Page 115 of The Husband Game

Lord help Dustin if any of the rookies decided to join in this season.

But it was all done with love and tomorrow Dustin would have a good laugh about it with them.

Today it was more fun to make them think he was actually pissed though. He enjoyed letting them twist in the wind a little, wondering what the retaliation would be.

He’d have to get creative …

* * *

Charlie came home to find Dustin sacked out on the couch. He was snoring a little bit, mouth open, face slack, one arm trailing on the floor, clearly exhausted.

“Aww,” Charlie whispered as he leaned in to tuck the blanket more securely around Dustin, then mentally smacked himself for being so sappy.

Dustin woke with a jerk, flailing a little, catching the phone lying on his chest before it went tumbling to the floor. “Shit, you startled me.”

“Sorry.” Charlie gave him an apologetic peck on the cheek, then straightened. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know.” Dustin smiled sleepily, rubbing his palms over his face. He squinted at his phone screen. “Huh. Later than I expected. Apparently, I crashed hard after I got home.”

“Tough training camp?”

“Ugh, to say the least. Fun though.” He gave Charlie a sleepy smile. “How was your day?”

“Pretty good. I met with a new client. Some friend of Natasha’s.”

“Awesome.” Dustin yawned. “Gah, sorry. I’m not usually this groggy after a nap.”

“It’s okay.” Charlie smiled down at him, then picked up a jersey draped over the back of the couch. “Charlie’s, huh? And here I thought your last name was Fowler.”

Dustin grinned, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “The guys were being funny. They put up a Charlie shrine in my stall today.”

Charlie laughed, amused by the idea. “Cute.”

“It was. Want to see the pictures? The guys took some and sent it to the team group chat.” He looked simultaneously pleased and a little sheepish, which was kind of adorable.

“Pfftt.” Charlie laughed. “A shrine to me? Of course I want to see it!”

Dustin lifted an arm. “C’mere and I’ll show you.”

Charlie tossed the jersey aside, kicked off his shoes, then slithered into the small space between Dustin’s body and the edge of the couch. “Any excuse to have me close, huh?” he asked as he settled back into the crook of Dustin’s arm.

“Yup.” Dustin kissed the side of his neck.

And Charlie smiled, because he wasn’t really complaining. It felt nice.

He laughed again as Dustin showed him the photos Colton had taken. “They went all out, didn’t they?”

“They sure did. This was only part one of the prank though.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhmm. It kept me distracted enough that I had to shove my bare feet into my shoes, which were coated with Icy-Hot.” He let out a grumbly little noise. “I had to do media with my feet on fire.”

Charlie laughed. “Nice.”

“Hey!” Dustin said, squeezing him closer. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“I am, I am,” Charlie protested, laughing, and squirming a little, trying half-heartedly to get away. He only succeeded in ending up on his back, Dustin half-lying on top of him and pinning him to the couch cushions.

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