Page 4 of Goaltender Interference

They tingled when he thought about that kiss by the shore.

It had only lasted a minute or so, a sizzling touch of lips and tongue that had left Connor more confused than ever. He’d been sure that a kiss with some guy he didn’t even like would get the whole thing out of his system. It wouldprovethat he wasn’t actually bi.

Unfortunately, it had done no such thing.

So, like a coward, he’d run. He’d pushed Webber away and hightailed it to the line of hired cars on call for the evening, silently apologizing to his brother for not staying until the end of the reception.

Not that Kelly was likely to notice, too immersed in his little bubble of happiness.

The tap of Connor’s dress shoes echoed a little in the marble emptiness of the lobby. He glanced between the elevators and the hotel bar for a moment before turning toward the bar. Alcohol wouldn’t solve all of life’s problems but, sometimes, a man needed a little time alone with a bottle of whiskey to make sense of things.

Connor took a seat at the nearly deserted bar, ordered a drink, and when the bartender served it, said, “you can keep ’em coming.”

The man raised an eyebrow.

Connor sighed. “My little brother got married today and I’m fresh off a divorce and need to drown my sorrows.”

Nodding, the barkeep set the bottle beside Connor’s elbow. “Are you a guest here?”

Connor nodded. “Yeah. Are you gonna charge it to the room?”

“Yep. Plus, that way I can pour you into the correct bed later if necessary.”

“Thanks, man.” Grateful, Connor nodded, fishing out the key card sleeve to show him the number.

After that, the guy left Connor in peace to think about how it had felt to have Jesse’s body pressed against his.

Connor’s head and stomach swooped dizzyingly and it wasn’t from the drinks. It hadn’t been then and it wasn’t now.

He’dlikedit.

Whether Connor was ready to admit it to anyone else or not, he’d kissed a man and he hadn’t stopped because he’d hated it. He’d stopped because it had feltright.

And that wasn’t to say that he hadn’t loved or desired Viv, he fucking had. Whatever their issues, however frustrated he’d been by their marriage, he was attracted to women. He had been before he met Viv and he still was.

But this kiss with Jesse had ripped away the last doubt he had about if kissing a man would feel good.

If he really was … bi.

Connor refilled his glass, imagining what would have happened if he’d let the kiss continue. Would Jesse have invited him back to his hotel room? Or would he have dropped to his knees right there and sucked Connor’s dick out in the open, with the wind coming off the water and the lights of Chicago glowing behind the tent?

Connor shifted on the barstool, a sizzle of heat going through him at the thought. He’d never been the type to want to do anything risky like that but he’d felt not at all like himself earlier.

Or maybe itwashim? He wasn’t so sure who he was anymore.

A few years ago, he’d been a supposedly straight married man and now he was sitting in a hotel bar thinking about a guy sucking him off.

He dragged his hand across his suddenly warm face, then glanced into the lobby, watching one of Anders’ Swedish cousins and her husband walk past, hand-in-hand. Another couple he didn’t recognize followed, gazing at each other adoringly.

That stupid fucking ache of loneliness and frustration swirled through him again as he glanced back at his glass. It was empty, so he refilled it from the bottle and resumed his slow, steady drinking.

A glass of water appeared in front of him, courtesy of the helpful bartender, and Connor let his gaze linger as he stepped away to mop at the bar.

Hmm, the guy wasn’t bad looking and he had mentioned getting Connor to bed …

Clearly the bartender noticed the attention, because he shot Connor an amused look, then held up his hand to show off his wedding ring.

Cheeks going hot, Connor looked away. He’d never had anyone clock him like that. Except maybe Webber …

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