by Rachel Reid
Besides, they had only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks. It was ridiculous to even think...
They broke apart, and Scott brushed a strand of Kip’s hair aside and ran his palm over the light stubble on Kip’s jaw. “I’d love to have a whole day with you.”
“You will.”
“Uninjured. Really take my time with you.”
He could see the change in Kip’s eyes. Dark lust creeping in.
Scott leaned in for another kiss, but Kip pulled back and shook his head. “I have to get going,” he sighed.
“Coffee first.”
As Scott fumbled with the fancy coffee machine that he rarely used, Kip lifted Scott’s T-shirt and inspected the bruise.
“You aren’t going to practice today, are you?” he asked.
Scott stepped away from him and tugged the hem of his shirt back down. “Of course I am.”
“What? But you’re hurt!”
Scott waved a hand dismissively. “I want to see how it feels to skate. I have a game on Wednesday, so I need to figure out how to play with this injury.”
“You’re going to play on Wednesday?” Kip looked horrified.
“Yes.”
“Are all hockey players stubborn idiots?”
“Pretty much.”
“God, if I had a bruise like that I would stay in bed for a month.”
Scott laughed. “I’ve played with broken ribs before. I can play with this.”
Kip looked like he had something to say about that, but Scott kissed him and pressed a travel mug full of coffee into his hand. “You need to go to work,” he reminded him.
“Fine,” Kip sighed. “I’ll be here as soon as I can tonight, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And please take it easy at practice today.”
Scott smiled, touched once again by his concern. “I will.”
They kissed one more time, and Kip was gone.
Scott ran his tongue over his bottom lip, trying to capture any lingering remains of their farewell kiss. Then he felt the heaviness that always landed on him whenever he and Kip parted.
He wanted more time.
In his head, Scott fast-forwarded to a time where Kip maybe didn’t need to work. Maybe he could just...
Just what? Be Scott’s stay-at-home boyfriend? Here whenever Scott needed him? As bored as some of his teammates’ wives were? If Scott never gathered the courage to come out, Kip would basically be a prisoner. They’d never be able to go on proper dates.
“Dammit,” Scott said to no one. He was already fucking this up.
* * *
Fucking Jeff had worked the day before, so absolutely nothing was prepped when Kip got to work.
“I hate him,” Maria said. “I’m going to murder him.”
“He sucks,” Kip agreed with a yawn.
“How was your weekend?”
“Good. I went to the Scouts game with my dad.”
“Oh, you mean the Scouts vs. Admirals game?”
“Yeah...”
“Such a fanboy. So cute.”
Kip shrugged. “He’s hot. Sue me.”
“Can you imagine actually dating him?” Maria asked. “It would be amazing. Like Cinderella.”
“Come on. My life isn’t that shitty!”
“Well, it would be wild, anyway.”
“Mm.”
“You know, I was working on Saturday and he didn’t come in. I wonder if he’s found another silly superstition.”
“Well, there goes my entire love life,” Kip joked.
“I mean, all that shit went down with Zullo that day. He would have been distracted.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
“When’s the next home game?”
“Wednesday,” Kip said, way too quickly.
Maria smirked. “So fucking cute. You ready for that interview today?”
“Nope. But I’m gonna do my best.”
“You think Scott Hunter will start going to the museum all the time if you start working there?”
“No. Shut up.”
“What if he did? Oh my god. That would be incredible.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
Maria lowered her voice and did a truly terrible impression of Scott Hunter. “Oh, hey, um, I just like to keep things the same when my game is going well, so I’m gonna need Kip Grady to give me another private tour of the whole museum.”
Kip couldn’t help but laugh.
* * *
“Hunter, let’s go. Lunch is on me,” Carter said. They were the last two players in the locker room.
Scott had gritted his teeth through the practice. It hurt to bend. It hurt to shoot the puck. And it really hurt when anyone so much as brushed him. “I might have to freeze it on Wednesday,” he said. “It’s not a serious injury, but it’s slowing me down.”
“I mean, you could take a night off and actually let it heal, but hey...”
“Would you?”
Carter grinned at him. “No chance.”
They went to a nearby sushi place that Carter liked.
“So,” Carter said as they waited for the way-too-many maki rolls they’d ordered, “who’s being traded, do you think?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t.”
“They’re gonna make a play for someone big. I figure we’ll lose some young talent in exchange for an experienced defenseman.”
“Well,” Scott said, “that means we’re off the hook.”
“I was thinking Burke. He’s not that young, but he’s a good winger and we’re rich with talent on the front lines right now.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
“Who knows? Anyway, did you see? The paparazzi got us the other night. Me and Gloria. We were getting dinner at the new Nobu—have you been there yet?”
“No.”
“Well, you have to. Anyway. We were leaving Nobu and the paps fucking got us. So our little secret is blown.” Carter shrugged. “Matter of time, I guess. Turned out to not be a big deal because one of the Kardashians announced she was pregnant yesterday, so no one gives a shit about us anymore.”
