Game Changer

by Rachel Reid

  “Tell me when you’re ready,” he said.

  “Ready for what?”

  “You’ll see. Pretend you’re getting ready for me.”

  Kip blew out a breath. “Okay. Keep talking to me.”

  Scott glanced at the door again. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. “If I was there I’d be opening you up with my mouth. Real slow.”

  “Scott, god.”

  “Wish I could see you right now. You feel good?”

  “Better...” Kip gritted out. “Better when you let me stroke myself.”

  “Soon, baby.” Baby? “Tell me when you’ve got three fingers in you.”

  “Yeah...yeah. Almost. I’m... Oh fuck. I feel like I could come just from this. With your voice and imagining your fingers in me...”

  Scott moaned. He almost wanted to let that happen. Just see if Kip could get himself off with his own fingers.

  But he had other plans.

  “Okay. I’m ready,” Kip said. “What’s next?”

  “Open the nightstand drawer. There’s a box at the back.”

  “All right. I see it. I’ve got it.”

  “Open it.”

  He waited a moment. Then Kip said, “Christ. Yes.”

  Scott knew the item well. A large black dildo that, for about a year now, had been his most reliable romantic partner.

  “I want you to fuck yourself with that. Pretend it’s me. God, I wish it was me.”

  “Me too. For the record, though, this is really fucking hot.”

  “Yeah.” He blew out a breath, his heart racing like he’d just run a mile.

  “You must be in agony,” Kip said. “How are you doing there?”

  “Hard as a fucking rock. But don’t worry about me. Get that in you. When it’s all the way in, you can touch your dick.”

  “Shit. Okay.”

  Scott leaned back in his desk chair, legs spread wide, and closed his eyes as he listened to Kip work the toy inside himself. Every gasp and moan was going straight to Scott’s dick, but he still wouldn’t touch himself.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “Good. It’s...it’s big.”

  “I know. But you can take it.”

  “Yeah...yeah,” Kip panted.

  “You got it in?”

  “Almost. Almost. Fuck.”

  Scott wished he had a glass of water or something. His mouth was bone-dry and he felt dizzy, probably from all the blood rushing directly to his cock. He gripped the edge of the table with his free hand, determined not to give in to the temptation to jerk off to Kip’s moans.

  “Okay. It’s in. It’s... Fuck, it’s so good, Scott.”

  “Pull it out and push it back in. Fuck yourself.”

  “I am. I’m—Oh wow. It really hits that spot, huh? Fuck.”

  Scott knew exactly how well it hit that spot. He remembered using it on himself not that long ago, back when Kip had just been a fantasy—when he had just been the cute guy working at the smoothie shop and Scott had never in a million years thought he would actually have him in his arms and in his bed. He’d fucked himself with the toy, imagining it was Kip who was penetrating him. And, god, the thrill of having Kip use the same toy on himself now was intoxicating.

  “You can touch yourself whenever you want now,” Scott said, “but tell me what you’re doing.”

  “Thank Christ. Okay, I’m—Ah! Mm. Finally. Fuck. I’m just gripping it. Running my thumb over the slit and—Fuck. I’m gushing over here.”

  Scott groaned. This was fucking torture. “Get a rhythm. Pretend I’m fucking you.”

  “I’m gonna go off fast, Scott.”

  “I know. That’s okay. Just let me hear you.”

  “Oh fuck... Tryin’ to do both things at once, but I kinda just wanna keep fucking myself here. Feels almost as good as you in me.”

  Scott let his imagination provide him with the visuals. He could picture the way Kip was stretched around his toy, arm muscles straining as he moved it in and out. He could see Kip’s thumb working the slick head of his cock, and the way his mouth was probably hanging open, face slack and euphoric.

  “So good, Kip. I’ll bet you look so beautiful right now.”

  Kip wasn’t talking anymore. He was just making gorgeous, needy sounds, and Scott drank them in.

  “Come on, baby. Finish it. However you need to. Wanna hear you.”

  “Okay, fuck. I wish I could hear you too. Wish I could—Ah. I’m so close. I’m so—”

  Scott was on fire, everywhere. If he so much as brushed his cock, he was going to erupt. “Come for me. Come on. I love you so much.”

  He heard Kip start to reply, “I lo—” but he broke off with a strangled cry.

  Scott’s own mouth fell open. Relief washed over him as if he was somehow sharing Kip’s orgasm.

  “Oh wow. Fuck,” Kip panted after he’d had time to come back to himself. “That was... Holy shit. I was not expecting any of that.”

  Scott laughed. “Me neither. I thought we’d just have a nice chat.”

  “I’m a real fucking mess over here.”

  “Mm. I’ll bet you look incredible.”

  “You must be hurting, though. You sure you can’t—”

  “I’ll take care of myself. Later. As soon as fucking possible.”

  “Wish I could help.”

  “You did. I’ll be thinking of you, don’t worry.”

  Kip exhaled loudly. “I love you.”

  “I love you. Can’t believe the things you make me do.”

  He chuckled. “I’m all sleepy now.”

  “Go get cleaned up and go to bed,” Scott said. “I should get out of this room anyway.”

