of himself.
But his focus would be on Ryan. On his Dom’s pleasure. On each new experi
ence.
Or...at least that was the plan.
Watching him with the intensity he always had when they were about to do a scene, Ryan tapped Braxton’s arms, motioning for him to hold them up as he began pulling the straps over his chest, with a V right over the center. More straps were done up snug along his back, under his ribs and over his hips, until Ryan got to the ones that fit around the top of his thighs, framing his already very interested dick.
Next came the leather cock ring, or what Braxton liked to call absolute torture because having it put on was both erotic and a tease. He held his breath as Ryan secured it in place, heat spreading along his cheeks and down the back of his neck as he recalled the last time they’d used it. Braxton had playfully thrust into Ryan’s hand and got his dick slapped in response.
Won’t be doing that again…
Maybe.
The final part of the outfit was a pair of snug leather shorts and soft calf length boots. Once Braxton was dressed, he waited for permission to move.
Ryan snapped his fingers, giving the hand gesture for Braxton to kneel. Once he did, Ryan brushed his hand over Braxton’s hair. “You’re so fucking beautiful. I never forget how much I love you, but times like right now? It consumes me in a way I need time to truly absorb. I’ve played at sharing this part of my life with others, but with you I don’t need to hold anything back. Because it’s not mine. It’s ours. You give it meaning and that’s why I decided to do this while we’re alone.” He reached over, pulling a black square box a bit bigger than his hand from under one of their pillows.
Wetting his bottom lip with his tongue, Braxton kept his gaze locked on the box as Ryan opened it. Inside were two collars. He’d expected one, they’d discussed it over the past two weeks, but the silver one with the solid circle that would rest at the center of his throat was a surprise.
Neutral Zone Trap: The Dartmouth Cobras ~ An Off Ice Novel Page 14