Page 68 of Broken Ice
“Get showered and dressed, then. I’ve gotten you out of doing press.”
Beau beamed, slapping Pavel on the back. “Thanks, Cap.”
He rushed through his cooldown and clean-up, putting on some comfortable clothes instead of his suit. He found Emilio with one of the medics, but they seemed to have wrapped up.
“Hey,” Beau said, breathless from hurrying there. “You okay? They said it was your shoulder? Does it hurt? Did they give you something? Do you need—”
“Beau.” Emilio cut him off, a tilted smile on his face. “I’m fine. Strained a muscle. Just gotta rest it for a few days.”
Relief rushed through Beau at hearing it from Emilio. “Okay, good. I’ll drive you home, yeah?”
“Sounds good.”
Beau couldn’t quite keep himself from hovering when they made it home. He knew Emilio was fine—a little sore, but nothing unusual for a hockey player. Beau couldn’t help the restless energy that had taken over him, though, like there was something he was supposed to do and was forgetting.
“Go to the couch. I’ll make some food,” he ordered as Bingo jumped on them, having already received hello kisses.
“I don’t have much of an appetite, honestly,” Emilio said, disobeying Beau completely and heading to the kitchen.
“Excuse me,” Beau protested, re-directing him to the living room. “Sit your goddamn ass down.”
Emilio huffed but did as he was asked, Bingo jumping up next to him and demanding head scratches by sticking his nose in Emilio’s face.
“I’ll make you a smoothie. Don’t fucking argue.”
“Wasn’t gonna,” Emilio retorted.
Beau ignored the sassy tone and got everything ready in the kitchen. He’d been to Emilio’s enough times to know where everything was, a lot of the ingredients pre-measured out and kept in the freezer.
He handed Emilio the finished product, watching suspiciously as he sipped it. “Drink it all,” Beau insisted.
Emilio rolled his eyes, taking a deeper gulp. Beau nodded approvingly and then wandered off to get something to make Emilio more comfortable.
He ended up in the linen closet, pulling out some blankets and pillows even though it wasn’t cold outside. He stuffed themaround Emilio and Bingo, the dog lapping at Beau’s hands approvingly, so at leastsomeoneappreciated his efforts.
Beau ended up doing the same to Emilio’s bed. It was only belatedly that he realised he was building nests all over the damn place, face heating as he stared at Emilio’s mattress, nest all cosy and shaped for two.
Beau slinked into the living room. Yep, that was definitely a nest on the couch. As if Beau were taking care of his mate or something.
Emilio didn’t appear to mind, cuddled up with Bingo and melted into the soft materials, eyes drooping.
“You wanna go to bed?” Beau offered.
Emilio glanced up, eyes clearing from sleep. “Not yet. You leaving?”
Beau chewed on his lip. “I mean…I can if you want.”
There was a pause, and then Emilio patted the spot beside him, conveniently free of blankets and pillows, almost like Beau had planned for two people to be in the nest instead of just one.
Beau didn’t question it, getting on the couch and pressing into Emilio’s left side, humming contently as the Alpha’s arm came around him.
“You okay?” Beau whispered.
“Yeah.” Emilio buried his nose in Beau’s curls, scenting him.
Beau tilted back slightly, baring his neck, and something inside him settled as Emilio took the offering readily, sliding his cheek and nose up and down the sensitive skin.
Beau did the same to Emilio, spreading his scent on the Alpha. He knew they’d have to wash it off in the morning, but for now, he let himself live in a world where Emilio was his completely, and sharing scents as a form of comfort in such an intimate way was something they could do without reservation.
