Page 68 of The Official Problem
Cole
I’ll be ready.
Kieran pocketed the phone and followed his heart up the stairs.
THIRD PERIOD
TWENTY-FIVE
MATTHIEU
December 2023 - Buffalo
Kieran
Call me when you’re back in your room.
Matthieu flopped onto the hotel bed and turned to the depressing view of the parking lot. Snow had started falling as he left the arena. It hadn’t been forecasted, but that didn’t mean much in this part of the country. December was brutal here, not that New Jersey was much better. All he wanted was to lie on a warm beach and soak up the sun. Well, that—and Kieran, who Matthieu was horrified to realize he missed.
The snow better not fucking stick.
They’d spent some time together these last few weeks, but not enough. Late nights after grueling games. Longing glances at the gym. Quick, foolish kisses in deserted practice-facility hallways. Stolen pockets of time.
Matthieu was quickly realizing that two packed schedules and constant travel didn’t leave much time to nurture something new. Especially with hospital visits cutting into the little time he was home. He hadn’t gone as often as he could—definitely notas often as he should. He was trying, though, and Kieran had been supportive, even if it ate up most of Matthieu’s already nonexistent free time.
It would be okay. Three months ago, he hadn’t had Kieran at all. So this was an improvement—even if it felt a little hopeless.
Matthieu dragged himself up the bed to lean against the headboard and tapped the video chat icon next to Kieran’s name. Kieran had a game tonight too, but it was late enough that Matthieu knew he’d be back alone. He wouldn’t have asked for a call if he were out with the team.
“Hey, baby cakes,” Kieran said, eyes sparkling.
This was Kieran’s new thing. Now that they’d taken the next step, he seemed to need to test-drive gross pet names until one stuck. The only pet name Matthieu actually wanted was the one he’d yelled at Kieran for using at least a hundred times:Matty.
“Hard pass.”
“Yeah, knew it the second I said it,” Kieran chuckled. “I’ll figure it out. How was the game?”
“Less a game, more of a train wreck. I’m not sure Buffalo even showed up.” Toronto wiped the floor with them in their own barn. Seven-zip. “How about you?”
“Scraped the W, but not our best game. I put two away, though.”
Matthieu smirked. Only Kieran would say “not our best” after scoring twice. He was always hypercritical of his game, though he’d never admit it. Kieran might’ve been a mess off the ice, but on it? He was meticulous.
“Day off tomorrow?”
Kieran nodded, turning to grab a water bottle from the side table. The motion revealed a fresh gash, stitched tight, below his ear. Matthieu tried not to be angry at the mark. It was part of the game. Kieran’s body was a masterpiece of angry bruisesand cuts. Matthieu had fallen into the habit of cataloging them, pressing his lips to each one like the touch might heal it.
“What happened there?” Matthieu asked, nodding toward the cut.
“Caught a high stick in the third. A butterfly would’ve done, but Anthony likes to fuss. Said it would heal prettier if I let him stitch it.”
“You’re already pretty enough.”
Kieran actually blushed. The flush across Kieran’s cheekbones made Matthieu’s cock thicken. He adjusted himself as subtly as he could. He didn’t get like this over guys, not until Kieran. Sure, he got horny sometimes, but he had never fixated on one person. It had never felt this consuming. Anyone used to do. Hell, his hand usually did the job just fine. Lately, though, it was a poor imitation of the real thing.
“I miss you,” Matthieu confessed, sure he was blushing as well. He tried to layer flirt over the vulnerability in his voice. “I miss that body, too. Will you show me?”
Kieran rolled his eyes and flipped the camera, revealing a perfect set of abs. The only thing he wore was a pair of obscenely tight gray Calvins. The way the material stretched around his muscular thighs made Matthieu’s mouth water. The thick outline of Kieran’s cock strained against the fabric. Matthieu ached to dive through the screen, to press his mouth to that tension and pull him free, to feel the weight of it on his tongue.
