Page 55

I peer down at him. His cheeks are red and his eyes are shining. With outstretched arms, I pull him toward me. Quickly, I slide my hands into his pants, kissing him at the same time. Our fingers frantically search for each other. With one hand on the back of his neck, I hold Parker against my mouth. The cautious exploration from the night before is over. I want him completely. I want to taste, experience, and touch every inch of him.

With my other hand, I reach between us. Parker is already pushing his pants down, and I wrap my fingers around his hard erection.

Dammit. I want him completely naked. I want more skin-to-skin contact. But he presses himself against me, sliding into my closed fist wrapped around him. With my thumb, I spread the pre-cum over his cockhead and my fingers.

Parker moans into my mouth, and I want to catch every sound he makes. He thrusts into my hand with increasing intensity, and I grip him tighter.

Above me, he tenses, buries his head in the crook of my neck, and comes with a satisfied groan in my fist between us.

His warm, wet release smears across our stomachs, and I carefully pull my hand out from between us.

Parker mumbles to himself and snuggles closer to me. With my clean hand, I stroke his back, savoring his closeness. If only I could hold us forever.

Far too quickly, he lifts his head. “Hello. It’s nice to have you back.”

We grin at each other. I hastily press a kiss to his beautiful lips. “Come on. Let’s get cleaned up, and you need to be fed.”

I’m taking my third shower of the day, but this is the most pleasant one yet, with Parker in my arms. No rushing off to practice, no frantic showering with the team. Just the warm water on my back and the man of my dreams in my arms.

Later, we’re sitting on the couch, and I’m feeding Parker leftovers from the night before, fruit, and a few protein bars.

“Do you have to go back today?” I ask as he chews on a piece of naan.

He nods and takes a sip of water. “Yeah, I have an appointment at the office tomorrow and need to get some new clothes before that. That means I have to go to my apartment today.”

I stroke his cheek. “You could wear something of mine.”

He nestles into my touch and turns further toward me. He’s now wrapped his legs around my hips, yet he’s leaning back relaxed against the back of the couch.

“They’d be too big, wouldn’t they?”

“I think they’d look great on you. Especially my jersey.” The words slip out of my mouth, and I regret them. Not because they aren’t true or because I wouldn’t want Parker to be at the arena with my name on his jersey, but because the wish is pointless and childish.

He spares me, though, by not responding to the remark at all. “Simon would be more than a bit confused if I suddenly showed up in sports gear. They’d think I’ve lost my mind.” He eyes me and takes a bite of a samosa. “Want one?”

“No. I’ve already eaten, thanks.”

Nodding, he takes another bite. “There’s a home game the day after tomorrow, right?”

Why is he asking that? Does he want to come to the game? Should I invite him? Could there be any possible explanation for why he’s there? What am I supposed to tell Blake if he recognizes him?

Parker lowers his gaze. His expression is no longer cheerful and relaxed but withdrawn and closed off from me.

“Uh, yeah,” I mumble, reaching for his free hand. Our fingers brush lightly against each other. Parker doesn’t take my hand.

“Valentina told me. She wanted to give me a heads-up this time. Apparently, she’s a hockey fan now. Maybe she should wear your jersey.” He grimaces, and I barely manage to stifle a sigh.

“I’m sorry.”

But Parker doesn’t let me finish. “No. Stop, you don’t have to apologize. I know what I’m getting myself into and need to stop making those comments. You can’t change all that.”

“But I can react more maturely if you ask me about my game plan.”

“Yeah.” He gazes at me intently. “I wanted to say, how about we meet up afterward? You’ll still be in New York afterward, right?”

I set the food down on the little table in front of us, right at the edge of the sofa, and pull Parker toward me. “You know there’s nothing I want more than for you to be sitting in the arena wearing my jersey, right?” I kiss his cheek, his temple, his neck. “If I could, I’d shout it from the rooftops.”

He nods. “I . . . I think I know that, yeah.”