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The words made my mouth close in shock.
“I’m not fucking anyone else, and I have no interest in doing that, either. Jesus, are you fucking stupid? I like you.” He shifted to the bed, his ass taking up the space near my thigh, and his closeness made breathing difficult. “You’re annoying as hell and a bigger pain in my ass than any other teammate I’ve ever had, but I like you. I don’t want anyone else.” He glanced down at my knee, bared from the bandages with its fresh surgery scar. “And I worry about you.”
The confession cost him a lot, and the words were more than he usually gave me. A pang of joy hit me squarely in the chest. I didn’t know what to say, though.
He stared, as if waiting for me to admit something as deep in return.
I took a breath. “I... like you, too.”
“You don’t sound sure.” Atlas smirked.
I poked him in the ribs, and he laughed. “Fuck off. I’m sure. I might like your dick more than you, though.”
He shook his head with a grin nearly splitting his face. “Good to know.”
Warmth spread through me as I stared at his smile.
* * *
The next evening, I sat on my bed with a brand-new TV latched onto the wall of my room, courtesy of Joseph, who was back to trying to make my mom happy. He told me to “get better so we can have you next season,” which made me wonder if Atlas had told him that MCU was trying to recruit me. Tonight’s game between MCU and NGU was on the screen, and I couldn’t look away as Atlas took possession of the puck. He flew by some of the MCU players, and his flawless skating was a masterpiece that had me smiling as he sunk the puck into the net.
The crowd went wild just as the timer buzzed, signaling the end of the last period of the game. The Polar Storms threw up their arms, their sticks clutched in their gloves, and not for the first time, longing buried itself in my chest. I wanted to be out there with them, but I’d made an agreement with Mom to be kinder to myself on the way home from the hospital.
Downstairs, Mom whooped, and I grinned. She’d never been into hockey much until I started playing, and she was someone Atlas needed in his corner, too. Joseph had decided to go to the game, and I hoped he wasn’t giving Atlas hell because he’d played a spectacular game. His captaincy shined brightly tonight, and I was damned proud of him.
I fell back against my pillow and grabbed my phone as I watched the team filter through the corridor to head to the locker room.
Wystan: You are the boss.
It took about fifteen minutes for Atlas to reply, and I’d nearly started dozing when the phone finally vibrated to signal a message.
Atlas: Nope, I’m Atlas. Boss is the other guy.
I rolled my eyes.
Wystan: Don’t quit your day job. You weren’t cut out to be a comedian.
I laughed anyway.
Atlas: I missed you.
The reply had me tensing, then relaxing as a new wave of heat swept through me. I smiled, and I was glad I couldn’t see my face because I probably looked like an idiot right now.
Wystan: Yeah, I missed being there, too.
It took at least another twenty minutes for him to answer, and I kept busy doing some knee exercises, even though I’d already done my required amount for the day.
Atlas: That isn’t what I meant and you know it. I miss you.
If my heart nearly beat right out of my chest, I wouldn’t admit it. I grinned.
Wystan: Show me how much when you get home tonight.
That was how I left it before I attached my phone to the charger on my nightstand and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to my chest. If we were careful, it couldn’t hurt, right? I really fucking wanted him.
23
ATLAS
