Page 50 of The Marriage Policy

Maybe blushes a little.

Making Donovan happy is so fucking easy. I can’t believe no guy has ever cared enough to try before.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Donovan

“Rylan’s line isreally on fire tonight,” Eric says from his seat beside me.

“He and Stevens are always really in sync—oh shit! What the hell. Why did he hit Rylan so hard?” Hayes flips off the ice. Anthony grins and lowers Hayes’s arm.

“It’s part of the game.” Anthony snickers.

“You try and watch your boyfriend get beat up every night,” he counters.

“Um, nope. Never having one of those again, but I got your back.” Anthony raises both arms in the air and gives the other team two fingers, making us both laugh. “But at least you get to kiss him better when he’s home.”

Hayes gets hearts in his eyes, and for some reason, it makes my chest feel tight. I hate that I’ve let Malcolm make me lose my faith in love. Not that I don’t believe Hayes and Rylan are perfect for each other and in for the long haul—I absolutely do—but I just can’t imagine ever trying that again. It hurt too much the first time, and I’m still not over the terrible things said online about us, by people who didn’t know us, and had never met us. But since when does anyone give a shit about that?

Eric leans in. “Hey, what’s wrong?” It’s impossible to get anything by him.

“Nothing. I’m fine. Just thinking about Malcolm.”

It’s not often I’ve seen Eric mad, but Malcolm gets him pissed. His jaw immediately hardens, eyes narrowing. “Did something happen? I’ll—”

“Simmer down, tough guy. I love how protective you are, but everything is fine. Nothing happened.”

“It better not.” He puffs out his chest in this adorable way that probably shouldn’t be adorable because I’m a grown-ass person who doesn’t need someone to defend me. That doesn’t mean it can’t feel good when someone cares that much.

“Oh God. Rylan’s about to crash into that guy. Get him, baby!” Hayes shouts, and I can’t help smiling as I watch Rylan ram into a player from the other team. The guy still manages to get the puck to his teammate, who takes a shot on goal, but Mads’s padded hand shoots out and stops it.

We all throw our arms in the air and cheer, before Ant says, “Damn, why was that kinda hot?”

“Because it’s Kason Maddox?” I ask playfully.

“Hey, I’m hotter than him,” Eric grumbles.

Yes, yes he is, but I play it off a little sarcastically. “Of course you are, babe.” Then I lean in and kiss him—and freeze. Because my lips didn’t land on his cheek like they did pre-sex and marriage. Nope. I automatically kissed him on the mouth for the first time in public, when Eric is still figuring himself out. “Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

His nose scrunches up. “Didn’t mean what?”

“To kiss you.” When he still looks confused, I add, “In public.” Nothing in response. “When you’re not out as bi?” And, well, that was a very couple-y kiss, and we’re not a real couple. I’ll be smart to remember that.

“Oh, I don’t give a fuck about that. See?” He presses his lips to mine.

“You two are so cute,” Hayes says.

“They’re something all right,” Anthony adds, and I have a feeling he’s coming to conclusions he shouldn’t. They both are.

“We’reus,” I confirm.

“And we’re cute!” Eric beams, which isn’t going to do anything to quell their assumptions. “Oh, it’s the first intermission. I’m hungry. What do you want to eat?”

“You stay. I’ll go.” I don’t want him to have to walk around on his boot any more than he has to.

He nods. “Nachos?” we say at the same time.

“Bet.” Eric grins.

---