by Rachel Reid
But Scott’s mind wasn’t on the hunk filling the seat next to him; it was on the secret boyfriend that he’d left behind. The secret boyfriend he loved.
He smiled to himself. He couldn’t believe he had actually said it. And that Kip had said it back! Scott felt light-headed, and completely giddy.
The team was scheduled to meet in the hotel restaurant for dinner as soon as they had checked into their rooms. Scott was rooming with Jalo tonight, then Jalo would be rooming with his new defense linemate for the rest of the trip.
Spirits were high as the team enjoyed a meal together. Everyone was excited to have a superstar defenseman like Jalo on board. It helped that Jalo was a lot of fun. He was jovial and loud and loved to tell stories with his booming voice and lilting Finnish accent. He liked to drink beer and buy rounds (though Scott made sure there were only two rounds tonight, since they had a practice in the morning). Scott liked him. Everyone liked him. He was the opposite of Zullo in pretty much every way.
When the meal was over, Jalo was obviously in no hurry to return to the room. Instead, he held court with a group of younger players, who were hanging, starstruck, on his every word.
“I’m gonna head up,” Scott said. “Don’t let these guys stay up too late.” He said it with a teasing tone, so he wouldn’t sound like such a dad. But he knew his role on this team. He wasn’t Jalo. He was the boring, responsible one.
The boring, responsible one who was going to call his fucking boyfriend right now!
Scott had hit call on his phone before the hotel room door had even clicked shut behind him. It was nearly ten o’clock.
“Hey,” Kip said when he answered. His voice was quiet.
“Are you at my place?”
“No, I’m home. I’m gonna stay here tonight. Maybe your place tomorrow night.”
“Are your parents going to... Will they be wondering where you are?”
“Are you asking if I’ve told them about us?”
“No!”
“I haven’t. But I’m a grown man and they can probably guess why I don’t come home some nights.”
“Right. Yeah.”
“Hey,” Kip said shyly. “I love you.”
Scott smiled and sat on the bed, any tension he had picked up that day leaving him. “I love you too. I’ve never said that to anyone before. Besides my mom.”
“Me neither. Except Elena sometimes, but that’s different.”
“It feels good to say it to you.”
“Yeah,” Kip said. “It does.”
Scott grinned stupidly at his phone and imagined Kip doing the same thing.
“So...” Kip said. “How’s Jalo?”
“Jalo is great. Everyone loves him.”
“I’ll bet. I saw him being interviewed on ESPN. He’s kind of bonkers hot.”
“Off the record? Yes. He is.”
Kip laughed. “I’m pretty jealous of your job. Just hanging out in locker rooms with ripped, sweaty men.”
“Well, you’re not gonna like this: Jalo’s my roommate tonight.”
“Okay, now I really am jealous.”
“You have nothing to be jealous of.”
“Maybe I should hop a flight to Columbus. See if you and Jalo wanna make a sandwich outta me.”
“Oh my god. Kip, stop.” Scott was turning beet red in his hotel room. Jalo was his teammate! And now he was picturing the three of them—
“Jesus,” Kip said. “Now that’s all I can think about. I might have to wrap this call up. Unless you—”
“No. He’ll be back any minute. I can’t. Not tonight.”
“Your loss,” Kip said in a low voice that went right to Scott’s dick.
“Knock it off,” Scott said. “Soon. I promise.”
“I’ll be watching the game tomorrow night. Call me after?”
“I’m getting on a plane to Detroit immediately after the game. But the Detroit game is in the afternoon. I can call you after that.”
“Such a long wait,” Kip sighed.
“I’ll text you tomorrow.”
“I miss you already. Send me a photo after we hang up, okay?”
“All right. You too.”
They said goodbye and hung up. Scott snapped a quick selfie of himself lying back on the bed. He tried to make it a little sexy. He sent it to Kip and got an immediate reply.
Kip: I meant of Jalo.
Scott laughed.
Scott: Fuck you.
He got a cute photo of Kip back, relaxing on his own bed and wearing Scott’s hoodie.
Scott smiled at it. He loved him so much.
Scott: Thank you. I love you.
Kip: I love you too.
* * *
“So,” Carter said, coming to a stop that sprayed Scott’s shins with snow, “tell me about your girl.”
Scott rolled his eyes. “Nothing to tell, Vaughan.”
They were lingering on the ice at the end of their morning practice. Scott was watching a couple of rookies gather up the pucks.
“Bullshit, Scott. You’ve been floating around with a dumb smile on your face, humming ‘How Sweet It Is’ all over the place. You got it bad.”
Scott kicked at the ice. “No comment.”
“Don’t know why a girl who looks like that wants to be seen with your ugly ass, but—”
“All right.”
Carter looked at him seriously. “I am happy for you, Scott. Even if you don’t want to talk about her.”
Scott turned his gaze to the ice, considering. He couldn’t talk to Carter about Kip, but he could talk to Carter about “Elena.”
He chose his words carefully.
“I’ve never felt this way about anyone,” Scott said. “It’s just very new. That’s all.”