  “You gonna be able to get back to your hotel room? Without poking someone’s eye out?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Scott said tersely. “Go to bed.”

  “All right,” Kip yawned. “Well, thanks for the phone call.”

  They both laughed.

  “Goodnight.” Scott hung up and did his best to conceal the erection that was not flagging at all before making a beeline for his hotel room. He acknowledged his roommate with a quick nod and went straight into the bathroom.

  It only took a few strokes with his hand braced against the shower wall and the memory of Kip’s moans filling his ears. He pulled his hand away from the wall and bit his fist as he came so hard he nearly lost his balance, panting hard as his release swirled down the drain.

  Jesus Christ, Kip. What are you doing to me?

  * * *

  Kip checked his email when he got back to Scott’s after work the next day. There was one from the Museum of the City of New York.

  This is it!

  But as he read the first lines of the email, his heart sank.

  Thank you for your interest in the position of Assistant Educator. We enjoyed meeting with you. Unfortunately, we have decided...

  Kip swore and closed his laptop. “Of course,” he muttered.

  Fuck.

  He called Elena at work. He normally wouldn’t call, but this was an emergency. “I didn’t get the job.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “They went with someone who has their master’s degree.”

  “Sorry. That sucks,” she said. “You should get your master’s degree.”

  Kip snorted. “How? I’m still paying off the last useless degree.”

  “It’s not useless, and you can figure it out. People do it.”

  “Yeah, I know. I’ll think about it,” Kip said glumly.

  He heard Elena sigh. “I am sorry, Kip. I was really hoping that would work out for you.”

  “I know. Thanks.”

  After they ended the call, Kip opened his laptop again. Just for fun, he went to the NYU website and looked at
their graduate admissions page.

  I could apply. No harm in trying.

  He closed the laptop again. Maybe.

  He slumped on the couch and flipped around television stations. Hanging around Scott’s apartment by himself was nice, but it was also pretty boring. His boredom, paired with the aftermath of the disappointing email, brought on a sudden surge of panic. What if this was it? Obviously there were worse hardships than dating a superstar athlete, especially one he was so madly in love with, but what if he was always Scott’s secret? What if that’s all he ever was? What if he never went back to school and never got a better job and just stayed in Scott’s apartment, hidden away until Scott had time for him?

  Scott wouldn’t do that. He just needs time.

  Right?

  Surely Kip wasn’t looking at a life of attending events together, but arriving separately and pretending not to know each other. Was Scott going to keep letting the world believe that he was a confirmed bachelor? Or worse, would he marry a woman for appearances and keep Kip on the side?

  No. Come on. What the hell would give you that idea?

  What if Kip was just convenient for Scott right now? What if Scott thought he was in love because it was the first time he’d let himself be with a man for more than one night? What if he just needed to take this first step and then he’d feel free to date other men? Better men. Men who were in his league, or at least adjacent to his league. Kip was nobody.

  Scott would realize it eventually, and if Kip put all of his eggs in this basket, he’d be left with nothing.

  There was suddenly a lump in his throat. This was absurd. Where were these thoughts coming from?

  He wanted to talk to Scott, but he wasn’t even sure where he was right now. He wasn’t playing tonight. A plane? Or maybe at a practice.

  He didn’t want to be needy. And he probably was just depressed about that fucking email. And Elena had a point—he should at least try to do his master’s degree. Either that or find a better service industry job, and that prospect was beyond depressing.

  Maybe he could do his Bachelor of Education. Be a teacher like his parents. That wouldn’t be so bad, right? Respectable career.

  Fuck, this apartment was lonely.

  He sent Scott a text. Just a simple hi to let him know he was thinking of him.

  Scott didn’t reply. Kip turned off the television and flopped over onto his side on the couch. He kind of wanted to get drunk, but that was a terrible idea.

  He loved Scott so much.

  How could he ever be good enough for him?

  He was feeling really fucking low. And Scott wasn’t texting him back. And maybe Scott was realizing right now that he could be dating, like, a gay movie star or something.

  He had been moping on the couch for almost an hour when Scott texted back. Hi! Can I call you?

  Scott didn’t even wait for a reply. Kip answered the call. “Hey.”

  “Kip! I just landed in Toronto! I have to tell you the funny thing that happened at the airport...”

  Kip grinned and sat up. He listened to Scott’s long, animated story, and by the end of it they were both laughing and he felt a lot better. Scott had been on a plane waiting to call Kip so he could tell him all about his day.

  “How was your day?” Scott asked when he was done.

  Kip’s heart thumped happily in his chest.

  “Better now.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The siren signaled the end of the overtime period. The game had been grueling, ending in a 3–3 tie that would now go to a shootout.

  Scott skated to the bench. He nudged Bennett when he got there. “You ready for this?”

  “Nothing is getting past me, Hunter.”

  “Damn straight,” Scott said, and he tapped his helmeted forehead against the front of Bennett’s mask.

  “All right,” Coach Murdock said. “We’re starting with Vaughan, then Huff, then Hunter. Surely one of you millionaires can put this to bed.”

  “No problem, Coach,” Huff said.

