Page 188 of The Head Game

“What are you doing there?” August asked warily as Nico reached for the fly of his trousers.

“I’m going to blow you. Because I need your dick in me. Right now.”

“Shouldn’t we go to the bedroom?” August asked, a little turned on but also a little worried. “Your parents could be home any time with dinner.”

“Uuugh.” Nico let out a noise of frustration. “I am so ready for them to leave. I love them but I have had enough togetherness for a while.”

“They’re flying out in two days and then we’ll be all alone.”

“They were supposed to fly out last week,” Nico said grumpily.

“Well, we’d both had a rather rough time,” August pointed out. “I got banned, you got fined, and you got the news you won’t be back on the ice by bye week.”

Nico sighed noisily and pressed his cheek against August’s leg. “Don’t remind me.”

“Sorry.” August’s tone was soft. He gently ran his fingers across the top of Nico’s skull. “I know that was rough to hear.”

“I was so sure I’d be ready,” he said mournfully.

“I know. And it sucks that you aren’t.”

“Yeah.” Nico let out a big sigh. “I guess neither of us are quite where we want to be with our careers, huh?”

“Not so much.”

“You dreamed about refereeing the Cup championship.”

“Yeah,” August agreed, swallowing hard, because that was still an emotional thought. “But I also dreamed about falling in love and marrying someone. A lot of guys would probably tell me I’m an idiot for giving up one to have the other but …”

Nico sniffed. “Well, you’re definitely an idiot. You tried to break up with me.”

August laughed. “Yeah, but if I’m your idiot, that’s all that matters.”

“You better be,” Nico said. “You promised you’d drive me crazy for the rest of our lives.”

“True. And I am looking forward to that.”

Nico grinned.

“We’ve both had to face some hard truths about our futures but it could have been worse, you know?” August mused.

“Yeah, you could have actually broken up with me and we both would have had to deal with this shit all alone.” There was a distinct pout on Nico’s face and his tone clearly implied that was the most ridiculous idea ever.

“That would have been pretty stupid of me,” August said with a smile. “It’s better when we’re in this together.”

“Exactly.”

“But that wasn’t quite what I meant,” August admitted. “I meant what it would have been like if you hadn’t survived the brain tumor.”

Nico grimaced. “Yeesh, way to go dark there.”

“Well, it could have happened,” August pointed out. “I could have lost any chance of ever falling in love with you.”

Nico reached out and threaded their fingers together. “Nah, we’re meant to be. Never would have happened.”

August gave him an unamused look. “I don’t think that’s how life works.”

“You may not believe in fate, but I do,” Nico insisted. “Especially after all we’ve had to deal with.”

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