“Right...”
Carter launched into a detailed description of his Nobu meal, and Scott tried to listen, but mostly he thought about what Carter had just said. Carter had been trying to keep his new relationship a secret, but when that secret had come out it had just been another gossip column item. Just two celebrities who had started seeing each other. People said “huh” and moved on.
That would not happen if the paparazzi caught Scott and Kip together. Sure, they could go to dinner maybe. Once. If it started to be a regular thing, it would attract attention. And what if they were caught...touching? Holding hands? Kissing? There’d be no way Scott could deny—
“They have this miso caramel sauce that—You listening, Hunter?”
“Huh? Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I’m just...hungry. Kinda hard to hear about food right now.”
“Well, we’ve talked about hockey, we’ve talked about food, we’ve talked about my love life. How about your love life?”
“No.”
“Seems like there might actually be something to talk about there.”
“There isn’t.”
Carter studied him, and probably didn’t miss the color in Scott’s face, or the way Scott couldn’t look him in the eye. “You’re the worst liar in the world, Scott.”
“I know.”
“You don’t want to tell me? Fine. I only want you to be happy. Guy like you should be with someone special.”
Scott smiled to himself. “I’m happy.”
“You bringing her to the Equinox Gala?”
“Are you going to the gala?”
“Yes, I’m going! Did you forget who I’m dating? Also, I am
very famous and beloved.”
Scott laughed, but inside he fretted. He hadn’t been expecting any of his teammates to be there. That would only make things more complicated.
And, god, it wasn’t fair. He wanted to tell Carter—his best friend—that he was bringing his boyfriend to the gala. His wonderful, gorgeous boyfriend who made him feel lighter and happier than he could ever remember feeling in his life. He wanted to dance with Kip, and kiss him, and introduce him to everyone so they would know how lucky Scott was.
Instead, Scott said, “Maybe. We’ll see.”
Carter smiled. “I hope so. I can’t wait to meet her, man.”
Chapter Thirteen
Scott and Kip woke up together the morning after the trade deadline.
They’d had the television on all day, turned to a sports channel that was devoted to the trade activity. At times Scott had given it his undivided attention, and Kip had known to give him space. Most of the day, though, he had been happy to let Kip take his mind off everything.
And Kip had been happy to do that.
He had also been happy to distract himself from the stress of waiting to hear back from the museum. The interview had gone surprisingly well. Both of the interviewers had seemed to really like him. By the end of it, everyone had been talking like he’d already got the job. He had left on a real high.
But he still hadn’t told Scott about it. Maybe he didn’t want to jinx it, or maybe he was just embarrassed about his pathetic attempt to improve himself. Scott’s level of success made everything Kip did seem kind of ridiculous.
Scott had lost some teammates in a trade the anchors on television had called “huge.” A guy named Burke and another forward had been traded to Tampa Bay in exchange for an enormous Finnish defenseman.
“Matti Jalo,” Scott had said when he’d heard the news. “Wow.”
“He’s good?” Kip had asked.
“Yeah, he’s... I didn’t think we’d get somebody like that. He’s probably the best defenseman in the league right now.”
“Hey, that’s great then!”
“It is,” Scott had agreed. “Shows the management has confidence in us. They just bought us a really nice present.”
“But, uh, the guys who are leaving... Burke, was it? And, um...”
“MacDow, yeah. Good guys. Sucks, but I figured Burke would go. It will be better for him, honestly. He’s not getting time to shine here.”
“So you’re good?”
Scott had smiled at him. “I’m good.”
“Feel like celebrating?”
“Absolutely.”
Now it was just after five in the morning and Kip needed to go to work, but Scott’s hands were on him, and his mouth was nipping along his jawline.
“Call in sick,” Scott murmured against his skin.
“I can’t! And you have a game tonight. You’ll be busy.”
“Go in late. I’ll write you a note.”
Kip laughed. “What would it say?”
“‘Sorry Kip is late, but Scott Hunter was riding his dick.’”
Kip moaned. “God, we haven’t done that. I... Fuck, I want that.”
“Me too,” Scott said, and moved Kip’s hand to his solid cock to illustrate his point.
“Fuck,” Kip breathed. Then, “No. No. I have to go. Not fair, Hunter.”
He got up and got dressed before Scott could convince him to do something stupid like not show up for work.
“I’m not gonna see you until the gala tomorrow night,” Scott sighed. “And even then it will be agony, not touching you.”
“Sexy, though, right? Kinda?”
“Kinda.”
Scott made coffee, as was their tradition, and they drank it together in the kitchen.
“You know it will be agony for me too, right?” Kip said.
Scott smiled sadly. “I’m going to want to leave early. I’ll be making my excuses as soon as I get there.”
