Page 77 of Game On

“Oh.” The tension bled out of Dorian’s shoulders. “That sounds really cool, Addy.”

“Yeah?” Her own posture softened at the nickname—or maybe at Dorian’s support. “Thanks. Anyway, the grand opening’s not until the end of June, so you don’t have to decide right this second.”

“I want to go,” Jamie said. “Can I bring my sisters?”

She brightened. “Yes, please.”

“What do you say, Dori?” Jamie settled himself next to him. “We can go to the opening, hang out in Toronto for a few days, maybe visit Niagara Falls. Then you can come to Charlotte with me and help me pack and sell my house.”

Dorian made a pfft sound. “You assume I want to help you move.”

“We both know you don’t want to be away from me.”

“Do you not live here?” Adriana asked.

“I do. Temporarily. I recently got traded here from Charlotte. I’m a hockey player.”

“Charlotte has an NHL team?”

“No. It has an AHL team.”

Her smile was sheepish. “Sorry. I don’t know anything about hockey. Anyway.” She rose off the barstool. “I’ll get out of your hair so you can get to brunch.”

Dorian straightened and shoved his hands in his back pockets. “Aren’t you coming?”

“God, no, I’m wiped. I had an early flight and I’ve been up since two a.m. Besides, I’m seeing most of the family later this week. I’m going to drive over to my hotel and see about getting my room reservation back.”

Jamie planted his elbow in Dorian’s side.

Dorian grunted. “You can stay here,” he said grudgingly. “I guess.”

She bit her lip. “Really? That’d be so helpful. Save me thirteen hundred bucks in hotel costs. And I promise...” She mimed zipping her lips. “You won’t even know I’m here.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” Dorian muttered.

“I’ll go get my suitcase from the car.”

“I can do that,” Jamie said, because he was a gentleman, even if Dorian wasn’t, and it was clear—at least to him—that whatever had happened between them in the past, Adriana was trying now. “Hand me your keys and Dorian can show you downstairs.”

Dorian’s glare seemed almost artificial, as though he was putting it on because he felt like he had to. “No blow job for you later,” he said quietly while Adriana dug into her purse.

“Pretty sure my dick’s still recovering from last night, anyway.”

Dorian snorted a laugh.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sitting on the bus on the way to the hotel after a close game against Manitoba that the Orcas had eventually won by one goal, Jamie squinted against the bright light of his phone and browsed apartment listings. Next to him, Brawsiski was texting with Charlie as the bus bumped along the highway, and the rest of the guys were in various states of decompression: listening to music, watching videos on their phones, having conversations with family back home, or chatting quietly with each other.

Jamie exited the website and opened a new one. Rental prices hadn’t gone down since he’d last looked—not a surprise. And he didn’t want to sell his house in Charlotte and waste all that money on rent within a few years of living in Vancouver.

The housing market here was seriously terrible. No wonder so many of his teammates lived together, especially the younger guys. He’d considered buying—he’d have a tidy sum after selling his house—but according to his research, a person needed to make an income in the six figures to purchase an average-priced home in Canada with a twenty percent down payment. The problems were that Vancouver’s homes weren’t average price and that his chances of making six figures in the AHL were about as likely as Dorian sitting down for a serious and overdue conversation with his sister.

And he couldn’t live with Dorian forever. Didn’t want to. Not yet. Sure, it was handy right now and Jamie loved being able to crawl into Dorian’s bed at the end of the day or lure him into it for a little midafternoon nookie. But everything was new and fresh and fun between them. Eventually, they’d settle into their relationship, whatever that would look like. And as two men who led independent lives, it would take time to blend them together. Jamie didn’t want to force that and rush things by overstaying his welcome at Dorian’s. Better to give themselves the space to figure out who they were as a couple before living together permanently.

“Find anything you like?” Brawsiski leaned over and peered at his phone screen.

“Lots.” Jamie sighed. “But none of it’s in my budget.”

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