Traded (Nashville Grizzlies, #1)

by Carly Marie

“I’m sorry, did you say Nashville?” “You got your wish. You’ve been traded. I wouldn’t be picky if I were you.” Fuck you, asshole. My brain at least had the common sense to not say that, but it was difficult not to. Vincent Drysdale was a ruthless general manager and all-around douchebag. He swore there was only one hockey team that mattered in the NHL and that was Boston. Boston was a great team, but it wasn’t the right fit for me or my style of play. I was stuck as second best on a team of old hats who had been groomed specifically for his club and the way he wanted to see hockey played. I hadn’t been the only player to ask for a trade in the last handful of years, and the team was gaining quite a reputation around the league. My problems had started well before I’d asked for the trade, but Drysdale had made my life as miserable as he could since then. “Not being picky, sir.” Not being picky at all. Quite the opposite actually. I wanted to make sure I’d heard him correctly before my heart got ahead of me. Not that he would understand my excitement at being traded to Nashville. Knowing the old goat like I did, he wouldn’t be able to imagine why anyone would be excited to go to Nashville.

“They agreed to send us Castile for you. Expect a call from them shortly with flight details. Start packing.” “Thank you.” Those two words had never been so hard to say to a person in all my life. I did appreciate the trade, though, and was excited to finally be leaving Boston after two stagnant years stuck on a third or fourth line that never jived while the first and second lines were filled with players who had been in Boston for years. There were no indications of things changing. I wasn’t bitter about the lines as much as I had been about the style of play. As the years progressed, Boston had become known for dirty hits and dirtier plays. After two years on a team that appeared happy with the way things were, I started worrying about my future options. I’d requested the trade before the end of the previous season, but until that day, there hadn’t been any interest in it. I’d have welcomed the trade to Nashville even if they were the worst team in the league.

Nashville wasn’t the worst team. Far from it. The last four seasons had seen a major turnaround in the Grizzlies. After a coaching and front office shake-up, the Grizzlies had gone from one of the worst teams in the league to a powerhouse that had continued to improve year after year. They’d even made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs the season before. Not only were they an amazing team, they had also become a magnet for queer players. Their current alternate captain, Seth Johnson, had come out as gay before his draft day, becoming the first openly gay player in the NHL. Seth had shaken the hockey world at the end of the season when he had kissed the breath out of Mazdon Grabowski, one of their star defensemen. The team had been nothing but supportive in every single press conference or interview since. Those things were enough to make me know I didn’t need to fear coming out to my teammates but it was the captain, Trevor Cane, that had my heart thundering just a little harder than it should have and my dick thickening at the thought of being near him day after day. Play...

My thoughts swirled through my head and giddy butterflies danced in my stomach that I hadn’t felt since I was thirteen years old. Being a second-round draft pick to Chicago at eighteen hadn’t made me feel like this, and being traded to Boston’s farm team two years later had been more frustrating than exciting. The call-up to Boston had been exciting, but not in the same way thinking about Trevor was. It was turning my insides to goo. I really needed to call my dad to tell him the news, but I wanted to bask in the moment for just a minute longer. He was way too perceptive and I knew he’d be able to tell something was different about me if I called him when my dick was fully erect and my thoughts were focused way more on Trevor Cane than the trade to Nashville. There was no reason to go to afternoon skate now that I wasn’t officially a member of Boston’s team, but I’d been dressed to head out the door when Vincent’s call had come in. My favorite sweatpants had been worn so many times that they were stretched in the ass and thighs, the extra room doing nothing to prevent a noticeable tenting in the front. “Brax! It’s time to go!” My roommate’s voice broke through my thoughts and reminded me that I was still lying on my bed and Easton had no idea I’d just been traded.

Easton stopped at my bedroom door. “What? Are you okay? What happened?” A slow grin spread on my face as the news really began to sink in. “Finally got traded.” Easton’s eyes got big as saucers. “Seriously? For real?” All I could do was nod. Easton’s friendship was going to be the one thing I missed about Boston. We’d both been new to the team at the same time. He’d been traded from the West Coast, a few years older than me with more miles under his skates. The two of us had clicked immediately, sharing many of the same interests and both general homebodies. When he’d offered his extra room, I’d jumped on the opportunity and we’d been sharing his condo ever since. As my best friend, he’d been the first person I’d told that I’d requested the trade. We’d also spent many nights commiserating over the lack of progress and trying to figure out when it would be my time. “Holy shit! Dude, where are you going?” I lifted a shoulder, trying not to let on just how excited I was, though I could feel a telltale smile breaking on my face as I answered. “Nashville.” “Hell yes! It’s like your every dream come true.” He rushed me, wrapping his arms around me and enveloping me in a bear hug. “Gah, I can’t wait to visit you. And that’s closer to your dad and Leo, right?” “They’re in North Carolina, so it’s only a few hours’ drive.” Easton’s watch beeped and he cursed. “Fuck. If I don’t get out of here now, I’m going to be late. Will you be here when I get back?” “Don’t have a clue. Waiting f...

“Hello?” “B-Braxlyn? Brax? Um, Braxlyn Cernak?” The voice on the other end of the line held unmistakable nerves that I instantly wanted to calm. Taking a breath, I lowered my voice to the same tone I used with nervous subs at the club Easton and I went to on nights we were free and had the energy. Unfortunately, those nights were few and far between during the season. “Brax, yes.” He let out an uncomfortable chuckle, though it held a bit less nervousness than when I’d first answered. “Oh, hi. I’m Blaise Emory, Assistant Director of Hockey Operations with the Nashville Grizzlies.” I returned to my bed and got comfortable. “Good to hear from you, Blaise.” “Coach Cunningham asked me to call you. He’s on a plane and won’t be back until later tonight.” He paused to gather his thoughts and I could hear something bouncing, likely a pen against his desk. “He asked me to schedule you a flight for this evening. He’d like you here by tomorrow morning. I-I know it’s last minute, but there’s a skate tomorrow midmorning and he thinks that it would be good if you were there. It will give you two full practices before the next game.” I appreciated Blaise’s worry about my schedule but I was a hockey player, and we were six weeks into a season that would span nearly six months. I was used to not having a predictable, set schedule. “Great. I like that plan,” I said, hoping to calm his worries. “Have you managed to get flight details yet?” Blaise let out a sigh that was clearly relieved, his ...

