by Jeff Adams
His breath came in short bursts when he pulled back. “Now I really do have to go. But I needed that to hold me over until I see you at home.”
I nodded, left speechless. That kiss had overflowed with power, conviction—love.
I think we’d just marked our territory with each other.
My heart flew free. I hated having to let him go, but we’d have plenty of time at home. While we wouldn’t live together, it said a lot that he’d just called Phoenix home.
Thirty-Five
Kyle
From the moment a road trip began, I longed for it to end. It’d never been more true than for this one though.
And, yeah, Phoenix was home now. It hadn’t clicked I’d said that to Austin until I was on the plane.
Austin and I talked every moment we could over the days I spent in New York and Nashville. He’d spent about half of those five days in Detroit before going to Phoenix. The place he’d bought was a couple of miles from the furnished rental I had.
My plan had been to deal with a proper house hunt in the off-season. But he’d offered to help me with that sooner. I’d certainly feel more settled if I had my place rather than something temporary.
As we landed at the airport, I looked out over the dark landscape. I still had a lot to get used to living here. Not just the warmer weather and no snow, but the overall energy was different than Detroit.
We were due to take the bus from the airport to the arena, where we’d all parked, and distribute luggage from there. Instead of dozing on the plane, I fidgeted, excited to see Austin tonight. We’d planned that I’d go to his place for a proper homecoming.
Once the fasten seatbelt sign was off, the team seemed like zombies meandering to get carry-ons and wander off the plane. I wanted to move faster.
As I made my way down the stairs, I had to do a double take. Austin waited planeside. He grinned widely.
What? How could he be here? It was so late even the fans who sometimes met the plane weren’t here. He didn’t even stand behind the fan barricades; he’d managed to be right here.
I sheepishly waved, which only broadened his smile.
The team didn’t give him a second look. Word had traveled fast about us, even before I’d made it back to the locker room in Detroit. The team offered congratulations on our reconciliation before we’d left the arena. News got back to Phoenix fast too. By practice time in Nashville, Owen told me that the wives, girlfriends, and boyfriends stood ready to welcome the new guy into the fold. I hoped Austin was ready to have a lot of new friends. We’d run so hot and cold in Detroit, he hadn’t gotten integrated into that group.
As I stepped onto the ground, I pivoted to my right instead of heading left with everybody else
He wrapped me in a hug. “Welcome home.”
Home. A small part of me twinged at that—a bit of remorse from the kid who thought his allegiance should be elsewhere. I suspected that voice would always be there, but eventually it’d be softer.
Austin certainly felt like home. In his arms at the airport felt perfect.
We got some quiet awwws as he gave me a light kiss—nothing near as intense as that last one in Detroit had been. That kiss was burned in my memory, and I’d recalled it often the past few days.
“I got permission to pick you up.”
Wow.
I can’t imagine the number of calls he’d had to make for that. Not to mention being allowed this close to the plane. My bag ended up next to us, and Lenny clapped me on the back and wished me good night. Austin had really set up a lot for this. No doubt there’d be some ribbing from the guys over the special attention—but I didn’t care about that one bit.
“You need anything else?”
I shook my head. I had my bag and my backpack. My car could stay at the arena until tomorrow. “Let’s go.”
He took my hand and even took the roller bag. This played out like our very own romance novel.
“New car?” I dropped into the passenger seat of a Lexus after we stored my stuff in the trunk.
He settled in behind the steering wheel and started the car. “Rental. Just until mine gets here. It will be another couple of days before the truck arrives. I thought about going new, but I’d had mine so customized when I bought it that I didn’t want to let it go.”
I knew exactly what he meant. I’d be bringing my car down at some point as well.
My chest tingled—the perfect kind of tingle. It reminded me of the intense joy of scoring a game winner or seeing a kid I coached make his first successful slap shot or… being with the man I loved. There’d been moments like this before—the night in Vegas, the day we’d spent together, making late breakfast. I liked how much stronger it vibrated in me now.
“I got good news from my attorney tonight.” Austin sounded excited, which lately hadn’t been the case when talking about legal things. “We signed the letter of understanding to transfer control of the foundation to me. It’ll be fully mine, no longer connected to the company. It cost some money, but it was worth it.”
I reached over and squeezed his leg as he drove. “That’s great. Congrats.” I left my hand where it was. I liked the connection. He’d desperately wanted the foundation and had to jump through some hoops to get it.
“My attorney’s hopeful everything else wraps this week. I’m ready for the clean break.”
“I’d never considered the idea of getting to reset everything.” I yawned. “Sorry.”
“You don’t ever have to say sorry about being tired after a game and a flight.” He dropped a hand from the steering wheel onto mine. “And I hadn’t ever thought about starting over either. I’d gotten so much fear from my parents and ignored what could be. I don’t want that Austin to ever show up again—if he does, send him to the penalty box.”
“Duly noted. Hopefully, neither of us gets to that extreme. I’m sure we’ll both fuck up. I have to be not so stubborn when it happens.”
“Same here.” He gripped my hand extra tight as I did the same to his leg.
