Page 110 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
Instead, he gathered Chase close and tried to sleep.
***
Everything was muted the next morning. He’d slept well, deeply, but the world had its sound turned low, the air filled with holes where something used to be.
Chase was already awake when Auston roused, squinty eyes on him, a smile spreading the moment their gazes met. Their pillows were squished together, their faces mere inches apart, the scent of them and bed and sleep everywhere.
“Morning,” Chase greeted softly.
“Mornin’, baby.”
Chase’s smile brightened, leaning over to kiss him on the lips, on the nose, the cheek. Auston laughed, winding an arm around Chase’s middle and pulling him in so there was nothing between them.
They rested there for a while. They had nothing to do—locker cleanup was in a few days, a horrible day filled with packing and media. Auston would be vague about retirement, announcing it via an Instagram post during the summer and only acceptinginterview requests from the media guys he liked—mostly old hockey players with podcasts.
That didn’t hang over them now, though. They could lay quietly, Auston stroking Chase’s back under the shirt, feeling all the soft skin there.
It was a blessing that Auston had things to do—he and Mark were hoping to kick things off at the same time the new school year did. The future wasn’t an empty void, an impenetrable darkness he couldn’t see through—he had something to look forward to. Something that would give his life order and shape.
Still, this was the beginning of a long off-season neither he nor Chase had thought much about.
“We should go somewhere,” Auston said, breaking the silence.
Chase stirred, blinking up at him. “For lunch?”
“No—I mean, sure, we can grab lunch somewhere. But I mean we should take a little vacation. Go to, I don’t know…Europe or something.”
Chase’s mouth formed a little ‘O.’ “Europe?” He repeated as if Auston had suggested going to Mars.
“I mean, we can stay closer if you want, but why not? We can go to France. Italy. Spain.”
“Spain has nice beaches, right?”
Auston grinned. “I didn’t know you liked the beach so much.”
“I mean, I just…we kind of got our Cancun holiday cut short, so. I liked that.”
“Hmm. A little honeymoon,” Auston suggested.
Chase’s expression opened, sweetened. “Yeah,” he said quietly.
“And then…we can go meet my family? They’re going to disown me if I don’t introduce my mate to them soon.”
Chase squirmed, shoulders up to his ears. “Theyhavemet me.”
“I don’t think a few video calls are gonna count for them.” He kissed Chase on the forehead. “They’re gonna love you, baby.”
Chase grunted, but at least he didn’t argue.
Auston rolled him onto his back suddenly, making Chase squawk, and bit his neck and collarbone playfully. Chase laughed, pretending to push Auston away even as his scent lost that acrid touch.
Auston raised up a little to look at him. “We’ll have a great summer.”
“I have to train, too,” Chase reminded him.
“Of course. You can do it in San Diego when we visit my family if you want.” He didn’t mention Chase’s mom, but her presence hung over them. She hadn’t spoken to Chase since the revelation that he was mated, and Auston knew Chase was hurt by it even though, secretly, Auston was glad the witch was out of his life.
Still. If they had to go meet her, Auston would put on his best media face and play nice with that fuckhead to make Chase happy.
