by David Horne
“He asked me to go almost as soon as the two of them began texting,” Olivia told her as I rolled my eyes. “Dane seemed more than happy to save some.”
“Serious,” Polly said as she nodded solemnly, laughing as I pretended to hit her. “The hoodie looks good. I’ll get you a jersey next. Want his last name on it?” I gave her the finger as they both laughed, all too aware of the fact we were under the radar. It wouldn’t be weird to wear his jersey, but I’d look like another fan, not the man that spent the night with Dane.
The game started after screams greeted the home team, and I leaned forward to watch. They were excellent, and it seemed like Dane was going to be busy tonight. He played hard, using the perfect amount of aggression to arouse the hell out of me and keep his guys moving. James scored the first goal, and Polly cheered as the guys joined together near the net to celebrate. It was the first of three goals, and we won by two points as I stood and yelled with fellow fans. It seemed like a lot of us were here, and we screamed more as they skated off the ice.
We walked with Polly to the entrance, and she told us that she was waiting for James to let her know what was next. I took the last drink of my soda and threw it away as people passed us in groups, some angry and others happy. “Was this an important game?” I asked Polly as she secured her hair into a ponytail.
“It won’t determine who’s playing to win at the end, but there was a strong sense for both teams. It’s a long-running rivalry on the ice, though the guys do okay after if they end up at the same place.” She smiled and shrugged as her phone rang, turning the screen to read. “Oh. They’re doing a dinner at the steakhouse in town since everyone is so happy.”
“Oh. So that’s just them?” I asked, and she smiled and shook her head.
“No, but you’ll pay for yourself. The staff makes it effortless. Certain fans are invited.” She tilted her head as heat washed over me. “It’ll be fun.”
I did go to dinner with the girls. The food was incredible, but I only had a moment to congratulate Dane on the win before he was swept away. It was clear in his eyes that he wanted to spend more time with me, but we stayed apart for a few reasons. I agreed when Olivia asked if I wanted to leave, walking to the car to get in. “I’m sorry, honey. It’s not so easy, is it?”
“Not when we’re secret,” I admitted as she frowned. She started the car, and we headed to the freeway as something substantial weighed in the air. “I never cared before if someone wanted to be open. It’s always been casual with other guys. Why do I care now?”
“He’s different.” It was dark when we arrived home, and Olivia dropped me off with a hug and a peck to my lips. I got out and walked to my door, feeling my phone vibrate again in my pocket. I didn’t look at it until I got inside. Once my door was locked, I dropped to the couch and sighed as I felt the five-star meal from earlier twist into a knot in my stomach. I reached down to grab my phone and saw that it was a message from Dane.
What happened to you guys?
You seemed a little busy tonight. I was tired, so I headed home.
Lance… shit. I need to be with the team at events like that. I thought you understood that. I talked to you for a while.
I think I’m getting a dose of how this will be with you now.
You knew what I did before anything happened between us. You have to understand how vital my future is in hockey.
I do. I always did.
I’m free now. Can I come over? We need to talk.
Talking had never been a concern of mine before now. It wasn’t something I did on a serious level with anybody. I didn’t want to deal with any of that right now, sighing as I pondered my answer.
I’m wiped out, Dane. Maybe tomorrow.
Fine. I’ll call you.
I was tired, but I sensed that I was going to be staring at the ceiling for a long time tonight. It was Saturday, and I could sleep in the following morning. That wasn’t the point. I was wrecking myself over a guy for the first time in my life. I ended up drinking a few beers as I tried to focus on a movie, knowing that I wanted that knock on my door as much as I wanted Lance to stay away.
I woke up the following morning in my bed, still dressed from the night before. I turned to my side and squinted my eyes at the sun shining through my blinds. I drank too much last night to get my mind settled enough to sleep, so much so that I was surprised I even made it back to my room. My only plans were to work on a project, but I didn’t know if I had it in me today. Olivia was working a morning shift, so I had some time to recover before we possibly did something together later.