Nine is good.” That gave me plenty of time to pack up enough that I wouldn’t risk leaving important things behind, and I’d get to see Easton again before I left. With Nashville being an hour behind us, it would give me a little more time to sleep the next morning, given that I could sleep. “Awesome. We’re excited to see you. I’m going to send you the details in an email now. They’re also going to your agent too. Please let me know if you have any questions. This is my cell number and you’re welcome to call me at any time. I know the entire team is looking forward to meeting you tomorrow.” The conversation with Blaise had reality smacking into me, my erection from a few minutes earlier totally forgotten. I was about to pack up and head to a brand-new team in a new state, to effectively start over again. I needed to pack and call my dad. He and Leo would be able to calm the case of jitters I’d suddenly come down with. I knew better than to continue to dwell on the move without talking to my dad and forced myself to stand up to find a suitcase as I tapped on his number.

“Shouldn’t you be at practice right now? Is everything okay?” Not only was he my dad, he was also my closest confidant when it came to life. “Well, if I were still a Bulldog, I would be.” Dad sounded more relieved than surprised. “Did Drysdale finally get off his ass and find you a deserving team?” “He did. Well, at least he found me a team that had something or someone that he wanted. I’m heading to Nashville tonight.” “A Grizzly now? That suits you. That team is amazing. I have mad respect for Cunningham and Bouchard. Hell, Huber is a bit of an airhead at times but he’s a good man too. Helluva lot better than Drysdale and his crew of minions.” “Yeah. I’ve heard nothing but good about the entire team.” Captain included. Dad went silent for a moment. It was late enough in the morning that I could see him standing in the kitchen with Leo as they worked on lunch. I couldn’t remember a time that Leo hadn’t lived with us. There were pictures of my mom, dad, and me as a baby and toddler that hadn’t included Leo, but by the time I was three or four, he had become a constant in our photos. I’d introduced him as my uncle for years. I’d been glad Leo was there when my mom died of breast cancer when I was fifteen. At sixteen, I’d finally had my aha moment and told the two to cut the shit and stop pretending they weren’t together. The only thing surprising about the entire revelation was that I hadn’t put it together sooner. Since then, they hadn’t been shy with their affections towa...

The only reason he likely knew Trevor Cane played for the Grizzlies was because he knew him a bit. I mostly remembered Trevor staying to himself if it wasn’t dinner or team related, but those times had given me plenty of chances to realize I was very not straight. I’d come out as gay to my parents shortly after Trevor left, convinced my heart was broken and would never be whole again. Dad’s warm chuckle made me smile as I emptied my underwear drawer into the suitcase. “He’s the captain now. Actually, I just talked to him a few weeks ago. We still keep in touch. I’ll give him a call, see if you can stay with him. It would be nice to not be alone in a brand-new city. He lives a few miles from the arena near a few other players.” “What?” I’d been heading to my sock drawer when he’d said it but my feet were now rooted to the floor. “No! No, don’t do that. I’m sure the hotel the team has will be fine until I figure out where I want to stay.” Dad and Leo both cackled—their twin noises couldn’t even be considered laughter. “Wow,” Dad said as he pulled himself together but was still chuckling lightly. “It’s been ten or more years since he lived here. You can’t tell me you’re still crushing on him, Brax?” Leo took the chance to add his two cents in. “They say you’ll always have a place for your first love.” His tone had gotten too sappy as he spoke and I groaned. “Eww, you guys are gross. Go finish your lunch.” I hadn’t had enough time to talk about my nerves but I knew it was poin...

“Cane!” Coach Cunningham’s voice stopped me before I could make it to my car. We’d traveled from Seattle that morning after the first long road trip of the season and had just made it back to the arena where we could finally leave. I really wanted to get to my car and get home to sleep but Coach had the power to prevent that. Seth and his boyfriend, Maz, were parked next to me, so we’d been walking with each other. Seth held out his hand. “Give me your bag. I’ll take it to your car.” “Johnson, you too.” Maz laughed. “Give me the bags and I’ll get them to the cars.” He held out his open hand for my bag. He and Seth had been sharing luggage all season; it didn’t make sense to pack two bags when they shared a room and traveled together. I handed my bag over and Seth leaned in to give Maz a kiss. “Sorry you’ve got to wait on me.” His boyfriend just gave an easy shrug. “I’m always waiting on you. It’s nothing new. But go see what Coach wants so that we can get home.” “Yick, you two are sickeningly in love.” Seth grinned. “When are you going to let me find you someone? I bet I could find the perfect man for you.” I bet he couldn’t.

who’s going and who’s coming?” Seth asked when Cunningham didn’t speak immediately. “Castile’s going to Boston. It’s been in the works for a long time, but the trade had gotten held up in red tape.” I groaned. Not just because I really liked Antonio Castile, but because that likely meant we were getting someone from Boston. Not only were they a brutal team to play against but I couldn’t think of many people on the team that I’d want to play with. We’d worked so hard to turn this team around, but one bad trade could do us in. Seth elbowed me, reminding me to hear Coach out but keeping his words cautious. “Who’d we get?” Even Seth held his breath when Coach opened his mouth. “Braxlyn Cernak.” “Brax?” The way my jaw dropped open and my voice rose a few octaves, it was impossible for me to hide my shock. Coach narrowed his eyes. “Is that a problem?” Shaking my head, I tried to get my thoughts in order. “I know it’s a small world, but I lived with Tom Cernak my first two years with the Mustangs.” Coach visibly relaxed. “Well, that’s better than what I’d conjured from your reaction.” “Cernak stayed in Carolina after he retired. He’s got family there. I think his wife was from there too. I still keep in touch with him.” I didn’t mention Leo, despite knowing the two were still together. They’d kept their relationship under the radar while Tom was playing. The three had never come out and said that they were together, but it hadn’t been hard to see that when I lived with them. When...

Seth slowed to wait for me, getting a front-row seat to the shock Tom leveled me with. The conversation started off innocently enough, catching up, telling me he’d watched the games, then telling me that Brax had been traded to the Grizzlies. “Yeah. We just got out of a meeting with Irvin Cunningham. He’ll officially be a Grizzly by practice tomorrow.” I heard Tom hum and began to prepare myself for whatever it was he was going to say next. I’d expected him to tell me that I needed to look after him, watch out for him, and make sure he was doing all right. What came out of his mouth was far from expected. “Would you mind if he stayed with you until he figures out the area?” “With me?” Seth and I had been walking slowly toward the door. He hadn’t been openly eavesdropping on the conversation until my voice rose in shock just before we reached the doors to the garage. The sigh I heard was definitely Leo’s and his voice, while farther away, was still near enough that I knew he had heard our conversation. “Thomas Julius Cernak! I know Braxlyn told you not to call Trevor. The boy does not need you butting into his life like that!” “But it makes no sense for Brax to be in a hotel all alone when Trevor lives right there!” “What if Trevor has a boyfriend or girlfriend? What if he’s happy living alone? What if he doesn’t want a houseguest for an indeterminate length of time? Just because you have less than zero problems opening the house to people doesn’t mean that Trevor will feel...

