The Hockey Player's Heart

by Will Knauss

  “I know how to be your wingman too, even if you rarely make use of those services.”

  His phone beeped. He glanced at the screen and saw Pam’s ID.

  “Pam’s calling. I should take this. Can you send me a link to the picture so I don’t have to search for it?”

  “You got it. If you need to talk, I’ll be in Vancouver around noon.”

  “Thanks.” He keyed over to Pam’s call. “Hey, Pam.” He decided to sound like he had no clue what she might be calling about.

  “So it seems my little brother has something he needs to tell me.”

  It seemed the proverbial cat was already out of the bag. Just his luck. “You’ve seen it?”

  “It’s hard to miss. A lot of people are wondering who Caleb Carter is kissing.”

  “Shit. Does Aaron know yet?”

  “I don’t know. Haven’t heard from him today.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  “Of course not. Maybe disappointed you didn’t tell me something might be going on. I want you both happy. Can this end up in a way neither of you gets hurt?”

  “I hope so.” Caleb’s voice was strained in a way that confused him as he heard it.

  “Oh, little brother, you’ve fallen hard. No wonder the picture looks like something out of a movie. Whoever took it knew how to take a good shot.”

  Caleb’s phone chirped. “Hang on a second. I just got the photo. I’m going to have a look.” He clicked on the text message and then the link. The picture was full screen on one of the Rangers fan sites. His chest tightened as a wave of emotion flooded over him. Despite the invasion of privacy, Caleb had to admit that the picture was… perfect. They stood in profile, their lips gently pressed together. A fleeting intimate moment captured by cell phone. They looked happy—as if they’d been together for years rather than days. “Wow.” The word was choked out and he cleared his throat. “That’s….”

  “Exactly,” Pam said softly. “Please figure out what you guys want and go for it. Or at least decide together to walk away from it.”

  The phone’s call waiting chimed again. This time the display showed Grant.

  “I’ll try not to hurt him. I promise.”

  “I know. Try not to hurt yourself either. I love you both. Whatever happens won’t change that.”

  “Thanks. I should go. Grant’s calling.”

  “Uh-oh. I bet he’s not happy. Call me later if you need to talk.”

  “Okay.” He clicked over to Grant. “Hey, Grant. Sorry.”

  “No need to be sorry. I just wish you’d told me you were seeing someone. It’s one thing to manage responses to the pictures and posts of you coaching kids, but a heads-up you’re on a date would’ve been good just so I’d know what to say. Isn’t that guy the teacher from the carnival? The one we walked out with?”

  As they talked, Caleb packed his duffel bag so he could leave as soon as he was done with the calls. “It is. How bad is it out there?”

  “I wouldn’t say bad. Except for Phil, who thinks this is the worst thing ever. People are mostly curious who the guy is. Some are questioning why you’re dating when you should be rehabbing. There’s some homophobes saying stupid stuff, but I’m just deleting that crap.”

  “Phil called about this? Why?”

  “You know him,” Grant said wearily. “Always worried about your new contract and how something like this might affect the negotiations. He wants you to call as soon as possible.”

  “Anything else?”

  “You should think about making a statement, for the fans. Explain that it’s not something random. They’re used to that sort of tabloid behavior from Dimitri, but not you. That’s just my guidance. It’s up to you. I can craft a message, or you can, or we can work on it together. You’re a private guy, so there’s no reason to go overboard.”

  “I’ll get you a response that you can post after I talk to Aaron. I’ll call Phil back too, although not right away.”

  “Okay. I’m here if you need anything, and I’ll let you know if something major comes up. I doubt it will, though. So far people are pretty happy for you.”

  “Thanks, Grant.” As he was disconnected the call, he left the rink because he needed to see Aaron.

  Chapter Fifteen

  AARON spent Sunday morning as he often did—relaxing on the couch, enjoying coffee, and catching up on TV he’d missed from the previous week. By noon he’d laughed and cried and was ready to get on with the rest of his day.

  What he hadn’t expected, when taking his phone off the charger, was a flood of text messages, emails, and Facebook notifications from the past few hours. There was nothing that could possibly warrant so much chatter. It took only one of the notifications, however, to see that he was, in fact, the news.

