Page 139 of Honeysuckle
“You’re in public, boys.” Silas cleared his throat.
I pulled back from Josh but kept my hands around his face as I looked around. His forehead pressed against my jaw as I took in everyone staring at us. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment under their attention. Josh laughed, straightened out, and took his seat as I waved and offered one more thank you before sinking into mine.
Josh’s hand found mine under the table, his touch gentle and familiar. I looked over at him one more time as the next award was handed out, everyone having turned their focus back to the stage. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he turned to look at me with a smile on his face. “I’m proud of you,” Josh said after a moment of staring and only loud enough for me to hear.
I was proud of both of us, tonight had the potential to be a disaster. Proud that I had found the courage to sit here next to the man I loved, to show the world that love without hiding. I found my person, and Cael was right, all that time I just wanted someone to share these moments with. Now that I had it, it felt surreal.
But I was also proud of Josh, he had every reason to fall apart the last few months. He had gone through the ringer more than once, and instead of crumbling into dust and letting the wind take him. He grew harder, he was starting to understand himself, and all of the emotions that made him up.
The Joshua Logan that had climbed onto the bus for spring camp was angry, it had been all he knew and all he wanted to know, but… The Josh that sat in front of me, smiling like an idiot under the twinkling lights, was so much more.
I wanted to kiss him again so badly that my body was leaning toward him without conscious thought. I stayed there, as close as I could, while we ate and the band started back up. Josh never complained for more space or grumbled that I needed the contact; he just ate in silence while the table talked, the awards were handed out, and the music blared.
I turned in my chair as a swarm of players flooded the dance floor—already drunk, ready to party, grinning like idiots. Josh leaned into my back, head resting on my shoulder, eyes closed as his hand found the back of my hair.
We sat like that for a long, calm moment, watching our friends dance and enjoy the night. For the first time in my entire life I felt free. There was no judgement around us and everytime my mother attempted to cross the field and speak with me, she was intercepted by a player or Coach, shutting her down with conversation or directing her attention elsewhere.
Josh huffed with pleasure every single time it happened, and the sound of his content was like a warm blanket around me.
“I’m done here. I want ice cream,” he said as slower music vibrated through the stadium. “Take me back to the Nest?”
I turned to look at him, our noses brushing from how close we were. A smile crept onto my face. “The Nest?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Take me home, Tuck.”
His brown eyes were soft, and the smile on his face was lazily curled to the side as he admired me in the dim lighting.
“Alright, alright—you don’t have to beg,” I teased, rising from my chair. I looked down at the award and then over at Silas. “Put this in the display case, it doesn’t belong to me.” I chucked it at him and he barely caught it.
“You’re finally starting to sound like a captain.” Silas nodded, cradling it in his palm.
“Yeah, well, I’m starting to feel like one,” I said, slipping my hand into Josh’s as he stood.
I pushed open the back door of the Nest for him, and he brushed past me into the kitchen. I tossed my jacket on the counter and popped open the freezer with my foot before reaching inside for the tub of vanilla ice cream.
Josh undid the top buttons of his dress shirt, stretching his neck as I tossed the tub onto the counter.
“I got it,” he said, nudging me out of the way as I reached for the junk cupboard. I grabbed two spoons as he dumped half the container of sprinkles straight into the ice cream. I laughed while handing him a spoon. “You deserved extra today,” he said with a shrug.
“Yeah, so did you,” I said, stuffing a massive spoonful into my mouth.
“You know, I don’t think I told you how handsome you looked tonight,” Josh said, his eyes on the ice cream.
“Kind of rude of you,” I hummed, taking another spoon.
“I have a reputation to uphold, Tuck.” He hid his amused smile with another bite.
“God forbid someone finds out you’re a massive softie for complimenting your boyfriend,” I teased.
“I don’t think I can spare even one after I kissed you in front of a room of teammates and strangers.” He swallowed, and the corners of his lips turned upward.
“Oh, you met your quota?” I laughed, dropping the spoon in the middle of the tub and leaning back against the counter with my arms crossed.
“Yeah, once a week… if that…” Josh looked up at me, pulling the tub closer to him while he rested on his elbows.
“I hate you,” I hummed.
“Do you?” Josh asked, his tone light and playful as I turned back to his treat. “Or do you just need to be on your knees to admit you don’t?”