Life should be fan-fucking-tastic.
I ended up dozing for another hour before getting up to make coffee. I tugged my clothes off and slipped some lounge pants on instead as I strode into the kitchen. I brewed a pot of coffee and sat at the breakfast bar to drink it, staring at the laptop that was mocking me from the table. I jumped when I heard a knock at the door, walking over to swing the door open to see Dane standing on my porch. He was dressed in running clothes and looked sexy as sweat dripped from his hair. “Hey, Lance.”
“Dane. Hi.” I felt awkward as he looked over my bare chest slowly with heated eyes. I shivered and felt my lower body react to his stare, stepping aside to let him in. I couldn’t resist the temptation of Dane, try as I might. He kicked the door closed, and I stepped back to my cup of coffee. “Want a cup?” I offered casually, pretending that it didn’t matter that he was here.
“Do you have water? I need that before coffee,” he told me as I gestured toward the fridge. He took out a large bottle and leaned against the counter as he gulped it down. I watched his Adam’s apple bob with the movement like a stalker, glancing down when he finished the water and looked at me. “See something you like?”
“There’s mugs in the cabinet there.” I nodded toward them, and he glanced over before looking steadily at me.
“We need to talk. What was bothering you last night?” He asked before walking over to pour coffee.
“I just knew that you needed to focus on networking and shit. You’re trying to build a future.” I said sarcastically, knowing I sounded like an asshole. I hated the tone in my voice, and my jaw tensed as I tried to dial it down.
“I was doing that at dinner. There were a lot of important people there. I was planning to come over after.” His eyes glowed with frustration, and I felt my jaw tense as he breathed in slowly. “What the hell is this?”
“I don’t fucking know. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” I shot back as his eyes widened slightly. “This isn’t who I am.”
I heard the sound of a mug slamming to the counter before his mouth was on mine, claiming me as he tugged my hips toward him. I gasped as he took advantage of my parted lips, darting his tongue in to sweep it around my mouth. I felt mine move hard against his, and my body slammed into the counter as his hard cock pressed against mine. I reached around his shoulders to pull him closer, feeling the intensity between us in this kiss. He thrust slowly into me as our teeth crashed together, and moans filled the room. “I think this is exactly who you are, Lance. I think you should show me just how much I mean to you.” His voice was low as he stared at me before kissing me again. He let his mouth linger before reaching for my hand to pull me down the hall.
Holy shit. Did this mean what I thought it did?
He dragged me through my bedroom door and turned to face me as his eyes shone with need. I’d slept with men before now. I just knew that this was going to be different if it was what he wanted from me. We’d done other things already, and this would already be the natural course of things. Dane lifted his team t-shirt over his head with one arm, and I stared at his chiseled body, perfect from hours of working out for his sport. He then reached for the shorts, sliding them down as his massive cock was freed from the loose clothing.
“Get those off. I want to cum deep down your throat before you fuck me, Lance.” His words were sure, and I shivered with anticipation. “I assume you�
��ve prepared for such things.” He dropped to my mattress, messy with sheets and blankets from my late morning. I stared at him for a moment and swallowed the lump in my throat, something that I wasn’t used to doing. I dropped to my knees and leaned forward, brushing my lips against his thigh for a moment as he shivered. His hand slid down into my hair and gripped tightly as I moaned his name. “I’m sweaty. Do you want to shower before we do this?”
“No. I like it.” I replied before taking his tip into my mouth. His sweat tasted clean and mingled with the taste of him seeping out. The combination turned me on, and I slid down to take him deeper in my throat. We’d done this before but knowing what was coming next made me want him that much more. Dane moaned and grew slightly as I sucked him tightly with my mouth. He waited a few moments to start rocking with me, holding tightly to my head to keep me still. I wasn’t planning to go anywhere any time soon, but the pain aroused me further.