  “How the hell did that happen?” he asked the empty apartment.

  No good could come from this. Caleb would surely distance himself as soon as he saw it. It would be a distraction from returning to the team. He’d come up here, after all, to rehab, not to get into a compromising situation with a local.

  Aaron scrolled through the messages. The comments ranged from congratulatory to downright mean-spirited. Aaron had read less than a fourth of them before he tossed the phone on the table. How’d they even identify him? His face was mostly obscured.

  A knock at the door startled him. He was in sweats and a T-shirt, with bed head, and now someone was at the door. He couldn’t face anyone like this.

  Another knock.

  “It’s Caleb.” His deep voice reverberated through the door, making Aaron want to hide. “Please, Aaron.”

  He couldn’t resist the pleading in the voice. Maybe Caleb wasn’t mad. Maybe he hadn’t seen it. Although that was unlikely, since Grant would’ve have alerted him, if nothing else. But why would he just show up here?

  Aaron caught his reflection in the mirror by the door as he shuffled by. He looked a horror. “Hey.” He sounded as upbeat as he could while opening the door.

  “Oh, did I wake you?” Caleb looked apologetic, holding a bag from FG Café.

  “No, no. I’m just lazy on Sundays.” Aaron looked around behind Caleb, out at the street. He saw nothing unusual out there. “Come on in.”

  “You thought it was the press or something, didn’t you?” he asked, stepping inside and closing the door. “You’ve seen the picture.”

  Aaron nodded. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine—”

  Caleb held up his hand, interrupting Aaron. “Stop. It’s certainly not your fault someone decided to snap a picture or that it was posted and shared all over the internet.” He shrugged. “Whatever. I’m certainly not sorry we kissed.”

  “Really?” Did Caleb mean that? How could he?

  “Really. I brought some lunch over so we could talk.” He held up the bag. “Nate gave me something to go.”

  “You’ve got pull,” Aaron said, trying not to think too much about the situation. “Word is he doesn’t usually do to-go from the restaurant.”

  “I told him it was important, and I think he knew why. Is this going to cause problems for you? The photo, I mean?” he asked, making his way to the small kitchen. Caleb pulled the containers from the bag and set the food out on the counter while Aaron got plates from the cabinet and utensils from the silverware drawer.

  “For me? I don’t think so. I’m an out, gay, single schoolteacher. They might not expect me to be kissing a star athlete in the park, but I don’t think it’ll be an issue. What about you? I doubt a hookup is what your team was expecting while you were out of town healing from an injury.”

  Caleb stopped opening containers and fixed his gaze on Aaron. “What we did was hardly a hookup. You’re not a hookup. Far from it.”

  Before Aaron could react, Caleb’s lips met Aaron’s, and he surrendered to the kiss. Caleb’s tongue parted Aaron’s lips, and Aaron couldn’t hold back a moan as Caleb embraced him tightly. Aaron’s eyes closed as he relished the kiss.

  There was nothing he cou
ld do but hang on for the ride. Aaron’s tongue met Caleb’s in a fight for positioning. This wasn’t the soft kiss they’d shared yesterday. While that had given Aaron goose bumps and a slight hard-on, this electrified him from head to toe and caused his cock to ache even in the loose confines of his sweats. That hadn’t happened in a long time, and every fiber of him was very aware of the need this awakened.

  Their moaning got more intense as they kissed deeper. The scruff on Caleb’s face was exactly what Aaron liked to feel scraping against his own. He took opportunities to nibble on his upper lip to feel more of it. He pulled away from Caleb’s mouth just enough to run a line of kisses around his jawline so he could nibble and nuzzle the dark blond whiskers. Caleb shuddered, and Aaron kept it up until he had to return to Caleb’s mouth.

  Caleb suddenly stopped with his lips gently pushed against Aaron’s. Aaron opened his eyes in confusion and found Caleb looking at him.

  “I want to figure this out with you,” Caleb said, keeping him wrapped in his embrace. “To talk about ways it can work. I want to date you—to see what that’s like—and get to know everything about you.”

  Aaron shocked himself by moaning instead of speaking.

