All of the drafted players joined with their guests for pictures, which took another hour. Various interviews started happening after, and Reece decided that was his cue to leave. Once again, he bid his friends farewell, making his way through the tight crowd until he ran into Nick.
“Oh, Nicky, I was looking for you,” Reece said with a smile. He opened his arms to hug Nick before thinking better of it and letting his arms fall to his sides. “I’m heading out now.”
Nick’s hand gripped the back of Reece’s head and pulled him into him, then held him like they were the only two in the room.
“You’re not coming back to our hotel?”
“Oh, no.” Reece sighed, snaking his arms around Nick’s waist. “It’s late… and it’ll take over an hour to get back to my hotel.”
“Are you going back home tomorrow?”
“Nu uh.” He shook his head as best he could from his position. “I have another show tomorrow night. I fly back on Sunday.”
“What show?” Nick asked as they loosened their hold on each other simultaneously.
“What—you didn’t know?” Alex spoke up, popping up next to them. “Reece’s been doing fashion shows here all week. In New York.”
“Don’t be silly, Alex… Of course, he didn’t know.” Reece laughed it off, but it did make him a little sad. He looked back at Nick with a small smile and let go of him, holding onto his pinky for the briefest moment before letting go entirely. “Well, now that it’s time to take my career more seriously, I’veexpanded my horizons. I wanted to see how the runway suited me, and I actually loved it. I’ve been doing pretty well, too, so I’m expecting some great offers after I return home.”
“You mean… You’re working here—in New York?” Nick looked like the news was the last thing he ever expected to hear.
“Mm. Yep.” Reece’s eyes closed as his smile broadened. But it fell away after a moment, panic bubbling up in his chest. “I want to be around to support my friends… and New York is one of the fashion capitals of the world. I can really make a name for myself here. I guess I just wasn’t in a rush before.” He shrugged, panicking worse because he knew he was oversharing. “Ah—anyway. I should be going now. It was good to see you, Nicky.”
And with that, Reece walked away, not sure why Nick looked so surprised and hoping with every step that it wasn’t because Nick thought Reece was trying to follow him.
36
Chapter 36 - Nick
“I’ve never been to a fashion show before. I’m getting excited.” Declan slapped a hand on Nick’s leg, and Nick smacked it off him. “Who would’ve guessed you’d get invited to the same show Reece’s modeling! And get a plus-one for me! Ha.”
Nick hadn’t known what to expect either, but it certainly wasn’t anything this… grand. The runway was long enough to have hundreds of people seated on either side of it, and Nick had been invited and reserved a seat on the front row. Nick was never one to pay attention to fashion brands before, outside of things Reece talked about and liked. This fashion show was nothing like Nick ever experienced—and nothing like Fashion Disaster.
When the music started and the first model strutted down the runway, the mood was set and everyone in attendance seemed to vibe with it. Every outfit was all black and Nick didn’t pay them much mind beyond that until Reece steppedout. He wore black pants that flowed like they were thin and soft as his hair with every step. And every step was purposeful. Powerful. His expression was hard, eyes like a siren’s, staring straight ahead with a cool confidence that had Nick choking on air as much as the top Reece was wearing did. It was fitted and tucked in, sheer black that made his pale skin beneath visible. The wave-like details patterned into the top were thin, the collar open, half of Reece’s chest on display, a black choker around his throat.
“Fuck me,” Nick groaned, throwing a hand up in disbelief.
Declan just whistled, both of them turning their heads to follow Reece’s path. “Even better in person.”
“Don’t fuckin’ look at him,” Nick snapped and Declan turned his head to give him an unimpressed look.
“The fuck else am I gonna do?”
Nick ignored him, disappointed that Reece passed by so quickly.
But then he appeared again, and Nick was on the edge of his seat. The black outfits had been replaced with ones that were pure white. This time Reece wore a full suit, and he looked like a goddamn angel, the shirt much too big but stylishly so. His expression was the same, so focused. The posture, the attitude, everything about him was making Nick melt in his seat.
The second time passed just as quickly, but then Reece returned, this time still in white, in a sheer robe so long that it flowed at his feet with each step. The tie at his waist was loose, the white underwear he was wearing covering him nicely and yet revealing way too fucking much at the same time. Nick was bolting from his seat before he could stop himself, only to be yanked back down by Declan.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Declan growled at his ear, both of their gazes following Reece as he walked past, completely oblivious to their presence.
“What the fuck does he think he’s wearing?”
“Do you hear yourself, man?”
Nick shrugged Declan off of him, jaw tensing. Fuck, Reece looked amazing—so good Nick didn’t want to share him with anyone. But Reece wasn’t even his anymore.
He never had been either, because Nick never allowed him to be. Not really.