“Hey, what’s up? You look like you’re going to be sick.” “Brax is moving in with me tonight?” I ran my hands down my face as my thoughts started to collide in my brain, everything I needed to do quickly overwhelming me. “I need to figure out when he’s going to be here so I can get him from the airport, get the spare room ready, and clean my house.” It wasn’t like my house was a mess, but it was that last part that had me wanting to puke. My house was clean, but I also wasn’t used to having people over, so I wasn’t always as careful as I should be. I thought about the fun divided plates and plastic cups in my dishwasher and cabinet. I’d been coloring the night before heading on the road trip. Had I cleaned up my crayons and coloring books? Things I hid from almost everyone in the world I left out at home because my house was my safe space. Seth gripped my shoulders and gave me a little shake. “Hey, I need you to focus on me, Trev. You’re panicking. One thing at a time. Let’s figure out when he’s going to get here.” Seth pulled out his phone and pressed a button. “Hey, can you bring Huck in?” There was a brief pause in which I stared dumbly at Seth. “Just inside the door. Hold on.” Seth looked over at me. “Where’s Huck? Still in your backpack?” I nodded, too surprised, possibly mortified, to find a word. I should have known that Seth would have picked up on Huck being more than just my team bear. Huck had been my constant companion since I’d bought the original twenty-three ...

fear causing my voice to fail me. Any zipper he opened, Maz would find out more about me than he should. It could be my cartoon pajamas, my blanket, my pacifier, or my sippy cup that I took when we traveled. With one phone call, I was finding my carefully constructed bubble crumbling. “Hold on, Mazdon.” Seth pressed a button and dropped his voice to a whisper. “Do you really think that he’s going to find anything that we haven’t figured out already?” “Seth, please. Just…” My words trailed off and my face heated with unmistakable embarrassment. I’d gone over ten years with no one finding out more than I wanted them to, and now I didn’t know what to say or do. I wanted Huck, but I couldn’t ask for him. I needed to get home to clean up, and I really needed a nap. What I needed most of all was space to melt down. Maybe I could call my friend Derek and freak out to him. He’d get it. “Change of plans. I’ll be out in a minute. Love ya.” He clicked off the phone and crouched down to stare at me. “Trev, listen to me. Whatever’s in your bag isn’t going to freak me out. I’m a gay man. My dad owns a BDSM club. Do you really think that there is anything you could say or do, shy of committing a crime, that would surprise me?” My hand rose to my mouth, an instinctive move when I got overwhelmed, but Seth caught it first. “Ick, not here. You haven’t washed your hands since the plane. Come on, you need to wash your hands first, then I’ll take you home and help you clean up. Mazdon will fig...

I shot a text to the only person I thought might understand. Me: I’m going to have to out myself to Seth. The text came back in seconds. Derek: Seth’s good people. Daddy works with his brother. He’s safe, his entire family is. You’ll be fine. But I’m going to need to know deets soon. I’d forgotten for a moment that Derek’s Daddy—and husband—worked with Seth’s oldest brother. The reassurance and reminder helped to relax me in time for me to see Seth heading toward me and my Denali, my key fob in his hand. “Okay, Mazdon’s going to follow us to your place. He’s already on the phone with Blaise to get the details of Brax’s arrival. In. You can melt down on the way.” My climb into the car was always comical and I had to rely on the running board, but I hauled enough stuff that I needed the space the large vehicle allowed. Seth’s grunts and muttered curses as he tried to fold himself into my seat and then adjust it so that his long legs could fit behind the wheel said it was more of a challenge for him than it was for me. He brushed a few wayward strands of hair from his face and sighed. “Next time, we take my car.” Seth’s smile and dramatic sigh took some of my anxiety away, at least until he dropped my backpack on my lap. “Find Huck. He’ll help.” I had my bag halfway unzipped before my brain caught up to me. Seth had taken everything I’d ever shown him with far too much ease. Nothing surprised him. He’d known for years that my thumb would gravitate toward my mouth if I got too...

I gripped Huck and angled my body toward Seth, asking what I had never wanted to broach with anyone, especially a teammate. “How much do you know?” He navigated out of the garage, looked in the mirror to see that Maz was behind us, and waited until we were on the road before he glanced over at me. “Do you want me to answer that honestly? Just rip the bandage off? Or do you want me to dance around it until you finally decide to tell me?” On ice and with the team, I was a leader. I was confident and take-charge. I led by example and had found ways to still bring my little side out in safe ways. The silly games we played and our bears had become synonymous with the Grizzlies. It gave the team a way to bond and have fun together, but it gave my inner little a sense of peace when it wasn’t safe to actually be little. No one knew, or at least I hadn’t thought anyone had. I got the impression that had changed at some point and all I could do was wonder how many others knew. Faced with the question that Seth had posed, my submissive side had no idea how to answer. I needed someone to make that decision and Seth seemed to pick up on it. “My dad owns DASH. My entire family is kinky. If you think your being a little is going to surprise me, you’re wrong. Littles are nearly vanilla compared to some of the things my family is involved in.” My mouth hung open. He’d just confirmed my worst fear, yet had made it sound so commonplace that I was struggling to be upset. “When you aren’t so o...

“What has you so freaked out about Brax staying at your place?” I had to remind myself that Seth was safe to talk to. Hiding was ingrained in me and it was going to take my brain longer than a few seconds to accept this change. I squeezed Huck and let out a long sigh. “Because, while I try to keep my stuff in my room, there are things all over the house.” Understanding showed on Seth’s face and a smile grew. “Oh, I get it. Mazdon and I will get you and your house as good as possible. We’ve got your back.” My anxiety decreased again, though not because they were going to help me. My anxiety had only decreased because I got distracted by the fact that the entire world called Seth’s boyfriend Maz, but Seth always called him Mazdon and it was cute. At least the distraction helped keep my mind off of why Seth and Maz were taking me to my house.

“You did what? Dad!” I knew Leo was nearby, probably right next to my dad, so I pleaded to him. “Leo! Come on. Seriously?” Leo chuckled. “I’m sorry, kiddo. He did it while I was getting a shower. I have thoroughly scolded him, but what’s done is done. For what it’s worth, Trevor didn’t seem that upset. Surprised but not against it.” I flopped back on my bed, mortified that my dad had called Trevor to ask for me to have a place to stay. My flight was in five hours, Easton was due home at any minute, and I was still packing. Until my dad had decided to be helpful, I had been more excited than nervous about the move. The front door opening drew my attention and a sigh from me. “Easton’s home. Gotta go.” “It will be fine, kiddo. Let us know when you get into Nashville. Love you.” “Love you too.” I might have groaned the words, but it couldn’t be helped. Easton found me a few seconds later, still flat on my bed but with a pillow over my head. “Looks like things are going well here.” I growled into the pillow and felt the bed dip. The pillow was pulled from my face and Easton’s face was way too close to mine as he spoke. “Doms do not pout.” “They do when their parents get involved in their lives.” Easton flopped down beside me. “Tell me, what did Tom do this time?” I angled my head backward so I could see Easton, though from this position he was upside down. “He called Trevor Cane and asked him if I could stay at his place until I got my feet under me.” “Seriously?” Easton got t...