We drifted into the most comfortable silence. That peace had been there with Austin from the start but had more impact now that we’d committed to each other.
He pulled into a neighborhood I’d been to one other time because Nick Belcroft, a D-man, lived here. He’d invited me for brunch along with Tristan Nettles. Nick, Tristan, and me made up the LGBTQ contingent on the team. Nick was married while Tristan had recently gone through a break up.
During our trip, Nick had extended an invitation for Austin and I to come over when we were situated.
The homes were new, nice, and weren’t crazy big from what I’d seen. Nick had said he and his husband bought there because they knew another gay couple that lived in the neighborhood and spoke highly of its inclusiveness. Maybe I’d look here too.
Austin pulled up to a two-story, modern home and triggered the garage door. I couldn’t make out all the details in the dark, but it seemed nice. The garage had space for his car, but more than a few boxes and other signs of a move-in in progress littered the other half.
We got out as the door closed behind us. I grabbed my backpack, and he got my luggage.
“Remember, this is all still a work-in-progress.” He opened the door that led inside and lights turned on in the kitchen. The appliances were new—not ridiculously high-end but more like what Mom had installed when she’d renovated. Beyond that, it was a cozy kitchen that would be nice to hang out in for breakfast.
“I’ve got makings for Greta’s pancakes,” he said as if he’d read my mind. “I thought we could cook in the morning… if you’d be up for that. Seemed the perfect thing to break in the kitchen with.”
“Great idea.”
As we talked, soft lights came up. Had it come this way with the motion sensors or had he already had people here installing new stuff? I liked it. While the kitchen had turned on bright, the living room was softer.
“Let’s go get comfortable,” I nudged into him and gave a sl
eepy smile.
He nodded, and I followed him through the living room that only had a couple of chairs and a TV standing in front of the fireplace. At the staircase by the front door, he said, “I’ll give you the full tour in the morning, but down here is the kitchen, living room, bath, and a guest room. Upstairs is the master suite and my office.”
We headed up.
“I like the layout even better seeing it for myself rather than the pictures.”
“Me too. I like having all the personal space up here. There’s a lot of custom stuff too—like those appliances and all the smart home stuff.”
“I can’t believe you got it so quick.”
“Things happen fast when you deal in cash.”
“Good to…” I stopped short as the lights came on in the master. He’d spent time with this. The king-sized bed dominated the room but didn’t overtake it. It looked comfortable with many pillows at the headboard. He also had a loveseat and coffee table along with a dresser. Through one door, I saw a sliver of what looked like a spectacular shower and the other door had to be the closet.
“Like it?”
“Yes.”
“I finished it first. Seemed like a good idea to have a good place to sleep.”
He took my backpack, put it on the luggage, and parked them by the sofa.
I followed him. Once he’d let go of the luggage, I spun him around and kissed him. I couldn’t hold back my hunger. With no one watching this time, I lost myself in him.
At least until I had to stop to yawn.
Damn it.
“Let’s get some sleep,” Austin said as he pushed the jacket off my shoulders. I helped get it off, and he laid it nicely on the seat behind him.
“But…”
“Uh-uh.” He put a finger on my lips, and I had to grin. “We’ve got all day tomorrow, and we can do anything we want.”
“Including staying naked in bed?” I unbuttoned my shirt as Austin pulled his light sweater over his head.
“Oh, hell yeah.”
I couldn’t decide where to put the shirt, and he took it from me. He opened the closet door and threw them both inside. Into a hamper, maybe?
“Can I talk you into maybe some fun now?” Damn it. My body really betrayed me with another yawn at the end of that. I toed off my loafers and then stripped off my slacks. I adjusted the hard-on in my boxer briefs as best I could.
Austin ditched the rest of his clothes, his arousal just as obvious as mine.
“This will wait.” He gently grabbed my cock. “Come on.”
As if we had a routine—although, it was the same pattern we’d done once before—we went to opposite sides of the bed, pulled back the covers, and situated some pillows. Wordlessly, we met in the middle of the bed, me on my back and Austin draped partially on me so we could kiss.
The bed was heavenly. He’d chosen well.
Austin next to me was so right. “I love you, Austin.”
He crushed his lips into mine and sealed my declaration. “Love you too.”
He laid his head on my shoulder and snuggled in before he called for the lights to turn off.
I looked forward to many more nights ending just like this.
Epilogue
Kyle
NHL All-Star Weekend, the following year
Austin swallowed up my moans as he kissed me. My legs wrapped around him as he thrust deep inside me. No better way to wake up than with a horny Austin eager to work me over.
I cried out from bliss as he hit exactly the right spot.
“That’s what I like to hear,” he said as he broke the kiss.
Over the past few months, he’d discovered exactly how to work my prostate, and today he did an expert job pounding me hard and fast. Stars danced in front of my eyes, and every part of me was electrified.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” I tried for other words but couldn’t form them. Austin had extra fire this morning. Locking my legs even tighter around him, I dropped my hands from his back to the bed so I could clench my fists around the sheets.