Carter slapped him on his heavily padded shoulder. “There you go!”
“We’ve been seeing each other for a few weeks and it’s nice. I’m happy. But we want to keep it private, y’know?”
“My lips are sealed.”
“Your lips are never sealed.”
“Well, they’re sealed about this.”
“Thanks.” Scott glanced at his teammate, his friend, and wondered if he could maybe tell him the truth. Not right that second, obviously, but soon? Carter was probably his best friend, and he’d always seemed accepting and open-minded. He was never overtly homophobic, anyway, which put him ahead of a lot of NHL players.
Scott would really like to tell him. He’d like to tell Huff and Bennett too. Hell, he’d like to tell the whole world, but...
“Come on,” Carter said. “Let’s go rest up before we fuck up Columbus tonight.”
* * *
“I like him,” Elena said. The words were out of her mouth as soon as he sat down with her at the Thai restaurant.
“Yeah?” Kip asked.
“Yeah. And he’s head over heels for you.”
“I know.” Kip smiled. “He told me.”
“Told you what?”
“He told me—” he leaned in “—that he loves me.”
If Elena was surprised, her face didn’t show it. “Did he?”
“He did!” Kip said, and proceeded to tell her the whole romantic story.
“Wow,” she said when he had finished. “That’s a big deal.”
“I know!”
The server came and took their orders. After he left, Elena said, “Have you told Scott about your potential new job?”
“I will. If they offer it.”
“And what if they don’t offer it?”
“Then there’s no reason to mention it?”
Elena rolled her eyes. “I mean what are you going to do if you don’t get that job?”
“I don’t know! Keep working at fucking Straw+Berry, I guess.”
&
nbsp; “You’re wasting your talents there.”
“No,” Kip said irritably. “I’m earning money there.”
“So you’re not going to quit and live off your millionaire boyfriend who is in love with you?”
“Of course not! You know I would never do that. I feel bad enough that I have to depend on my parents’ generosity. I know he’s got money, but...”
Elena didn’t say anything for a moment, but she looked at Kip approvingly. “I know you wouldn’t throw your life, or your dignity, away for a guy,” she said, “but I don’t like seeing you selling yourself short either.”
“I’ll figure something out,” he grumbled.
Later, when they were finishing their meals, Kip asked, “Did you dance with anyone interesting at the gala?”
“You mean besides your charming boyfriend?”
“Yes, and I was not jealous at all, by the way.”
She smiled. “I did, actually.” She leaned in and whispered the name of a somewhat famous young actor.
“Whoa! Good dancer?”
“Mm. He was good at sex too.”
Kip nearly choked on his water. “I figured you’d be going home with someone that night.”
“Oh yeah. Took me a while to round it down to my top five, but I think I made the right choice.”
“You gonna see him again?”
Elena made a face and shook her head.
Kip laughed. He had always been deeply envious of Elena’s game. She was just so cool about sex.
“Do you think it’s weird?” he asked later, after they had stepped outside into the cold night.
“What?”
“That he told me that he loves me. That I told him that I love him. I know it’s only been a few weeks.”
“Are you in love with him?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s not weird.” She looped her arm through his and tugged him against her. “Come on. Let’s go watch your man play hockey.”
Chapter Sixteen
Detroit was cold as hell.
Not that it had been particularly warm anywhere Scott had been lately, but Detroit was unreasonably cold.
It ruined his plan of going for an evening stroll while he called Kip. His roommate seemed to be settled in for the night in their hotel room, and the lobby was oddly busy due to some kind of business conference. He didn’t want to go anywhere too public, like a coffee shop, because Detroit was a hockey town and he would almost certainly get recognized.
He decided to play the fame card.
He went to the front desk and gave them his best Scott Hunter smile. “Excuse me. I was hoping you might be able to help me.”
The young man behind the desk looked very excited. “Of course, sir!”
“I need to make a phone call and I was hoping for some privacy. But my roommate is asleep and...”
The young man smiled at him as if he were about to do a very big favor for him. “Come with me,” he said. “I know where you can go.”
He led Scott to a door that said Meeting Room #3 on it. He unlocked the door and turned on the light. “Stay as long as you need,” he said. “The door will lock behind you.”
“Thank you,” Scott said, glancing at his name tag, “Michael.” He handed him a twenty-dollar bill, and Michael took it, beaming. He thanked Scott twice before leaving the room.
Scott sat in one of the meeting-room chairs and called Kip, who picked up right away.
“Two wins. Nice job,” Kip said.
“Yeah, thanks. I’m proud of the guys.”
“I love watching you play.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Mm. It’s sexy.”
Scott grinned. “Where are you?”
“I’m in your bedroom. Where are you?”
“A hotel meeting room in Detroit.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, sorry. Not tonight.”
“That’s okay. I’m snooping around your apartment.”
“Snooping?”
“Yeah. Looking in your drawers.” There was a pause. “Oh my god. Scott, do you keep your gold medal in your underwear drawer?”
“It sounds like you already know the answer.”
“Why isn’t it on display?”
