Page 64 of Trade Deadline

“At the end of the day, we’re still normal guys. Yeah, we’ve all got massive fucking egos like every other professional athlete on the planet, but we still have feelings. We still have trauma we’re dealing with; we just have to do it behind closed doors because society has made us feel like we’ve gotta be tough off the ice, too. A lot of us play into the narrative by letting the world believe we’re these cocky, arrogant assholes, but in reality, we can be awkward as fuck. We devote so much of our lives to the sport that sometimes we struggle off of the ice, and they’re not kidding when they say hockey players are weird.” He taps his temple with his finger, a shy smile playing across his lips. “We’re weird up here too.”

I swallow the lump in my throat that’s formed from his sad admission. Slipping out of the booth, I sit next to him and take his face in my hands. The soft stubble grazes the palm of my hand as I lean in and press my lips to his in a tender kiss.

His hand curves around my neck and his tongue runs across the seam of my lips, sliding into my mouth. The kiss is gentle, unhurried, and I melt into the moment. When we part, I rest my forehead against his and give him a small smile. “I’m sorry for thinking negatively of you.”

Blaine holds my face in his hands. “I don’t really care about what the rest of the world thinks of me, but I want you to see the real me. I did hook up a lot; my headcount is higher than I’d like to admit, but it was more because I didn’t think I was worthy of anything else. You make me want to be better.”

“You are worthy, Blaine. You are so worthy.”

Nineteen

Blaine

The packetsof pasta shells are mocking me. I know they are because I feel so out of my depth it’s unreal.

Me? Cook? It’s a disaster waiting to happen, it’s a miracle if I don’t burn toast, let alone manage to cook a full meal. I once managed to set the fire alarm off at the practice facility when I attempted to toast a bagel.

But I want to do something to help Alex. Hearing his heart breaking story earlier had my mind racing of ways I could help, especially knowing he wouldn’t take any money. My mom always told me that sometimes, a heartfelt gesture can mean the world to someone, so I wanted to do just that.

Except now I’m wondering what the hell I’m gonna cook without setting both Alex’s kitchen on fire and potentially making him sick.

I scan the aisles in the supermarket, wondering if there is something easy but fulfilling I can whip up for Alex and his brother, but the longer I stare aimlessly at the rows of food, the more nervous I get.

“Maybe I should just order a takeout.” I say to myself.

And great, I’m now talking to myself in the middle of Whole Foods.

I look down at the sad bottle of wine in my basket and sigh. Maybe a takeout will be the best option. Admitting defeat, I pay for the bottle of wine and head back to my car, ramping up the heat as a cold shudder takes over my body. Winter in Chicago is brutal for my Californian roots.

I scroll through the various options on GrubHub and settle on a Chinese takeout me and the boys often order from and order a mix of dishes: noodles, rice, dim sum, a few different chicken and beef dishes, a couple of sides and a soup for Jacob. Once I’ve set the delivery to Alex’s address, I drive to his house and park down the street.

Alex opens the door with a bright smile on his face, and my heart somersaults in my chest. Seeing him smile doesn’t get old. I still feel that same warm fuzzy feeling in my chest every single time.

“Hey,” he greets me with a kiss before stepping aside to allow me in.

“Hey, beautiful.” I grin when his cheeks flush.

I toe off my sneakers while Alex takes my coat to hang up, and when he turns around, I wrap my arms around his waist and bring him close to me and claim his lips with mine. He sags against me, his warm, soft hands cradling my face.

Pressing a kiss to his nose, I rest my forehead against his and lose myself into those bright blue eyes. “How’s your day been?”

“It’s been good. This really hot guy came to help me out today.”

“Oh, yeah? How hot are we talking?”

“Super hot. Like I’m surprised the room doesn’t go up in flames because he’sthathot.” His eyes sparkle with mischief.

“Well, baby” I begin, taking his hand in mine and lacing our fingers together, “you’re so hot, you’d make the devil sweat.”

His blush travels up from his neck to the tips of his ears as he ducks his chin against his chest. I place a finger under his chin and lift his head to face me again, “honestly, you’re that hot I’d walk into traffic if you were on the other side of the street.”

Pressing another kiss to his lips, I hold up the wine. “I thought I’d cook but then remembered I suck at cooking so I’ve ordered a takeout which should be here in forty minutes. I ordered Jacob a chicken noodle soup, is that okay?”

Alex’s eyes soften. “That’s really kind of you, thank you.” He then glances around, chewing nervously on the inside of his cheek. “I’m… I’m sorry about the state of the house. We haven’t been able to decorate since my grandparents passed, it’s kinda dated.”

I take in the decor for the first time, having not even noticed when I walked in because all I could see was Alex. Yeah, it’s a little dated. Cream walls, rich mahogany wood, and a lot of floral patterns. It’s definitely not the kind of decor you’d associate with two guys in their twenties, but I’m not one to judge.

I’m about to open my mouth to offer to help with getting it redecorated when his finger lands on my parted lips.

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