Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“He’s part of your past.”
“I wish he’d stay there,” Gray groused.
Darius snorted softly and slid in front of him, hands on Gray’s shoulders. “I know what you should do. Tell me to kiss you.”
Gray’s eyebrows flew up, and he let out a small laugh of confusion. “What? I don’t need a pretend boyfriend to get over someone I’m not even into.”
Darius inched closer, his eyes brimming with secrecy. Like he knew something no one else knew. “There’s nothing pretend about us, knucklehead.” He leaned in, and Gray’s breath hitched. Was he for real? With what he’d said? “Tell me to kiss you,” he murmured.
Gray swallowed dryly. “Kiss me.”
Darius shifted his hands to Gray’s hips and covered his mouth with his own, and a storm of emotions swirled around him. Gray didn’t know what to think or what to do, but one thing was for sure. The moment became perfect as they kissed each other slowly to the background sound of Jayden and Justin laughing at the twins’ theatrics. Justin scored a goal, Gabriel pretended to be mad, Gideon whooped, and Jayden shouted in triumph. All while Gray fucking melted in Darius’s arms.
“I’m losing my head over you, Darius,” Gray chuckled weakly. “Don’t fucking play with me.”
“I’m not playing. If anything, I’m sick of it. I’m so over pretending that I only wanna be near you during your recovery, when—fuck. When I’m pretty sure I’ll never be able to let you go.”
Gray fisted the front of Darius’s hoodie and screwed his eyes shut, feeling months of tension rolling off him in waves. Then he kissed Darius deeply until he could form words like a normal being.
“No more pretending.” He spoke in between hard kisses. “And let me know if you’re a flight risk. I’ll tie you to a pole on the porch.”
Darius smiled into the kiss and cupped Gray’s cheek. “I’m not the runner, baby. I’m all in.”
Gray couldn’t describe what a rush it was to hear that. “For us, I can be a fighter.”
Darius’s gaze grew shiver-inducingly hot, and he gave Gray a swift, firm kiss. “Exactly what I needed to hear—”
“Coach!” Gideon yelled. “Come meet the next NHL generation!”
Gray groaned internally and dropped his forehead to Darius’s sternum.
Darius shook with silent laughter. “I guess he didn’t go away.”
Guess not…
“I’ll hold my possessiveness at bay,” he promised.
That made Gray feel much better, and he managed a wicked a smirk. “Unleash it on my ass tonight, Big Daddy.”
Darius narrowed his eyes at him, and Gray laughed as he skated toward the boys.
The roller coaster ride of emotions that was his life nowadays continued to wear him out, but God. Right this second, the happiness that fluttered in his system was a high he didn’t mind staying on for a while. Maybe it would even provide some cushion for his next drop.
When Jayden spotted him, he began making kissy faces in the air. “Are you done sucking face?”
Gray coughed around a laugh.
Craig was walking across the ice, and he’d reached the center line, making it easier for Gray to observe him discreetly. He’d sort of expected a physical reaction to seeing Craig after so long, especially given how he’d felt toward the man—or thought he had—before he was taken last fall. Instead, there was nothing. Nothing at all. No hidden affection, no wistfulness, no hurt, no resentment, not even an ounce of anything close to bittersweet.
It was a relief.
Craig had lost a few pounds. His dark hair was combed neatly underneath the same cap he always wore. He looked pretty much the same, and Gray wondered what kind of spell he’d been under to pine over this man for so long. He was handsome, sure, but… Well, Gray was under another man’s spell now, and he much preferred Darius’s well-worn jeans, leather jackets, and Wagoneer over Craig’s khakis, windbreaker, and Camry.
Justin pushed his traffic cone past Gray, skating quickly toward Darius, and Gray watched the boy sign something.
“Of course, I’ll help you.” Darius met Gray’s curious look. “He needs to go to the bathroom. We’ll be back in a bit.”
“Ah, okay.” Needing something to do, Gray skated over to Gideon and stole his stick. “I wonder if you should try a stick that’s lighter.” He loaded the puck onto the blade, dropped it back on the ice, and fired at the net.
“I wasn’t ready!” Gabriel defended.
“And you’re hoping to get drafted this year,” Gray chuckled.
Gideon stuck on the stick topic. “Really? Lighter?” That was the moment Craig reached them, and Gid offered him a nod. “Hey, Coach. Gray thinks I should try a lighter stick.”
Gray straightened and rested his forearm on the top of the stick. “Just sayin’. I increased the speed of my shots significantly when I switched to a lighter, more flexible one.”
“Hm.” Gideon grabbed the stick and went for the puck. “They break so fucking fast, though.”