I was moving hard as he cried out, jerking and filling me with a few sharp thrusts. I felt his seed hit the back of my throat and I swallowed him down, closing my eyes as I lost myself in the taste. From the first moment I tasted a man, I knew it was what I wanted. This moment was that feeling intensified several times, and I pulled away weakly after I finished with him.
“Jesus. You feel fucking so good wrapped around my dick.” Dane murmured as I rolled my head to his thigh with a contented sigh. I was riding on a wave of adrenaline right now despite being tired and basked in it for a moment.
“You feel great inside my mouth.” I complimented him back and turned to gaze into his eyes.
“Just think how it will feel to be inside of me.” His words were heated, and I felt my cock stiffen painfully in my pants. I stood slowly to drop them to the floor, watching as his eyes raked over me. I kicked them out of the way and stalked to him, claiming his mouth in a kiss.
We made out like teenagers for a few minutes, rolling around together on the bed. I wanted him, but the intimacy between us was something I wanted to memorize. When I hovered over him, and our cocks touched, electricity shot through me. I jerked back and sat on my knees to catch my breath. “Get on your knees.”
“Fuck me.” Dane turned slowly, and I stared at his tight ass as he readied himself for me. I moved to the drawer by my bed and pulled out a tube and condom with shaking hands. I sheathed myself with the latex and made sure it was secure before I approached him with the lube.
“I’m going to work this around you. I want to prepare you.” I watched as he dropped his head forward as I dripped the clear liquid between his cheeks and used my finger to open him up. He was tight, and I pressed further as he grew slick with the touch. He moaned and jerked back against me as I bit my lip. Once he was begging for me, I grabbed his hips and eased my cock forward. It was bigger than my fingers, and I entered him slowly as we both moaned.
This was going to be different than hot sex. It was going to be more, and I closed my eyes, and I moved further, feeling Dane press back against me. We had things to discuss, but right now I just wanted this man gripping me with his warm heat. Within a few thrusts, I was buried inside and growled out his name. We began moving together, and my hands wandered over his hard planes as pressure built deep in my core. I knew that I was close and gripped his body as I selfishly tried to work more thrusts in, crying out his name when I came. It was intense and stilled me, filling him as he moaned my name. I’d never felt so good.
I came back to the present lying beside him in bed. The sun was shining as it had been when I woke up and I blinked at the man beside me, curled on his side as he stared at me. His eyes were a softer color now and beautiful as they took me, and I felt my skin heat up. “Did I fall asleep?”
“Just for a while. You put a lot into that. It felt fucking amazing.” Dane said as I smiled.
“I agree.”
“Does that mean we’re okay? I came to talk more than anything but something about you… I can’t resist you, Lance.” His eyes were hot as he spoke, and I felt my cock twitch. “I’ll always put hockey as a priority, at least for now while I work toward being picked up by a team. It’s part of everything, and all the guys do it. I need to network myself and skate my ass off. I haven’t had a lot of relationships through all of this, but a lot of friends have. They’re married and having kids, making everything work. I want to say I can do the same thing.”
“Still going to hide this?” I waved a hand between us, and he drew his lip between his teeth.
“I prefer to until I’m with the pros officially. I know there’s no shame in it, but I want to be stable. I want to achieve my dream.” Smiling, he watched my face, and I nodded. “I can assure you that I am not with anyone else right now. That’s not my style.”
“I’m not, either. Particularly after sex.” I scrubbed a hand through my hair and moved to my back, feeling the ache of the muscles that I used primarily during sex. My stomach growled, and we both laughed. “I worked up an appetite. Want some breakfast?”
We weren’t skipping through town holding hands after that day. That wasn’t my style, to begin with, but it bothered me somewhere under the surface with Dane. We spent a lot of time in my apartment. We talked, cooked, and spent hours in bed, getting to know each other. I still got to have him a lot, but he was dominant and aggressive by nature and took me most of the time over the next few weeks.