  Caleb’s response was the sexiest smile he’d ever seen.

  “You’re right to be concerned,” Caleb continued. “But I at least want to take the chance. If nothing else, we take from now through the off-season to figure us out. At most I’ve only got eight or ten weeks left.”

  Aaron found his voice again. “The way you guys are playing, I think you’ll be going far.”

  How was he talking hockey? Aaron needed to put a stop to this, but he lost himself in Caleb’s eyes and in being this close to him. Yesterday’s moment hadn’t lasted very long at all, but Caleb showed no sign of letting him go today.

  “The off-season will still be at least three months that I can be up here almost full-time, plus you’ll be out of school.”

  “I don’t know how I’m supposed to say anything when my mind can’t focus.”

  “No one said I’d play fair in trying to get you to say yes.”

  “If only I had a penalty box handy.” Aaron smirked at Caleb.

  The low hum that came from Caleb seemed to vibrate through Aaron. He loved the reaction his words had on Caleb.

  “I think someone likes that.” Aaron ran his tongue along Caleb’s jawline again, and Caleb swayed a little bit as his hum turned more into a growl. “And that too.”

  “I like everything about you.” Caleb’s words weren’t clear as Aaron kept distracting him with his tongue.

  Aaron was past the point of no return. This was going to happen. Even if this was their only moment, at least it’d be a red-hot memory.

  “Come on.” Aaron extracted himself from Caleb’s hug but grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.” Caleb repeatedly kissed Aaron’s hand as he guided them toward the bedroom.

  Chapter Sixteen

  CALEB was about to fly apart at the seams. Aaron Price was leading him to his bedroom in a move that would either help cement the idea that they should have a go at being a couple, or would end up being a memory of something that couldn’t be.

  The combination of nerves and raw sexual excitement seized him, and yet he wanted to make sure this was good for Aaron. He knew Aaron was even more anxious about this than he was, and he wanted to ease that apprehension.

  In the bedroom the sheets were still askew from where Aaron had slept the night before. Caleb thought it was cute even as Aaron hustled over to the bed to straighten it out.

  Caleb came up behind him to stop him. “We’re just going to mess it up again.” He gently turned Aaron to face him and kissed him again. He was so hungry for the kisses that he wasn’t sure if he actually needed anything else. The first few from Aaron were so good that he knew he could go for a long time just getting to know his lips.

  Caleb stole glances at Aaron. His eyes sparkled with an intensity that fueled Caleb. Other times they were closed as Aaron seem to relish the pleasure of the moment.

  The exploration continued as Caleb felt Aaron in ways he hadn’t been comfortable doing before. His physique was tight. He squeezed the lean muscle under the T-shirt on Aaron’s arms and shoulders. He could tell Aaron stayed in shape.

  Caleb reached for the hem of Aaron’s tee and lifted it. They paused kissing just long enough for him to get it over Aaron’s head. Caleb couldn’t decide what to do next. He wanted more contact, but he also wanted to take in what he’d just uncovered. Smiling, he ran his hands down Aaron’s smooth chest, letting one thumb brush a nipple and making Aaron flinch and giggle as if it tickled. He had just a bit of definition at his pecs and biceps, with gentle rises in his chest and arms.

  “If you’re just going to stare, I think I should have something to look at too.” With no hesitation Aaron got Caleb’s sweatshirt over his head.

  Aaron’s breath caught as he did exactly what Caleb had done, feeling up his chest. “Is it embarrassing to say that I’ve wondered for a long time what you looked like without a shirt on?”

  “A little bit, for me, anyway,” Caleb said softly. “It’s nothing special.”

  “You’re so wrong. These muscles and abs, they’re so perfect. It’s like you’re sculpted.” Aaron continued to caress his skin. Aaron leaned in and sounding breathless ran his tongue along the contours of Caleb’s pecs, and Caleb shuddered under the touch.

  “Aaron.” The name was drawn out, almost buried in a sigh of pleasure.