“This is not perfect. First off, the man has never been linked to anyone. Ever. Ten years, and he’s been single! He came out as bisexual in solidarity with Seth and Maz last season and he still hasn’t dated. What makes you think that he’s going to change his mind for me? Hell, I’m probably not on his radar. I was—” I did some quick math, trying to remember just how old I was when Trevor had lived with us. “Twelve or thirteen when he moved out. You know a twenty-year-old who is just taking off in the NHL isn’t going to even notice a twelve-year-old kid is in the house. Hell, I don’t know that he remembers me.” Easton blew out a raspberry that made him sound like an exasperated sub, not the leather-clad Dom I knew he was when he had the chance. “But you noticed him. And he’s stuck with you all these years.” “Stop talking, Easton.” “Hell no, you need to hear me out.” He flipped onto his stomach and hovered over me, close enough that our noses nearly touched and my eyes started to cross when I tried to focus on him. “It’s like fate stepping in.” I pushed his head back as I shook mine. “No, it’s my well-intentioned dad overstepping. Besides, I’m not looking for a boyfriend.” “You’re looking for a boy. Yada yada yada. I know, I know, I know. Gah, how many times do I have to hear that?” “As many as it takes for it to sink into your thick skull.” Easton collapsed beside me, our cheeks nearly touching, and gave a dramatic huff. “I did some research on our break this afternoon. Ther...

I was beginning to think there wasn’t a boy in the world looking for a teddy bear Daddy who would rather spoil their boy than punish them. It felt like every time I went to a club, the only boys who noticed me were brats who wanted to be spanked. I spent months of my life on blades a third of an inch thick, careening down the ice at speeds approaching twenty miles per hour, chasing pucks and slamming into other men, and sometimes sacrificing my body in order to stop a puck sailing toward the goal at eighty-plus miles per hour. As a hockey player, I worked hard and played harder. When I had the chance to relax, the last thing I wanted to do was punish a bratty sub whose goal was a spanking ...

At least talking about boys and littles had steered Easton away from trying to hook me up with Trevor Cane and I was willing to indulge him to keep the conversation away from Trevor. “I like sweet boys, but you’ve seen how they don’t take me seriously.” “So maybe you need a little. Look how cute this one is.” He flipped his phone around to show me a picture of a boy in a thick diaper and a T-shirt with little lions on it. He was holding a small lion in one hand and a chunky building block in the other. A pacifier was clipped to his shirt by a ribbon and I was pretty sure the thing out of focus beside him was a bottle. I was still studying the picture when Easton started talking again. “Isn’t he cute? I could totally see you falling for someone like that!” “East, dude, can I focus on the move more than finding a boyfriend, or a boy, or a little? One thing at a time.” Easton stuck his tongue out at me. “Are you packed up?” I shrugged. “As much as I can be. I’d just gotten my car shipment squared away when my dad called. I can live without everything else until we have a break and I can come back and clean out my room. Unless you’re planning on getting another roommate?” “No more r...

“Do you think the rumors are true?” Easton had bounced topics at least twelve times since we’d placed our orders, so I wasn’t going to pretend to follow his train of thought. “What rumors?” “About all the crazy traditions the Grizzlies have. Oh, I want to see a picture of the bear you get!” Ever since the restructuring that the Grizzlies had gone through, rumors had swirled around the league about weird things they did as a team. Their teddy bears were things of legend. Every single player had one. They showed up in team photos all the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up with trading cards of their own at some point. Grizzlies, teddy bears, it made sense if I turned my head to the side and really squinted. It was hard to believe the rumors that games of kickball and tag actually happened at practice, though. When was the last time I’d played something other than hockey on ice? Maybe when I’d helped out with a summer camp a few years earlier. “I’ll send you a picture of the bear. I highly doubt that the rest is true. At a certain point, you have to believe that there would be more evidence than rumors. Look at how many pictures get taken of our practices.” Easton was quiet while the server delivered food, putting more thought into my words than I had thought necessary. “Maybe,” he said eventually, grabbing his fork to stab a piece of broccoli. “I mean, you’re right about the photos, but the rumors aren’t going away.” “People like to gossip.”

Just as the flight attendant started to make announcements, a message pinged my phone. I was expecting it to be Easton or my dad but was surprised to see that it was the Grizzlies’ assistant. Blaise: Sounds like there was a shakeup in your housing plans. Here’s Trevor’s address and number. He told me to pass them along to you. I also passed your flight information on to him, he volunteered to pick you up tonight. Let me know if you need anything. Have a safe flight. There wasn’t time to respond before turning my phone to silent. I lamented in my thoughts about the trade, the move, and now moving in with the man I’d had a crush on for a decade until I eventually fell asleep, only waking up when I heard the landing announcement.

I fired up my phone and was greeted with a number of texts. Dad: Hope you had a good flight. We’re heading to bed, but please let me know when you get into Tennessee. Leo: He claims he’s going to bed, you and I both know that he’s going to lie in bed and stare at the ceiling until you text. Safe travels, Brax. Easton: You need a boy like this. He’s so cute. If I was a Daddy, I’d be totally looking for a little. The last one caught my eye, making me ignore the rest for now. Unknown: Your flight says it’s still on time. I figure you’ll have bags and whatnot, so I’ll be there around 11:30. White Denali. See you soon. I checked the time. My phone had updated to Central Time and was reading just past eleven. I took the time that the plane was taxiing to the gate to update my contacts with Trevor’s number, then shoot him a quick text letting him know that the timing would be fine. With that complete, I sent a text to my dad and Leo letting them know I’d arrived safely and would be heading home with Trevor shortly, then flipped over to Easton’s text. The link took me to the Instagram account of a little. To my surprise, the account was tagged local to Nashville. Easton had said that the littles scene in the area was huge, but I hadn’t expected it to be that easy for him to find the social media account of one. I had to give Easton that the boy was cute, but I still didn’t think it was worth getting my hopes up that I’d find a boy or a little at this point in my life.