  Bennett skated to his net. The Toronto goalie did the same. Toronto was the home team and they chose to shoot second, so Carter skated out to the center line.

  The whistle blew, and Carter took off.

  “Nice,” Scott muttered under his breath as Carter deked and swerved toward the net, fancy stickhandling being his specialty.

  Unfortunately, it didn’t work and the goalie blocked the shot. Carter skated back, shaking his head. “Shit. Thought I had him.”

  “Nice moves, Carter. Next time,” Scott said.

  Bennett stopped the Toronto shooter, and the Admirals bench breathed a collective sigh of relief.

  The bench got rowdy as Huff skated to center ice. “Come on, Huff.”

  “You got this.”

  Huff did what he did best. He fired a quick shot at the top corner of the net that the goalie had no chance of stopping. The Admirals all pounded their sticks against the boards and bumped gloves with him as he skated down the line. If the Toronto shooter missed, the game would be over.

  The Toronto shooter didn’t miss, beating Bennett down low. Scott was up.

  * * *

  Kip had his hands over his mouth. He was on the edge of his seat on Elena’s couch. “Come on, Scott...” he muttered.

  It was surreal seeing Scott in this setting. On television, at this crucial moment, staring down the goalie and looking so determined. So intimidating.

  “He’s got it,” Elena said calmly. “Watch.”

  They both watched as Scott moved like lightning toward the net. Kip held his breath. Everything was slow motion as Scott let off his shot.

  It floated over the goalie’s shoulder, pretty as anything.

  “Yeah!” Kip said, jumping up from the couch. “Did you see that?”

  “Amazing!”

  He pointed gleefully at the television. “That man loves me! Me!”

  “I don’t understand it either.”

  He sank back onto the couch, resting his head on Elena’s shoulder. “That’s my boyfriend.”

  “Of course it is, sweetie.”

  Kip laughed. “It does sound nuts when I say it, right? It’s so weird.”

  “It’s very weird.”

  “He’s so great.”

  “Yeah, well, you might wanna watch to see if this Toronto player scores, because the game ain’t over yet.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, superfan.”

  They watched the Toronto shooter skate down the ice and...

  “He missed!” Kip exclaimed. “He-missed-he-missed-he-missed!”

  “He did.”

  “They won! Scott won!”

  “That’s three for three on this road trip, isn’t it?”

  “Yes! I’m so proud of him!”

  He watched Scott’s teammates all hug each other. Scott’s smile was wide and bright, and Kip wanted to leap into the television and kiss him all over his face.

  “I wonder what Jalo’s deal is,” Elena mused.

  “Oh yeah. You need to hit that if you can. Want me to ask Scott?”

  “Nah, I’ll figure it out on my own.”

  A half hour later, on his way back to Scott’s place, Kip sent him a text. So fucking proud of you.

  An hour later he got a reply. Three games down. I’ll call you tomorrow.

  Then, I love you.

  Kip was never going to get tired of that.

  * * *

  “So,” Scott said as soon as Kip answered his phone the next afternoon, “I have good news.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “I, uh, I’m at the hotel in Winnipeg and I managed to get a room to myself.”

  Kip sat up from where he’d been lying on the couch. “Really? How’d you swing that?”

>   “Well, Cameron just recovered from a fractured wrist and he’s been cleared to play, so he flew up here to meet the team. But it means there’s an odd number of us, so... I kind of lied about wanting some space to get focused or whatever.”

  “I’ll give you something to focus on, if it helps you feel honest.”

  Scott laughed. “That’s what I was hoping. You at my place?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You wanna—”

  “Absolutely. Yes. Let me just get my laptop. I’ll call you back on Skype, all right? Give me a minute.”

  “Okay. Yeah.”

  They hung up and Kip ran to the bedroom. He set the laptop up on one corner of the giant bed, then opened Skype and fiddled with the screen, trying to find the perfect angle.

  He grabbed the lube, buzzing with excitement—this was finally happening! And, man, did he need it.

  He set the bottle on the nightstand, then stretched out on the bed so he was on his side, his face propped up on one elbow near the computer. He grinned from ear to ear when Scott’s face filled the screen.

  “Hi!” Scott said, smiling back just as widely.

  “Nice to see you.”

  “Man, yeah. It’s really good to see you. I miss you so much.”

  Damn, Scott had a way of turning everything inside Kip to mush with a few dopey words. “Me too.”

  Scott took an audible breath and blew it out, still smiling. “I almost forgot how cute you are.”

  Kip rested his chin on one fist and batted his eyelashes coquettishly. “Who, me?”

  Scott laughed. “I, uh, I have to keep my voice down. I’ve got my own room, but there are teammates on either side of me.”

  “Yeah, no problem. We can just talk for a bit. You seem nervous.”

  “No!” Scott said quickly. “I mean...yes. A little.”

  “Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Kip teased.

  Scott rolled his eyes. “I know. I just haven’t ever—”

  “I’ll help. Don’t worry. You’re gonna love it, but let’s talk first.”

  “Okay. Thanks. Um, how’s New York?”

  “Cold. How’s... Winnipeg, did you say?”

  “Yeah. Really fucking cold. Windy as hell.”