Page 134 of Perfect Storm
“God, howcanI?” Aidan asked, the question torn from the heart of him. It terrified him, standing in front of the guy and putting everything on the line for a second time.
“It’s scary as shit. No question. But you know what, bro?” Riley asked. But before Aidan could answer, Riley kept going. “You’re Aidan fucking Flynn. You’ve got two rings. You’re probably gonna win another one, despite my best efforts trying to beat you. You’re one of the best, if notthebest quarterback in the NFL. Nobody can stop you when you want something. Not evenyou.”
Aidan sucked in a long breath and then let it out, feeling suddenly perilously close to . . .well,tears.He didn’t know what he’d ever done to deserve Riley’s faith and loyalty in him—God knew he’d actually done a lot of things that proved the opposite—but he wasn’t ever going to turn them down.
“You got this,” Riley said quietly.
Aidan cleared his throat. He was nearly to his building. Levi would be waiting for him upstairs. He might not be able to do it tonight, but maybe in the next few days? He’d need to work up the nerve. Find the right scenario. Moretti’s wasn’t the right date-night vibe, not for a love confession, but there were lots of places he could take Levi. Even during a week that was full of game preparation, like this week. He’dmakethe time, damnit.
Riley was right. He was Aidan fucking Flynn, and he was going to get his man.
“Thanks, bro,” Aidan said. “God, I mean it. I know I was shitty to you—”
“No,” Riley said firmly. “I mean, yeah, you were definitely overprotective, and you overstepped one time or ten—”
“Or a hundred,” Aidan corrected.
Riley laughed. “Or a hundred. But you listened, when I told you how I felt about it. And you haven’t, not a single moment since. Been scrupulous about it. Maybe eventooscrupulous, if I’m being honest. So don’t say you were shitty. You made it possible for me to have this life, this career, even my guy. ’Cause you were right about so many things. It’s tough to be a quarterback in the NFL. I’m only tough enough because you made sure I was.”
“Did my best,” Aidan said, throat clenching tight.
“Didthebest,” Riley said quietly. “Keep me posted, okay?”
“Okay,” Aidan said.
“And you’ll tell Landry, right?”
Aidan choked out a laugh. “You promise he’s not gonna hit me in the face?”
“Didyouhit him in the face when we got together?”
“Thought about it—but no. I was happy for you. Knew you deserved someone good. Someone like him.”
“Exactly.” Riley sounded smug now. “You think he’s gonna feel any different?”
Aidan really hoped not.
“There you go,” Riley said after Aidan was quiet. “Now I gotta go. He’s gonna get suspicious, and youwillbe the one telling him. Not me, okay?”
“Okay,” Aidan promised.
Aidan parked the car after he’d hung up with Riley. Grabbed his bag and headed up in the elevator to his condo.
He told himself firmly during the ride that he was not going to see Levi and immediately be tempted to confess.
He was going to take his time. Formulate his approach. Time it right. The way he approached game prep, or when he was on the field and he took that extra half second to make sure the play unfolded exactly the way it needed to.
But then he walked into the condo and there Levi was on the couch, shirt off and the shortest shorts known to man clinging to his thighs.Neon pinkfucking shorts.
Levi grinned at him. “Hey, bro,” he said.
Riley had just called him bro like half a dozen times and it had never done anything to his insides, but Levi did it, and Aidan wanted to drop to his knees and press his mouth to all that inner thigh that was currently showing.
But he couldn’t. Hecouldn’t. Not until he told Levi everything. Not until he told Levi what he really wanted.
“Thought you’d . . .uh . . .be in bed.”In my bed.
“That’s where you want me, huh?” Levi teased. He patted the couch next to him.Rightnext to him. “Come here, babe.”