I propped myself up against a pillar to wait for Trevor’s arrival. Three minutes later, a horn alerted me to a sparkling white Denali about thirty feet away. I made my way over and glanced at the driver to make sure I recognized Trevor’s brown hair and light blue eyes. Wearing an oversized hoodie, he looked like any other person picking someone up at the airport at a ridiculously late hour. But his smile and the sparkle in his eyes was just like I remembered from when he lived with us. “Hey. Let me help you load up.” The tailgate opened at the same time as his door and he all but disappeared on the other side of the car. He had a larger-than-life presence on the ice, making it easy to forget that he was as tiny as he was. I was already putting my stuff in the back when he made his way around to help. The hoodie swallowed his top half and the sweatpants he was wearing were no better. They each had to be at least two sizes bigger than he was, but he looked like he was ready to curl up with a blanket and a story for bedtime. And I was officially going to kill Easton when I met him on ice the next time. I wasn’t going to give him a warning either. He’d planted the idea of littles in my head and now I was thinking about Trevor as a little. Easton deserved a friendly check into the boards.

Trevor motioned toward the front of the car. “Get in. We’ve been lucky. I don’t think anyone noticed us yet.” Conversation was nonexistent until he pulled out of the lot and into the flow of traffic, where he finally pushed the hood of his sweatshirt back and shook his head, letting his thick, wavy crew cut fall back into place. “Sorry, tried to go under the radar. Maz let me borrow his sweats. I kinda feel like I’m playing dress-up.” And that hadn’t helped my mind get out of the gutter. Just how hard could I check Easton? And did I need to wait weeks to do so? The asshole, best friend or not, was the reason I was thinking of very different things than I should have been. “It’s all good. I’m sorry my dad put you in such an awkward place.” Trevor ran a hand through his hair and gave me a smile that I could tell didn’t fully meet his eyes. “It’s okay. He’s right, new teams and new cities, when you don’t know anyone, are rough.” The highway lights illuminated the car just enough that I could see Trevor’s light blue eyes that had always sent my stomach swooping as a kid. I hadn’t seen them up close in nearly ten years, but they still did funny things to my insides, and now my dick was reacting as well. We hadn’t made it to his house yet and I was already having a hard time reminding myself that we really didn’t know one another. My dick desperately needed to get the memo before things got awkward. A two-minute minor for fighting wouldn’t be so bad.

No one not from Nashville understood the hell of Nashville traffic during rush hour. I thanked the small miracle that we were navigating the highway back to my place at nearly midnight and not five in the evening. Getting out of the car sooner rather than later would be better anyway. Then again, that meant getting to my house. Seth and Maz had spent hours cleaning my place with me. I’d even opened my playroom up for them to put things in. Derek had been the only one to ever see my playroom before, and my anxiety had been sky-high when I’d turned the knob to the room for them. Neither had blinked an eye. Seth had murmured something about it being cool and perfect. Maz had mentioned that the animal decorations were cute, then asked where I wanted to put my bottles and sippy cups. Most. Surreal. Conversation. Ever. After hours of cleaning, I was confident we’d found anything easily able to be found, but I wasn’t so confident that we’d gotten everything. Living alone, I didn’t always worry about putting pacifiers away or think hard when something came up missing. Who was going to find it? Braxlyn Cernak, that was who. Unfortunately, I hadn’t realized that was a possibility until late that morning, jet-lagged and sore from an exhausting week away from home.

“Thanks so much for picking me up. I could have taken a ride service.” For a moment I was struck by how different Brax’s voice was from the kid that I’d lived with so many years before. It was a ridiculous thought. He’d been twelve or thirteen, awkward and just beginning puberty. Of course his voice had changed. I’d hardly known him then, but the memories I had were of him turning fire-engine red every time I tried to talk with him and many stammered conversations around the dinner table. It was hard to believe that the nervous kid with a squeaky voice had turned into the confident man sitting beside me who was now not only my teammate but roommate as well. To make matters worse, his smile in the pickup lane had gone straight to my heart. That was something I was going to need to have a conversation with myself about later that night. There was no way anything was going to happen between us. He was at least eight or nine years younger than me, his dad was my mentor, I was his captain, and I wasn’t looking for more than a hookup. There was no way in hell I was going to get involved with Brax Cernak, and the sooner my heart figured that out, the better for everyone.

“Tell me a little about Nashville. I’ve never been past the arena. We did hit one of the honky-tonks one night after a game. That was a good way to shake off the whupping you all gave us.” That had been the season before, and a whupping was a nice term for it. We’d had the game of our lives right after New Year’s. Our chemistry had been on fire and Boston had come in cocky and overconfident. Seth had scored in the first minute of play and it had been downhill for Boston from there. I couldn’t help smirking and teasing him a little. “That was a good game for us. From all the talk Anders did before the game, you should have beat us handily.” “Yeah, well, if Coach doesn’t have a big mouth, he doesn’t have anything.” Ouch. Those weren’t the words I’d expected to hear from a player leaving Boston, one of the most prestigious teams in the league. They had built a name and reputation on being one of the original clubs, an...

I’m not huge into parties and drinking every night. I mean, don’t get me wrong, East and I love to have a few beers after a game, but that’s usually at home, when we can just walk thirty feet to our beds.” Easton Lafferty was a defenseman in Boston, closer to my age than Brax’s. “Lafferty?” I asked for clarification. “We both got traded to Boston at the same time. Since neither of us knew the city for shit, we shared the condo the team set us up in. We both liked the area. A unit came available a few months later and East jumped on it then offered me a room. I’d have been a fool to turn it down, so I’ve been living in his condo since.” We’d arrived at my house and I was feeling a little more comfortable just from the conversation flowing easily. I hadn’t been able to put my finger on it before, but I knew I’d been worried that we would have nothing in common and the entire living arrangement would be not only stressful but awkward too. Brax didn’t sound like so many of the Boston players, and everything I’d learned so far told me that he was serious about his job and would fit in well with the team. He’d have his age in common with our younger players but would also be able to easily talk to the veterans as well. At least I only had to worry about the stressful part for the time being. And that was enough for me.

it sounds like you’re going to fit in well with us. We’re more likely to fall asleep at one another’s houses watching movies than hitting up the bars. And the bars we go to are never the local tourist spots. I can’t remember the last time one of us hit up a bar on Broadway.” I shuddered at the thought of the crowds and hype that came with an outing in one of Nashville’s busiest streets. From what he’d said, it shouldn’t have surprised me when he let out a relieved hum. “That sounds perfect! East keeps telling me I’m too old for my own good.” I parked the car in the garage and turned off the engine. “Good, because I am old. I’m practically ancient in hockey terms.” In the light of the garage, it was impossible to miss the way Brax ran over my body with appraising eyes. It did nothing to remind my heart that something between the two of us was the worst idea in the history of hockey and would lead to nothing but drama. The heat of his gaze made me need to clear my throat to speak.