“No you won’t. We’ll both have a wonderful time, and then we’ll get back here and take each other apart.”
Scott kissed him, and it was full of promise. When it was over, Kip shivered.
“I’ve gotta go,” he said weakly.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
* * *
Scott arrived at the restaurant early and ordered a coffee. He was meeting his agent for lunch, and coffee was important.
He liked Todd Wheeler—he wouldn’t let him represent him if he didn’t—but he truly hated talking about contracts and endorsements. He knew he was lucky to have so many opportunities to make so much money, but it wasn’t why he played hockey.
Todd arrived just as Scott was draining the last of the French press the server had brought him. “So that was some shit with Zullo, huh?” he said, almost as soon as he’d sat down.
“Yeah.” Scott nodded. “You could say that.”
“It’s over now, though. That’s gotta feel good, right? I know you hated that guy.”
“Hate is a strong word,” Scott said. “A strong, accurate word.”
Todd laughed. “And Matti Jalo’s an Admiral now! Looks like a cup-winning team to me!”
“Absolutely,” Scott agreed. “Jalo is going to be a huge asset.”
“Huge is right. Jalo is a fucking monster. Good-looking too. New York is gonna love that guy.”
“I hope so.”
“Hopefully not too much, though! We’ve gotta make sure you’re still number one in this town.”
“Sure.”
The server came and took their orders. Todd ordered a spinach salad without looking at the menu. Scott ordered a club sandwich, and then Todd abruptly said, “You know what? Fuck it. I’ll get the club too.”
After the server left, Todd said, “You bringing anyone to that Equinox Gala?”
“Why? You wanna be my date?”
“No, fuck you. I just thought you might be seeing someone. I’m praying every night that you’ll start dating some actress. Maybe a model. Something that gets you in the papers, y’know?”
Scott grimaced. He definitely would be “in the papers” if anyone found out who he was dating. But probably not in the way his agent was hoping for. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“I could find you a date, if you want,” Todd mused. “A New York–based ingénue who wants to boost her profile...”
“No thanks, Todd.”
Todd shook his head. “I don’t understand you, Scott. You look like that—” he waved his hands to indicate Scott’s entire body “—and you don’t seem to be sharing it with anyone. Man, if I looked like you...”
Scott snorted. Todd had been an athlete, once, but the years away from competition had given him a bit of a gut. He was far from unattractive, though.
“I should have gotten the damn salad,” Todd muttered to himself. “Not all of us are burning a million calories a day.”
“You look fine,” Scott assured him.
“We’re not talking about me, Scott. We’re talking about you and why you’re not dating the gorgeous women of New York.”
“I’m busy,” Scott mumbled.
“We’re all busy! I’ve got a wife and three kids and fourteen clients!”
“Why are we talking about this?”
“I want you to be happy, Scott. I’ve been representing you since you were seventeen and I’ve never known you to even go on a date with anyone. I’ve gone to a lot of my clients’ weddings—you’re all like family to me. You know that. Especially you, because...you know.”
“Because I’m an orphan?” Scott asked flatly.
“I just want you to know I’m looking out for you, and I care about your happiness. That’s all.”
“Well, thank you. But I’m perfectly happy. Really.”
“So...if my friend who r
epresents a certain New York–based actress asked me if you might be looking for a date for the gala...”
“You should tell your friend that I’m not.”
Todd sighed. “Fine. Don’t you even want to know who she is?”
“Nope.”
“Because if you’re a leg man at all—”
“Oh, good! Our food is coming!”
Scott started asking about talk show bookings to keep the conversation away from his love life for the rest of the meal. Todd seemed to take the hint because he didn’t bring it up again.
But less than half an hour after they parted ways, Scott received a text from him. It was just a red-carpet photo of a beautiful young woman followed by You sure?
Scott: I’m sure.
Jesus. He really did not need the whole world to be interested in his love life right now.
* * *
Kip left work on Thursday and went straight to Elena’s. He had brought his tuxedo there days ago after he’d picked it up at the tailor.
She answered the door with wet hair and a bathrobe on.
“Awesome,” Kip said. “You’ve showered already. Can I take one?”
“Yeah, sure. We gotta be out the door in, like, two hours, okay? The limo will be here.”
“Limo?”
“Equinox is sending one. They like me.”
He showered, and then left the bathroom wearing a towel. Elena was in her room with the door ajar. He knocked lightly. “Can I come in? Is my suit in there?”
“Yes. Come in.”
He opened the door and found her sitting in front of a mirror putting hot rollers in her hair. Pop music was playing from a little speaker next to her.
“I’m putting on my underwear,” Kip said. “Don’t peek.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“I can see you looking in the mirror, Elena!” He pulled on his nicest black briefs as quickly as he could. He could see Elena’s reflection smirking.
“So what’s the plan tonight? You and Scott pretend you don’t know each other and then you go back to his place and—”