Page 53 of Provoking the Punter

Which then made him think of Garrett.

As much as he liked time with his thoughts while he did laps, he did not want to spend the morning thinking of the hard curves of muscle, the rounded ass and desperate moans Garrett made even with his mouth full of dick. That was harder than it should’ve been because Garrett invaded a lot of his thoughts, as well as his evenings.

And he didn’t resent it… No, he thoroughly enjoyed the time they’d spent together.

There was no pressure or expectations, and no planning for the future, except for the damn getaway. He wasn’t sure how that had happened, and yet, it was a thing. Not that Garrett had mentioned it again. Maybe it wouldn’t happen.

The thought of not going on the trip was worse than the idea of committing to a sex-filled weekend with a closeted football player.

What the fuck was he doing?

He didn’t want to go back into the closet for anyone.

At the moment, however, it was a nice change having the relationship just for themselves. That’s why there was no pressure. Or, at least, there hadn’t been until he let his heart believe there might be a chance when Garrett came out.

Because it was when, not if.

And when he did, Chester didn’t want to think of Garrett being with anyone else.

Because he was selfish. That was why he liked the whole secrecy thing. He didn’t have to share, not with his friends, not with Garrett’s friends. No one knew.

Which also meant when it fell apart, he’d be licking his wounds alone.

As he swam, his thoughts turned to what it might be like if everything worked out. If Garrett stayed with the Troopers, they could keep seeing each other. If Garrett was out, they could move in together. And if they took that trip… and then… and then they ended up married or something.

He couldn’t imagine that far ahead.

He’d been nine when his mother had sent divorce papers to his father along with a birthday card for him. His father had signed them, and Chester had ridden his bike to the post office to send them. He had written his own letter to his mother and added it to the envelope, asking why she didn’t love them. Why she’d left him…

She never answered, and the cards stopped coming.

She wanted the divorce so she could remarry and have a new family. A better one. One that didn’t involve rusted cars, moonshine, and counting every dime. He was more like her than she’d ever realized.

Both of them craved a bigger life, knowing there was more out there, and wanting to taste it all. Yet there he was, stuck in Austin, chained to work.

Unable to take a mini-vacation because he didn’t trust someone with his business for even a few days. It was a problem he needed to solve sooner rather than later.

Preston waited for him at the end of the lane, leaning on the side of the pool. “What’s up with you?”

Chester flicked back his hair. “Nothing.”

“Liar. You only swim like you’re possessed when something or someone is eating you.”

He’d met Dr. Preston Green through a friend when he decided to have his teeth straightened. That had been eighteen months of hell, but it had been worth it. He should’ve had braces as a child. Over those eighteen months of Preston torturing him, they had become friends, even though they came from vastly different backgrounds. Preston had been one of his early steps into the right circles while running his first bar.

Chester stared at the water, trying to slow his breathing. He had been pushing himself, trying to drown out the thoughts, and the doubts, and the hopes and the fears, and everything else that came with a relationship. Because that’s what it was, even if he couldn’t name what kind of relationship he had with Garrett.

“Both.” His lip curved, remembering both Monday and Tuesday night. “I’m not sure what I’m doing or why.”

“Because you want to be fucked.” Preston was always blunt, but Chester appreciated the truth.

“That’s really not hard to achieve.” He sighed and leaned against the wall of the pool. I was okay on my own. I enjoyed the space and time to myself. I wasn’t even looking. And then Bang. He walks in all dimples and smiles and disrupts everything, and he’s not even my type. He’s the opposite of everything I want.”

He felt Preston’s gaze on him. “Was Michael what you wanted or what looked good on your resume?”

“Ouch. Is that what you thought of him? Why didn’t you say something before he moved in?”

“Because you liked him, and you both seemed happy.”

---