I didn’t mind.
We were building a relationship that struck me as a friendship as it grew. The sex and intimacy between us proved to me that it was more. I didn’t know what to make of it but just enjoyed our time together, still going to games and hanging out like before. Polly and Olivia were always with us. Olivia had a few of the guys flirting with her but didn’t respond, just keeping things light. I wanted her to find someone to at least have some fun with as I felt myself fall harder for Dane every day.
Chapter Six
Dane
It was going to be a busy weekend with an away game and Saturday night in Boston. We had our usual room setup and arrived late in the morning, grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby cafe. The game was at five, but we were going to do a skate later and hopefully rest for the game.
We arranged for friends and family to come and watch if they could make the trip. We even had a room reserved at a great steakhouse around the corner for a casual get together. I was looking forward to it. I ate a healthy meal and sent Lance a few texts as I ate, grinning at his answers. James looked at me as we arrived at the room in a few hours, a smile forming on his face. “Looking forward to later?”
I scowled and tossed my suitcase on my bed. “What do you mean?”
“You’re with Lance now. I can see it all over your face when you two are together.” I hung a couple of shirts on hangers as I considered my answer. “I see that you don’t do the puck bunny thing anymore as well as the fact you were never all that into it. Not like some of the other guys who plan the evening the morning of a game. I felt like it was never you.”
“It wasn’t.” I was honest as I decided to let James know what was going on in my life. I was tired of hiding the best things from the world. “I’ve known I was into men since I was younger, but in sports, it made it difficult to work through. Girls were everywhere. I tried it with a few of them, then and now. It just never felt right and didn’t work out most of the time.” I finally turned to face him. “I didn’t want that out there in the open. Times have changed, but I want my skill to be what everyone focuses on.”
“I feel that. I’ve known for a while, and I don’t care. You’re one of the best players on the team.” His eyes were honest, and I nodded at him. “You’ll do great. I won’t tell anyone since I fucking hate it when the younger guys ask me about Polly. They want to know if she has friends, and Olivia comes up a lot.”
“Keep them the fuck away from her.” My voice was a growl, and he nodded at me with a somber expression. “She’s been through a lot in her life. I don’t want one of them eating her alive.”
�
�I’ve heard the same from Polly. She scares the shit out of me when she’s pissed.” We both chuckled, and I set my near-empty bag on the floor against the wall. Our phones both chimed and I went to the drawer for skate clothes.
“It’s time.” We got two hours at the rink and grabbed our food individually before going back to the hotel. I dropped back to my pillow and ate my salad as James sent a few messages on his phone. When I finished, I glanced at a clock to see that I could catch a small nap before the game. I turned away from James and closed my eyes, playing back the nights that I was with Lance. There had been several more, and it varied on who was fucking who, yet it all felt amazing. I hadn’t been with anyone in a few months, but I was with him as long as he’d have me now. I smiled before drifting off to sleep, only to hear the alarm in what felt like five minutes. We showered and dressed to go to the rink for another skate before the fans arrived.
With the quick skate and a meeting with our coach, we were in jerseys and skating to the ice for a cool introduction. I was used to this and kept my eyes forward as I focused solely on this game. I knew my friends were out there, and my parents even made it tonight. They only lived over in Rhode Island but couldn’t make every game since my twin sister and brother were just in sophomore year in high school. I knew Brandon and Lily were here as well and grinned as I secured the helmet under my chin for the singer.
The lights went bright, and I blinked as the opening line headed to center ice, including me. I looked around at the opposing team, respecting how talented they were even as I plotted to win. The puck dropped, and James moved for it, managing to get it to one of our guys. Everything took off from there, and I didn’t have a chance to look around until I was at the bench for a break. I gazed behind me, seeing my friends in the same row as my family as I grinned, meeting a few pairs of familiar eyes. Lance winked at me, and I smiled as I faced the ice again, watching the guys.