“Like where?”
“I don’t think I’d keep a gold medal in my underwear drawer if I had one.”
“Where would you keep it?”
“I don’t know. I’d probably wear it all the time!”
Scott laughed. “It goes with everything.” Then, “So you’re staying at my place tonight?”
“Yeah. If that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay. It was my idea!”
“I know. It just...seems generous.”
“Kip,” Scott sighed, “you’re my boyfriend. I’m in love with you. You can stay at my place whenever you want.”
“Okay. I love you.”
Scott smiled. “I like hearing you say that.”
“I like saying it.”
“I can’t wait to be back home with you.”
“Still got a lot of games to go there, Hunter.”
“I know.”
“You win ’em all and then come home to me. I’ll give you whatever you need when you get back.”
Kip’s voice had gotten lower, and Scott shivered a bit. “Whatever I need, eh?”
“Mm. You think about it.”
“I will.” He exhaled. “Fuck, I wish I had my own room tonight.”
“Me too. Coulda put on a show for you.”
“I want to do that,” Scott said. “For you.”
“You ever done that before?” Kip asked. “Just let someone watch you get yourself off?”
“No. Never,” Scott breathed. “But I want to. For you.”
“I’d like that. Fuck, I’d really like that. Now I’m picturing you, all laid out...”
“Kip,” Scott warned. “Don’t. I can’t get all turned on.”
“But you are, aren’t you? I’ll bet you’re getting hard right now.”
Scott swore under his breath because Kip wasn’t wrong.
“I am too,” Kip purred. “Tell me what you’d like to do to me.”
“No. Stop it.”
“Fine. I’ll just lie back on your bed here and we can talk about whatever you want.”
“Thank you,” Scott said. “Are you naked?”
Kip laughed. “Knew you wouldn’t be able to drop it. Almost, yeah. Still have my briefs on.”
Scott swore again. He was abso-fucking-lutely not going to jerk off in this hotel meeting room. He wasn’t that creepy. “I really can’t do this right now.”
“That’s okay,” Kip said. “I can.”
“Kip...”
“Shh... Just talk to me,” he said, his tone drifting a little. “Love your voice, Scott. Tell me what to do.”
Scott loved and hated this plan. He loved it because it was fucking hot. He hated it because he was going to be left with a very uncomfortable hard-on.
He glanced at the meeting-room door, then lowered his voice. “You touching yourself?”
“Yeah. I’m real fucking hard. Tell me what to do,” Kip drawled, “sweetheart.”
“Jesus.” Scott adjusted himself through his sweatpants. “All right. Go slow. Don’t take the shorts off. Not yet.”
He could tell Kip was smiling when he replied. “Gonna be like that, huh? All right. I’m just rubbing myself real gentle. It feels nice.”
Scott could picture Kip’s thick cock straining against the fabric. He could picture Kip, nearly naked, sprawled out on his bed, eyes closed and thinking of Scott.
“You imagining it’s me touching you?” Scott asked.
“Yeah. God, I wish it really was.”
> “Me too. Keep going.”
Kip sighed and made breathy little moans that made Scott’s dick twitch in agony. He cupped it with his hand to relieve some pressure.
“My shorts are getting wet,” Kip said. “I’m leaking already. Can I take them off?”
“Not yet,” Scott said, surprising himself with how much he was enjoying this control.
“Fuck, Scott.”
“Are you cold?”
“Getting warmer.”
“Your nipples must be hard.” Kip had perfect, dark nipples that always stiffened into delicious little peaks.
“Mm. Yeah. Want me to touch them?”
“Yeah. Let go of your dick. Play with your nipples for a bit.”
He heard Kip inhale sharply as his fingers made contact with his sensitive nipples.
“If I was there,” Scott said, “I’d lick them and bite them until you were begging me to suck your dick.”
“Fuck. Fuck.”
“Are you still holding the phone?”
“Yeah.”
“Put me on speaker and put the phone beside you so you have both hands.”
“Okay.” He heard rustling, and then Kip was back. “Both hands are free, Hunter. What should I do with them?”
Scott smiled and considered the question. “Take off your briefs. But don’t touch your dick yet.”
“Jesus, you’re cruel.”
“Tough but fair.”
“I like this side of you,” Kip said. “Okay, my shorts are off.”
“Get the lube.”
There was more rustling, then, “Got it.”
“I want you to finger yourself. Open yourself up as if I was gonna fuck you.”
“Okay. Okay. Shit. All right.”
“Don’t touch your dick,” Scott reminded him.
“I won’t. I won’t. Okay, I’m, ahh, I’m—”
“Just relax.”
Kip let out a long, slow breath. “Okay.”
Scott imagined him with his knees bent, his slick fingers circling that tight ring of muscle. He swallowed hard and adjusted himself again.
“Please tell me you’re gonna surprise me by walking through that door in a second,” Kip said.
“I wish. Believe me.”
Kip moaned and gasped as he worked himself open. Scott chewed his lip and resisted the urge to stroke himself under the harsh florescent lights of the hotel meeting room.