Tank snorted. “Then throw less hard. You’re making the children nervous after yesterday’s aggressive performance.”
That got him, finally. Not a full laugh, but enough of one that Tank noticed.
“There,” Tank said. “That’s better.” As he ran to harass another teammate.
Piper's phone buzzed, Noah again. Sorry I have been radio silent, had to go to Walla Walla to deal with my family…long story…miss you.
He read it twice,I kind of miss U2, hit send, then locked the screen again and hated how much steadier he felt. He ran back on field to continue practice.
Film after that, then treatment, then two meetings that should have required his full attention and got maybe sixty percent of it. By the time he left the facility, the sun had burned through the morning haze. He drove home in silence with the windows up, one hand on the wheel, the other tapping once against his thigh every time his phone buzzed.
Kind of? Asshole. Anyways I actually miss you, Noah replied.
Piper read that one three times before replying. Your standards are low. The answer came back immediately. I like interesting dudes. Helps when they are as hot as you are.
He should have put the phone down after that. Instead, he kept it in his hand at every red light.
Joan, I am still that fat kid in my head, hot isn’t really what I see in the mirror, but I will take it.
***
By seven-thirty he was in his kitchen wearing a Vuori tank top and sweatpants and standing barefoot on the cool floor with the refrigerator open and no real plan for dinner. His refrigerator contained a dozen eggs, protein shakes, and several boxes of Uncrustables, his favorite snack.
The phone buzzed again. If I FaceTime you, are you gonna act weird?
Piper stared at the screen.Go for it.
He shouldn’t. He knew that. He knew how this worked now. One choice. Then another. Then another. He wanted this but knew the distraction would cost him at some point.
He picked up the phone, anyway.
The screen filled with Noah’s bedroom and then his smiling face.
“There he is,” Noah said.
Piper walked toward the living room windows. “There I am.”
“Nice to see your face. What are you doing?” Noah asked as his smile got bigger.
“I’m eating an Uncrustable for dinner.”
Noah laughed softly. “That’s such a Piper Ashton meal,” and leaned back against his headboard. He was shirtless, one knee bent up under the covers, Versace briefs clinging to his skin. The sight of him, ordinary and unguarded, did something in Piper’s chest, then traveled down to his cock.
Piper walked to his bedroom. “How is Seattle?”
“Wet. Loud. Darius thinks I’m a distraction for the team.”
“Why?”
“Said the media’s doing too much on the two of us.”
That shut Piper up. Noah noticed immediately. “There it is.”
“What?”
“Well the two of us are sort of a story everywhere right now. If they only knew we were fucking.” Noah laughed, then continued, “most people would sell their first born child for this kind of press.”
“It’s just a lot and I want to focus on football,” Piper said as he sat on the bed.
