Page 23 of The Puck Daddy

Chapter 10

Not that I’m really entertaining this whole fake idea. Am I?

Theo

“Felix!” Adrian hisses, kicking his brother under the table. The two siblings have practically been playing footsie all night. Adrian doesn’t seem to know that because my leg is pressed against his, I can feel whenever the brothers kick one another. Quite honestly, the whole thing is sweet and kind of adorable.

“Oh, come on! This is perfect.” Felix leans forward and ignores his brother, making eye contact with me. I can’t believe I didn’t see the resemblance between the two of them, but now thatthey’re both in front of me, I can see that they both have a sassy, mischievous side to them. He glances back at his brother. “Think about it, Aid. You need someone to help you clean up your image, so you don’t look like the player—”

“I’m not a player. You, of all people, know I haven’t been sleeping around. And I won’t date anyone unless they have the potential to be my Da—” Adrian stops talking, eyes wide. He snaps his head toward me.

I’m leaning forward, almost desperate to hear him finish that sentence.

“I won’t date anyone unless they have the potential to be my boyfriend.”

“Jeez, Aid. I know that. I was going to say that you need someone to help you clean your image, so you don’t look like the player the media has made you out to be.”

Is it crazy that I’m happy to hear all the rumors I’ve heard about Adrian over the last few years aren’t true? I shake my head, pushing those thoughts away and focusing on what the two brothers are talking about. “And how would dating me help?”

“Fake dating,” Felix corrects.

Right. It wouldn’t be real. But damn, what if it could be? Not that I’m really entertaining this whole fake idea.

“You could…” Felix trails off when Adrian places a hand over his brother’s forearm.

“I got this, Fe.” Adrian faces me. “Not only would it help me look like I’m in a committed relationship with one person, but it would also give me an excuse not to be seen at so many parties.”

I shake my head again. “And why do you need an excuse to not be seen at these parties? Just don’t go.”

“It’s not that easy. Most of the hockey team lives at Delfy House with me. I don’t have my own place, and everyone will just knock on my door all night if I don’t show up.”

A sense of unease settles in my stomach. I’ve heard that Delfy House has gotten even crazier throughout the years, but this year has been out of control. If Adrian is living there, I doubt he’s getting much sleep during the weekends.

Felix is giving me this pleading look while Adrian just seems tired and defeated. I want to wrap Adrian up in my arms and tell him I’ll help, but the fake bit is what’s stopping me. I like Adrian. A lot. And if it’s fake, does that mean it can’t be real? Does this mean he’ll hook up with others in the privacy of his room, but go out with me in public? Because I don’t think I can handle that.

If I’m around this boy as often as I hope to be, I will want to cherish him. I’ll want to take care of him and make him mine. I’ll want to spoil him so much that everyone around us will know I’ve put a claim on his heart.

Then, of course, there’s the fact I haven’t come out to the public. I want to be out of the closet, so that isn’t a big issue anymore. I don’t care who knows, but at the very least, I’ll have to tell my mother. Mom is in quite a few circles, and there’s no way she wouldn’t hear about her son dating one of the local celebrities. Brynn, California, is a college town, and they worship the hockey team.

“I’ll have to think about it,” I finally reply.

Adrian’s shoulders sag. “Forget about it. It was a dumb idea.”

Without thinking, I tip his chin up to meet his pretty blue-gray eyes. I’m at an awkward angle, sitting so close to him in the booth, but I need him to look me in the eye. “I said I’ll think about it.” I don’t mean to use my Daddy voice, but I totally do.

I’m vaguely aware of the loud gasp that comes from Felix as he stares at us.

Adrian’s pupils darken, and his lips part. We stay like that for a moment before he finally swallows and nods. “Okay,” he says in a shaky voice before giving me a shy smile. “I need to go to the restroom. Mind if I get by?”

I study him for a moment, hoping I didn’t cross some invisible line or make him feel uncomfortable. Dropping my hand from his chin, I slide out of the booth and stand. When Adrian gets out of the booth, his fingers purposely trace over my hand, causing my heart to skip.

“I’ll be right back,” he says. “You two don’t go anywhere.”

As soon as Adrian is out of sight, Felix snaps his fingers. “Oh my gosh! Now I know why you look so familiar! You’re the new Daddy I saw at Clutch.”

My eyes widen with shock. Adrian’s little brother goes to the local kink club?

I search my memory, trying to place Felix at the club. For some reason, my brain is screaminglittle, but I still can’t remember actually seeing him there. That’s when something else dawns on me. If Felix is in the kink community, does that mean Adrian is too? Or at the very least, would he be open to it? A little flicker of hope ignites in my chest.

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