“Your house is really nice. Thanks for letting me stay here. I do appreciate it, even if it was only because my dad butted in.” The light blush that covered his cheeks at the mention of his dad reminded me a lot of him as a kid, though now I had to look way up at him to see that blush. I’d had to look up at him when he was a kid as well, just not that far up. Seeing that he wasn’t quite as confident as he’d appeared the last twenty minutes had me relaxing some. At home, I was never as confident and in charge as I was with the team and having someone who was as confident as he’d been to this point but not a Dom or a Daddy made my brain confused. That little blush might not have been much, but it was enough that I felt more equal and sure-footed

“Let me show you around downstairs before I head to bed. My body is all sorts of confused about what time it is and we’ve got a skate tomorrow. Thankfully, Cunningham will go easy on us.” I’d already begun to turn to head down the steps, but I caught a glimpse of surprise on his face. “Easy?” I shrugged but didn’t turn around as I held the handrail and focused on what was in front of me. Last time Derek and his Daddy had come over for the afternoon, I’d ended up in time-out for running down the steps and not holding onto the handrail. Colt wasn’t my Daddy, but he took the job of watching after me seriously and he had been convinced that little boys needed to be careful on the steps. In my little headspace, the time-out had been pure torture. Three weeks later, I was still holding onto the handrail when I walked up or down the steps so that it became a habit for the next time they came over to play. “He knows we’re all exhausted by the time we’re done with a road trip. The first practice after is usually just some basic conditioning. Though I think he and the trainers are looking for injuries we’re trying to hide more than anything else.” But it also allowed for plenty of time for games at the end of practice. “He gets unhappy when he realizes we’ve been playing through injuries and haven’t told anyone.” We’d made it to the kitchen and I turned to find Brax staring at me. “Seriously?” “Um, about what?” He scrubbed at his face. “Sorry, it’s been a long day, must not have sch...

“Make yourself at home.” As difficult as the words had been to say, his smile made me glad I had said them. His parents had opened their house to me for two years and had never made me feel like I was a burden or unwanted. Just because I was struggling with sharing a house didn’t mean I needed to be rude or make him feel unwelcome. I yawned, exhaustion catching up with me quickly. I knew it was time to get to my room when my thumb started gravitating toward my mouth. “I’m going to call it a night. You’ve got to be exhausted too. I’m sure your clock is just as messed up right now.” “Thanks. I think I’m going to try to get some sleep myself. I’ll see you in the morning.” “Night.” I double-checked my door was shut before stripping my clothes off and digging through my dresser drawer to find a pair of pajamas. I settled on the cobalt blue pair with different-colored stars all over them. They looked cuter with a pair of training pants under them but I didn’t want to risk accidentally walking out into the kitchen the next morning with noticeable training pants under the snug pajamas. Enough of the guys on the team had ridiculous pajamas. Our goalie Yuri had come to breakfast at the hotel earlier in the week wearing a footed onesie, bitching that it was too cold in the hotel. My slim-fit, vibrant pajamas might be surprising, but I didn’t think they’d raise Brax’s eyebrows too much if he saw me in them. I just needed to make sure to leave my blanket and pacifier in my bed when I l...

As I watched Trevor walk to his room, I really, really hated my best friend. He had to pull the ridiculously oversized pants up as he walked, and the sweatshirt might as well have swallowed him whole. And thanks to Easton’s texts, all I could think about as he headed to bed was that he was such a cute boy. I dragged my hands down my face and shook my head in frustration at myself, at my dad, at Easton, at this entire thing. Now my brain was going so fast that trying to sleep would be futile. Instead of bothering, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed to the living room to find something to watch. I knew I was going to be dead on my feet in the morning, but my brain didn’t care about that.

The late hour allowed me plenty of time alone to do some more research on the club Easton had told me about. Of course, I had to scroll past the numerous links he’d sent me from social media accounts of littles he’d found in the area. How was it that the man had found so many accounts in such a short period of time? And why the fuck had the last one come in not thirty minutes earlier? He was proving to be a pain in my ass from over a thousand miles away. While I was curious about the club, I’d definitely gotten sidetracked with the other links for a bit before finally settling in to research the club. It was past one in the morning, I really should have been in bed, but now that I’d found the website, there was no way I was going to rest before checking it out.

Easton hadn’t exaggerated any of the good points of Dom And Sub Haven, a gay BDSM club known more commonly as DASH. I had no idea where he’d found the time to do that much research while at the Bulldogs arena, but he’d been thorough. There were a few pictures of the inside of the club, and the ones there had all been taken while the club was empty. I understood the logic behind it and was glad to see they took privacy as seriously as they did. The spaces dedicated to medical or pain play didn’t interest me that much. There were some roleplay rooms that looked interesting and the aftercare rooms were all warmly lit and welcoming. When I clicked on the link to the playroom, I didn’t know what to expect. It was a kink club, so playroom could mean anything. From the information Easton had given me earlier, it shouldn’t have surprised me to find a room that amounted to a nursery for littles. Judging by the numerous pictures that had populated on the site, I knew this room was just as popular as Easton had made it out to be. It had to be a draw for their clientele, or there wouldn’t have been so many pictures. I tried to imagine boys and their Daddies in the space and I found myself wishing that DASH wasn’t so focused on privacy. I wanted actual photos to go with my imagination. There were so many things to take in from the pictures that I wanted to see how the boys interacted with the toys—blocks, fire trucks, cars, stuffed animals, books, and toys of every kind. There was a ta...

time for bed. I was getting depressed over something I didn’t know anything about except a few pictures and social media sites. My foot slipped between the couch cushions as I hoisted myself up, and my toe landed on something cold and hard. If Trevor was anything like Easton, he’d probably been looking for his TV remote for days. I stuck my hand between the cushions, fully expecting to pull out a rectangular chunk of plastic, not a pacifier. Trevor didn’t have kids, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a niece or nephew and I k...

