Page 138 of The Waiting Game

“Well, worst-case scenario, we crash there and see her in the morning. It’s not like we don’t both have keys.”

“True. Sounds good to me.”

Smiling, Jonah grabbed Felix’s elbow. “Thanks.”

Felix’s puzzlement seemed to deepen. “For what?”

“For understanding,” Jonah said, though that didn’t really cover everything he was feeling.

Felix shut the trunk lid, then leaned in, pressing a kiss to Jonah’s forehead. “Of course.”

Grandma Ji-min’s house was dark and quiet when they arrived. They moved as quietly as they could and when Jonah peeked into her room, she was sleeping soundly.

She looked so small in the large bed she’d shared with Grandpa Cho for so many years and a pang twinged in Jonah’s chest as he thought about what it would feel like for him when he and Felix were no longer sharing a room on the road.

He imagined it would feel very large and very lonely.

And he was only pretending to be engaged to Felix. His grandparents had been married for decades.

Still, that didn’t stop Jonah from pulling the door softly shut behind him and trudging down the hall to his old bedroom. The light was on, spilling into the hallway, and for a moment he watched Felix move around the space, plugging in his and Jonah’s phones, turning back the covers.

Felix glanced up and smiled. “Everything okay? You look …”

“Yeah,” Jonah said, quietly pulling the door shut behind him. “Grandma’s fine. I think the exhaustion is just hitting me. It was a great game but I’m crashing now, maybe.”

Or maybe he was tangled in his feelings, the cozy domesticity of the moment making it feel too much like this was a life he’d get to keep. Like every night, he and Felix could get ready for bed together.

“I get that,” Felix said softly as he stepped forward. He had taken off his suit jacket, stripped off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. The sides of it gaped open and the white tank he wore underneath clung to every line of his body.

Felix wrapped his arms around Jonah’s waist and leaned in to kiss him. Jonah slid his palms along Felix’s sides, enjoying the warmth of his body and the slow, lazy kisses they shared.

Felix hummed a little as he drew back. “You up for something tonight or are you too tired?”

“Honestly, I’d really like to do more than just kiss you but I’m fucking exhausted,” Jonah admitted.

Felix gave him an understanding smile. “Can’t imagine why. You got two assists and I’m pretty sure you skated at least double your usual distance tonight.”

Jonah laughed softly. “Don’t think it was quite that far but it was a lot.”

One of their bottom D-pair had tweaked his ankle and Jonah had been sent out for some extra shifts. It had been worth it. He’d gotten an assist on a goal during one of those shots, but he’d be feeling the extra minutes tomorrow, that was for sure.

Jonah sighed. “Sorry I’m not that exciting tonight.”

“Mmm, it’s okay. I keep telling you, you’re never that exciting.” Felix shot him a crooked little grin.

“Ha-ha,” Jonah said. “You sure didn’t act that way when I was sucking your cock.”

“You are pretty good at that. But seriously. It’s okay if you’re not up for anything right now.” Felix kissed his forehead and hugged him tighter. “I’m not going anywhere.”

And though Jonah wasn’t sure if Felix meant that in the romantic sense, the words filled Jonah with warmth anyway.

Besides, he was too tired to dwell on it.

For the moment, Jonah, tucked warmly in Felix’s arms, had everything he wanted.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The following morning, Felix melted against the shower wall as Jonah dug his thumbs into his tight lats. “Fuuuck that’s amazing.”

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