Page 101 of Shiver
But the wonder on his face makes me remember that he’s had very little adventure in his life. He appreciates everything as if he’s a child and seeing the big world for the first time.
It reminds me that his parents gave him hockey and then basically sent him into the world on his own. They didn’t even make the trip to Arizona for his college graduation. It didn’t seem to bother him, but it did me. My family came, which I could see meant the world to him. Adak even made the trip out to support him. He knows what family means through me and mine. And I’ll always make sure he does.
We haven’t visited his parents. He hasn’t told them we’re married. I was in the room sitting across from him when he video chatted with them to share the news of his job. They were supportive, but I could hear the passive aggressive remarks about how they’re disappointed that he didn’t go pro. They don’t say anything outright, but use subtle remarks that poke and prod at Egon.
And then his father asked him when he was going to settle down with a nice girl. Egon froze, his eyes going wide. It took everything in me not to jump across the room and shut the laptop and take him into my arms.
But I let him handle it. Especially when his eyes flickered to mine and his jaw tensed. He didn’t want to deal with them. He wanted to pretend he had supportive parents, even if it was entirely pretend.
So he said that right now, moving to a brand new city where he knew no one wasn’t exactly the best time to begin a relationship. Besides, he’d have to actually meet someone first.
The call ended shortly after that.
We pull into the hotel parking lot and Egon turns to me. “Thanks for bringing us here.”
I shake my head as I turn the car off. Pulling him to me over the console by his arm, I kiss him. “I’ll bring you anywhere, Egon. All you have to do is give me some vague notion that you’re even remotely interested.”
He grins and kisses me. “I know,” he whispers. “As long as you always come with me.”
Unsurprisingly, he has a fear of being abandoned. One that I know I had a big part in. I make sure he understands every single day that I will never be away from him. Ever. It’s simply not an option. We will be one of those couples who are attached at the hip. Maybe we’ll even dress alike when we’re old.
“Come on,” I tell him, pushing him gently to the door.
We’re the first ones at the bar in the hotel and we snag a table at the side. It’s low set and surrounded by chairs designed for comfort as opposed to eating. The lighting is low with a couple candles, for ambiance. For right now, it’s quiet.
The waitress brings us menus, giving Egon doe eyes and fluttering her lashes. My husband is completely oblivious, his gaze watching me. I can’t help the smile.
Adak joins us before the visiting team arrives back to their hotel and we spend some time catching up. He asks Egon about his job and Egon’s only too happy to carry the conversation for a minute.
There’s no hiding when the Buffalo team shows up. They’re loud as they invade the bar. Caulder finds us immediately and I watch him hug my husband tightly.
“I’m so happy you could come,” Caulder says as Egon gives him his seat and squishes into mine with me. “I haven’t seen anyone from college. Hart passed through, but I was at an away game.”
“I’ll come as often as I can,” Egon says. “It was so fucking awesome to see my teammate play in the NHL.”
Caulder grins. “It’s exhausting,” he says, laughing. “Seriously, I swear I do nothing but sleep.”
“Your skills have improved impressively,” Adak says, making Caulder grin. “Now that you have an entire team of athletes at your level, you’ve been able to flourish.”
Caulder beams at him. “Thanks, Coach. Don’t get me wrong; I fucking love this. But man, you’re not really prepared for what the pros throw at you. It’s a huge change.”
Adak nods and for a while, I sit and listen to the three of them talk hockey. Egon is right in his element, talking pros and tips and rehashing other games. They talk a bit about Egon’s job again and I love to see him come to life. We eat and stay until the bar closes, though none of us drink anything.
I hug my uncle when he stands to leave. “I love seeing how happy you are, son,” he murmurs in my ear. “The way you look at him…”
Though I roll my eyes, I can’t fight the smile. “He’s… mine.” There have never been words to describe what this man is to me. I doubt I’d ever find any.
Adak kisses my cheek before hugging Egon and Caulder. Then the three of us head upstairs. Caulder gets off on the eighth floor, but we head to the top where our suite waits. Egon rolls his eyes as we walk in. “You know we’re only here for a night, right? We’re going to sleep for like eight hours and then leave this room.”
“It’s cute you think we’re sleeping for eight hours,” I tell him, pulling his jersey over his head.
He groans. Not because I’m going to fuck him into the mattress, and that’s why he’s not getting eight hours of sleep. But because he knows his sexy ass will be woken up early.
I kiss his chest and down to his stomach as I undo his jeans and shove them down. “Don’t pout. Get some sleep. You can sleep in the car. And when we get home, I have a surprise waiting there for you.”
Egon has become relaxed under my touch as I kiss him just above the elastic to his underwear. His cock is hardening in them, though I’m ignoring it entirely. If I start on him now, we won’t get any sleep. But at the mention of a surprise, his gentle touch in my hair hardens and he pulls my face back to look at him.
“What did you do, Rakesh?” he asks, eyes narrowed.