After far too little sleep, I found myself loading bags of balls into the back of Trevor’s SUV as he tossed a bear and a gym bag into the back seat of his car. I understood the bear, in an abstract way at least. After the third mesh bag filled with kickballs, I couldn’t help asking why I’d just loaded a playground’s worth of balls into his SUV. “Um, what are you doing with all those?” Trevor climbed into the driver’s seat and waited until I was in and buckled before responding. “They’re for practice.” I blinked. He’d spoken a complete sentence with words I fully understood the meanings of. What I couldn’t wrap my head around was how the playground balls related to hockey. “I’m sorry?” My brain was stubbornly refusing to believe that these would be used for hockey practice, no matter what the rumors around the league were. The Grizzlies had numerous trades a year. There was no way that the games had never been confirmed by someone. He focused on backing the vehicle out of the garage, then glanced over to me. “I’m so tired of tag. We’ve been playing it for two weeks now.” Leo would slap me upside the head if he saw me staring like I was. “Tag?” A light blush stained Trevor’s cheeks and he averted his blue eyes, focusing way more intently on the road than the neighborhood warranted. “Um, yeah. It’s a tradition.” “You mean… you mean it’s real?” The question had his eyebrows creeping up his forehead. “Real?” My hands waved about of their own accord. “Yeah. The rumors about sill...

As soon as the car was off, it was like Trevor became a different person. He swung his door open and nearly jumped from the driver’s seat, calling to a guy in a sports car who had just pulled up. “Yuri! Get over here. Meet Brax and help me out.” Yuri Yurievich was the Russian netminder who had played backup to Igor Ozols for the two previous seasons. He’d become the starter more often than not this season and was having an impressive early season, letting in an average of just over two goals per game. The rumor mill was that Igor was getting ready to retire. My dad and Igor had been in the NHL for a number of seasons together, though never on the same team, and my dad had a lot of respect for Igor. He still joked that Igor was the one goalie he dreaded playing. I slid out of the SUV and came around the hood just as Yuri walked up. He was an impressive height, at least two or three inches taller than my six-foot-one frame and the small bear in his arm was comical, though after putting my foot in my mouth about dodgeball, I wasn’t about to say anything about the bear. “You beat Seth?” Trevor looked around, though I wasn’t sure how much he could see over the towering front ends of the vehicles around us. “Appears so. He had to stop at the mall first.” A large black SUV came around the corner and Trevor laughed. “Speak of the devil.” “He is happy. Mall, yes.” While Yuri’s Russian accent was still thick, the sarcasm and innuendo had been clear and the three of us were still sni...

Seth was holding two bears in one arm and a box from the fill-your-own teddy bear store in the other, leaving his boyfriend to heft both of their practice bags. “You must be Brax?” Seth tried to hold out a hand but struggled with everything he was holding. “Sorry, well, this is for you anyway.” He thrust the box into my hand and kept his hand out. “Nice to meet you.” In less than two minutes’ time, I’d met three players and could already tell the team was closer than Boston had ever been. Hell, they were closer than Boston’s farm team had been. These guys were open and friendly and I immediately felt at ease around them. “Hi. Nice to meet you.” Yuri pointed to the bear in my hand. “Name quickly.” Seth and Trevor both broke out into cackles and Mazdon smirked but took pity on me and filled me in. “Yuri didn’t name his bear, so they took it upon themselves to name it Puck Bunny. Well, Puck Bunny got lost on a bus one time. The story is told—repeatedly—that the entire building thought he’d lost a girl, not a bear, because he kept going around muttering that he’d lost his Puck Bunny and asking if anyone had seen it.” Imagining Yuri, with his thick accent, asking if someone had seen his Puck Bunny was enough to have me laughing as well. Mazdon was still grinning as he nodded. “Yeah. Pretty much. I’m Mazdon, by the way, but everyone calls me Maz. Well, everyone aside from Seth. I’d shake your hand but…” He trailed off as he lifted the bags he was carrying. “Nice to meet you.”

Blaise looked like he wanted to crawl out of his skin in a locker room filled with hockey players. He was tall and lanky with big eyes that showed just how uncomfortable he was, though Bouchard wasn’t willing to let him go until we’d been “properly introduced.” “Brax, this is Blaise Emory. Technically, he’s the Assistant Director of Hockey Operations, but more than just the front office would be lost without him.” The color Blaise’s cheeks turned at the praise couldn’t be called a blush. Blazing inferno was closer to accurate. Whatever color it was, I knew it wasn’t a healthy color for a human to turn, so I tried to make the meeting as sweet and painless as possible for him. “Nice to meet you. I really appreciate your consideration yesterday. It made the day much less stressful.” In my attempt to make it better, Blaise somehow turned redder, the tips of his ears turning the same color as his cheeks. His attempt at a nod came out more as a twitch and I could see him picking furiously at his thumbnails. Bouchard whispered something quietly into his ear and Blaise’s color cooled considerably as he turned and headed out of the locker room. Bouchard’s features softened as Blaise left the room, and then he turned to me. “He’s amazing at his job, but he gets really overwhelmed. These guys, as loud and crazy as they all are, wouldn’t hurt a fly off ice. He’ll warm up to you.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Let’s see what you’re made of, shall we?” I nodded and followed the team o...

When three bags of balls got dumped onto the ice, I knew I needed to get used to being surprised. I also needed to take Trevor more seriously. Coach split us up by jersey color and suddenly the light practice turned into utter pandemonium. Balls were flying through the air, laughter and screams filled the rink, and the coaches started jeering and taunting us. While their pokes were oddly kind and gentle, they picked apart everything they saw wrong. Our form, the way we cut back and forth on the ice, and footwork were all picked apart for twenty minutes, though laughter and camaraderie were the most prominent takeaways of the game. On our way to the locker room, I jogged up to Trevor and put my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, I owe you a sincere apology. I’d been surprised and taken a little off guard when you mentioned playing games at the end of practice and I definitely spoke without any knowledge of what I was talking about. That”—I motioned behind us—“was amazing. I see why it’s so important to the team.” Trevor glanced up at me, actually looking at me for the first time since the car ride, and I watched as a smile spread on his face. “Thanks. It’s really important to us. Thank you for giving it a try.” We made it to the locker room and each went our separate ways to change. As I pocketed my phone, I noticed a voice mail from an unknown number and took a minute to listen to it. “Hi, Braxlyn, this is Alice Johnson from DASH. I got the application that you submitted last nig...

Two days wasn’t enough time for me to get used to having Brax in my house, but it was enough time for my dick to take a very keen interest in his naked torso. I’d quickly discovered that Brax didn’t like shirts. He’d joked at dinner the night before that he would rather be naked but knew that wouldn’t go over well with most people. No matter what societal norms or my brain said, my dick hadn’t gotten the message and I’d had to adjust myself under the table. Even the horror of finding one of my pacifiers on the coffee table the morning before hadn’t been enough to make my dick behave for more than a few seconds. And he hadn’t said a thing about it anyway, so maybe he hadn’t been the one to find it. I was going to pretend that he hadn’t seen it and Seth, Maz, and I had managed to overlook it in our whirlwind clean.