  “You’ve got these perfect ridges too.” Caleb ran a finger along Aaron’s pecs, down his torso’s center line, and then off to the V that went into Aaron’s pants. “You’ve no idea how sexy this line right here is.” Caleb dropped to a squat and kissed along the V, first on the left side and then the right. On the right, however, instead of stopping at the waistband, he pulled the sweats down so he could continue, unveiling the top of Aaron’s thatch of dark hair sitting above his cock. He stopped short of revealing that, though, content for the moment, and nibbled his way to Aaron’s stomach, chest, neck, and ultimately back to his mouth.

  “Oh my God. I didn’t know it could be like this.” Aaron pulled Caleb close so their chests pressed together. Caleb shivered at the feel of Aaron’s protruding hard-on as it collided with his own.

  “Like what?” Caleb asked.

  “How right this feels.”

  Caleb stole a few kisses as he ran his thumbs over Aaron’s hardened nipples.

  Aaron shuddered, which triggered another rumbling moan from Caleb. “Two can play that game.”

  Aaron knew how to use his tongue, and it shook Caleb to his core every time. No one had done that to him before. He’d had his beard nuzzled and his neck kissed and licked, but something about what Aaron did sent shockwaves through him.

  Caleb gently pushed Aaron onto the queen-sized bed and dropped down on him, putting most of his weight onto him. “This okay?”

  “Oh my God, yes!”

  Since Caleb was about a half foot taller, he adjusted so his mouth was aligned with Aaron’s so they could kiss. He wanted to make sure they were perfectly situated. As they kissed, Aaron caressed Caleb’s lower back, reaching inside the waistband of Caleb’s jeans to feel up his ass.

  “I think it might be time to lose the pants,” Caleb said. “If that’s okay with you.”

  Aaron nodded urgently.

  “Don’t move.” Caleb pushed off the bed, and Aaron propped himself up on his elbows so he could watch. Caleb toed off his sneakers and then unbuttoned his jeans.

  “You don’t have to go so fast.”

  Caleb took the hint and slowed down even though he really wanted to dive in and get his body against Aaron’s. He took his time to open the front of his jeans to reveal striped briefs in various shades of red. “Good?” Caleb inched his jeans down, leaving the briefs in place.

  “You fill those out very well.”

  A little heat filled Caleb’s cheeks as he looked down to see the very define
d bulge of his cock running along the edge of the waistband.

  “You’re one to talk.” Caleb reached over Aaron’s legs and grabbed the clear tent in Aaron’s sweats. “I think you’re going commando, and that’s very sexy.”

  They took a moment to gaze at each other. The sexy, fiery look in Aaron’s eyes was so hot. Caleb liked that he’d inspired it. He wanted to see it every day.

  “You gonna drop those or do I need to check you into the wall to make that happen?” Aaron sat up, crossing his legs under him.

  “You told me to wait.” Caleb put his hands on his hips and cocked his head as if confused.

  “Well, now I want those off.”

  Caleb wasted no time dropping the briefs and freeing his cock. Aaron licked his lips as he unfolded his legs, leaned back, and raised his hips. Caleb didn’t need instruction. He stepped forward and pulled the sweats off. As he’d suspected, Aaron wore nothing else, and his dick popped straight up. While they were of similar length, Aaron had more girth than Caleb, and it made his mouth water.

  Caleb stretched over Aaron and again ran his tongue along the left side of the V. He started above the waist, and the lower he went, the more he expertly used his tongue to pleasure Aaron. Sometimes he’d stop and suck too. Aaron quivered as Caleb got closer to his throbbing cock.

  He followed the V line along the ridge where Aaron’s leg connected to his hip and right on to Aaron’s balls, which were hanging loose between his spread legs. He nuzzled his nose into Aaron’s ball sac and tasted the soft skin. Aaron softly moaned above him, persuading Caleb to keep going.

  “I really need your dick in my mouth, please.” Aaron’s breathless request made Caleb’s cock pulsate between his legs.

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Price.” Caleb’s voice was partially obscured as he continued to nuzzle between Aaron’s legs.

  Aaron tensed up, and the encouraging noises trailed off. Caleb felt the anxiety in Aaron’s legs, which were on either side of his head. He noted that the sir thing must not have been appreciated. He repositioned himself while continuing to explore Aaron’s body with his mouth. He ultimately got his cock near Aaron’s mouth as requested.