Page 32 of Crossed Sticks

“As serious as that worried look on your face.”

“Wait.” He turned on his signal and started braking. “Hold. The. Fuck. Up.” When we were safely in the emergency lane with the hazards flashing, he met my eyes. “You’re the new player everyone is so excited about? The guy who’s supposed to turn Buffalo hockey around? I heard about the trade, but I guess I didn’t remember your name. Holy shit. Do you know the Steamrollers play in Warrior Arena?”

“No, but I know you practice at our facility in Amherst.”

His booming laughter was contagious, and I couldn’t resist joining in. Bathed in the warm glow of the sunlight, his bronzed skin had a captivating, sensuous quality that made me ache to climb across the console and straddle him.

As our laughter faded to soft chuckles, he shook his head. “I’ve been scared shitless to tell you. Guys can be brutal about it.”

“You’re telling me. You really don’t mind? Still want to take me to the arcade?”

“Are you for real? I’m out with a guy who’s not only hot as a firecracker, but is also the biggest player the Warriors have had in years. This date is totally going down.” He paused, then lost a little of his smile. “Unless you… Are you okay with me being a jock, too?”

“Like I’d tell you to take me home?” I grinned while I trailed a finger over his hand. “Come to think of it, I might, but only to show you how you’re affecting me right now.”

He put on the smirk I remembered from the night we met. “Just give the word, and I’ll turn this baby around. What do you say for now? On to Cheektowaga?”

“You bet.” He nodded, and on a lark, I held out a hand. “I’m Harper Blanton, for the record.”

“Luca Moretti.” He looked into my eyes while we shook. His smile was a weapon of mass seduction, and I could only imagine the effect he had on fans.

When I caught my breath, I winked. “This is a slick ride, Moretti. Want to show me what it can do?”

“Wait—you were a Barracuda? You stayed with a guy named Nick in D.C. Was that NickJohnson?”

“Yeah, with him and his husband, Jacob.”

“Fucking hell.” He chuckled. “I can’t tell you how many Barracudas games I’ve watched. I must have seen you play, too.”

“Probably.”

“Too bad those padded shorts hid your ass, or I’d have been jerking off to a hockey game.”

We laughed again as he pulled onto the highway, and while he drove, we learned some interesting facts about each other. He was a year older than me. We’d both gone to great schools; Luca had been the starting goalie at Marlowe, and I was the team captain at Mohegan. In one of those stranger-than-fiction things, Marlowe had originally recruited me to play hockey there, and Luca was a day away from committing to Mohegan when Marlowe made him a better offer. We’d also both represented the U.S. in international competitions—him in the World Lacrosse Box Championship, me in the Ice Hockey World Juniors. My stomach relaxed. Since we were both athletes, whatever was happening between us just might work.

A wave of sound and flashing lights hit me as we stepped through the sliding doors of Gameopolis. It was enormous, easily the biggest arcade I’d ever seen. Hundreds of games beckoned with their glowing displays and sound effects. Beyond the video games were air hockey and ping-pong tables, virtual reality pods, and pinball machines. A room for board games offered a quieter time, while the distant thump of bowling balls and faint glow of laser tag offered more fun than anyone could have in an entire day.

I looked around in amazement while we decided where to start. “How the hell did I not know about this place when I was at Mohegan?”

“It may not have been here.” Luca placed a hand on my back. “It was still new when I moved to Buffalo.”

“That must be it. We used to come up here a lot, and I know we’d have been all over this place.”

The scent of Luca’s leathery cologne intensified as he stepped closer. “Why don’t we start with some video games? Tonight’s my treat, and we’ll do anything you want.”

“You don’t have to do that. I can pay.”

He shook his head. “This was my idea, so I insist. Let me show you how happy I am to be with you.”

Emotion welled up, forming a lump in my throat. Guys didn’t do things like this for me. On the road, my teammates and I took turns picking up the tab, but that was different—practical and convenient. Luca’s offer made me feel more special than I had for years, so I swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you. I’ll get it next time, though.”

Luca was too much fun for me to stay emotional. We moved from game to game, giving each other shit and laughing our asses off as we took turns celebrating victories. It was obvious we’d both spent a lot of time playing electronic games, and we were both competitive as hell. It was like playing with my teammates, but better. This was Luca, and his wide smiles and contagious laughter swept me away into our own private world.

We spent a lot of time lost in each other’s eyes. Acting like kids at a carnival was one thing, but there was nothing childlike about Luca’s lingering gazes or the arousal building inside me.

We were thrilled to find the arcade hadKnights of the Round. He let me pick my character first, and I chose Lancelot. The glow of the monitor bathed Luca’s face in light as his fingers danced across the controls. He was a natural, racking up an incredible number of points, his Arthur a whirlwind of sword slashes and fancy footwork.

Once, when he misjudged a lunge, I saved him with a quick jumping kick and nudged him with my shoulder. “Don’t get too cocky, lax boy. Without Arthur, we’re dead.”

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