Page 91 of Broken Ice
They ended up sitting at the coffee table on those plush cushions. Beau ran his hand up and down the material. It was nice and soft.
Sammy caught him, smiling at him brightly. “They’re great for nesting. I have two in my stash,” he confided.
That was the thing that threw Beau the most about Sammy. He’d never met a hockey player that was so damn open about being an Omega. Who’d talk about it—flauntit, almost—at the drop of a hat.
Beau liked to think he was an open person, but he’d never bring up his heat in the middle of casual conversation.
Emilio, annoyingly, leaned forwards. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. You can order them online. I have the satin ones—sonice. You gotta take ’em to the dry cleaners for a heat special to clean ’em, though.”
Emilio nodded. “Can you text me the website?”
Now Beau really was getting annoyed. “What the hell for? You gonna buy him some for Christmas?”
Emilio turned to him slowly and squinted his eyes. “The hell are you talking about?”
Sammy giggled. “He’s gonna buyyousome, dummy.”
Beau’s gaze jumped between Emilio and Sammy. Emilio’s eyebrows were raised as if to say,Are you a fucking idiot?
“Oh,” Beau said, face heating. “Right. I knew that.”
Noah groaned. “I don’t wanna hear about my brother’s heats, thanks.”
Sammy smacked him. “Heats are perfectly natural. Don’t be such an Alpha.”
“Iaman Alpha,” Noah grumbled but bowed his head, chastised.
Whipped, Beau mouthed at him. Noah stuck his tongue out at him.
Dinner was fun. Beau got to catch up with his brother in person and silently commiserate about how Sammy was all starry-eyed with Emilio while the Alpha brushed off the attention.
It was still annoying to watch. Beau might have leaned on Emilio a little more than usual, scooting so that their pillows were close together. Emilio put an arm over Beau’s shoulders and kissed him on the temple, making Beau smirk at Sammy.
Sammy was completely unfazed, beaming back. “You two make such a cute couple,” he cooed.
“I know,” Beau retorted as Noah made retching sounds.
“Just so you know,” Noah said, “if you hurt him, I’m gonna cave your knees in. I’m not kidding.”
Emilio nodded. “Deal.”
Beau rolled his eyes, but Noah seemed pleased with that reaction.
It was a good night. Noah gave Emilio an approving nod by the end of it and, as annoying as it was to have hislittlebrother be so protective, it warmed his heart, too.
Emilio was melting into parts of Beau’s life he could never have expected at the beginning of the season. Filling the cracks.
Filling Beau up to the brim.
***
Beau had never gone as far into the playoffs as he did that year.
Winning the first round was a relief. Beating the competition in the second was a rush. Getting to thesemi-finals?
Jesus fucking Christ.