I knew Brax would already be up. He’d been up with the birds the first two days, and judging by the smell of coffee wafting into my room, today was no different. I also knew he wouldn’t be wearing a shirt, meaning I needed to put jeans on instead of the lightweight cotton pajamas I’d put on before bed. Pursing my lips, I searched for a pair of underwear and jeans that were going to keep everything in place until I could get my dick to behave itself. At that point, I’d get my running shorts on and head out for a jog before coming in to do my normal routine before a game. Except my normal routine was going to be all sorts of messed up because I couldn’t take my cup to the living room and watch cartoons while I colored. I really needed to prioritize that remodel of my seating area in my room. It wouldn’t take much. There was always my playroom that I could go to, but that was way too risky with Brax in the house. I was back to square one with how to get my normal decompression time before a game. At least my musing had gotten my dick to stand down. Actually, it had left me grumpy enough that I didn’t think the jeans would be necessary at all. I pulled my running shorts on, grabbed one of my T-shirts, and headed toward the kitchen for a snack before my run. “Hey.” Brax was smiling at me as soon as my door opened, but to my surprise, he was wearing a T-shirt and joggers. “You’ve got a shirt on.” I slapped my forehead at my reaction. “Sorry, I’m just so used to seeing you withou...

“How’s the new roommate situation?” Seth asked when we’d run in silence for a few hundred yards. “Honestly? Not as bad as it could be. He stays pretty much to himself, but it is nice to have someone to chat with after practices.” Seth didn’t need to know that I’d worn more jeans in the house the last couple of days than I’d worn in the last year. At home, I was definitely a shorts or sweatpants guy, not jeans. Maz’s snort from beside Seth made me look over to find him grinning. “Care to share what has you blushing with the class?” I stuck my middle finger up and shook my head. I’d have sprinted ahead, but their legs were both longer than mine and I’d have run out of steam way before them. That would have also defeated the purpose of a relaxing jog. Thankfully, Seth pushed at Maz’s arm. “Behave yourself.” Then he focused back on me. “Ignore my boyfriend. He’s been taking lessons from Austin.” Seth’s twin brother, Austin, was a force of nature and no one ever knew what would come out of his mouth next. “Heaven help us all.” When Seth stopped laughing, I caught him studying me from the corner of my eye. “Are you having enough time for yourself?” I almost tripped over a tree root. He’d spoken vaguely but I wasn’t used to my little side being spoken about at all, much less by a teammate. I kept reminding myself that he was a safe person to talk to and he already knew, but it was going to take some time for my brain to believe that as well.

I didn’t bother pretending that Seth or Maz had forgotten the question. Seth was related to Austin and just as persistent as his twin. “We haven’t had much time at home the last few days. I’m planning to rework my bedroom a bit to find some space for a few things. Today’s going to be the real challenge. I usually get some little time in before I take my time getting ready. It’s going to be harder with Brax around.” To my surprise, Maz was the one who responded. “You’re always welcome to come to our place. We have a nice spare room that we could easily convert to a quiet space for you.” “Oh! That’s a great idea! Yes. Do you like blue? It’s already a light blue color and the carpet in there is super soft!” Momentarily too touched to speak, my pace slowed to a walk before my feet finally stopped and I stared at the two. “You two are serious?” They both stopped and studied me. “Mazdon’s right. It’s just the two of us. We know about it and can give you plenty of privacy and space. Just say the word.” I doubted that I’d take them up on the generous offer, but I wasn’t going to turn them down outright. At least not until I had time to think about it more. “That’s a really sweet offer. Let me think about it for a few days.”

Arriving home, my mind was ready to shut off totally for a bit and I showered quickly before changing into a pair of cotton shorts and a shirt covered in cartoons. Armed with my blanket in one hand, Huck in the other, I made a quick stop in my playroom to grab a sippy cup and a few coloring books and a box of crayons, then headed toward the kitchen. When I settled onto the floor in front of the coffee table, the adult world was already slipping away. I set the alarm on my phone so I didn’t lose track of time, then let myself forget the rest of the world. Coloring, cartoons, and my snack were a lot more interesting than Brax, the game that night, or Seth and Maz’s offer. I must have been more stressed than I’d led myself to believe because I barely made it through one show before my eyes got too heavy to fight any longer. My bed felt very far away, so I tidied my coloring supplies, placed the snack plate on top of them, turned the TV off, and climbed onto the couch with my blanket, cup, and Huck. There was enough of a chill in the air that I pulled the big blanket from the back of the couch over me, stuck my cup in my mouth, and let my eyes close. My alarm startled me awake sometime later, leaving me disoriented for a few seconds. I’d burrowed completely under the blanket, leaving me in total darkness and making it harder to figure out what was going on. Unsurprisingly, my thumb had replaced my cup while I’d slept and I used my free hand to grope around for the ringing devi...

after another shower to tame my wild hair, I headed to the kitchen. I hadn’t heard Brax come home and had been planning to text to see if he was coming back before the game, only to find him sitting at the island in the kitchen, scrolling through his phone. The bright blue suit he’d put on should have been tacky, but he’d somehow made it look good. Not just good, sexy. It fit him like a glove, hugging the firm muscles of his legs and ass. A bright orange pocket square had been perfectly folded into the upper pocket. I’d have never pulled it off, but Brax made it look effortless. He was gorgeous. From his perfectly styled hair to his expensive leather shoes, he was perfection. I really needed to stop thinking about him that way. The light gray suit pants I’d put on were not going to hide an erection, and I wasn’t ready to deal with the awkwardness if he saw.

Brax looked up and I watched as his mouth hung open in surprise. He didn’t leave me wondering what was so shocking when he pointed to my chest. “You Tennessee people are weird.” “What?” “It’s nearly sixty and you’re wearing a sweater under your coat like it’s fifteen! Snow’s forecast next week in Boston.” “And that’s why I don’t live in Boston.” I went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “What time did you get back? I never heard you come in.” “Not surprising. When I got home there was a Trevor-shaped mound of blankets on the couch. Well, I’m hoping it was you. If it wasn’t, we should probably call someone, because there was something sleeping under the blankets.” The anxiety that I’d pushed to the side in my room came back with a vengeance, logic and his words about my being totally covered be damned. My brain was whirling with what he might have seen. He chuckled to himself. “I was halfway to the stairs before I noticed the pile of blankets on the couch. It took me until I was almost to my room to realize there had to be a person under there. I seriously don’t know how you were able to breathe like that! I came down after my shower to grab a bite to eat and you were gone, so I figured you hadn’t suffocated.” I hoped like hell that my chuckle didn’t sound as manic as it did in my head. “It’s cold today! I don’t like being cold.” Brax shook his head and stood to throw his empty water bottle away. “Hate to tell you this, but you chose the wrong sport.” Watching him hea...