Page 58 of The Long Game

“Leafs and Jays all the way, baby!” Colton crowed.

Grady patted Jack’s shoulder consolingly. “The Yankees aren’t even playing today.” Because yes, Grady had checked.

Colton’s lip curled with disgust. “You’re a New York fan?”

“Andhe loves the Habs,” Grady said, gleefully tossing Jack under the bus.

Colton eyed Jack with extreme prejudice. “Who hurt you?”

“You’re both fromCalgary,” Jack pointed out with great exasperation. “Why are you devoted to the evil empire and not the Flames? Or even the Oilers? Where’s your Alberta pride?”

“TheOilers?” Colton shuddered. “Gross.”

Jack opened his mouth, probably to launch into a rant about the epic inferiority of all teams from Toronto, when Grady cut him off at the pass.

“Shall we eat?”

Jack harrumphed but let it go. “Where should we sit?”

Grady shrugged. “The couch, I guess.” He mostly ate takeout there or standing at the large island that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment. The space looked bare without any appliances on the counters and he regretted never having purchased stools for the breakfast bar. “I don’t cook,” he offered lamely.

Jack looked intrigued, then opened the closest cabinet door. He stared at its contents—or lack thereof.

In hindsight, Grady wished he’d hidden the Lucky Charms.

Jack smirked at Grady over his shoulder.

“What?” he asked defensively.

Jack opened a drawer next and discovered Grady’s single wooden spoon, his one spatula, and four rubber bands.

“Oh my god,” Jack breathed. “Thisisthe ultimatebachelor pad.”

“It’s notthatbad.”

“How did I not know you were such a bro?”

“A what?” Grady asked over Colton’s delighted laughter. “I’m not abro.”

“The only things in your cabinets are sugar cereal and a box of Rice-a-Roni that expired when Colton was eight.”

“God, it’s not that old, is it?” Grady asked, reaching for it.

Jack bit his lip, obviously trying not to laugh. When he zeroed in on the refrigerator, eyes narrowing, Grady backed toward the appliance, his arms spread protectively.

“Whatcha got in there, Grady?”

“Nothing.”

A devilish smile lit up Jack’s face and Grady was doomed, his knees weakening. Fucking hell, that smile waslethal. Then the goddamn crow’s feet popped.

Grady clutched the counter for support.

When Jack moved to open the fridge, Grady leaned back on the door and crossed his arms over his chest, daring him to try. Jack pursed his lips and ran a long, considering look down the length of Grady’s body, then took an even slower route back up. Grady gulped, his brain going to static, totally unprepared when Jack crashed into him. Grady scrambled for purchase on the tile floor, refusing to be pulled away and plastering himself to the appliance.

Grinning, Jack changed tactics, pinning him there from knee to sternum.

Grady hadn’t known a religious experience could include an awkward spontaneous erection, but here he was. Thankfully, Jack was too busy trying to pry Grady’s hand loose to notice how his hip was rubbing Grady’s very happy dick with every twist and jerk.

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