Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“Aw, come on, Madsies. You know what I mean. I love you and want to spend all the time with you, but having a little us time with Hayes when I’m on the road was fun.”
“For you. I had to go sit in Volkov’s room every night.” Volkov is our center and team captain. He’s a great guy, but hauling my ass to his room all the time wasn’t the most fun thing I’ve ever done. “And what about me? I like jerking off too.”
Masturbating is the extent of what I’ve done in a long-ass time. I’m not really the casual-hookup type. I can’t pretend I never do it or that there haven’t been times in my life when I met up with a man or woman for a random one-off, but…the older I get, the less time I have for bullshit. I want more, and I’m blaming Rylan for that.
“Shit. Want me to head out? I can give you some self-love time if you want.”
As frustrating and sarcastic as Rylan can be, he’s also sincere. If I asked him to leave so I could jack off, he would, which is partly why I’d been so willing to do the same for him and Hayes—well, that, and I might have murdered my best friend if he kept playing shitty games. If it took sex with Hayes to avoid that, I was willing to take one for the team.
“I’m fine,” I tell him, but really, I miss sex. I wish it were easier for me to just go out and find a trick. Not that I judge anyone who does. I’m all about sex-positivity, but random sex just isn’t how I roll. But then, relationships haven’t worked out all that well for me either. While I haven’t experienced anything like what Anthony, Hayes, or Donovan did, I know what it’s like to get your heart broken by someone letting you down.
“If you change your mind tomorrow night, let me know. I got your back.” Rylan grins, proud of himself, and it’s impossible not to love him. He really is the best kind of guy.
“You can message Hayes now,” I tell him, and he beams.
“You sure? Because if you want to bond, I’m your boy.”
I chuckle. “I have no doubt, but I’m all good.” Plus, I’m eager to message Anthony. We’ve hung out a few times since the night we were all at Lush together. Anthony likes yoga, and while I’ve gotten Rylan into it, he mostly does it to appease me, but Anthony enjoys it. We had a couple of beach sessions and have met at his place to watch the shows I’ve gotten him addicted to. I like him. He’s fun, confident, has a great sense of humor, but there’s also a sweet, almost sad side he tries to hide. I saw it at Lush, and there have been whispers of it in things he says or does, and…it intrigues me. He intrigues me.
Rylan turns out the light, both of us in bed with our phones glowing.
Anthony: Dude…dude…you were in the fucking zone in the third. Incredible! I can’t believe those blocks you made!
I grin. I’m not really the type who needs to be praised, but I’m enjoying it right now.
Me: I won’t argue with you.
Anthony: I’m sure you won’t, cocky little shit.
Me: What? Me? No way. Plus, you must admit I deserve to be cocky after that…what did you call it? Phenomenal save?
Okay, so I’m definitely flirting, which I can’t say is new. Like I said, I’m interested in Anthony.
Anthony: I said incredible, but I take it back.
Me: Now my feelings are hurt.
Anthony: Whatever. You know you’re good.
I do. Hockey is the one thing I’ll never doubt, but I also don’t need to sit around trying to draw compliments out of him all night.
Me: Did you go dancing today?
Anthony was off at the bar, and from what I’ve gathered through chatting with him, he finds any and all extra time to dance that he can. And I get that. He loves dancing the way I love hockey, and he’s really fucking good at it.
Anthony: How did you know?
Me: I didn’t, but I figured. Seems like something you do often. You love it. I could see it at Lush.
It takes him longer than I would have thought to reply, and I start reading over what I wrote to see if I said something wrong.
Anthony: I do…you pay attention, Kason Maddox. That’s…nice.
An unexpected burst of pride erupts in my chest.
Me: It’s not hard to do.
Anthony: It is for some people.
Me: It’s not for me. And some people are assholes. Did you watch the new episode of Queer Crossings?
Anthony: OMG. Yes! I can’t believe Stewart and Chandler hooked up! He’s fucking his brother’s boyfriend!
Me: Right? Poor Teddy. He’ll be devastated when he finds out.