Hopefully this room had decent soundproofing or our neighbors were going to be very well aware that my boyfriend fucked my brains out.
“That’s it,” I finally managed to say. While Austin thrust, my cock occasionally brushed against his stomach as it bounced between us. The extra sensation pushed me ever closer to the edge. “You’re going to make me lose it if you keep this up.”
“Good.”
I focused on him just long enough to see a sexy, evil glint in his eyes.
“You… know… I…” Getting words out as he drove into me wasn’t easy. I took in a breath to try to get a whole sentence out. “I might not be able to skate tonight at this rate.”
“Oh well—” He stopped, causing me to whimper. “I guess I better stop then.” He pushed back against my legs, but I didn’t let him slip out of me. No way he’d be able to break my hold.
“Fuck the skills competition.” I used my feet to push against him, forcing him to go deeper.
“There you go.” Austin resumed, finding another speed that caused me to slap the bed. “That’s the right answer.”
Somehow, he managed to increase the pleasure, and all I could do was go along for the blissful ride.
“Gonna come,” I said in a mangled voice.
Between the insane things Austin was doing and the random touches my cock had against him, I didn’t need anything else.
Suddenly, cum shot out as I clinched around Austin. I felt the warmth on my chin and chest as I came more than I thought reasonably possible since we’d also gotten off before we went to sleep only a few hours ago.
“Oh yeah, gonna do it too.” Austin kept up the thrusts as he filled me up. His breath went ragged as he orgasmed. I was the loud one in this relationship while he had awesome cum-face—alternating between furrowed brow and the best open-eyed and open-mouthed look ever.
He gradually slowed and bent to deliver a passionate, loving kiss. He gently slipped out as his mouth stayed locked on mine. Our chests pressed together as he laid on me.
Shortly after he’d moved to Phoenix, we did the official testing to make sure we could do whatever we wanted condom-free. One of the best choices we’d made was to get that done before our first fuck. It made that night all the more special.
“I never get tired of owning your ass,” Austin said as he gently rolled off me and onto the bed.
“The feeling’s mutual. I love giving you a good, hard, proper fucking.” I winked at him. “Of course, I also love you doing me.”
“Such language. And on our anniversary.”
We laughed. Our sex talk wasn’t imaginative, but it did crack us up.
“Happy Anniversary!” I rolled toward him, bumping my sticky chest into his side. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
We kissed for a while—a long while.
“I hope everyone is having as much fun as we are this morning.” I rolled off the bed and opened the curtains so bright winter sunlight could flood in. While we were high up, I kept the sheers closed to not only maintain some privacy but to filter the light a bit.
We were in the hotel headquarters of game weekend, and it was a utilitarian hotel room with a king bed. We’d thought about popping for something extra to celebrate, but we’d decided to stay on the same floor with some of the other players.
“I doubt anyone got their boyfriend off as well as I did this morning.”
I adored Austin’s confidence. He’d gone from questioning his abilities in the bedroom because he’d had little experience before we got together to becoming an expert in no time.
“We need to get moving or we’re going to be late.” Austin padded from the bed to the coffee maker parked in the alcove between the main room and bathroom.
We were having a late breakfast with G, Layne, Slater and Ash. Not only did G and I end up with incredible guys, but those guys had too. Talk about an event bringing people together. It was a great group
to be part of.
Tomorrow, NBCSN planned to interview the five of us about it to air as part of their weekend coverage.
Once Austin had a cup of coffee going, he came back and grabbed his phone from the nightstand. “Mom texted. They’ve all boarded, so they’re on time to arrive here this afternoon.”
The true revelation for the weekend was Austin’s parents traveling with my mom for the game. Austin introduced me to them when we went to Detroit right as the off-season began. They were pleasant and reserved but did truly seem happy their son had someone.
Mom, however, got them out of their shell.
She’d insisted on meeting them but getting them to a restaurant was deemed a waste of money. So, she’d invited Harry and Justine over, wowed them with her lasagna, and by the end of the night, they’d gotten along as if they’d been friends for years.
Austin wasn’t exactly sure how it had happened, but his parents indulged themselves periodically now—eating out, traveling a bit, and enjoying life more. Mom hasn’t told either of us how she’d convinced them to do that, but I loved how Austin lit up anytime his parents told us about some adventure they’d taken.
“I’ve also got confirmation of my meeting this afternoon. It’s during your fan zone time, so I won’t miss much of our day.”
“That’s great.” I crossed to him and nestled up to his side, resting my chin on his shoulder. “Are you feeling good about the presentation? You haven’t talked much about it the past couple of days.”
He put the phone down and pivoted so we were face-to-face in a loose hug. “All good. I feel great about what I’ve put together regarding what I can bring to them to enhance their interface designs.”
“You’re going to wow them.” I kissed him on the nose.
“And if I don’t, bringing them as VIPs to an All Star Game should help.” He smiled and placed a kiss on my nose. This had become a thing for us.
“Nothing better than some hockey to help seal deals.” I took his hand and led him to the bathroom. “Come on, we should get showered and grab some breakfast.”